The normal problems one faces in the sale and purchase of a new home in the current economy is difficult enough in itself. On top of all this, my wife and I have faced an intense spiritual battle. As I wrote last week, we reached a point we couldn’t do anymore and had to stand and to watch God take over the battle. One of the biggest issues came two week ago when we thought everything was in place when we received ‘one last document’ we had to sign. It stated the home we had lived in for the past 22 years was in a hazard flood area. But it’s not. A small portion of the back lot is in the 100 year flood plain but not the house. So I called the called the agency and told them I couldn’t sign the document because it wasn’t true. This led to sending and receiving e-mails, fax, and multiple phone conversations, and lawyers for the entire day. I explained to every person, “I’m a Christian and I will not sign something that I know is ‘bearing false witness‘. Finally, it was resolved—or so we thought. Donna and I both had discerned the efforts of Satan in all this. Truth is part of our armor of the Spirit. We remove that piece of the armor if we don’t do all we can to be truthful.
Yesterday, we went to a lawyer’s office to sign the mountain of paper work. All was going well until he put the last document before us—you guessed it—we were required to say our house was in a flood plain. “We’re Christians and we can’t sign this. It’s not true.” After several minutes of the dialogue, the same one we had gone through two weeks ago, the lawyer told us the deal is off. As we are about to get out of our chairs and wondering what now, his clerk had overheard and came in agreeing with us. After a phone call, we were able to resolve the issue again.
We are living in a time when truth is an option for many. Think about how many public figures we’ve all seen in the past year caught in a lie. Sadly, we even see ministers falling into this sin. The Bible strongly emphasizes ‘truth’ using the word 108 times in the New Testament. Paul warned that in the last days there would be those who do not receive the love of the truth. There are those who even suppress the truth (Rom 1:18). Imagine someone having trapped a furious wild animal in a trash can and struggling to hold the lid down as the animal tries to get out. That’s the image Paul’s is presenting of those who struggle to suppress the truth. They fight with all their might to keep it suppressed. But in the case the wild animal is on the outside of the trash can.
So what is truth? This has been the age old question in philosophy. What constitutes truth? Where do we find truth? Is there an absolute source of truth? Pilate asked Jesus this question, “What is truth?” For those who believe the Bible and have received Christ, the answer should be simple. John uses the word ‘truth’ 46 times in his Gospel and letters. He records Jesus telling Thomas, I am the truth. Several times Jesus calls the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. In one of Jesus’ final prayers, He says to the Father, Your word is truth (John 17:17). The non-Christian world is attacking the validity of the Bible as I’ve never seen. Cable TV almost daily, airs so called documentaries that propagate reasons to doubt the Word or make people question some part of the Bible. Children are taught there is no source of absolute truth and that all religious belief systems are correct.
So what is the truth about truth? Jesus, the Truth, said the truth will make you free. Truth is a key element of the Armor of the Spirit. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist (Eph 6:14 HCSB). The belt secured other parts of the soldier’s equipment in place. Truth is our spiritual belt. The only source of absolute truth is the Word of God.
Were we ever tempted to sign the untruthful documents? No! However, what was difficult was the reaction of the people. They looked at us like we were crazy. I’m sure they were thinking, “It’s such an insignificant matter. Who cares?” “It’s such a small untruth.” Our prayer has been that our stand for truth will witness to them that there is an absolute truth on which everyone can depend.
Sustaining Word for the Week:
Jesus is the truth and the truth will make you free. First of all, love the truth. Then, stand for the truth and practice the truth.