The Truth Must Be Told

It is getting really confusing out there. It seems every day what we knew to be true is being challenged in one way or another. Some people isolate themselves from such going ons in the world but then don't know what to do when they are cornered by it. Others of us who have to wade through this sewage every day often have to take deep showers in the Spirit to keep our equilibrium. In all of this mess one thing is evident, people no longer believe in an absolute truth.

It is even hard to hold a discussion with people any more because they are arguing from their own abstract idea of truth, which seems to be constantly evolving. What is amazing is that we can pretty well convince ourselves that anything is true if we decide that is what we want to believe. This being the case, no one is interested in anything that would challenge their version of reality. Things haven't changed all that much over the millenniums.

Apostle Paul and his team had a great ministry in Asia Minor, headquartered in Ephesus. Then one day, just before he was planning to move on, there was a riot. The cause of the riot was the fact that the truth had been revealed to the people. Here is the accusation against the Christians, specifically Paul:

And you can see and hear that this Paul has convinced and misled a lot of people, not only in Ephesus but also throughout most of the province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands aren’t really gods. (Acts 19:26)

There are many similar things in our age that could be considered like these idols. It is obvious to us that anything that we can make with our hands cannot be all that mighty and powerful, yet we continue to fashion gods after ourselves. The danger comes when we hold up the truth against these false idols in our lives.

No one is interested in the truth because truth accepted changes things, makes us uncomfortable, forces us into a reality we don't want. We would rather live lies that leave us comfortable and unchallenged. This is why the prophets of old were often killed, because people did not want to accept a truth that forced change. That is why the prophets of today are attacked and "killed" in the forum of public opinion. Their message is examined against the perception of the day, cutting out the elements that make it the truth based on a reality beyond the sight of this world. But that does not give us an excuse to remain silent.

Although we have a greater message than the prophets of old, we must develop the same fortitude in presenting the truth. To Ezekiel the Lord said:

Whether they listen or whether they refuse, since they are a household of rebels, they will know that a prophet has been among them. (Ezekiel 2:5)

It is not up to us to make them respond, we are only messengers and must be faithful in sharing the message. People hate the truth and will hate us for telling the truth but the truth must be told.