City Life Starter

By Heather Mattingly

This past Sunday, we got to hear Pastor Ken Dew deliver a powerful message on Absolute Truth. This piece today is to address how do we, as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, advance God’s Kingdom in a culture that says God’s truth is merely one of many truths, and that truth doesn’t  really exist?

“Just because it’s true for you doesn’t mean that it’s true for me.” Has anyone said this to you before? (Or, have you said this to someone else?). This is the definition of relativism. The dictionary defines Relativism as “the doctrine that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute.” In simple terms, this means that truth is subject to change at anytime for any person.

But is “changeability” a characteristic of truth? What does “truth” really mean?

Our Lord’s Name is Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11). In the biblical context, your name wasn’t just a word to which you responded to when called, your name was your character, your identity, your destiny (for example, “Abraham” means “father of many,” “Sarah” means “princess,” “Isaac” means “he laughs,” “Elijah” means “my God is Jehovah,” etc.). Since “True” is our Lord’s Name, it behooves us to find out what truth means. Truth is not a thing or a state of being; it is a Person. Truth is Who He, Jesus, is. “I saw heaven opened and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True…” (Rev. 19:11).

The dictionary defines “Truth” as “that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality,” and the Hebrew meaning of the word is “firmness, sureness, reliability.” Like a rock. Which means truth is not able to change at anytime, or for any person.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6). This seems terribly exclusive. Because it is. Either Jesus is the only Way, or He isn’t. Not “your” only way, or “their” only way, but the only Way for all mankind. But it seems harsh to assume that so many will burn in hell for all eternity. Besides, how do we know the absolute truth?

The Bible says that Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32). The key is abiding in His word – your Bible. And if you do this, you will come to know the truth. And once you know the truth, recognizing lies and half-truths becomes clear.

Well, now what? Now that we know the absolute truth, what do we do with it? Jesus tells us what He wants us to do with it; we are to “Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matt 28:19).

But this is scary. To go and tell the truth to a culture that asserts there is no truth? How do you even begin? It will be scary and others will not like what we have to say. Jesus forewarned His followers about this when He said, “…you will be hated by all for My namesake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matt. 10:22).

What a hard word. What if we just don’t say anything, but live out what the Bible says? After all, as the saying goes, “your life is the only Bible some people will ever read.” This is enough for God, right? This counts as making disciples of all nations, doesn’t it? Well, the Bible says that “[God] sent out His word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death.” (Psalm 107:20). So, no, being a nice person won’t save anyone. Only His Word will. OK then, what if we speak the truth and be liked by everyone? We can win more people to Jesus if others like us, right? We can’t tell unbelievers that they are going to hell and making sad choices, because then they won’t listen to us, right? How is that helping advance the Kingdom?

Jesus addresses this, too, when He said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!” (Matt 10:24-25). Jesus spoke the truth, and what happened to Him, our Lord and Master? The Cross. Can we expect any different? This is one of the conditions for following Jesus, and He was quite clear about it: “if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matt 16:24).

“It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher….” It. Is. Enough. Being a nice person is not enough to speak the truth and save others who are dying. Speaking the truth in such a way that the ‘hard parts’ are omitted is not enough to save others who are dying. Only speaking His word – the truth – to others who are dying is enough to save them. But speaking His word to a culture where there is no truth means rejection. And this is a difficult and scary thing.

The antidote to this is Jesus Himself. Spending time with Him in prayer, in His word, which is the truth, thereby “fixing [your] eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of [your] faith….,” (Heb. 12:2) and staring into those “eyes like a flame of fire” (Rev. 19:12) and letting that fire pierce you and burn you from the inside out…you will see and know that truth is not a thing, but a Person. “…and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32).

“Truth engages the citadel of the human heart. And [truth] is not satisfied until it has conquered everything there. The will must come forth and surrender its’ sword. It must stand at attention to receive orders. And those orders, it must joyfully obey.”

~Elisabeth Elliot

Prayer:

“Father, I confess that I am scared. I know I shouldn’t be, but I am. I’m afraid to speak Your truth – which is the Absolute Truth – to a world that doesn’t even believe that truth exists. Your Word says that You said, “…whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.’” (John 12:50). I want to be this and do this – to be like You and speak Your words. Make me more like You; please make me “..obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8) just like You, Jesus. I want to speak Your truth to Your world today;will You please show me how, and help me recognize opportunities and speak Your truth in them? Holy Spirit, please help me “deny myself, pick up my cross, and follow You.” today. (Matt 16:24). Make me faithful and true, like You; help me speak the truth today. Amen.”