Some people will say anything to avoid the truth.
The story is told of an actress who would never say her actual age. But one persistent news reporter tried to pry the truth out of her. “How old are you?” he inquired directly.
Without hesitation, she answered, “I’m 68.”
The reporter objected: “But, Madam, how can you be sixty-eight? I just asked your son his age, and he said that he is sixty.”
Her reply was, “My son lives his life and I live mine.” (selected)
Not only was the woman not telling the truth, she obviously was not being honest, as well. At least, that’s the conclusion we naturally come to believe.
But it seems most strange to think that, nowadays, the real truth doesn’t really matter. The attitude that some have is that if the woman wanted to think she was only 68 years old, then that was her actual age. And because she was merely and sincerely being honest about it, then that’s all that counts. According to her answer to the reporter, that was her life, and that’s the age she identified with.
Most of us will scratch our heads in puzzlement with this sort of “logic.” But, it’s the direction our culture is moving today. What we’ve always known as truth—such as, 2 + 2 = 4—is now questioned to the point of asserting, 2 + 2 can sometimes = 5. And you’ll find all kinds of mathematical manipulations and strange theories to claim this is true.
Some suggest that the real truth behind this assertion is for the purpose of making radical social changes in modern culture. So that, by “deconstructing” and, therefore, “destabilizing” what 2 + 2 has always been known to equal, then doubt can be placed on what is absolute truth. As one source comments,
Under this so-called woke math, “2+2=5” because when a meaning is not fixed, lucid, and defined, that meaning can be redefined and warped. With this distortion, people can supposedly jump to any conclusion they desire. (https://www.thecollegefix.com/some-critical-theory-scholars-argue-22-can-sometimes-equal-5/)
Truth be told…If someone can draw their own conclusion on what he or she wants to be true rather than what is indisputably true, then may I humbly say that we’re all going to find ourselves in one big mess. You can already see the conflict this way of thinking is virtually creating from all spectrums— sociological, philosophical, psychological, educational, governmental, and economical.
I mean, you don’t have to look very hard to see there’s so much distrust, contempt, corruption, and deception wherever you go or whatever you’re involved in or however you’re informed. And it’s based on this whatever-you-honestly-want-to-believe-is-true-then-it-must-be-true mentality.
Truth be told…We must believe there is absolute moral truth to keep us stabilized, secure, and successful. But this runs contrary to what we’re often told in the secular world.
If you desire to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, watch out! You may be mocked, scorned, harassed, bullied, condemned, or all the above. After all, whatever goes is what goes and don’t you dare question it! Moral truth is all “relative,” or so they want you to think. (To which I jest that it depends on whose “relative” you may be talking about!)
Lindy Keffer from Focus on the Family, opined in her article, “Absolute Truth in a Relativistic World,”
…If we have ultimate truth, it gives us both a way to explain the world around us and a basis for making decisions. Without it, we’re alone. We’re just 6 billion organisms running around, bumping into each other with nothing unifying to work for or believe in. It’s every man for himself. And we’re without a purpose; if there’s no true story of where we came from and why we’re here, then there’s nothing that really gives our lives meaning. Sounds a little depressing, huh? And maybe frightening.
Truth be told…We must believe there is the absolute truth, and pursue it absolutely. And it starts with the basic foundation of all truth—the Word of God, our Creator, and the writings of those inspired by him to record them. The Apostle Peter wrote,
20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture becomes a matter of someone’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God, (2 Peter 1:20-21, New American Standard Bible, NASB).
Truth be told…If you are someone who has any doubts about God’s existence, you will find this truth impossible to believe. But that’s just what this unbelieving world wants to happen. Think of all the “isms” used to lure you into doubting that Almighty God has established absolute truth to live by—atheism (denial of God’s existence), agnosticism (do not know if God does or doesn’t exist), amoralism (no moral facts), existentialism (no universal values); hedonism (self-pleasure), and all other human philosophies and theories that reject or distort belief in the one, true God.
Truth be told…Those who promote these “isms” at the expense of ignoring and rejecting God’s truth, take on a religious fervor of their own to attract the less informed. Like a magnet, they pull people in, especially the young, with their own idols, their own doctrines, and their own pagan forms of worship to follow.
Peter goes on to say what happens when these so-called “false prophets” try to steer you wrong. And he warns of the disaster that results by citing it’s just a repeat of what happened in past generations:
2 Peter 2:1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping, (New International Version, NIV).
Truth be told…Peter was inspired through God’s Power to write to his fellow believers with this warning because he wanted to remind them of the Good News concerning this infallible truth: That God will keep his promises and wonderfully reward those who choose to follow his truth in preparation for the Great Day of Jesus’ return (2 Peter 3:1-2). His conclusion,
2 Peter 3:14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him….17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (NIV)
To be honest with ourselves is to humble ourselves before God who gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to save us and give us the hope of eternal life (John 3:16). In fact, Jesus declared he is “the way, the truth, and the life” for coming to the Father and experiencing the true way of life (John 14:6). When we take an honest look at ourselves and see our need for God and his Son, then we’ll be on the right path that leads to the kind of blessings our Heavenly Father wants us to have…
…Truth be told!
Good News to YOU!
Pastor Michael
P.S. Here’s a song by Matthew West that reminds us of our need to be truthful and honest as we live for the Lord in our lives: “Truth Be Told,” https://youtu.be/k0Sqb95vsIM