What Matters Most?

Justice! Freedom! Reconciliation! We long and chant for these. Are they attainable in America today? Temporarily, maybe. Counterfeit versions, possibly.

Genuine Justice, Freedom and Reconciliation are attainable, but only in accordance with truth.¹ From the creation of mankind, the enemy has waged war against God – using emotions and lies, to deceive the humans God created into exchanging truth for lies (Genesis 3), using fine-sounding arguments laced with a sprinkling of truth. So, the enemy got his well-deserved nickname – “the father of lies.” (John 8:42-47, 55) The enemy’s weapons arsenal is filled with deception, dishonesty, pride, lies, censorship of truth.

But God desires truth. (Psalm 51:6)

When we communicate with others, He tells us to “speak the truth to each other.” (Zechariah 8:16-19) He tells us to “love truth.” He values worship, but when given in “Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23)

Truth is an attribute of God. God’s son, when He took on human form as Jesus Christ, said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)

“Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” (John 3:21)

Lies predictably lead to forms of evil bondage – versions of slavery² – which God detests, and does not want for His people.

How does one combat these find-sounding lies (half-truths are lies too) and avoid getting snared by their inevitable consequences?

God gave each of us a brain, a mind with a conscience, and the general ability to distinguish between right and wrong, even to those who do not identify as believers. When the enemy is behind a scheme, however, these tools may not be effective, by themselves. That is the time in which we are living!

If you are really my disciples, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

John 8:31-32

How do we recognize lies when they come before us, especially when the surface is cloaked with some superficial truths?

A sister in Christ once used an illustration. When she worked at a bank, the staff was taught that the best way to detect counterfeit bills was to examine and study the genuine bills, until they knew the authentic bills so well that they could easily spot the fake ones.

With God, who embodies truth, Scripture instructs that we should strive continuously to know Him. (John 17:3 NLT; Luke 13:24-27; Lamentations 3:25) To those who entrust their lives to Him, He bestows the counsel of the Holy Spirit, who not only helps us to know God more intimately, but will “guide you into all truth.” (John 14:15-17, 26; 16:15)

Logically, the better one knows the genuine God, the easier it is to spot fakes; the easier to detect the tactics of the enemy, counterfeit philosophies, and the easier it is to see through fine-sounding lies.

In America today, it seems many leaders have lost the ability to know and apply truth. And the rest of us seem to gradually be losing the ability to detect and identify truth, and thus distinguish truth from lies. What if we looked solely to God? What can we expect to see?

Those who know God recognize that He does not use lies (nor does He need them) to accomplish His will, or to get us to do what He would have us do. He does not engage in censoring and suppressing truth. Obviously, these traits and tactics run against His very nature. (Titus 1:2) Silencing messengers of the truth is a weapon of the enemy.³

Christ’s disciples know that the Almighty does not stir up anger and strife by exaggerating and distorting truth, to entice us to do evil against others. (Romans 1:18; Acts 20:30) God instructs us to love one another; and Love does not delight in evil (destruction), but rather rejoices with the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:6) God does not use fear to force us into submission and obedience.

In this era of multiple communications media, isn’t it more important than ever for us to be equipped to detect when the enemy is feeding lies into the airwaves and into cyberspace? Shouldn’t we do all we can to learn to recognize the voice of God, above the other clutter, garbage and foolishness? (Colossians 2:1-8) Shouldn’t our number one priority be to pursue “the knowledge that leads to godliness?” (John 10:7-16; Titus 1:1) Why shouldn’t we disassociate from those who perpetrate lies, violence, and all forms of evil? (Romans 14:16, 22)

But you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.

John 10:26-27

Shouldn’t we strive to study the Word of God, to discuss the Word of God with others, to pray for God’s wisdom, to listen to God and those godly saints he sends our way through whom he sometimes communicates?

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

Manuel M. Melgoza
June 14, 2020

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¹ Jeremiah 9:3; Daniel 9:13; Matthew 22:16; Mark 12:14; Luke 20:21
² Titus 3:1-11
³ “Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?” Galatians 4:16