| The Nature of Truth | |
by Kenny Marrs |
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Truth is impressive. In this age where "right and wrong" are different things to different people and men will even commandeer the word "truth" to serve their own purpose, the reality is that no man, or army of men, can change truth. In spite of modern efforts to the contrary, truth is the one enduring entity (Mk. 13:31) that stands singularly immune from any and every effort of man to change it. The compelling thing about truth is that its very nature has pre-established right and wrong, and to defy it is to undermine oneself. We know that by definition truth is narrow (the reason it is out of fashion with many today), but few appreciate its power. Gravity allows us to walk and function upon this planet by keeping us in this atmosphere to breathe its oxygen. This is both the power and blessing of truth, yet to deny gravity and step off the edge of the Grand Canyon is certain death. While some may try to suspend this truth by strapping on a parachute and jumping, the fact remains that gravity’s power is absolute and every man is subject to it. This is the nature of truth. Truth demands that we submit to it, not just by what it says but by what it is, and those who refuse will pay the penalty. Likewise, the truths of God’s word are such that if men refuse to submit to them, their refusal becomes a sure assault on their own welfare. For example, when a person decides to disregard the timeless truth of moral behavior (no lying, covetousness, fornication, drunkenness, etc. – Gal. 5:19ff; Col. 3:5ff), the life they create is one of misery and failure (society itself labels these life-styles as "self-destructive"). However, some, finding moral behavior inconvenient, try to circumvent these truths through clever arguments or an open disrepute of the truth. These folks have stepped off the rock of truth and as they begin this moral "free-fall" they look around and wonder what is happening to them. This is what our Lord is teaching in Matt. 7:24-27. Truth sustains life, but the rejection of truth will always dismantle lives and bring men down. This is the nature of truth. Again, when members of a local congregation decide they will appoint an unqualified man (or men) to serve as an overseer of their congregation, this congregation will suffer strife. The very nature of the qualifications in 1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1 are such that if we choose to ignore any part of them, the fact of that man’s unqualified state will inevitably produce uninformed, indecisive, confusing and/or contentious oversight, and we have no one to blame but ourselves. James tells us that envy, self-seeking and confusion come from earthly wisdom, but real peace comes from the wisdom of heaven (Jas. 3:13-18). If you’ve ever wondered why it seems some congregations are always in a state of turmoil, look no further than the leadership and the wisdom that put them there. This is testimony to the nature of God’s truth, and tragic evidence of those who have ignored it. Conversely, peace will be found where truth is held up. |
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| The Test of Truth | |
| In a relativist world where
everyone has their own "truth," we need to be reminded that every self-appointed
truth is only as true as its source. The veracity of a truth is seen in it’s power to
withstand what some courts call the "crucible of truth" (i.e., the
cross-examination of other proven truths). When a new "truth" proves impotent to
sustain it’s own rightness, the wise man will recognize it for what it is and abandon
it (this was the Jews failure in Rom. 10:3). As various "truths" are spawned in
each generation (and often conflict with the previous generation’s
"truth"), we must understand that while man can discover a truth that has
always existed, he cannot create such a truth. To find the source of any absolute
truth that withstands this cross-examination of time and circumstance, man inevitably
arrives at the feet of his Creator. Ironically, while the critic will indict biblical morals as being outmoded or irrelevant, it is these very principles of right and wrong that have withstood the test of time. God’s truths were proven true long before the modern critic was born, and will remain true long after the critic is gone. However, there is a sense in which the critic is right. The biblical guidelines for moral behavior are irrelevant to the world’s thinking today. This is because the world has systematically reassigned ("I’m not responsible, I’m a victim!") or redefined ("its my ‘truth’ vs. your ‘truth’") moral truth through a relative ethic. The way people think and function today, many sinful acts (such as lying and fornication) are simply seen as a behavioral characteristic that is "regrettable" but not worthy of lasting concern because there are greater evils in the world such as pollution or the violation of a criminal’s civil liberties. Our world is sowing to the wind and I shudder to think of the coming harvest. |
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| Inherent Justice | |
There seems to be an inherent
"poetic justice" in truth. This justice is self-administered when people
knowingly set aside or alter God’s revelation. The sinner who seeks scriptural
justification will twist the scriptures through tortured arguments to fit a pre-determined
conclusion. While they may successfully sway public and/or congregational opinion, the
haunting reminder of their disregard for truth will not leave them. Whatever satisfaction
is derived from this self-centered effort to avoid truth will be short-lived because truth
doesn’t go away. The violator of truth will ultimately do one of three things:
(Notice that death is a part of all solutions for sin Rom 6:23). The disputant of truth needs to be reminded that if all the teachers of truth were removed tomorrow, truth would still remain. If it is so destructive to ignore truth, why then do people continue to do so? The answer is in 2 Thess. 2:9-12 "…they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved." Salvation is predicated upon truth, and truth can be seen only when man wants to see it. No man will be saved who does not have a genuine regard for truth…"true" truth. A harsh lesson is discovered that in the end, people will get what they deserve. We find then that truth is eternal and man disregards truth at his own peril. |
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