The Search for Truth

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Scripture: Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”

Devotion: Truth it seems is in deep trouble these days. The media (social and otherwise) is so full of lies, half-truths and outright deception it is hard to know what the truth is anymore. We live in a culture of lies. The devil who according to scripture is “the Father of lies” must be having a field day. He is likely reveling in how he has managed to pollute the world with his lies. It has gotten so bad that some deny even the possibility of knowing the truth. Pontus Pilate’s famous question of Jesus was “What is truth?” this question is right at home in our society today.

          How can we know the truth in this post-truth world? We find it extremely hard on a day to day basis to discover the truth. The only way we can determine truth is by comparing what is being said, written, or demonstrated is to use the straight edge of scriptural truth. The Bible claims to contain the truth and that we can rely on it to provide us with clarity of issues on which the Bible speaks.

          On issues where the Bible is silent, however, we can still use biblical principles to guide us toward dividing truth from falsehood. The book of Proverbs, for example contains wisdom principles that we can use when seeking the truth of a matter. And the words and parables of Jesus can show us the way of truth.

          Many people today, however, say that the Bible is full of contradictions and messages that are anything but a source of truth or a guide for living the life of truth. When we investigate these claims we discover that they fail to live up to the hype that the world attaches to them. When examined closely these claims are shown to be false in themselves.

          The world has gotten so full of deceit and lies that a whole new category of work has been created. The “fact checker” now investigates claims made by politicians and others to see if they measure up against the truth. However, these fact checkers often have biases which render them as vulnerable to manipulation in their search for truth amid the lies. Thus, rendering them to be an unreliable source for truth.

           The Gospel of John in chapter 14 verse 6 makes the claim that “I(Jesus) am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus is the ultimate fact checker. He never errs in his diagnosis of the facts of the situation. Whether it be the determination of the illness of which a person that he cures. He never errs in his diagnosis whereas even the best doctors sometimes do. Or in his discerning the state of the woman at the wells marital situation. He always strikes at the heart of the matter and brings about the changes necessary.

          So, we can know truth. It is found in Jesus and the Bible. No media organization or other human source of information can be believed at all times. Jesus stands alone at the end of our search for truth. May we find rest from our searching there.

          Prayer: Heavenly Father thank you for sending us the truth in your book and especially your own beloved son, Jesus. May we follow him and learn from him the ways of wisdom and truth. Guard our hearts against all falsehood and unrighteousness. Create in us a heart for the truth as it is found in Jesus. May we always search his ways in our search for truth in this world. Amen

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