Truth
What is truth? According to Dictionary.com:
- the true or actual state of a matter: He tried to find out the truth.
- conformity with fact or reality; verity: the truth of a statement.
- a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like: mathematical truths.
- the state or character of being true.
- actuality or actual existence.
- an obvious or accepted fact; truism; platitude.
According to John 14:6:
Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life…
How do we look at truth? Some people like to “invent” their own truth which usually has very little to do with the real truth. In other words they simply lie.
So, what is a lie? According to Dictionary.com:
- a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth.
- something intended or serving to convey a false impression; imposture: His flashy car was a lie that deceived no one.
- an inaccurate or untrue statement; falsehood: When I went to school, history books were full of lies, and I won’t teach lies to kids.
Okay, so maybe people aren’t always lying when they do not tell the truth. They just believe differently than others.
While I will try to not get entangled with Government affairs, there are times when I must jump into it. Today, we hear truth and lies from our government officials. Most recently we have heard that there is a fentynal crises and there is not a fentynal crises, open boarders and secure boarders, economy is sinking and the economy is booming, there was a violent insurrection on January 6 (J6) and there was a peaceful protest on J6, and 5 police officers were killed on J6 and no police officers were killed on J6. So, how do we navigate what is true and what is not?
Today, everything, it seems, is captured on video. Let’s take one of the above things and review. J6. The government officials told us it was an armed insurrection. According to their reports, 5 officers and 1 civilian were killed. Take a look at that. 5 officers killed. This really takes us aback and makes us wonder what was happening on that day.
Now let’s differentiate the lies and the truths. There was 1 civilian shot and killed by a police officer. Now, how about the 5 police officers? Facts should bear out the truth. One of the officers died days after the J6 event of a stroke. The other 4 officers died of suicide some months after J6. These are facts that are indisputable and yet our government continues with the lie.
If our government leaders are willing to use the unfortunate deaths of people to bolster their lies, can we really trust them? Well, we can sometimes and not others. I am purposely staying away from political party affiliations because all of them are trustworthy and all of them are untrustworthy. Take your pick.
The point I am trying to make is that we all see the truth differently. Some project a lie knowing it to be a lie just to advance their agenda. Others push a lie because they believe the originators of that lie.
According to bibleinfo.com, one of the 10 commandments states:
Exodus 20:15: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
Explanation: This commandment forbids bribery and forgery and even the least suggestion contrary to truth. It forbids libel, slander, and backbiting, and calls for the truth and nothing but the truth.
In Revelation 22:15, we are told that “whoever loves and practices a lie” will be outside the gates of the New Jerusalem, and in Revelation 21:27 “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”
Since Jesus told us that He is the truth, you can depend totally on that. The Bible teaches us not to lie and holds liars in a dim light. That by no means is a reason to hate liars, but instead, lead them to the truth.
I pray every day for our government leaders by simply asking God to bring the truth out and that they begin to tell the truth. I encourage you to do the same. We will never get our country or the world back to God if there is continual controversy. We are not called to create confusion but to spread the Good News about Jesus Christ.