truth

A basic fact of our fallen nature is that we all seek to “be like God” (Genesis 3:5), to be in charge of our lives so we can do as we wish. As a result, we resist authority of any kind that tries to tell us who we are or how we should live.

This has never been more true than today. Our “post-truth” culture assures us we can define truth however we wish, do with our bodies (including those carrying unborn babies) whatever we wish, define gender and marriage as we wish, and end our lives whenever and however we wish.

On both sides of the political spectrum, there's an overwhelming sentiment that what's happening in our elections isn't fair. As we approach the 2022 election, my most consistent prayer is that, when the election is complete, we will have the sense that it was conducted fairly and openly. If we have that, I believe we have a foundation to move forward. Otherwise, we are in a very difficult place.

75% of young adults don’t know their purpose in life and that’s why almost half feel hopeless. Dr. Jeff Myers reminds us that truth exists and can be known because Jesus is truth and he has revealed himself to us.

What kind of world would unfold if smart, determined people lived as if Jesus really was the source of truth? That question shapes a new book by my friend Dr. Jeff Myers, president of Summit Ministries. Truth Changes Everything: How People of Faith Can Transform the World in Times of Crisis is a book badly needed right now.

This relativistic view of morality rejects the only solution for our problem: “You know that [Christ] appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). If I do not believe I have cancer, I will not consult an oncologist, much less consent to the chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery she prescribes.

How can we respond biblically to such deception? How can we speak the truth in love when such truth is so unpopular?

Our root problem is simple and tragic: people will accuse the truth of being a lie if it contradicts lies they want to believe are true. Our first parents wanted to be their own god (Genesis 3:5). They wanted what seemed “good for food,” a “delight to the eyes,” and “desired to make one wise” (v. 6). And so they ate the forbidden fruit, and the human race has never recovered. Don’t think for a minute that you and I are less susceptible to lies we want to believe. 

In recent years, many Christians have either abandoned or deprioritized the notion of truth, elevating personal experience over what God has revealed about Himself and His world. Years ago, Chuck Colson warned in his book The Faith that Christians must not give up on the idea of truth nor downplay its importance, even in an attempt to gain a wider hearing. Christianity matters precisely because it is true. If it isn’t true, it doesn’t matter. Here’s Chuck:

As our nation falls deeper into the abyss of sin, one would think that pastors would rise up and follow Paul’s plea: “Be on guard; stand firm in your faith [in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound]. Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13, AMB). But sadly, it seems that many are running from the battle rather than to it.

America, and society in general, are facing a "catastrophic loss of truth" due to an embrace of individualism and an abandonment of God's law, says author and speaker John Stonestreet.

We need not choose between truth and love. In fact, we must not choose. They always go together, because they are both grounded in the same Source, or specifically, the same Person.