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Wednesday, December 27, 2006

An End to Truth Decay

“To Tell the Truth” was a TV game show in the 60’s. Three people would tell the story of a person’s life by answering questions from a panel, and I remember our family trying to identify the person who told the truth. At the end of the contest, the emcee would ask a question like, “Would the real Sue Tornai please stand up?” and we were usually surprised.

Today’s world is a lot like that game show. Lies and deception are convincing, so how do we know the truth? People say things like, “What’s true for you may not be true for me,” but when I grew up there was a standard that we lived by. It still exists, but in many ways the world cleverly covers it up. How can we know the truth, and how can we avoid truth decay?

In a court of law witnesses are asked, “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” Webster’s Dictionary defines “truth” as sincerity, honesty, factual, actual existence, correctness, accuracy. So truth goes beyond honesty, because a person may be honest about what he knows, but it may not be the truth.

The truth sets me free from the confusion in the world around me. The truth I am speaking of comes from a loving God who made us for His pleasure. It’s in His word, the Bible. When I read the Bible I relate to story after story of people who have walked this way before, who made mistakes but got back on their feet again; who sinned but knew forgiveness. In every story God has something to say about the way we live.

In a span of six hundred years God inspired forty people to write down the scriptures, and He has protected His message through transcription and translation into many languages. This is the truth with which our forefathers founded the United States of America.

I trust the God of these scriptures, the Bible; because I have received comfort in suffering, peace from knowing God is always with me, and wisdom for handling difficult situations. Because God has ministered to me through His word, and answered my prayers, I trust Him and not things of this world.

The truth in the Bible defines an excellent way of life, a way of loving God and others. Yet if the world could elect a leader today, if God sent Jesus back to earth as contestant for world ruler, He would not win the election. The Bible says, however, that one day Jesus will rule the whole world. When that day comes, there will be no more suffering, fear or tears. For sure every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. Then everyone will know the truth.

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