Are You Afraid Of The Truth?

Jesus stated, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).  Think about what that statement says.  First, we can know truth.  Jesus said so.  Some people think that truth is relative.  They believe that truth changes based on time, circumstances, and personal feeling and interpretation.  They see truth as fluid, always adjusting, changing.  What is true today may not be true tomorrow, and then it may be true again next week.  Jesus, however, settled the matter.  His statement is unequivocal; we can know truth!

Second, it is the truth that will make us free.  How odd that so many people see it exactly the opposite.  They're afraid of the truth; it scares them.  They believe what they believe, and they're happy in that belief.  Any substantive examination of what they believe makes them extremely uncomfortable.  To put their understanding of truth under a microscope of analysis is taken as a threat to them personally.  Often, they react to the prospect by simply shutting down the process.  They will not allow examination of what they believe to be truth.

But Jesus said, "the truth shall make you free!"  Learning truth should set one's mind free, it should be liberating.  Going through the process of gaining knowledge of truth is exactly what education is all about.  Study is aimed at searching for truth.  Knowing truth equips a person to successfully deal with whatever situation might confront him.

Certainly, some points of truth can be inconvenient, even painful.  But even in those cases, the truth is still the truth.  Running from it, pretending it doesn't exist, refusing to believe it does not change the fact that it is the truth.Denying the reality of truth in a given situation ultimately makes it harder to deal with that situation.  A person who is injured from a fall, examined, x-rayed, and subsequently diagnosed with a broken leg can refuse to believe that his leg is broken.  He can even refuse to see a doctor for fear of what the truth may be.  That will not change the fact, however, that his leg is broken.  Denying the truth, refusing to believe it will only make his life more difficult.

 Many people refuse to face the truth that their spiritual lives are a mess.  Their defense mechanism is to simply not think about it.  But not thinking about their spiritual state, refusing to deal with it realistically will not help them.  "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).

The only thing that will help you get your life in order is to get into God's word, search out the truth, and properly apply it to your life.  Why not take the first step right now.  Enroll in the free Bible study offered in this bulletin.  Learn the truth.  It will set you free!