And That's the Truth!

"Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free'" (John 8:31-32)

An adorable t.v. character from several decades ago played wonderfully by actress Lily Tomlin was a little girl named "Edith Ann."  She was filled with all kinds of philosophical advice on everyday living, slanted from the point of view of a five year old, and always capped off with the exclamation: "And that's the truth!"

Today one of America's top radio hosts, arguably the one that liberals love most to hate, made a profound statement in the context of reporting upon a supposed "gaffe" by presidential candidate Mitt Romney while visiting recently in the United Kingdom.  His observation was that "the most politically incorrect thing you can speak today is the truth."

Have we fallen that far today as a people, beloved?  Is truth, whether political or cultural or social or moral or spiritual, so "for sale" that it can be bartered away for a few more votes or a higher rating?  If you have been following at all the chain of events being played out these past months on the world's stage, then you must conclude that we have indeed fallen that far!

Jesus not only stated that we need to "know the truth" but that it is only that truth that will set us free!  Now I know that someone could easily respond to that by saying, "Come on, Ron!  Jesus was talking about religious stuff and that has nothing to do with political events today."  Doesn't it?  How many different kinds of "truth" are there, beloved?  Does it not occur to you that truth is truth whether it falls into the realm of politics, culture, business, social relationships, or religious convictions?

I am convinced that this present generation is quickly becoming one that does not particularly like or want to deal with truth.  And it is that very attitude that leads to the deadliest of consequences for any person.  The "truth" about which Jesus spoke was certainly that every person is born into sin, confirms that condition by his actions, and cannot possibly redeem himself from that fallen situation wherein he stands condemned before God.  And Jesus' truth is also that because of God's love for mankind, because He is not willing that any should perish eternally, He came to us in the form of Jesus of Nazareth, sinless and pure, and sacrificed His life on the cross so that we might find forgiveness with God and the gift of eternal life.  That is the truth that can and does "set you free," beloved!  That is the truth, the only truth, without which we remain condemned and without hope.

But this "truth" not only sets us free eternally, beloved, it sets us free in our here and now.  To receive the truth of God by faith is to order your life in this present world according to that truth.  It is to see everything - politics, culture, social relationships, business, family - through God's eyes.  It is to have a biblical world view.  And only those who have such a world view really know what is going on in our world.  To cast aside this truth, then, is to have a skewered view of the world, a twisted understanding of what is going on.

Are you living by the "truth" today?  Has it set you free?  I encourage you to ask God to help you to see your world through His eyes.  It will be the most liberating move you've ever made.  And, as Edith Ann would surely say at this juncture: "And that's the truth!"

Ron