This Way! What is Truth? Part 3
In this world where confusion reigns, we can easily get lost. Even more so if we
rely on our own understanding, as more often than not, what we will be facing
won't make any sense anyway!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."
(Prov 3:5 NIV)
Our only way to Truth is not by our own endeavours. It is not by our good looks,
and it doesn't come by relying on our brains. It can only come by following the
cairns that God has given us.
What are cairns? In North America and Northern Europe, stones are piled
together, either in an orderly or disorderly fashion, for the purpose of helping
people to find and stay on the right path. This is especially useful when
wandering on mountain tops above the tree line, and especially in places like
Mount Washington in New Hampshire, where fog can be so dense that you can't see
the path.
God's cairns are there so that we can find and remain in the truth.
So what are God's cairns?
There are actually four of them:
1. "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know
the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32 NIV)
The first cairn is to understand that Truth can only be found in the person of
Jesus, the Christ, and only by holding to His teaching which
is found in His Word, the Bible. "I am the way and the
truth and the life." (John 14:6 NIV) If we want to remain in truth, our only
option is to "hold to" what Jesus has given us, apply it in our lives, and live
by it. Only then will we "know the truth" and that "truth will set our free"!
Those who have their own theology, a mixture of what they want to believe and
what the Bible says, will always be in error, for Truth is only Truth when it is
100% Truth! Not only will we fooled by our own faulty logic, but we will be
leading a defeated life as well, imprisoned by the untruths we hold so dear to our
hearts.
2. "Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen
plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (John 3:21 NIV)
The second cairn is that we honour God through everything we do, without taking
the credit for ourselves.
We humans have a tendency to boast. Even if we don't like to admit it, even to
ourselves, we like to be in the lime light. One of the best conversation
starters is to boost the ego of your conversation partner. They will immediately
start talking non-stop, and in the end, they will consider that they've had a
very good time. Why? Because we as humans prefer to boost our own egos rather
than give credit to God.
Those who live "by the Truth" do not have an over-inflated ego. They give credit
to whom credit is truly due: what was done has only been done through God! We
are living the Truth because God shines through us! He is the source!
This mentality actually brings freedom. Pretence is completely unnecessary.
There is absolutely no reason to live a lie. We can be ourselves when we let God
shine through us! We don't need to worry about being rejected because God has
made His home in us, and nothing is more important than the presence of the One
who truly loves us!
Truly, "He who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth;
there is nothing false about him." (John 7:18 NIV)
3. "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in
truth." (1 John 3:18 NIV)
The third Cairn for Truth is a life of love. Those who have the Truth will show
it through their love for others.
Many teach what they call "the" truth, but in all reality their whole life is a
lie. How is this possible? Simple this: Love is not their passion. Beware of
those! They will use the Bible to their own advantage. Only by relying solely on
the source of the truth-God's Holy Spirit and His Word, the Bible-will we see
through them! If there is hardly any love and only criticism, they are heading
for catastrophe!
"Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. (1 Cor 8:1 NIV)
4. "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our
hearts at rest in his presence…" (1 John 3:19 NIV)
The fourth cairn? Resting in the presence of God. We are in the Truth when we
put all of our worries and plans in God's hands and "rest" in Him.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest." (Matt 11:28 NIV)
I know that we live in a hectic world where we try to live what we call "the
American dream". But have you noticed that more often than not we are left
wanting, discouraged and exhausted? Is that truly real living or are we possibly
chasing after ghosts? Is there any love in our chase after happiness? Or is it
possible that we fail to see that our idols are trying to steal our worship from
God? Is our dream really "the" truth?
There is only one way to the truth, and God's cairns will guide us in the right
direction, but only if we let them. And in summary, these cairns are:
1. Holding to Jesus' teachings;
2. Giving glory to God for whatever happens;
3. Love for others will dominate all actions; and
4. All worries and plans are resting securely in God's hands.
No matter what the elements bring on, be it fog, hail, or whatever our tempest,
as long as we follow these cairns, we will know the Truth and the Truth will set
us free. The Truth will ensure that we arrive safely home!
This way guys!
But where are the cairns?
Rob Chaffart