The Truth and Its Consequences

Whom can you believe these days? the media? the political voices? the educators? the pulpit? And what about you and me?

A few years back there was a TV game show called Truth or Consequences. It was a funny program where you either answered a silly question correctly or you had to pay the consequences by per forming a stunt of some kind. In such situations we all laugh because, after all, it is only a game.

But in the January through December world where we all live, truth is a valuable commodity that too often is in short supply. It seems that we live in an upside-down world where truth is often disrespected and disregarded. Misrepresentation and falsehoods are allowed and sometimes preferred.

They say with Pilate, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). Truth is not whatever I say it is; truth is the reality of the facts. The Bible says, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (8:32). To know the truth, accept the truth and walk in the truth is a big deal.

The God that we serve is the true God and He is the God of truth. Deuteronomy 32:4 says that He is “a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” When we believe in Him, trust Him and walk in His ways, we have an abundant life of joy, peace and freedom. The freedom we have in Him liberates us from the bondage and penalty of sin.

I am thankful that I grew up in a home where truth was the way to live and live happily. My dad was such an honest man that he was sometimes considered blunt. I remember times when he was so direct and straightforward in his answers that he would make me uncomfortable.

Not that I wanted him to lie, but I would have preferred that he give his answer a little more gently. The truth was a priority with him; and no matter how uncomfortable it made you feel, he made the truth clear. Today I am thankful that he lived by and emphasized the truth.

Telling the truth relieves one from the consequences that might come from having a bad memory. Just tell it like it is and you won’t have to worry about remembering what you said earlier. It also eliminates the accumulation of guilt that comes to believers when we sin. What pain, heartache and remorse come when we don’t live by the truth.

In rearing our children we also were firm about truth telling. My husband and I taught our children very early that the results of their misconduct would be more gentle if they just told the whole truth up front. We wanted to be merciful and encourage them to a clean and honest way of life.

As you study the Bible, you will discover the truth and many things about the truth. There are several passages that put mercy and truth together.

“All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth.”—Ps. 25:10.

“For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”—

100:5.

“By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”—Prov. 16:6.

“But thou, O LORD, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”—Ps. 86:15.

Here are some tremendous truths that we will do well to grasp. God is the truth. His Word is the truth. Jesus is the truth. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. In His loving mercy and compassion, God the Father sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to bear our sins on the cross.

“Jesus saith unto him [Thomas], I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). The truth—everything that is right and good—starts when we latch onto these great truths.

The world will change “the truth of God into a lie, and worship and serve the creature more than the Creator” (Rom. 1:25).

So how do you get to know the truth? Find yourself a Bible. Dig into it. Let it speak to you and instruct you. Remind yourself it is God’s Word and He can be trusted.

His truth is neither seasonal nor trendy. It is not a product of the culture. It has the aroma of Heaven emitting its fragrance from every page. Its truth does not evolve with the times because it is eternal at its core.

Take it to heart and believe God in all that He says.

One day at a time and one piece at a time let the truth of God become the standard that governs your behavior and guides you in your life.

And then find a church that is a solid, biblically based one and fellowship with the like-minded Christians you meet there.

This is what will happen to you as you make God’s truth prominent in your life.

Believers are happy because they know the true God and the God of truth.