Seeking Truth
In a society where everyone is encouraged to seek their own truth, we often lose sight of the definition of truth. Truth: The quality or state of being true, that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality, a fact or belief that is accepted as true. Not to be confused with Absolute Truth: something that is true at all times and in all places. It is something that is always true no matter what the circumstances. It is a fact that cannot be changed.
I really wanted to have some kind of flowery post about how to find truth, but the fact of the matter is that there is only Absolute Truth. If I were to give you, the reader, a lovely secular version of what truth is, I’d be denying my faith, denying God, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I’d be a liar. I had to dig deep into God’s word to see what He says about Truth.
The fact is, when truth is personal, what is true for one person may not be true for another. This is where we have issues with “societal truth.” None of it is absolute. It’s all based on feelings. Feelings change from day to day, situation to situation, person to person. Absolute Truth is consistent, it doesn’t change. Societally, we are expected to just accept everyone’s personal truth as Absolute Truth, because we are offending them if we do not. Christians are then accused of being closed minded or bigoted when they don’t adhere to society’s standards. The problem with this is that Christians aren’t supposed to adhere to society’s standards, we’re supposed to adhere to God’s standards. God’s standard outranks societal/cultural standards.
Please don’t confuse that last statement as a way for Christians to hate anyone “living in sin.” The Absolute Truth is, everyone “lives in sin.” Romans 3:10-12, “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless, there is no one who does good, not even one.’” Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” By “all” Paul literally means every single person on earth. It doesn’t matter who you are or what type of sin you committed. All sin is the same in God’s eyes, whether you’ve told a lie, cheated on your taxes, committed sexual sin or committed murder. All sin is the same. Christians are not exempt from these facts. Because we are not exempt, we should have compassion on and pray for those who have not yet accepted Christ as their Savior.
We are called to judge other Christians, who should be adhering to God’s standards, but we are not called to judge unbelievers. However, we are called to bring the Gospel to all people. Matthew 28:18-20, “Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.’” Yep folks, you’re gonna get a Gospel message today.
Absolute Truth: We need a Savior. We all need a Savior. A Savior that has been provided to us by a loving God! John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This verse is the Gospel in a nutshell. When Jesus was on the cross, God unleashed the wrath He had planned for us, onto the person of His Son. Jesus, being both God and man, took that wrath and the sins of each and every single person who existed, exists now, and has yet to be born. Unless we admit we are sinful, we will never appreciate what Christ did for us. Needing a Savior is the great equalizer. Sin doesn’t discriminate and neither does our Savior.
Absolute Truth: God is our Almighty Redeemer. None of us would be here, were it not for Him. The earth and everything in it, would be a void. The Genesis story is well known, amongst believers and non-believers alike. Whether someone is trying to disprove creation to prove evolution or vice versa, most people know of the creation story. However after creation, the fall of man, when sin enters the world, how many people know God had already provided a way to save humanity? How many people know that’s when our relationship with God was ultimately separated until Jesus came? Since sin ultimately separates us from God, He had to provide a way to bring humanity back into a right relationship with Him. He had to redeem humanity. To redeem means to gain or regain possession of something in exchange for payment. It can also mean to compensate for the faults or bad aspects of something.
The Bible defines redemption in 1 Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23 as being bought at a price, “You were bought at a price,” are the exact words. God had to compensate for our faults and buy us back from eternal, spiritual death. God gives redemption in Isaiah 44:21-22, “Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” and in Luke 1:68, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come and has redeemed His people.”
Redemption comes to us through Christ Jesus, Matthew 20:28, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” and Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us…” The whole of the Gospels are dedicated to the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.
Yes, this does sound like fire and brimstone, but in today’s society, where everyone is given a trophy for participation, told they are perfect, and elevated to god-like status, we all could use a reality check. We don’t all get to go to heaven, it’s not our participation trophy for being “good.” Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourself, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” Could you imagine all the bragging that would be going on if getting to heaven was based on all the good we did rather than a Savior?
Now that I’ve thoroughly tortured anyone who is still reading, let’s get to the Good News! I want to repeat John 3:16 again, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” We have a sin problem, and sin doesn’t discriminate, how much better is it that we have a Savior who also does not discriminate. Paul writes in his second letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 1:8-10), “So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me His prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Jesus Christ before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” It also says in Luke 19:10, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Acts 16:31, “…Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved…” Romans 10:9, “…If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Why am I quoting all these verses? Because I cannot do justice to what God has already provided us in the Bible. God gave us a Savior in the person of Christ Jesus; He also gave us the way to salvation, written for everyone. Jesus makes it possible for us to have a right relationship with God, having that right relationship, brings us to that road with the potholes, the zipper merge, and bumper to bumper traffic, leading to an eternity with God. God saved us, not because He needs us, He saved us because we need Him.
Hi I’m Lauren, I’m an imperfect christian. How can I pray for you?