Seeking Truth in a World That Prefers Lies
'For God in heaven unveils his holy anger breaking forth against every
form of sin, both toward ungodliness that lives in hearts and evil
actions. For the wickedness of humanity deliberately smothers the truth
and keeps people from acknowledging the truth about God. In reality, the
truth of God is known instinctively, for God has embedded this knowledge
inside every human heart. Opposition to truth cannot be excused on the
basis of ignorance, because from the creation of the world, the
invisible qualities of God’s nature have been made visible, such as his
eternal power and transcendence. He has made his wonderful attributes
easily perceived, for seeing the visible makes us understand the
invisible. So then, this leaves everyone without excuse.'Romans 1:18-20
(TPT)
It's sad really. Reality. How do I escape it? How do I change what I see to be real and what I know in my heart to be true? How can I convince myself to believe a lie? Deep breath. What is truth?
Truth, today is defined, by some philosophers and those who are cynical and those that would like to change it as being subjective. Something that is maybe what we make of it. Something to mold. Something to manipulate. Something we could change to make sound better. Something that our culture says it is, if it is something at all. Something in art that can be corrupted. Something in history that can be torn down and erased. Something in music that can be perverted. Something in literature that can be mocked. Truth. Subjective? Is it a social construct or is it a theological ideal? What do I think? Where would I go to find it?
I would look for the definition to the word truth in the Bible: Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. It is the self-expression of God and because it flows from God, truth is theological. To find Truth then, I must be willing to look to God to find it for He has given me a conscience and the knowledge to know Him lies within my heart. In a hard heart then, or a Godless society perhaps, doesn't it seem reasonable that the truth would not exist?
Ignorance of God is no excuse because His qualities can be found in nature since the creation of the world. Things such as eternity and spiritual matters are easily perceived and thus there are no excuses for the denial of Truth and the attacks made against it by those who would chose deception and manipulation as a way to avoid it. The simple truth is, everyone needs a savior. Everyone needs Jesus. He is Truth incarnate. Everyone needs the Word, it is eternal and lives and abides forever.
To deny the spiritual Truth that I know, then, would involve deliberate and willful acts of unbelief on my part. Unbelief dishonors God. Unbelief displaces His Glory and if I choose to refuses to believe, invokes His wrath. His Word sets the standard for all reality and is the measure of all that is true. Without this standard I am nothing. Remove God from culture and every thought is left to foolishness.
Romans 1 is clearly where society is at today. Men professing to be wise ending up looking like fools. Foolish hearts turning away from the good to every form of evil and darkness that is imaginable. I see the results of what foolishness does and brings to my community. I see the results of men refusing to believe, as a form of insanity where dangerous games are played in real life to actually deny and suppress the connection between God and Truth. I see wickedness trying to smother the truth. I see men and women choosing to believe lies and families being oppressed. I see attempts being made to corrupt the good with evil. I see that which is right being replaced with that which is wrong. I see beautiful things being destroyed and replaced with ugliness. I hear of the things that bring us honor being torn down and dishonored. I see men and women demanding to be lied to.
How I respond to truth has eternal consequences. To reject and to rebel against God results in sin and judgment and never ending wrath. To accept and submit to God's truth brings clarity and forgiveness and life everlasting. Shouldn't I demand the Truth, for all of eternity's sake? Doesn't God deserve nothing less? Let lies and oppression cease. I know that just one Word of Truth is worth more than a thousand lies. I will start there. I will just start by telling more of Your Truth.
Dear Heavenly Father. In these Romans 1 times, I pray for freedom. I pray for Truth. Help me to speak truth and not to lie. Amen.
It's sad really. Reality. How do I escape it? How do I change what I see to be real and what I know in my heart to be true? How can I convince myself to believe a lie? Deep breath. What is truth?
Truth, today is defined, by some philosophers and those who are cynical and those that would like to change it as being subjective. Something that is maybe what we make of it. Something to mold. Something to manipulate. Something we could change to make sound better. Something that our culture says it is, if it is something at all. Something in art that can be corrupted. Something in history that can be torn down and erased. Something in music that can be perverted. Something in literature that can be mocked. Truth. Subjective? Is it a social construct or is it a theological ideal? What do I think? Where would I go to find it?
I would look for the definition to the word truth in the Bible: Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. It is the self-expression of God and because it flows from God, truth is theological. To find Truth then, I must be willing to look to God to find it for He has given me a conscience and the knowledge to know Him lies within my heart. In a hard heart then, or a Godless society perhaps, doesn't it seem reasonable that the truth would not exist?
Ignorance of God is no excuse because His qualities can be found in nature since the creation of the world. Things such as eternity and spiritual matters are easily perceived and thus there are no excuses for the denial of Truth and the attacks made against it by those who would chose deception and manipulation as a way to avoid it. The simple truth is, everyone needs a savior. Everyone needs Jesus. He is Truth incarnate. Everyone needs the Word, it is eternal and lives and abides forever.
To deny the spiritual Truth that I know, then, would involve deliberate and willful acts of unbelief on my part. Unbelief dishonors God. Unbelief displaces His Glory and if I choose to refuses to believe, invokes His wrath. His Word sets the standard for all reality and is the measure of all that is true. Without this standard I am nothing. Remove God from culture and every thought is left to foolishness.
Romans 1 is clearly where society is at today. Men professing to be wise ending up looking like fools. Foolish hearts turning away from the good to every form of evil and darkness that is imaginable. I see the results of what foolishness does and brings to my community. I see the results of men refusing to believe, as a form of insanity where dangerous games are played in real life to actually deny and suppress the connection between God and Truth. I see wickedness trying to smother the truth. I see men and women choosing to believe lies and families being oppressed. I see attempts being made to corrupt the good with evil. I see that which is right being replaced with that which is wrong. I see beautiful things being destroyed and replaced with ugliness. I hear of the things that bring us honor being torn down and dishonored. I see men and women demanding to be lied to.
How I respond to truth has eternal consequences. To reject and to rebel against God results in sin and judgment and never ending wrath. To accept and submit to God's truth brings clarity and forgiveness and life everlasting. Shouldn't I demand the Truth, for all of eternity's sake? Doesn't God deserve nothing less? Let lies and oppression cease. I know that just one Word of Truth is worth more than a thousand lies. I will start there. I will just start by telling more of Your Truth.
Dear Heavenly Father. In these Romans 1 times, I pray for freedom. I pray for Truth. Help me to speak truth and not to lie. Amen.
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