Truth by whose reality?
What is truth? Truth is defined by Webster as that which agrees with reality. But whose reality do we, as believers, adhere to? With all the political rhetoric, contentious debates, and social bantering, we need truth. Behind the social messaging, news bytes and sound bits, is the world we live in redefining “what truth is and what it isn’t”.
What’s your truth source?
In decades past, people could depend on the media to communicate the “truth”. Newspapers, magazine publications and newscasters were committed to operating at the highest ethical standards. We could depend upon our local leaders—civic or religious—to offer us truth. But over time that has changed.
The sources of truth and information in the 21st century are growing exponentially and based on the “issue of the day”. They represent many diverse voices and views. Decentralized digital platforms and social media offer opinions based on varying perspectives and preferences: personal, political, or popular.
Rapidly influencing our daily life is artificial intelligence (AI) and digital knowledge systems which people use to provide answers for their special situations and life, in general. While AI provides access to vast amounts of information quickly, users may tend to over trust automated answers which could contain errors. Could our dependency on AI have addictive consequences?
Why is Truth Important?
It is important because life has consequences for being wrong. Giving the wrong amount of a medication to someone can kill them. Having an investment manager make the wrong monetary decisions can impoverish a family. Boarding the wrong plane will take you where you didn’t want to go.
As Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias put it, “The fact is, the truth matters—especially when you’re on the receiving end of a lie.” And nowhere is this more important than in the areas of faith and religion. Eternity is a long time to be wrong.
The Apostle Paul warned the young minister Timothy of the dangers that awaited him as new converts would “turn away their ears from the truth and be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:4). It is important that we have a real-time, reliable, and trustworthy source to help us ferret out truth in the world.
Connecting with Truth
Believers face a major challenge to walk in biblical truth while living in a postmodern world. Especially when that truth is measured against the authority of Scripture and the lordship of Jesus Christ.
As believer’s are reality is grounded in God. We no longer follow the worldview—its influence was negated by the Blood. Our meaning and reality is now realigned with God (2 Corinthians 5:15). While there are many proposed definitions of the truth, there can only be one
More than ever before it is critical that we connect with the only True Source of Truth, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior (John 14:6). God’s Word and the Spirit of Truth stand ready to silence the lies, myths and fables we might hear (2 Timothy. 4:3-4). It is God’s truth that will guide our behaviors and our responses in this fallen world. God is the only source of truth for our lives. More next week as we search for truth.