Know the truth, and the truth will make you free

We are living in times where fundamental truths are being challenged. Basic truths like whether you are male or female are not even off limits. Have you ever stopped to think, what is the driving force behind many ideologies which are being pushed in today’s society?

The root of the lies being pushed today go much deeper than what meets the eye, it is rooted in the spiritual. Now before you turn off completely, is it really so hard to believe that there is a spiritual battle going on today? With the blatant display of Satanism in popular music and the ritualistic ceremonies preceding the meetings of global leaders?

Have those who are leading this world sold their souls to the devil? While I do not have the answer for that, I can see the evidence of the work of Satan through the lies being pushed in society today.

Can we survive as a society once we turn our back on truth? The blurring of the lines between truth and lies only breeds confusion and leads to moral decay and anarchy. When truths are mixed with lies then eventually truth is altogether lost. Satan’s goal has always been to undermine God’s truth.

Origin of Lies

Where do we first see an example of truth being mixed with lies in the scripture? That’s right it is in the garden of Eden. When Satan as the serpent appeared to Eve in the garden.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” The serpent said to the woman,?“You surely will not die! “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”?— Genesis 3:1–5

It has always been Satan’s tactic to use lies to achieve his own ends. The fall of man resulted when Adam and Eve believed the lies and disobeyed God’s clear command. Satan works today in much the same way.

Behind many false ideologies and false religions today we find the lie that we as man can be like God. Satan has continued to build on that lie from the beginning. Even as far as to say that he was the liberator, the light bearer that gave knowledge to man. Knowledge that God was withholding from men and then points men to himself as the true God.

But surely no one believes in the devil, right? That in itself is a lie. The bible has a lot to say about the devil and his influence in this world and on people.

… the whole world lies in [the power of] the evil one. 1 John 5:19b

…the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. — 2 Corinthians 4:4

Jesus said that Satan does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him and whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

So we can tell the work of the devil through the false beliefs held to in society today. A person does not have to look very far to find them either.

Here are three fundamental truths highlighted in the first book of the bible Genesis, which are under attack in society today:

1. God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. — Genesis 1:27
2. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. — Genesis 2:24
3. “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease.” — Genesis 8:22

The expedient use of lies by those ruling throughout history has always resulted in the complete corruption of the heart of man. Like for example in Nazi Germany or Stalin’s Russia. Some of the most egregious crimes against humanity have been perpetrated in living memory for some.

But surely we have as a society learnt from the mistakes of the past, right? Or have we? Well it appears we have not; and not only has society as a whole embraced lies but it appears that pursuing truth is no longer of importance.

What is Truth?

How can we know that something is a lie but by comparing it to the truth? But what is truth? It seems like a simple enough question right? But is it really?

We hear so often nowadays that — you need to find your truth but what does that even mean? Can truth be subjective? Is it possible to find your own truth? Or can we even call that truth?

By truth I don’t mean the truth of what you know you had for breakfast. I am speaking about deeper truths, truths that we can base our lives on and that become a solid foundation on which we can build our lives.

The bible teaches that there is a way that seems right unto a man but the end is the way of death. It is literally therefore a matter of life and death to make sure that we get this right.

It is important to understand what the bible teaches us about truth. To do that we must go back to the first time truth is mentioned in scripture to see how the bible defines truth.

He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and?His truth?toward my master…” Genesis 24:27a

The first time we see?truth?mentioned in the bible is where Abraham’s servant was sent to find Abraham’s son Isaac, a wife. While praising God for making his journey a success and expressing his gratitude, he mentions “Truth” for the first time but not just truth but “His truth”,?therefore God’s truth. In the context here we see God honoring the covenant promises He had made to Abraham. This helps us to understand an important principle, that truth is what God has spoken.

The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting. — Psalm 119:160

Therefore God’s truth is our compass in this life, which gives us the direction we need. But without it we set sail and aimlessly drift in this life, following only what seems right to ourselves, which leads only to death. But truth is more than just what God says, He is truth. So the question should rather be — Who is truth?

Jesus said, “I am the way, and?the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. — John 14:6

Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say [correctly] that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” — John 18:37–38a

Before Christ (BC) the world at large was without truth. This is why Pontius Pilate was correct in saying to Jesus, “What is truth?”. The Roman world in the time of Jesus, was steeped in paganism the only nation that had the truth of God was the nation of Israel and even many of them did not recognise the truth of who Jesus was. All nations outside of Israel did what was right in their own eyes

We are now living over 2000 years after Christ (AD). Even our calendar system globally, is a constant reminder of the paradigm shift this world experienced after God sent His son. A.D. is an abbreviation for the Latin term Anno Domini, which means?“in the year of the Lord”, the year in which our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ was born.

Now that we have the truth, ignorance is no longer an excuse. God has revealed the truth to us in the person of His Son.

“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all [people] everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” Acts 17:30–31

Grace and Truth

Jesus came to earth to bring truth, but He also brought with truth, grace. Grace means God’s merciful kindness and undeserved favour.

Grace and truth were realised through Jesus Christ. — John 1:17b

It may seem daunting to face the truth of what we are in God’s eyes but it needn’t be. God already knows our helpless condition before Him. With the truth He has also provided grace through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection to all who place their hope in Him.

When we see the truth that before God we are all sinners, that any pathetic attempt to make ourselves worthy before God is futile — we are faced with a choice. Will we embrace the love of the truth or will we reject it?

…for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:10

Truth and Light

So there is still a battle going on today, one between Light and Darkness. Jesus is both the truth and the light, and Satan moves in darkness and operates through lies.

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. — John 1:9–11

Through Jesus Christ, God has extended the gift of salvation to all men in all nations through the establishment of His church. He is still today calling to all men to come to Him, receive the love of the truth and He will take you out of darkness and into His light.

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. — Colossians 1:13

Without truth and light from our Creator, creation will inevitably spiral into complete chaos. So will you continue to suppress the truth in unrighteousness; or embrace the truth — embrace Jesus today, who said:

“If you continue in My word, [then] you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” — John 8:31b-32