HOW IMPORTANT IS -- TRUTH ?
When a seed is planted in fertile ground, noticeable changes occur. Just like that seed, we
must produce noticeable changes, once planted in God's Church.
As Christians we must always be ready to .. move in the direction that God's Truth is
leading. We must be willing to follow God's direction as He leads the way to truth. Apostle John
wrote "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:22). Truth is freedom
and truth sets us apart, leaving us free to live God's truth from God's Word. Not bound by man's
traditions, we become lights as God's Holy Spirit leads us to the path of truth. On this path, we find
that "Narrow is the gate and straight is the way, which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it"
(Matt.7:14). The human mind rejects truth at initial contact. `Because the carnal mind is enmity
against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7). Man asks,
"What is Truth?" This is an important question that many of the World's great men have addressed.
The majority of today's population reject truth and dismiss truth much in the fashion of a computer.
The human brain has been compared to a computer which has millions of messages being sent and
received through the five senses---sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell. These senses help the mind
make decisions based on incoming data and translates this data into knowledge and understanding.
This process of acquiring knowledge is automatic; and we become acutely unaware that millions of
decisions are being made almost without our input.
Unfortunately, we have the tendency to allow ourselves to drift or float through life while we
automatically or semi-automatically make decisions which all too frequently are based on
misinformation, half truths or downright lies! It is not until we are shipwrecked and on the rocks that
we realize we have entered dangerous territory. We are continually exposed to waves of opinions
and habits which distract and hinder our growth and keeps us from maintaining the correct position
spiritually. But, how about new and unfamiliar information? In most cases our mental defenses
spring into action and flood our minds with logical reasons why we should follow the path of least
resistance and ignore new truth. Human nature is a curious thing. The average individual would
rather cling to a long-held belief, although in error, than be compelled to exercise the required
mental exertion to sift and weigh the evidence necessary to establish a new set of facts. Hence,
presenting new truth is like fighting an uphill battle due to a general apathy of God's people and the
semi-automatic decision process involved in our human nature..
The late Sir Winston Churchill once said, "Most people sometime in their lives stumble
across the truth. Most jump up, brush themselves off and hurry on about their business as if nothing
had happened " Is that true? If you think about it, that is the way of human nature. In this day and
age who looks further than the surface of any given situation. Finding truth is an immensely
rewarding and satisfying pursuit!! Truth is seldom if ever found in one place. As Isaiah the prophet
wrote, the whole truth is found; "Precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line,
line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isa. 28:10).
Like gold, truth is a rare find. Man must search for truth with the same diligence as if
searching for gold. This gold (truth) will make the world into a better place to live. The reason
behind world confusion and chaos is revealed through God's Word-
-His light of truth. "........ that light (of truth) is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather
than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither
cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved" (John 3:19-20). It is not because God has
willed that some men be lost, but it is because some men have preferred darkness to God's light of
truth. Every man's fate is determined by his own reaction to this light of truth. Men who are
unwilling to sacrifice their man made traditions prefer darkness. As they follow these traditions, they
blind themselves to the light of truth! "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should
shine unto them" (1I Cor. 4:4).
On the other side of the coin, Christ has promised that those who follow Him will not walk
in darkness. "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that
followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). "And I give
unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My
hand" (John 10:28).
Truth stands on its own---immovable and permanent. Truth does not have to be defended by
those who believe in it. Truth defends itself from all its adversaries. The great automobile pioneer,
Henry Ford I, put it very succinctly when he wrote, "The truth frequently is depressing; the truth
sometimes seems to be evil; but it has the eternal advantage, it is the truth, and what is built there on
neither brings nor yields to confusion. " Webster's Illustrated Dictionary defines truth as that which
is "in agreement with reality; the eternal principle of right; or the natural law of order; fidelity,
constancy; agreement with a standard or rule; accuracy. In the October 1975, Good News
Magazine, Mr. Armstrong wrote, "Most people stubbornly resist any new truth with a whole series
of first line defenses and several back up systems to boot! But when truth finally exhausts all their
defenses, they are forced to resort to that one and only tired old excuse: Just who do you think you
are? Where did you get your authority? If all else fails, people tend to fall back on this put down. "
The more closely truth is scrutinized the more perfect, simple and pure it becomes as it
illuminates God's Word! "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth" (John 17:17).☜
James Russell