As we come into our last section on truth, we will look at many questions that not only non-believers, but even some new believers have with understanding. There are many truths found in the Bible, but often we don't look ourselves for the answers. We rely on our pastors and teachers to explain these truths to us, but it is extremely important that we read God's word for ourselves and allow Him to teach and speak to us. There is no better or purer source for understanding and enlightenment than the Holy Scripture of God.

 

One of the first questions people inquire to is How Can I know the Bible is true?

First, we must understand that God's word is an extension of not only His truthfulness, but also of His character. All throughout scripture God's character is proved over and over again and it is eternal. His Spirit enlightens our minds and hearts to the truth. Our human quest for truth finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The writer of Psalms 119:160 tells us...

[Psalms 119:160 NLT] 160 The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.

 

The Work of the Holy Spirit

[John 16:5-15 NLT] 5 "But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I've told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Advocate won't come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world's sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. 12 "There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, 'The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.'

 

Something different about God that was not seen in the false gods was the amount of eyewitness accounts to Him, even after Christ was resurrected from the dead, there were many who touched Him, ate with Him, and laid eyes on Him.

[1John 1:1-10 NLT] 1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy. 5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

 

[John 18:28-40 NLT] 28 Jesus' trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn't go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn't be allowed to celebrate the Passover. 29 So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, "What is your charge against this man?" 30 "We wouldn't have handed him over to you if he weren't a criminal!" they retorted. 31 "Then take him away and judge him by your own law," Pilate told them. "Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone," the Jewish leaders replied. 32 (This fulfilled Jesus' prediction about the way he would die.) 33 Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. "Are you the king of the Jews?" he asked him. 34 Jesus replied, "Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?" 35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate retorted. "Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world." 37 Pilate said, "So you are a king?" Jesus responded, "You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true." 38 "What is truth?" Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, "He is not guilty of any crime. 39 But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this 'King of the Jews'?" 40 But they shouted back, "No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!" (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)

 

Does God expect us to always tell the truth all of the truth? 

[Exodus 20:16 LSB] 16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

God's law clearly forbids intentional lying.

 

[Ephesians 4:11-16 LSB] 11 And He Himself gave some [as] apostles, and some [as] prophets, and some [as] evangelists, and some [as] pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming, 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all [aspects] into Him who is the head, [that is] Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being joined and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the properly measured working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

 

When we become followers of Christ we are called to do away with false lifestyles and live righteous lives filled with integrity, this is something that God's Holy scripture is quite clear about. This goes for all things easy and difficult. One may need to question a child about something they are doing, that they know they shouldn't be. An employer may have to confront an employee about personal performance, or a confidant might ask for an opinion about something, but you know your opinion is not what they are wanting to hear. To these things we look back to verse 15 but speaking the truth in love. This is the key, we speak truth always, and always we do it in a loving manner. Not thoughtless, condemning, condescending, judgmental, hateful, hurtful, or sarcastic.  To many times we as people honesty as an excuse to express our bitterness or criticisms. We leave out all negative reactions, we listen, and we thoughtfully answer their question truthfully and warmly. It's good to sit down with scripture if it is a question of something biblical, but either way after your conversation it is always best to pray for God's enlightenment. None of us know so much that we are unable to have our eyes opened to truths we do not yet fully understand. Pray that we may be courageous and bold in speaking and living God's truth, but also pray that we may be able to deliver it with compassion and gentleness. 

 

Why is it so important to tell the truth?

As Christians we are called to model our lives after Christ's example given to us during His time on Earth.   truth is commanded of us, God is truth, so lying puts us in opposition of God. Telling the truth is the only way to have meaningful lasting relationships, that includes our relationship with God. Truth always speaks what is right and good; lying always seeks to hide truth. 

 

[Exo 20:16 NKJV] 16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

[Deu 5:20 NKJV] 20 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

[Mat 19:18 NKJV] 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,'

[Mar 10:19 NKJV] 19 "You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "

[Luk 18:20 NKJV] 20 "You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' "

[Rom 13:9 NKJV] 9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if [there is] any other commandment, are [all] summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

 

Put On the New Man

[Eph 4:17-32 LSB] 17 Therefore this I say, and testify in the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their mind, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart. 19 [And] they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way-- 21 if indeed you heard Him and were taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus-- 22 to lay aside, in reference to your former conduct, the old man, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and to put on the new man, which in [the likeness of] God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. 25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE [of you] WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. 26 BE ANGRY, AND [yet] DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. 28 He who steals must steal no longer, but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have [something] to share with one who has need. 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such [a word] as is good for building up what is needed, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and anger and wrath and shouting and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Instead, be kind to one another, tender-hearted, graciously forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has graciously forgiven you.

Over and over, we see God commanding this, to speak truth.

 

[Luk 16:10 NLT] 10 "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.