Oh now that we find ourselves quite literally on the cusp of what could be the next World War, there is so much going on in the debate issue. Some people are claiming Armageddon is coming, others are claiming it needs to be addressed and still others refuse to acknowledge anything at all, preferring to take the same stand they always have, that this has nothing to do with religion and just how is telling us the truth anyway.
Which got me to thinking about all the recent Facebook arguments when it comes to what people believe. You know that's always going to be up for debate, but lately it seems more so than ever before that even when you talk about your beliefs in Jesus, you are almost threatened with those that don't want anything to do with what you have to say or even for that matter that you'll pray for them. It can often get downright hostile.
Yet it all boils down to one thing. Who's right? Who is telling the truth?
Jesus was debated by Pilate on who Jesus claimed to be during his inquistion with this very question in the book of John 18, beginning with verse 37:
"You are a king, then!" said Pilate.
Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
Did you catch that?
"Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
That means people who believe in Jesus Christ and who believe He is whom He says He is. In other words believers in Jesus Christ.
One thing to remember is that "truth" is fluid in the world by most people's standards. It is not absolute but is relative to those who believe it is. It is their perspective that is their fact or their opinion.
We, as Christians, are people who rely on absolute supreme truth, not in feelings or opinions.
When we look at Psalm 119: 1-6 we read,
Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law.
Defend me cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise.
Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your degrees.
Your compassion is great, O Lord; preserve my life according to your laws.
Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes.
I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey your word.
See how I love your precepts; preserve my life O Lord, according to your love.
All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal." (NIV)
So why is absolute truth necessary?
There has to be a measuring stick that defines truth from opinion. We need stabilization that is something outside of ourselves that we can rely on to tell us what the absolute truth is.
John 14: 6, " Jesus answered, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Romans 7:12 " So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good."
What does this mean?
That God's Word is from the Creator of Heaven and Earth and He alone answered that very question.
What do we gain from absolute truth as believers?
1. Redemption or deliverance from our burdens in this life, the storms we encounter.
Psalm 116:8 ~ "For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling." (God has delivered my soul from dying from eternal death to eternal life.)
John 1:1 ~ "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (The truth has been around from the creation of the world).
Exodus 15:13, "In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.( God brought you to Him).
2 Timothy 4:18, "The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom."(He will redeem you from evil).
Afflictions in this life can wear on us and make you question your faith, your belief in God's Word and in His promises. That is why we need to draw on God's Word to strengthen us in those difficult times.
2. Revival - we need vitality and faith in our lives to help us deal with tough times and from calamity.
Psalm 51:12, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." (God will restore your joy and lift you up from your difficulties. We don't have to stay where we are.)
Isaiah 57:15, " but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite." (You can revive your heart and spirit, by spending time in God's Word).
Psalm 143:11, "For your names sake, O Lord, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble ."
Only God's truth can revive us! We need to get back to God because it's right. It's NOT about YOU, it NEVER is! In your life, what we do, what we say, it's all for God, NOT YOU!
The world wants truth that centers on their opinion, they are their own god.
Isaiah 59: 1-8 defines how the wicked believe. See if this doesn't sound like the way most of the world nowadays sounds.
" Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things.
No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil. They hatch the eggs of vipers and spin a spider's web. Whoever eats their eggs will die, and when one is broken, ad adder is hatched. Their cobwebs are useless for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their deeds are evil deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands.
Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are evil thoughts; ruin and destruction mark their ways. The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace."
3. Reassuarance and restoration are given to those who believe in the absolute truth.
Proverbs 13:12, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."(The right way according to the world leads to death).
No matter what the opinion, the only thing that makes a difference is to hold on to God's Word.
1 Samuel 12:20-21, "Do not be afraid, Samuel replied, You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you because they are useless."(Turn from God and you will go after empty things that will never satisfy).
It will not bring you admiration but division, destruction, and hatred by sticking with God's absolute truth. Even within our own homes whenever people are confronted with the absolute truth, don't give up!
The darkness does not like the light.
No matter what the cost, it must be done. Stick to God's truth. Doesn't matter how things look like or what others are saying, if God says it, He'll make it happen.
Psalm 118:6 says it the best, "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
God is my reassurance and confidence, not what the world deems is right.
God works the impossible.
God sees the unseen.
Without God's assurance, we have no peace.
Truth that is not absolute is speculation, theory, opinions, feelings.
It's like saying a tofu burger is a burger, no matter how you dress it up, it's still tofu!
So endure and keep on sticking to God's Word. We'll be able to face whatever comes our way holding on to what God says and what His promises are. He is never changing and never fails.
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