The Truth
The expression “My truth” is a point of view. It is an assertion rejecting reality. It is a means of trying to have things our own way. “My truth” is an offspring of humanism. It is a declaration that our observation is the only thing that matters. It closes the door to further discussion and creates a defense, walling the individual away from what is needed. Ever since the Father of Lies influenced man, the truth has been made to appear malleable, like a blacksmith working iron into the shape he desires or a child making rabbits out of clay. “My truth” is a foolish thing to say.
The truth is found in Jesus Christ. When Jesus stood before Pontus Pilate, He stated, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into this world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37). Pilate’s response to Jesus was “What is truth?” This was his “My truth” moment, portraying the truth as meaningless. Someone who is “of the truth” is one who loves the truth more than himself. Such a person learns what is right, even at the expense of his self-esteem. Isn’t this where shame and the need to repent come? When our loving parents said, “You should be ashamed of yourself,” they were calling upon our highest nature of spirituality to recognize and identify the wrong we had committed. They were turning our heads to face the truth. Being “of the truth” is to seek and practice what God has revealed regardless of the cost. God not only shows us where we need to repent, but He also shows us the right way to live.
Mankind is unraveling. Even simple matters of truth are lightly cast aside. Gender dysphoria is such an example. Its advocates are trying to hijack biological reality for the sake of their confusion. Thus, anarchy becomes freedom, and truth becomes oppression. We are left with these acronyms of sorrow: LGBT, 2SLGBTOIA+, LGBTQQIP2SAA, QTPOC, TGNC, AMAB, AFAB, etc. As one advocate put it, “Sex is assigned at birth, gender is how you feel, and sexuality is who you are attracted to.” And so, feelings become more important than reality, and the truth becomes buried.
Feelings versus truth. Reality versus imagination. This gets to the very heart of what defines us. This is not about an emotional response that results from something that has happened: joy upon reunion, gladness from a gift, sorrow because of a death, or guilt because of sin. It is about the problem of our feelings becoming more important than the truth. And so, “My truth” emerges. The question of what we value most presents the answer to who we are – corrupt or innocent.
Every temptation is born on the wings of feeling and desire outside the bounds of goodness. It is a presentation of something evil outside of ourselves that we have not done but we consider doing. It is easy to raise the flag of “My truth” at such a time – “This is who I am.” Not so! “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:15). The desire or the feeling is not the problem. It is the conception and birth of sin. This is where corruption begins. Temptation is not corruption.
Our temptations are not who we are. Even Jesus was tempted. He had the desire to do evil things: to turn stones into bread (using His power to gratify Himself), to float through the air (to demonstrate God’s power for Himself), to worship Satan, rule the world, and possess its glory. From these three, every conceivable form of wickedness could sprout. These were His temptations. Yet, He anchored Himself to the truth of the scriptures and did not sin. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus is the one who gives clarity and meaning to our lives. He said of Himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). If He were just a gifted man, a super exceptional person, this claim would be astonishingly egotistical. His declaration was humble because He came to give His life for our salvation. He offered Himself in obedience to the Father’s will. It was done out of love for His Father and love for us. Was this feeling over fact? Consider Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). The joy set before Him was the value of the children of God and their fulfillment. His love came from seeing the beauty of what we may become.
Who was this man who said He was the way, truth, and life? He
… is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist (Colossians 1:15-17).
John the Baptist said of Jesus,
He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true (John 3:31-33).
Our part is to receive His testimony, the truth of heaven. He will not force us to believe, but every reason to believe is revealed in Him. Think of it! Here was one who was a part of the eternal glory, who created all things, who knew everything, and had power over everything. He is the one who revealed and made possible what we need to share in God’s glory.
Our perception of life is based on information. We hear good and evil things. Upon maturing, we become the gatekeepers for what we accept or reject. The notion of “my truth” suppresses our ability to discern between right and wrong, the truth and the lie. It keeps us from being wise. “But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For ‘WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD THAT HE MAY INSTRUCT HIM?’ But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:15-16). It is the truth of Jesus Christ that matters.