GODISNOWHERE - What is Truth?

GODISNOWHERE – How would you read this? What do you see? What do these words mean to you?

Is it “God is nowhere”?

Or is it “God is now here”?
 
Our society and culture in the United States were built on certain important aspects of TRUTH. In fact, our country itself was founded on major cornerstones of truth. “We hold these truths to be self-evident…” ^[1] How are they “self-evident”? It is because God puts in each of us a sort of sensor that helps us to know what is right – and wrong! – unless of course we somehow cover up or destroy that 'reality detector' that He has given us. Devotion to the truth is vitally important for our society to maintain itself. Truth requires both thoughts and action.
 
Truth is the basis for all understanding, not just concerning the universe and sub-atomic particles, but for our human condition. If one is not inwardly honest, I believe their ability to see and know the truth becomes more strained, more difficult, and at the very worst even impossible. In life we make choices, and if we choose to disregard truth, then we are setting ourselves up for deception. There is an inward mechanism that God puts in each one of us, commonly called “conscience”, that helps us in knowing right from wrong. To deny this is to let go of one of the most important aspects of being human.
 
As we see the decay of the devotion to truth and the ideals on which our country has been built, we see all around us the horrifying results. John Adams, one of our founding Fathers, said that our Constitution was intended as the basis for governing a moral people, those who share the basic foundational understanding from where their morals have derived.
   
God created us for a purpose. He created us to love Him, and to relate to Him, and to His reality (creation). I believe if we love God, we will love truth. And if we love truth, we will love God. If we disregard that primary purpose for life, then in varying degrees we will wander, and we will wonder what life is all about.
 
It is a shame that we must use the defining word “conservative” for the word “truth.” Truth is truth, it is reality, it is all that we can see, touch, taste, and feel. Truth is to be used to help others, as well as ourselves. In our courts, we are compelled to give testimony or evidence that is “…the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God.” Interesting…how will GOD help us with the truth? There are so many who don’t even believe in God. But why? It is TRUTH coming to light that helps in court cases, and in life.

There is abuse of truth all the time. We see in courts of law, that truth can be twisted, sometimes so severely that it makes you cringe in wonder and disbelief! It is the suppression of truth that brings many ills to life! Look around you at the unfortunate and often costly abuse of truth in our country and the world - from politicians' lies to false advertising to innocent people being harrassed to whole segments of society being duped into using (or not using) poisonous substances in the name of 'medicine.'
 
To be truly alive and true to God, I believe you need to be committed to the truth. God Himself is the basis of all truth. It is quite true that no one person can perfectly know all the truth. But Jesus Himself was committed to the truth, and even equated Himself fully with “the truth” – He said (to ‘doubting’ Thomas, one of His closest followers),
   
Jesus also said that when He went back to the Father, He would send the Holy Spirit, “to teach them” and guide His followers. (John 14.26)
 
An elderly Biblical scholar whom I deeply respected once told me (around 1976, over 40 years ago!), with resounding conviction, that the word “truth” is never used in the plural in the Bible. That made amazing sense to me. I have seldom if ever heard it put that way before or since. Preachers and teachers often say they are going to share some ‘truths’ from the Scripture. Perhaps there is only ONE TRUTH.
 
I believe “The Truth” – like God – IS ONE – it is the unifying reality of everything created by God. The truth of Scripture, just as the truth of God’s creation, is a single unifying reality that we need to both acknowledge and submit to in our lives and thoughts. In doing so, we will find answers – all the answers we will ever need to know. This is a key that brings real meaning to me in my life!
 
In your life – search for the truth, be devoted to the truth. It will be to your benefit!
 
Paul Hayden, 4/23/2017