One of the things that clearly distinguishes God’s people from those on their way to eternal destruction is their relationship with truth. When Adam and Eve believed the serpent in the garden, it created in them an adverse relationship with truth that they passed down to us. Immediately those two were deeply ashamed and tried to hide the truth about what they had done from their Creator. The fear of our shame and guilt being uncovered pushes us away from the truth, too. As Jesus put it…
All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. John 3:20 (NLT)
By nature, those whose hearts are hardened against God are also enemies of the truth. Those who love God love truth as well.
Light and truth are related. The light of God’s truth both reveals the glory of God and exposes sin. Without God’s intervention, people hide from God’s truth about themselves. We find it easier to do this than risk being exposed, shamed, and condemned for our sins. We fear that God is a judge who will mercilessly expose and condemn us to death as our sins deserve.
When we find ourselves in a seemingly untenable situation such as this, we tend to resort to denial and perhaps attempt to create an alternate reality.
We may find it necessary to suppress the truth to uphold the lie we create to try to insulate ourselves from God’s judgment.
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Romans 1:18–20 (NLT)
Even though creation makes God’s existence obvious, we develop and teach as dogma an alternate theory of how we got here called the Big Bang theory and evolution. These lies insist that all matter, energy, and life created or generated themselves through natural processes related to a mysterious force some call gravity. If we got here without help from God, we are masters of the universe who are accountable to no one, Satan’s, Adam’s, and Eve’s goal.
Those who hold power to suppress truth usually strongly defend their lies and attack anyone who dares resist the official narrative.
Nothing is more dangerous to a lie than the truth.
All sorts of truth suppressing alternate realities are being forced upon us, including transgenderism. Anyone who dares to resist is often fiercely attacked. Our news media, in cooperation with the government, Big Medicine, Big Tech, Big Pharma, Big Agriculture, etc., promotes all sorts of falsehoods under the name of truth which is propaganda. Power seeks to intimidate the populace into bowing to the lie, rather than stand up for what is true, thus breaking our will. It is only when the Spirit of truth (John 14:17) begins to work inside us that are drawn away from the lie toward truth.
Jesus, who is Truth in human form, came into this world to testify to the truth and draw to himself those whom God has chosen.
Some who heard Jesus’ words responded by believing in him. Others resisted because they had no love for truth.
Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44 For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! 46 Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” John 8:43–47 (NLT)
Imagine: the Jewish leaders’ hatred of truth propelled them to execute the One sent into the world to testify to the truth. They brought our Lord to Pilate, who heard these remarkable words from Jesus.
Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” John 18:37 (NLT)
All Pilate could weakly reply was, “What is truth?” The Truth stood right in front of him, but he did not recognize him.
We cannot understand the truth about who Jesus is unless the Holy Spirit opens our hearts and develops within us a love for truth.
The movie entitled The Matrix is a parable about man’s quest to know the truth. The hero is a young man called Neo who is given a choice between having his eyes opened to the terrifying truth about a very high level of deception or continuing to live in the apparent comfort and security of the lie. Neo was offered two pills, a red one that would open his eyes to the truth and a blue one that would allow him to continue in the blissful ignorance that enslaved him.
Most people choose to live in some level of deception, keeping the truth about God at a distance, pretending that they will never die or face him in judgment at the end of their lives.
God does not want people to remain captives of the lie, which is why he sent his Son, who is the Truth, to rescue us.
May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. 5 All glory to God forever and ever! Amen. Galatians 1:3–5 (NLT)
The eternal Logos, the Word of God, became a human being, the embodiment of truth, who came with a message of truth combined with mercy. God made a way for us to face the truth without its destroying us. That way cost the one who is truth his life.
Jesus took all the guilt and shame associated with serving the Lie upon himself so that God’s truth and light could penetrate our defenses and capture our hearts in a life-giving way.
In our Lord Jesus, mercy and truth came together to create a pathway to God.
Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! 11 Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven. Psalm 85:10–11 (NLT)
The Law, which is God’s truth without mercy, exposes our sin, but Jesus came to fulfill the Law on our behalf so that we might receive mercy from God.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. John 1:14–17 (NASB95)
This is the gospel message.
Truth has come to us in the person of Jesus who offered himself as a sacrifice to provide forgiveness for our sins and open the way for us to be reconciled to the God of truth. He is the only way back to God.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6 (NASB95)
Those whose hearts are open to truth receive this good news and act upon it and become people of truth and mercy. Those whose hearts remain closed refuse to come to Jesus.
This man [of lawlessness] will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11 So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12 Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12 (NLT)
When people choose deception over God’s truth, they condemn themselves to eternal destruction.
This is because the lie kills. Life is only found in God. When we reject truth, we reject God, thereby rejecting life.
Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. 47 For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’” 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers. 49 So the Lord’s message spread throughout that region. Acts 13:46–49 (NLT)
The ability to love and choose truth is a gift from God himself called repentance.
Without God’s help, we will remain truth haters. With God’s help, we can become lovers of truth, which is an earmark of Christ’s disciples.
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31–32 (NASB95)
Those who receive a love for truth come to Jesus and love his Word.
Born again followers of Christ have a Holy Spirit derived love for the Bible.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’ John 16:13–15 (NLT)
It is incongruent for someone to claim to be a follower of Christ and not love his Word. There seems to be no middle ground. We will either love his word or hate it. When we see churches veer away from their adherence to biblical truth, it appears that the Spirit does not live inside them.
The Spirit of truth always upholds the Word of truth.
Once God opens our eyes to the One who is the embodiment of truth, and we put our faith and allegiance in him, our quest for truth is satisfied. It is not that we now know the whole truth. Quite the opposite. I suspect that we will be discovering more about God for all eternity, but when we put our faith and allegiance in Jesus, we know deep inside that we need not look for anything or anyone else.
When we come to know the one called Truth, our souls find rest from our restless quest.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28–30 (NLT)
Those who reject the truth of the gospel will never find satisfaction anywhere else. There is no peace or rest for the wicked who hate God and his truth. (Isaiah 48:22) There is no one else who can possibly satisfy us. (2 Timothy 3:7)
As disciples, we have a responsibility to invite others to become lovers of the Truth. It is wrong to keep something so great as our secret.
God commissioned us to share the gospel in the hope that the Holy Spirit may open the eyes, ears, and hearts of our listeners.
A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. 2 Timothy 2:24–26 (NLT)
With God’s help, we and others can come to our their senses and awaken to the Truth of God and escape the snares of deception. In the end, nothing can stop the advance of truth.
