What is Truth? This seems like such a straightforward question. Of course, we know what truth is! So what is it? Go ahead. I’ll wait…You see, it is not that easy, but why? Today “truth” has been hidden, ignored, discounted, and sometimes even outright overthrown. We all think that we can spot a lie, but how, when we can’t even come up with a simple definition for truth? In order for lies to be called out, the truth must be known. But how do we find the truth without even understanding what it is?
Perhaps the Marriam-Webster dictionary gets it right when they define truth as “the body of real things, events, and facts,” but I like the simplicity of Dictionary.com’s definition: truth is “conformity with fact or reality.” Perfect. Case closed. A simple Google search just solved one of the greatest philosophical questions of our age. Thanks, Google!
Not so fast – I have another question for you. If the definition of truth is so simple and so easy to find, then why do we struggle with it so much? Lies should be easy to counter, just look at the facts. Truth should be easy to point to, just observe reality. Yet our daily lives are full of skepticism and debate about these very things (facts and reality). Truth is easy to define and even easier to spot yet finding it is very hard. Why? Is it perhaps because while truth is easy to understand, a lie is easier to accept? Have we become so comfortable in our lies that we now fight against truth?
Many of us speak of wanting truth, of desiring honest facts, and of seeking for knowledge and a deeper understanding of our reality. Most of us would say that we are in pursuit of truth. No one would admit that they prefer the lie. Despite this, or maybe because of it, we live in a society where the only thing we can agree on is that lies and deceit prevails. So what gives? More importantly, what can we do about it?
The Mission
Truth Infused was created for this very reason. To examine truth, and see Christians lead in our culture by taking an active role in infusing truth into society.
The Christian Perspective
Jesus said that He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Our goal is to follow the way so that we might understand the truth and bring hope into our lives and those around us. This can only happen by acknowledging Christ, who is the Truth and by putting our hope in Him. The world has let us down. It has lied to us, deceived us, and stolen our hope. It tells us that, as Christians, we are irrelevant, foolish, and outcasts. But God foresaw this lie and He encourages us by reminding us that “the foolishness of God is wiser than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). Many of us Christians have stepped aside, forgetting out true place in society. We have accepted the world’s false teaching that Jesus is only for the church and occasionally for our private and family lives. For decades, we as Christians have decided that it is easy to accept this lie and step aside. We have given up our place in society, believing the deceit that the controversy of truth is better replaced by the sweet lies of apathy.
What is Truth and why is it so hard to find?
What is truth and why is it so hard to find? To answer this question, we must first understand two lies that we have allowed to prevail in our Christian faith. To be fair, perhaps it is not that we have accepted a lie so much as we have forgotten the truth.
Lie Number One: Christians merely disagree with secular man’s viewpoints. It is nothing more than a matter of opinions and beliefs.
The forgotten truth: Ephesians 6:12 – “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” We have forgotten that we are not just in disagreement with secular man but we are at war with spiritual forces of darkness who wish to deceive, destroy and hide the truth.
Lie Number Two: Our faith is a private matter and does not belong in the public forum. We have the right to our private faith and that faith, while important to us personally, should not be openly taken with us outside of church.
The forgotten truth: Jesus commanded those that he healed to go back to their houses and proclaim the great things that He (Jesus) did for them throughout their city (Luke 8:39). The great commission (found in Mathew 28:19) tells us that we are supposed to make disciples of all nations. God is clear in His commands that our faith is not to be a secret hidden away in our personal lives, but that we are to go into the world and proclaim His truth. We all agree that, when appropriate, we should share our faith with others so that they too can be saved. But it is more than that. Jesus did not just tell us to share the Gospel: He told us to make disciples of all nations.
A disciple is someone who is fully committed to the teachings of those they follow. That means, as Christians, our “great commission” is to turn nations (society) into followers of the truth. As disciples, Jesus wants every aspect of our life to reflect His truth. Thus, a nation of disciples would be a nation in which every aspect of society is affected and guided by His truth. Yes, the personal and individual salvation of man is at stake, but if Christians step out of society and give up their mission to make disciples of all nations, what hope is there for the personal salvation of man? A nation without the Truth of Christ guiding it is left with only lies and the individual is lost in the silence of truth.
But there is another way
Truth is hard to find because those of us who know the truth keep it hidden. Philosophy struggles with the question “what is truth” because we, the Christians, the followers of the way, have stepped aside.
We have let others define our society by their deceit.
We have decided that it is easier to accept the lie that our faith is personal and that it is only our own salvation that is at stake.
But the truth is that the salvation of all is at stake and that as followers of the way, our mandate from God is to make disciples of all nations. To be in active support of the faith and to stand in truth, infiltrating every aspect of society in order that all might see the truth and be saved. There is hope for our society and it starts with us (with you). We cannot abandon our fellow humans under the guise of preventing controversy. We must actively engage and fight for the truth in every level of society. This is our mission and our mandate from God. This blog will seek to acknowledge this fact, point to the truth and provide examples and opportunities for you to do your part to bring truth to light, change society, and share the hope of God’s salvation with all.
There is hope and God designed You to be the change agent that will spread that hope. Are you ready?
