Holding Up The World's "Truths" To God's Truth

"Today's Devotion" For January 24, 2006

Read: Matthew 7:15-23; II Peter 3:13-32

HOLDING UP THE WORLD'S "TRUTHS" TO GOD'S TRUTH

"This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but ever spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God." (I John. 4:2b-3a)

Boy! The "B.S" - "bad stuff" - is sure flying around the airwaves these days. A senator, who many believe is beginning the process of running for President, got up in front of an audience about a week ago and, pandering to the audience, decided to paint potential opponents with the "racism" card - "They run the House like a plantation. The "spin" was that it wasn't the first time the senator had used the term, "plantation," publicly so there was no pandering involved.

Then we heard the mayor of a southern city terribly affected by Hurricane Katrina declaring that the city's problems came from God, that God was angry with the city and that Katrina had been a punishment from God. Even more striking in his pronouncements was his declaration that God wanted the city to be a "chocolate city" - one specifically for "black people." One obvious implication of the mayor's pronouncement - if the city had been "chocolate" then God wouldn't have destroyed it

Lest we lay too big a "trip" on the mayor, we should note that he isn't the first person to have said made such pronouncements "from God." Over the past year the modern "prophets" have been declaring God's anger over humanity's depravity is manifesting itself in every natural disaster from the tsunamis of a year ago to the more recent spate of hurricanes this past Fall. He is particularly angry with the United States, as is evident, they say, by the terrorist attacks of "9-11," the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the mounting challenges from "rogue nations" such as Iran and North Korea each of whom would like to see the United States disappear in a puff of smoke.

Each of the pronouncements noted above have an effect on people's thinking and emotions. The way these ideas have been stated and the contextual circumstances in which they were said have evoked visceral, emotional responses from those who heard them. Some have accepted them on their face as the truth and as statements of certainty, while others have challenged their truthfulness and reliability. In every case, it seems that God is either ignored or is "boxed up" to fit each speaker's purpose - popularity, power, relevance.

One of the most difficult things we human beings have to deal with is the "half-truth." Have you ever noticed that when a "True of False" answer is required on an exam, the correct answer for any question or statement that is only partially true, is "False?" Perhaps some teacher, someplace, with a twisted sort of logic, might give a partial credit - perhaps even full credit - to someone who answers the question, "True and False." Yet, truth and falsehood are never partial - even though we'd like to believe there's a lot of "gray area" in which to live and operate.

That's why there are so many warnings in Scripture about being alert for "false prophets." The prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 23) shares God's declaration of anger against those who sought to lead His people astray, purporting to speak for God. Jesus gives us the same warning in Matthew 7:15, urging us to "watch out for false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ferocious wolves." Peter very forcefully warns God's people to watch out for false prophets who will introduce ideas and teachings that seem good on the surface but are far from the truth of God's Word. John urges us to "test the spirits" of those who purport to speak the truth, especially His truth, to see whether they have been sent from God. John gives us the "litmus test" for such testing - check to see if such teachers proclaim Jesus as Savior and Lord (I Jn. 4:2, 3). Holding up the world's "truths" to God's truth is the only way for us to know if people, especially those who would lead us, really know and speak the truth.

Recognizing God and His truth at work in the world is a difficult thing at best. We know and believe that He daily and richly blesses us with everything we need to support our bodies and lives. We know and believe that He's truly at work in our lives on a daily basis, often through other people, to strengthen our faith and our relationship with Him. We know and believe that through faith in Christ our sins are forgiven. Yet there are so many ways that God is at work that we'll not see until time has passed - perhaps not even until we're with Him in heaven. And that's where we are sorely challenged by the world and it's pursuit and declaration of what it deems to be "truth."

By God's grace, however, we have been made His dearly beloved children in Holy Baptism. We have the truth of His Word to measure the veracity of the world's pronouncements. By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to see falsehood for what it is - not as another version of the truth or another "truth" itself. In His great love for us, our Father in heaven has raised up many faithful and dedicated teachers and preachers of the Word from whom we learn to know the truth which sets us free. Prayerfully and deliberately, seeking God's Will each day in His Word, and listening to hear what He will do to work through us in the lives of others today, we are not led astray by the world's "truth," but remain focused on the one single truth above all things - Jesus Christ is our Savior from Sin, our brother, our friend, and our one and only hope for eternal life.

Prayer: Father, thank You for making me one of Your redeemed children in Christ. There is no greater hope in my life than that I belong to You. Yet, Father, I'm so often challenged by the "truth" that the world proclaims - i.e., politicians, educators, scientists and others in the spotlight - and which leads me to doubt the truth of Your Word and Your love for me in Jesus. Forgive me for succumbing to such "falsehood" in my life and lead me to be discerning of what I see and hear around me, knowing that if "the world's truth" doesn't reflect Your presence and love it's no "truth" at all. Lead me to live a full life of faith and trust in You, that my works will speak loudly for You, and others may come to know Your truth through faithful teachers who share Jesus with them. In His precious name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright @2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.