The Value of Truth

FINDING TRUTH
Have you ever received a forwarded email that contained political or gut wrenching content? You know the stuff I'm talking about. The stuff that keeps snopes.com alive. I find it hard to believe that the content finds a following of loyal patrons who FIND THE CONTENT BELIEVABLE. Here's an example (I am not using this example to support a presidential candidate.)

"Obama Explains National Anthem Stance: ...Senator Barack Obama was forced to explain why he doesn't follow protocol when the National Anthem is played...Obama explains. "And the anthem itself conveys a war-like message. You know, the bombs bursting in air and all...I like the song 'I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing.' If that were our anthem, then I might salute it.""

Uh Really! Did he say that to reporters? This quote was originally written as a "Satiracal Look at Recent News" by John Semmens for the Arizona Conservative in Oct of 2007. Now it's being forwarded to every grandchild in the nation as truth. How bout a little girl on her death bed who's last wish is to have her poem forwarded to as many people as possible because a concerned tycoon is dumping money into the cancer fund for each time the email is forwarded. That's gross...this example is also a lie. There never was a little girl who wrote a poem and made a dying request associated with a brokered deal with a philanthropist who would finance the cure for cancer based upon our effort to forward a heart wrenching poem throughout the world abroad.

CORE VALUE NUMBER 1

We value the unchanging truth of God revealed through Jesus Christ in His Word and by His Spirit.

UNCHANGING:
The Word of God is unlike culture, trends of humanity, or even nature itself...The Word of God is UNCHANGING.

..."All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
(1Peter 1:24-25)

When you look at the history of humanity you will find a history of changing cultures and trends that define people groups from all over the world. Cultures change, trends are changing, knowledge even changes. Things that have been considered truth in one generation have been proven false in the next generation. For example there are ancient cultures who believed the world was supported by a great elephant in the heavens and not suspended in space by unseen foundations of Jesus' sustaining power. Man at his best arrives at inconsistencies of truth in nature and philosophy. Man at his worst will equate lies with truth and utterly destroy those who have chosen to listen. There is beauty to behold in man, but it is not to be compared with the unchangeable and eternal nature of truth that has come from God. I am continually amazed at the knowledge and direction that has been given to me from Gods truth. This truth has brought me to a place of satisfaction in this life. Whether I am referring to drug addiction, science, hope, marriage, parenting etc, etc, etc, I have been reveling in the gift of truth given to me by God through His Word and have myself experienced amazing summits of joy and satisfaction. On the other hand, I find even Christians today that have chosen to allow cultures and trends to define truth for them are buried in the grave of depression and frustration both as individuals and families. Truth from God is both timeless and has unchanging relevancy.

REVEALED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST:
The Word of God has been revealed to mankind in it's entirety and completely in the Person of Jesus Christ throughout the ages.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.(John 1:14)

Have you ever wondered what God is really like. Philip asked Jesus this question and Jesus was like "duh"...well in so many words, maybe something more like "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? The book of John in the Bible opens up with this amazing and profound reality which makes it very clear to us that God has revealed himself to mankind in the person of Jesus Christ from the beginning of time. The book reads "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3)" The very God who spoke life into existence has descended as a man and has shown us the clearest embodiment of truth not only in His words, but His life, His relationships, His power, and most importantly...His love.

REVEALED BY THE WRITTEN WORD:
The Truth has been revealed and preserved to mankind in written form by men who have been particularly appointed by God.

And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
(Exodus 24:4)

In this verse the name of the man who had written the books of the law is identified. The truth of God has been recorded in written form for us. God has chosen to preserve, in written form, the events of His words and actions that He deemed necessary in order for mankind to truly understand and know Him. These words and actions have been preserved from the beginning of time and written from the time of Moses. God's word has been written through the lives of prophets, priests, kings, and apostles, but most importantly in the last days God has revealed his truth through the person and words of Jesus the Messiah. The entirety of the Bible is the written and preserved revelation of God.

REVEALED BY THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST:
The truth of God is taught and revealed to followers of Jesus by the miraculous presence of Jesus Christ through his Spirit.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
(John 14:16-17)

If it is not amazing enough that the truth of God has been written down for us that we might know Jesus, then we ought to tremble at the thought that the very word that we are reading will come alive in all who believe in Jesus. The truth of God is alive. It is the truth of God spoken by the mouth of Jesus who has not only created the world that we live in, but sustains it by the same spoken word. There is nothing magical about the paper and ink of the Bible, but the power that rests in the source is far greater than magic. God has not only chosen to speak and reveal truth to us but to make this truth alive in us through the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Followers of Jesus are not merely taught in the sense that we have all had teachers with us in different areas of our life, we are transformed and instructed by truth that is alive in us.

A final charge...
A final challenge to myself and all of us is this. Embrace the word of God with confidence and resolve. Resolve to embrace it as timeless and without need for change. Allow the truth to mold you, instruct you, and correct you in it's plainest and simplest intention as it is written. What a joy and satisfaction we have in front of us with God's truth being freely given to all who believe.