A conversation about the age of the earth became intense and the next query was, “don’t you believe in absolute truth?” Now that is a question that requires careful thought. Yes, I believe in absolute truth. Establishing that Truth is the tricky part. Remember Pilate’s question of Jesus? When the Lord told him that He was sent into the world to “testify to the truth,” the Roman governor cynically asked Him, “What is truth?” (John 18:37)
I grew up in a church that told me the world was a place of right and wrong, black and white, with no grey areas. As I matured I found that there was an additional category – “things we don’t talk about!” Many of the difficult issues got pushed into that category and, if a question was raised, you got a lecture about the importance of ‘just trusting God,’ which I later figured out was code for ‘we don’t know how to answer that and stick with our system of truth!’ I also learned that there were some things that were declared true that were simply preferences of the leaders or traditions of the church. It was all terribly confusing to a teenager trying to hang onto to his faith.
The temptation that came from all that was to discard faith, but God was there. He revealed (an important word in the discussion about Truth) Himself in the created world, through the love of wonderful Spirit-filled people, by the work of the Spirit, and in the Scripture. I learned that honesty in dealing with Truth did not require me to have an answer for all questions; that I could and should say, “I do not know,” and leave it at that. I also learned to live with mystery – with the fact that God and His Truth are just too big to fit entirely inside of my head. Some things He choose to let me comprehend, some He asks me to discover with careful study, and some remain in the ‘to be continued’ category.
God reveals Truth and requires us to discover it! An honest scientist and an honest theologian are in pursuit of the same thing (or One) – the Truth! And, the discovery of the truth – be it about physical laws of the universe or spiritual laws about pleasing God – brings great benefit to those who align themselves with it. As 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)
Disciple, are you pursuing the Truth? Be a student of the Scripture and a person who loves God personally and intimately. Watch out for deception that comes from becoming intellectually lazy or spiritually tradition bound! Jesus’ most ardent enemies were men who thought of themselves as being pursuers of truth. But their ability to know the truth was corrupted by insistence on maintaining their accepted traditions, which led to their refusal to live in the Spirit, God’s Living Water. Jesus challenged them - "Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.” (John 7:24, NLT)
Here’s Truth to live by today. Meditate on it and take the deep assurance offered by the Word with you into a world full of uncertainty.
"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. …
"Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart." (Psalm 125:1-2, 4, NIV)
__________________
Change my heart, oh God,
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, oh God,
May I be like You.
You are the potter,
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me,
This is what I pray.
Change my Heart, Oh GodEddie Espinosa© 1982 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055
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