What is Truth?

Love the truth
though it may do you harm;
hate the lie though it may please you. ~Arabian Proverb

Truth has no responsibility
to make us comfortable. ~ David L. Russell

Truth is Integrity
Deception is a sneaky thing. Few of us would choose to be deceived, nor
would we remain in deception if we clearly knew we were mired in it. The problem lies in our lack of love for the truth. Some would rather hope in a
lie than die for the truth. This is what happened in the Book of Judges. Everyone determined truth according to their own eyes instead of the
whole counsel of God. When Jesus is not Lord over our belief system, we
will believe what is right in our own eyes and worship the created rather than the Creator.

A heart of integrity, a heart of truth, humbly says, "Lord, I lay down my life for you. Not my will but thine. Correct me Lord where I am wrong. Shine your light on the darkness within me. I don't want to be right in my own eyes, I want to be right according to Your Truth. I surrender to your gracious and loving hand to do with me as you will all the days of my life. Conform me to your image."

To walk in integrity is to walk in a commitment to Truth at any cost. No price is too high. We all have blind spots and areas of deception. With a commitment to integrity and truth, God will, little by little, cleanse the spots and blemishes from our souls.

Truth from the Word of God will always integrate into our being and manifest through who we are. It manifests as humble, heartfelt honesty and sincerity in all of our interactions with ourselves, God and others. Beyond our actions, however, Truth will reverberate from deep within our being as the very nature of Christ without saying a word. These are the good works of the believer. It is either in us or it is not. Truth manifested in us should be our greatest desire and most fervent prayer.

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16).

Deceived people beget deceived disciples. Honest, sincere, broken people beget true disciples.

"And He also spoke a parable to them: "A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:39-40).

We may fool others. We may even fool ourselves, but we will never fool God.
Until we allow Him to expose the lies and deceptions in our hearts, we will not mature in truth. Until we walk in the truth we know, God will not give us more.

"For whosoever hath (truth), to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not (truth), from him shall be taken away even that he hath" (Matthew13:12).

Jesus' intent is clear in His statement. Whatever truth we have and obey, will be increased abundantly. If we are unfaithful in the truth we have, He will take away even what we do have, and we will be left believing and suffering the consequences of half-truths and lies.

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There is small chance of truth at the goal where there is not a childlike humility
at the starting post.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge
(1772-1834)

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This has less to do with going to heaven than it does with walking in the grace and manifested presence of the Lord in this life. If we want to dwell on His Holy Hill, we need to repent and expose every lie and deception we know is in our hearts to Him and preferably another believer.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (1 John 1:8-10).

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much" (James 5:16).

We need to make amends to those we have wronged. We need to ask the Lord to forgive us. We also need to ask Him toferret out and reveal every lie and deception buried too deep in our hearts for us to see. This is what integrity before God requires. The Lord will be thrilled to honor this kind of radical commitment to truth.

"But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for every- thing that becomes visible is light" (Ephesians 5:13). And everything that is light is truth.

These are painful steps to take. The rewards for taking them are infinitely beyond our highest hopes, thoughts, prayers and dreams.