Our Measuring Stick
One of the great words in theBible is the word truth. However, it does not have a good reputationoutside of the Bible. Perhaps it is because liars use it so often: “It’s thegospel truth!” and gossips also use it: “Well, it’s true, isn’t it?” However,if it is rightly understood, it is the measuring stick by which all falsehoodis determined.
Let’s look at a few of theplaces the word is used in the Bible.
“The Word became flesh and made his dwellingamong us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came fromthe Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
“Jesus answered,‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father exceptthrough me’” (John 14:6).
“If you love me,you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give youanother Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannotaccept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for helives with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17).
“When theCounselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truthwho goes out from the Father, he will testify about me” (John 15:26).
“We did not givein to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you”(Galatians 2:5).
“You wererunning a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?”(Galatians 5:7).
“Instead,speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is theHead, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).
“And you alsowere included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of yoursalvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promisedHoly Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13).
“All over theworld this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing amongyou since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth”(Colossians 1:6b).
The word “truth” is identifiedwith Jesus, the Holy Spirit, grace, love, the gospel, and obedience.
The false prophet and the liarsay that they are telling truth. The true prophet and the honest man say thatthey are telling the truth. It is up to the Christian to know the difference.Get immersed in the truth.
If we are immersed in truth, wewill not be deceived, and we will be filled with the gospel and the fruit ofthe Spirit and will preach it.
There are a few other aspectsof truth to consider.
It is an absolute term; thereare no “maybes” about it. Because it is absolute, it must be lived, declared,preached, and proclaimed. It is not up for discussion.
Truth required dogmatism. Whenthe first-grade teacher writes the letter “A” on the board, she does not say tothe students, “I think that this is possibly, maybe, ‘A.’” No! She is dogmaticabout it. “This is ‘A.’”
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