TRUTH…or consequences.
Some of the people listening to Jesus’ teachings were beginning to conclude that He was the real deal. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).
Believing is a process (where the NIV says they had believed, The Living Bible says they began believing him). Faith can be faked. The Message says, that they claimed to believe.
It’s common to hear truth, grab hold, but then let it slip away. True belief is holding on for dear life. Only then does God’s truth set free you from the lies within you and around you. Why then, do we let go of truth?
Two years ago, our family was boating at Shasta Lake in northern California. As we pulled up to the dock, I put one leg over onto the boards. Just then the boat pulled away from the dock. I did the splits, injuring my right hip. Why had I held on to both the boat and the dock? Because I had my cell phone in my pocket and didn’t want it to get wet! When push came to shove, I couldn’t decide which way to jump. And my indecision was painful!
That’s what it’s like when we try to hold onto both the truth of Christ and our own priorities and agenda at the same time. At some point we’ll have to jump one way or another. Yes, holding onto the Lord’s way may bring some pain before it brings freedom. As someone once said, “The truth will set you free, but it might make you miserable first.” Maybe that is why so many of Christ’s critics, somewhere in their lives, let go of the truth.
The critics told Jesus that they were descendants of Abraham and in spite of Rome’s oppression, totally free spirits. Then Jesus told them the truth about their lies. They were actually caught in a death trap. He went on to tell them that if they had been really connected with the living God they would have recognized His totally truthful Son. (Jesus says “I tell you the truth” thirty times in the book of John.)
“The truth is,” Jesus said to the religious leaders, “as children of the devil and slaves of death, you will eventually kill Me, even though I told you the truth that I heard from God.” At that, they accused Him of being a lying lunatic. When you call the One who totally personifies truth a liar, you’ve got a terrible case of truth decay!
Life Question: What is the worst case of truth decay you’ve ever seen in our culture? In your family? In yourself?