Truth Image by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Image Creator
"Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,'" (John 8:31-32, NIV).
What is truth… Now that is a loaded question. Truth is something that has been argued for centuries. There are courses taught on it and we still argue what it is today. It’s in the eye of the beholder and some argue it is according to each person‘s perspective. But if we really want to know what truth is, we must have something to measure it by.
Some of the greatest philosophers of our time argued what truth is and is not, but the truth of the matter is there’s only one beholder of it – God and his word. It shows us what is true and what is not, what represents truth and what does not, and what it looks like. We know if we are walking in truth when our thoughts and attitudes and actions line up with God‘s word. When they don’t, we know they line up with the father of lies because there is no truth in him and we are choosing to align our life with him.
So what is "truth" that we must try to discern what the facts of the matter are? Truth is what we all fight for and the lack of truth is what brings arguments and conflict. Truth is worth fighting for because it’s something we should value. Unfortunately, not everyone values truth, and others are blinded from it. We know from history, from the many dictators, that there are some people who prefer to live a life of lies. They pursue power and control by means of manipulation and deception. However, if we are a child of God and claim to have Christ living within us, then there is no room for these practices in our lives. It’s not a game we’re to play or a pair of dice we’re to roll. Truth is truth and lies are not. That is what we must be willing to live by.
When we make the decision to hide and manipulate our true motives and intentions, we think we are getting away with something when we are not. We think we are hiding our insecurities and shortcomings, but in fact, we are making them visible to all, but more importantly to our Lord and Savior. What we do in this life will be magnified in the next and just because we try to get by or away with one lie about our life, they will continue to follow us and will eventually rear its ugly head. It’s like a snowball or small avalanche that starts to pick up steam and begins to run out of control. They just don’t show up in one place, but they duplicate and replicate themselves in so many other places that before we know it our life is riddled with them.
We can know that we struggle with the sin of falsehoods when we find ourselves using our intellect to hide our true intentions. The only way to escape this trap is to break down all the walls and reveal our vulnerabilities and confess the falsehoods we are trying to live. Then and only then will we be able to begin to live a life of truth knowing that we must put all lies and falsehood behind us and allow them to be crucified on the same cross our Savior died on.