Almost nothing gets me madder than when someone says I'm not telling the truth.
I'll bet you're the same way.
Years ago I borrowed fifty dollars from a friend and told her I would pay her back when I got my next paycheck. As soon as I received my paycheck, I put fifty dollars in an envelope and gave it to my friend, reminding her that I was paying her back for the fifty dollars I had borrowed. She said "thanks." and I thought that was the end of that.
But a couple of weeks later, my friend reminded me about paying her back. I said, "Don't you remember? I paid you back." I then proceeded to remind her how I had given her an envelope with the fifty dollars. Unfortunately, I was young and naive, and lacked the experience to think about getting a receipt from her.
But luckily, I had a witness who had been right there when I gave her the envelope. She corroborated my story.
My friend didn't really believe us. And she continued to remind me about the unpaid debt for years afterward. It broke my heart that she would think I'd cheat her. Hadn't she seen that I had always been a good and loyal friend who had never deceived her?
It's such an insult to be told that your word is a fraud. That someone considers you a liar.
Sometimes one's word isn't trustworthy. The news is full of headlines about companies that have misrepresented themselves.
Many of the executives who've been involved in such frauds have gone to prison.
I told my kids when they were little. "I can forgive and forget the childish and naughty things you do when you sincerely apologize and try to do better. But it you lie to me, it will take a long time for me to trust you again."
If your word cannot be believed, then what do you have?
That's why Jesus repeated many times that He spoke the truth.
And He backed up His claim by being completely trustworthy.
Many people tried to catch Jesus at inconsistencies or lies.
But no one ever could.
But here's the BIG question: if God can lie, then who or what can you believe?
If God lies, then nothing He claims in the Bible is trustworthy.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your world view) you have to ignore the words of God.
You're completely on your own.
And only you can determine truth.
And the truth that you determine would only be applicable to you, not others.
How frightening!
But one of the greatest qualities of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is that His word can be trusted.
Everything in the Christian faith hinges on this: God's truth.
Jesus said, speaking to God, the Father, in prayer said, "Sanctify them by the truth; Thy Word is truth." (John 17:17)
The four Gospels quote Jesus over and over as He speaks about truth:
"I tell you the truth..." Matthew 5, Matthew 6, Matthew 8, Matthew, etc.
"I tell you the truth... " Mark 3, Mark 5, Mark 8, Mark 9, etc.
"I tell you the truth..." Luke 4, Luke 9, Luke 12, etc.
"I tell you the truth..." John 1, John 3, John 4, John 6, John 7, etc.
The greatest work that we humans can do on this side of heaven is to believe Jesus Christ.
Jesus said: "The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent." (John 6:29 NIV Bible)
As we look forward this Sunday to celebrating the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ, we may have full assurance that He lives.
That everything He has said in His Word is true.
And that He will come again:
"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and His name is the Word of God." (Rev. 19: 11-13 NIV Bible)
I'll bet you're the same way.
Years ago I borrowed fifty dollars from a friend and told her I would pay her back when I got my next paycheck. As soon as I received my paycheck, I put fifty dollars in an envelope and gave it to my friend, reminding her that I was paying her back for the fifty dollars I had borrowed. She said "thanks." and I thought that was the end of that.
But a couple of weeks later, my friend reminded me about paying her back. I said, "Don't you remember? I paid you back." I then proceeded to remind her how I had given her an envelope with the fifty dollars. Unfortunately, I was young and naive, and lacked the experience to think about getting a receipt from her.
But luckily, I had a witness who had been right there when I gave her the envelope. She corroborated my story.
My friend didn't really believe us. And she continued to remind me about the unpaid debt for years afterward. It broke my heart that she would think I'd cheat her. Hadn't she seen that I had always been a good and loyal friend who had never deceived her?
It's such an insult to be told that your word is a fraud. That someone considers you a liar.
Sometimes one's word isn't trustworthy. The news is full of headlines about companies that have misrepresented themselves.
Many of the executives who've been involved in such frauds have gone to prison.
I told my kids when they were little. "I can forgive and forget the childish and naughty things you do when you sincerely apologize and try to do better. But it you lie to me, it will take a long time for me to trust you again."
If your word cannot be believed, then what do you have?
That's why Jesus repeated many times that He spoke the truth.
And He backed up His claim by being completely trustworthy.
Many people tried to catch Jesus at inconsistencies or lies.
But no one ever could.
But here's the BIG question: if God can lie, then who or what can you believe?
If God lies, then nothing He claims in the Bible is trustworthy.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your world view) you have to ignore the words of God.
You're completely on your own.
And only you can determine truth.
And the truth that you determine would only be applicable to you, not others.
How frightening!
But one of the greatest qualities of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is that His word can be trusted.
Everything in the Christian faith hinges on this: God's truth.
Jesus said, speaking to God, the Father, in prayer said, "Sanctify them by the truth; Thy Word is truth." (John 17:17)
The four Gospels quote Jesus over and over as He speaks about truth:
"I tell you the truth..." Matthew 5, Matthew 6, Matthew 8, Matthew, etc.
"I tell you the truth... " Mark 3, Mark 5, Mark 8, Mark 9, etc.
"I tell you the truth..." Luke 4, Luke 9, Luke 12, etc.
"I tell you the truth..." John 1, John 3, John 4, John 6, John 7, etc.
The greatest work that we humans can do on this side of heaven is to believe Jesus Christ.
Jesus said: "The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent." (John 6:29 NIV Bible)
As we look forward this Sunday to celebrating the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ, we may have full assurance that He lives.
That everything He has said in His Word is true.
And that He will come again:
"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and His name is the Word of God." (Rev. 19: 11-13 NIV Bible)
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