Whose TRUTH?

In the course of my morning Bible study today, I clicked over to Dictionary.com in order to gain a deeper understanding of a word chosen by the modern translation of the Bible I was looking in, instead of the one used in the much older King James Version.  As the site popped up on my screen and I began to type in the word, my eyes caught a question across the top banner asking “Can you guess the 2022 Word of the Year?”

Well, my interest was peaked and I clicked the banner and discovered that their winner was the word “WOMAN.”  They introduced the subject by stating that “It’s one of the oldest words in the English language. One that’s fundamental not just to our vocabulary but to who we are as humans. And yet it’s a word that continues to be a source of intense personal importance and societal debate. It’s a word that’s inseparable from the story of 2022.”*

They explained that lookups of the word on their site increased by over 1,400% over the course of the year, with the highest spikes between February and March when a nominee for the Supreme Court of the United States was asked by a US Senator during the confirmation hearings, to provide a definition for the word “WOMAN.”  A seemingly simple request that the individual being questioned could NOT succinctly answer.

I found the article* to be an interesting read and enlightening in the way in which it got me to expand my understanding of the importance that words have in many differing aspects our society.  I also noticed that their official meaning of the word is still explained in the scientific, truth-based facts of the traditional biological definition.

When I finished reading the article, a beacon of light seemed to pop on in my mind that pointed me directly to a translation of the Bible that I recently acquired entitled The Remedy, which is described as ‘an expanded paraphrase of the New Testament,’ that states Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7 as,

“For God did not give you a character of insecurity, doubt and fear, but a mind and character of confidence, POWER IN THE TRUTH, love, and self-control.” 

It was the idea of God giving us a “a mind and a character of POWER in the TRUTH” that seemed to flash on and off in bright red neon lights before me!

According to Jesus and many other of both the Old and New Testament writers, God’s Word is considered to be the final truth on any manner under the heavens.  Kings David and Solomon constantly extolled the merits of the truth of God and His Word in the Psalms and Proverbs.  Then on the night in which He was to be betrayed and arrested on His way to Calvery, Jesus prayed to His heavenly Father concerning those of us who would believe on Him as Savior and Lord, by asking Him to,

“Sanctify (or set apart) them through thy truth: THY WORD IS TRUTH.” 

And as I pondered all these thoughts in conjunction with the article I’d just read, it suddenly dawned on me that when individuals begin to question and doubt the TRUTH, they quickly place themselves in a position of weakness. 

When I thought back on the many interviews I’d heard over this last year when the TRUTH of God’s original intent for women and the scientific, biological facts behind this TRUTH of creation, was questioned, the ones denying the TRUTH were at a disadvantage and almost immediately resorted to anger, name calling, and the making of false accusations against the ones who disagreed with their convoluted reasoning.

I also recalled my personal experience of those who chose to deny the TRUTH of God’s Word that Piper and I were standing on during her illness and of how their position of giving helpful input and ideas became less and less valuable to us… to the very point of being harmful.

But on the other hand, Jesus unequivocally told those who believed in Him, in John 8:31-32 that,

"If you live by what I say, you are truly my disciples.  (And) You will know the truth, and THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE." 

I interpret Jesus’ statement as saying that our knowing and application of the TRUTH puts us in a position of ADVANTAGE when it comes to the navigation of the events and situations that occur in our daily lives.  It destroys the bondages that try to attach themselves to us and sets us free to be all that He has planned for us to be in our own lives as well as being a positive influence in the lives of others!

So… let me ask you… Whose TRUTH will you choose to put your faith in?  The made-up, everchanging to fit the various situations they face, confusing, false truths of the world… or God’s steadfast, bondage breaking, situation changing, and all-powerful Word of TRUTH?   I know… I know… kind of a silly question… but I had to ask!

Have a terrific rest of your week, and as you do, keep walking in God’s TRUTH with an EXPECTATION of God’s Best for you and others!  I just came back from Fiver’s and my daily afternoon walk… and let’s just say that I am happy for having purchased an insulated hoodie back in North Carolina!  Stay warm wherever you are!

 

* https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-year/