Truth

One of the things that I have noticed is that you can tell much about a person when you expose them to the truth. Some people can't handle truth. Some people try to avoid truth. Some people try to change truth. One thing is for sure, truth is truth. You can't avoid it and you can't change it. From politicians to pulpits, the truth is being distorted. Throughout the course of the year, lies have been told, truth has been distorted, and emotions have been damaged. As I read Jude 16 last night in connection with my sermon for this morning, I realized something.

These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage. (Jude 16)

Every person who mishandled, abused, misused, avoided, and distorted truth did so for one thing and one thing only......"for the sake of gaining an advantage". I kept on reading the rest of Jude and my eyes were opened to much much more. Look at the damage caused by these who distort the truth to their advantage in Jude 19:

These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.

We are a divided country because of the misuse of truth.  We must look no further than the political realm of our country.  We have become all too familiar with the terms "class warfare", "war against women", "racial warfare.".  As Christians, we must learn that fellowship with individuals such as those is detrimental to your spiritual health. One thing Paul warns us in II Timothy 3:13 that attitude will get worse and worse. People going after what they want, striving for what they desire, we have become a selfish society in a nation founded by selfless people. We live where people have taken the place of God and determine what is best for them devoid of the word of God, devoid of the Spirit, devoid of truth. Be careful. Be on guard. They are where you expect them to be and where you least expect them to be. We must hold to the words found in Jude where he reminds us to cling to the truth of God's word and remember them:

But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Jude 17)

The health of society has been forewarned.  The writer of Jude reminds his readers that these truths of warning were spoken of before the time of this writing. Paul shares with us in II Timothy 3:

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,  treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.  (II Timothy 3:1-5)

Even though Paul wrote these words 2000 years ago, we can see that through his words to his young protege, Timothy, a stark picture of our America today.  Not just America, but the world.  A careful examination of each characteristic's meanings will reveal much clearer how they apply to our society today.  What must we do?  What can we do?  The Bible gives you answers to that question.  Paul after sharing the bleak picture of the last days says to young Timothy,

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,  and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (II Timothy 4:1-5).

In other words, stay the course.  Keep preaching the truth.  Keep standing for the truth.  Keep speaking the truth.  Whatever the circumstances, whatever the situation, DON'T QUIT!  Whether they like it or don't, "in season and out of season".  Our motivation is not just for the sake of America's future, but the sake of a person's soul.  Why must we strive for the pursuit of truth? Look closely at the words of Paul that was just mentioned:

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires" (II Timothy 4:3)

Isn't that happening today?  People don't want to hear the truth.  They want to hear what is pleasing to them, not what is best for them.  Life in general teaches us that there is a difference between those two. It is during the pleasing of self that truth become distorted, mishandled, and abused.  It becomes distorted to OUR advantage, Jude warns us of that in verse 16.  Much like the old saying that is a person repeats it long enough they might believe it to be true, but there is no truth except that of Jesus Christ and His divine word.

Now let us return back to Jude and receive encouragement.  Stay committed in your relationship to God.  Stand firm.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, (Jude 20)

And most of all keep the faith in your relationship with God and wait patiently with hope for God's work to be manifested:

Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. (Jude 21)

Some people avoid truth. Some people distort truth. Some people fear the truth. It is when truth is revealed that a character of a person will be revealed. Truth will bring all things to light. Remember what Jesus said about truth?

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:32)

FREE!  America, the Land of the Free.  A freedom that we are slowly losing because truth is being distorted, mishandled, and abused.  It is that freedom that must urge us and move us to stand unwavering for truth.  We must not be shaken.  We must not be discouraged.  We must not sit back.  We must never be content. For the call for truth rings louder today from the church house, to the school house, to the White House and we must proclaim it from the rooftops to the mountaintops, from sea to shining sea. When truth is distorted, freedom is diminished. 

WE MUST ENSURE THAT TRUTH WILL PREVAIL IN OUR BELOVED AMERICA!

What does truth say about you?