And That’s the Truth
Quick, candidates aside, what’s the one thing you dislike most about politics? As I think about this, we’re in the home stretch of the presidential election. In fact, it’s because of this that I began thinking about writing this post. I’m reminded of an entry in God’s “big ten” of rules: “You shall not bear false witness.” What does that mean? It’s not only for application in a courtroom trial when you’re on the stand. It’s one of the guiding principles of life in general.
Anyone ever had their mouth washed out with soap because they lied? When my kids were growing up, they knew their punishment would always be worse if truth were a distant memory. It seems to me that our elected leaders could learn a thing or two from that same lesson. Could it be that the consequences of lying haven’t been harsh enough to force a change in their behavior?
Paul Joseph Goebbels,
Adolf Hitler’s Propaganda Minister in Nazi Germany, said, “If you tell a lie often enough, it becomes the truth.” Have you ever wondered why something that has been proven false continues to grow legs and be repeated over and over and over? It’s the Goebbels principle. And it’s successful because society has forgotten, through laziness or ignorance, how to discern truth from falsehood. We live in a sound-bite world.
I’m not absolving either political party, both are guilty. But it may be true that one side, aided by the media, has honed this practice to perfection. For example, what is the motivation for Congress to pass legislation that impacts most citizens and then exempts themselves? Hmm.
Where are today’s truth seekers? Why has the world seemingly abandoned their responsibility to call out anything that doesn’t line up with the truth? It’s simple. Apart from the Bible, there is no absolute truth. Opinions reign supreme, and elite politicians think their constituents are either asleep, too busy to pay attention, emotionally attached to the outcome of the lie–i.e. it benefits them, or they’ve heard it so often…it must be the truth. And you know what? They’re right.
Remember as a kid
when you used to follow the numbered dots with a pencil to discover the picture? We seem to have lost the ability to “connect the dots” in today’s political arena. The following quote, generally attributed to Edmund Burke, but not original with him, contains much wisdom applicable to our current status: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
How can we turn this barreling juggernaut around? Is there a way to return to civility in the midst of disagreements? Do you know the 2nd law of thermodynamics? Paraphrased it is: Everything in a closed system moves from order to chaos. The opposite is always true too: Nothing in a closed system moves from chaos to order.
The human condition,
apart from a relationship with Jesus Christ, is on a slippery slope moving from order to chaos. I believe we’re experiencing the birth pangs Jesus talked about in Matthew 24:7, 8, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”
Unfortunately, unlike a mother’s pain that results in a new life, these birth pangs will usher in a period of unbelievable suffering and death, unless…
There is a pathway out of this,
individually and corporately. But most people, individually or as a group, refuse to consider it. It’s the pathway of freedom in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6). The only possible way to avoid the coming judgment is to admit our sin and fall humbly on the grace of a loving God through His Son’s death on a cross and resurrection from the grave.
This invitation is available to all. Jesus also said, “the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out.” (John 6:37). This includes individuals of any race, color, creed or status…all who come on God’s terms, will be welcomed. And, believe me, this is the truth you’ve been looking for, the truth you can base your eternal future on. Don’t wait. Find a friend who knows Jesus or find a Bible-believing church and ask the pastor if this is true. Also, feel free to check out our Steps To Salvation page to read more about this truth.