The Question Of Truth

"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 8:31b-32)

The presents are unwrapped and leftovers are on the table.  Our minds turn towards the New Year.  Maybe for you this past syear has been a difficult year, and your hopes are that this next year will be better.  Are you one who makes New Year's resolutions?  They are easy to make and hard to keep.  Do you find that to be true?  I do!  Forget the New Year's resolutions; decide now to reconsider your faith.  The world economy may get better or it may not, financial woes may ease or they may not.  Has your faith been shaken?  Join the crowd; we have all been at that dark place.  Possibly your faith in the truth of the Bible is in question.  Pilate at the trial of Jesus said, "What is truth?" (John 18:38)  We put the question mark at the end of his statement, although the Aramaic (which is probably the language used) is not a question, it is an exclamation, so should read, "What is truth!" Pilate wasn't asking for an answer from Jesus, he was making a disgusted statement.  He was not waiting for an answer and dismissed the very possibility of knowing the truth.  Let us not be like Pilate, for the truth can set us free: make time to reconsider your faith.

God has spoken and knowing that, we as Christians are able to affirm there is truth.  We know it through the Bible, in nature (Romans 1:20); through reason, we are made in the image of God, that is our belief, and we believe because of that truth we are given a free will and the capacity for logical thinking; through conscience, God reveals truth to us and we can know good from evil because a moral sense is in our makeup.  The Bible puts it this way, "...since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness..." (Romans 2:15a).  All mankind can know and does know the truth.  Unfortunately, today's culture denies that truth can be known.  Many within the Church have drifted away from the historic Christian faith and exchanged this view for a postmodern Christianity.

What is postmodern Christianity? The Emerging Church theology that is becoming prevalent has resorted to emphasizing experience and indirect means of witness; their worship is characterized by storytelling, visual presentations, contemporary music, and an open invitation to join the conversation. This in of itself, is not troubling; it is presenting Christianity as a big-picture story in which all of our individual stories and experiences can find their meaning.  This is done at the expense of the truth,.  As Charles Colson and Harold Ficket in; The Faith Given Once For All, states; "This conception of church life and the failure to teach doctrine do nothing less than institutionalize agnosticism, the inability to know the truth...."

When the truth is abandoned for skepticism we oftern turn to therapy, and instead of curing our problems we learn to jsut cope with them.  If we deny the truth then the revelation found in His Word, the Bible, our attempt to deal with our problems, our situations, is indermined.  Truth matters, the Church (that is us) won't be the Church if we are not on the side of the truth.  Jesus came as the champion of truth and for those on the side of the truth.  If Christianity is not the truth, it is nothing, and our faith mere sentimentality.

Put your faith in God's Word, it is truth. The future in this world is unknown but we have the Word of God to direct us, lead us, so that we can face this uncertain world with confidence, for the teachings of Jesus is the truth.  We do not know what the New Year holds for us; but we do know who holds the future.  Do not allow this postmodern culture, that truth cannot be known, lead you away and destroy your faith.  Here is a truth, "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19)

Daily Prayer:

Father I come to you in the name of Jesus, my Saviour, thanking you that I can know the truth, and that truth is found in Jesus.  Thank you for your Word of Truth, I put the future into your hands knowing that you will meet my needs; that I need not fear.                 Amen