www.bible.com/1713/exo.20.16.csb
What is truth? Shouldn’t we tell lies when they don’t hurt as much as truth? How can we know what truth is?
When we read this commandment of the law, we might get the impression that God is merely concerned about the integrity of the legal system, since testimony is part of accusation and proof to move to conviction. You certainly wouldn’t want someone accused falsely.
But what about everyday situations? Well, Lev 19:11 covers those when it says do not act deceptively or lie to one another. Truth matters to God, whether it’s on the stand or it’s in the home. So how do we know what truth is?
Jesus said “I am the truth”. Despite all the lies that we tell ourselves about our goodness and worthiness, Jesus is the gold standard of truth. Jesus came because we are sinners in need of a Savior. We are not righteous apart from Him. We have nothing in ourselves and our sinful inclinations that deserves salvation. Jesus stands in silent testimony against us. He proves by His righteousness that we don’t deserve it nor have earned it. But He also testifies to the love of God, and the grace extended to us. That too is truth. While we are sinners, Christ died for us, in our place, and extends his righteousness to us on our faith in Him. That is also the truth.
That’s the biggest truth. Truth for your everyday is fairly simple. Truth is that which corresponds to reality. Reality is determined by what you experience with your five senses under normal conditions. A lie would be to present a reality that does not correspond with the reality you’ve experienced.
Notice there is a great deal of wiggle room here. A person can tell a truth they’ve experienced that may not correspond to the way others have experienced it. That’s called getting both sides of the story. When you’ve examined all the witnesses to an event, you will receive a more balanced picture of what occurred. This is why it’s important for every witness to tell the truth.
We can only do as well as the reality that we believe in. If we are told lies about who we are and what we can do, then we will fail against the real world when we are tested. I.e., if you think you are a great survivalist without training, you will not last long in the woods. It doesn’t matter how confident or how sincere you are.
You may be sincere about your beliefs in Wicca or Atheism or a host of other believers. You may hold those “truths” to be self-evident. But if those truths do not correspond to the Truth, you may find yourself in the same woods as the unprepared survivalist. Even Christians who cling to “truths” not found in Scripture find themselves cast adrift when the reality they face doesn’t match their invented theology. The phrase “God doesn’t give you more than you can handle” isn’t true. God often gives us more than we can handle in order to test our faith in Him. If we could handle it, we wouldn’t need Him. Yet I’ve heard this simple phrase come from many Christian lips.
Be careful of the truths that you build you life on. You will find every one of them tested. If they are not true, you may be broken if you cannot adapt to what is true. Truth is found in the Bible, for God’s Word is true. I encourage you to study and read, reflect and share. Be prepared with the preparation of God’s Word.
God bless you today!
Meritt Musings 