Truth Embedded In A Lie

Truth Embedded In A Lie

2/17/18

How many times have we fallen for something that we truly believe was a good thing but only to find out that the other party involved lied to us sometime later?  We place this experience in our memory banks and occasionally refer to it when it is convenient and in the meantime keep this participation fiasco to ourselves.  Do we believe that the spiritual aspect of our lives does not come into the same type of setting?  It seems like we do because we would much rather trust the father of lies instead of our Creator.  Look at the patterns of lies which we have fallen for yet continue to place Satan’s kingdom ahead of God’s perfectly honest Kingdom.  It has been demonstrated all throughout the Bible that unless we place God first in our everyday lives this pattern of lies shall grow until it completely consumes us.

The opening paragraph says a lot about the human character and how it can operate in order to make a quota or to make one believe a good deal has been completed.  Many of the short-term marketplace transactions are made in good faith and really have great expectations with honesty being the strong point, but we also know from past personal experiences or from word of mouth that not all people share the same level of trustworthiness.  Our youngest daughter recently found this out the hard way and while the transaction seemed fair enough at the time after a few minutes of simple digging found out that she had been taken to the cleaners.  The car she had purchased was not in very good condition and had some dings and bumps but the lady who sold her the car stated that it was running quite nicely for the body “shape” it was in.  We were not present upon the completion of sale but it became clear as soon as she drove away that something was off and that other details about the car had been left out.

The physical condition of the car was not the only eyesore to be uncovered either.  It was a couple of days later that we were rummaging around the glove box and found the initial receipt that gave the total purchase price of the car that the lady had bought and it was no way near what my daughter had bought the car for as well.  It was this monetary detail of overpricing that became the greatest hold on everyone’s heartstrings for when the truth was revealed about how much the lady had made with this purchase with my daughter, we felt terrible.  Not all was lost, for my youngest then turned around and found a much better deal on another car and then graciously gave the first car to her sister’s husband so he could trade it for some parts.  A small token of repayment from what my youngest actually paid for the car but more importantly it was a lesson learned that none of us will ever forget.  This is the perfect example of someone presenting with a ½ truth to another all in the name of getting the upper hand in some sort of deal.  What is so appalling about this type of lie is that those who engage in such activity do not have sleepless nights over such transactions but the ones who have been lied to are the ones that struggle with things.

When our eyes and minds are skewed enough we will miss such ill tidings and write them off as being normal while being cautious next time around.  However, we must contend that if this type of setting occurred in our lives that somewhere else will probably go through or has been through a similar fate.  It is at this point where we can do something about what has occurred to us or to ignore the situation altogether and go along like nothing ever happened.  Which categorical example do you fit into?  It is much easier to allow things to pass, put it in our memory banks as suggested above and go on with our lives but if we continue to do this and do nothing about what has occurred then we allow the liars to win and the just to suffer.  We cannot ever forget that if some word, deal, setting, or condition is not 100% accurate then it is considered to be a lie and we should avoid such presentation at all costs.

One of the biggest lies that we hear today is a personal choice matter that has spiritual and eternal consequences as well which is one of the fundamental and foundational aspects of our lives.  We have been told for a long time who the father of lies is and how that we need to be aware of his presence and to watch out for his tricks.  We have forgotten to remember that he lies and that no matter what he says we need to understand that it always will be contrary to God’s Word.  Yes, his words shall be encouraging and maybe even kind and considerate but we need to remember that while some of his words are truth the remaining words are lies, which makes everything Satan says a lie.  It is this categorical lie that is the subject of this article and a message that all of us need to hear and remember including those who are stating that God loves them and He will not send me to hell for my worldly choices.

We have just learned that disobedience is sin and that death is disobedience because God cannot create anything that dies which means we invited sin into our lives and have suffered ever since.  So, if God separated Lucifer from his position in heaven and created a place for him and his angels because of their sin and agreement with Lucifer then why will God not send you away from Him eternally again?  In Genesis 3:1-6 we see that a relationship has already developed between Adam and Eve with the serpent and even though they have been warned about his presence and his ways they still have flaunted this relationship in front of God without hesitation.  All is still well up until this time for Eve believes in a ½ truth from the serpent.  Here is the ½ truth that Adam and Eve believe in and the one that initiated the truth about God’s words and not the serpent’s: And the serpent said to the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

One can easily hear Eve say that God loves me, for through His conversations with us He has said so many times so He would never mean this death thing would ever occur to us.  One can also imagine the smile that the serpent had on his face as Eve was speaking to him about what God had said concerning the eating from the tree for he knew his time was “well spent”.  As soon as both ate from the tree their eyes were opened but it was not quite like the serpent said it would be for they instantly understood certain details about themselves that were of no importance before.  God still loved them but things had changed and they had to try and make amends before it was time for God to show up.  A question to ponder as you finish this article and go on with your life: did God love Lucifer?  That is an easy answer to give for yes He did but because Lucifer could not keep the choice of serving God and living for His Kingdom, he chose to go his own way thus God could not allow him to be in His presence again on the level that he was created.

What evidence do we now have that Satan does not care about our lives?  We do not have to look any further than Genesis Chapter 3 because it is very clear that he wants what God has given Adam and Eve to fall and to be taken, in other words becoming equal with him in many ways.  After Adam and Eve fell God did not stop loving them as His own children and prized creations, His love did not change and that is evident because at the end of Genesis Chapter 3 God shows Adam and Eve again that His Way is the only way possible to have eternal life.  If one ever has an inkling of an idea that God can change His Ways to accommodate the world they need to refer to this passage of Scripture and once again remind themselves of who lied and who told the truth.  God’s truth is eternally complete from the beginning of life until the day that all life as we know it ends and then, the beginning is completed.

John 8:44 further demonstrates the characteristic of Satan and his status: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it.”  There is a bunch of information in this single verse and the smaller issue here that we are going to talk about is the part about when Jesus states that Satan is the father of lies.  The words of Jesus define the origin of lying and also give reference to who originated lies.  Jesus states that the devil is the father of lies and there is a detail here that we need to remember about Satan and his kingdom.  Remember when Jesus said that no one can serve two masters?  Well, if Satan ever told the truth, the complete truth, he would be defeating his own kingdom thus divide his own kingdom; we have discussed this previously but keep this in mind.  Another tidbit to think about is this; this verse alone proves that God was present first before Lucifer was created for God would not have been in the presence of Lucifer if his lying spirit was there before Him.

Since God was present before Lucifer, this means that Lucifer at some point in time lived under entire and complete truth according to the official and holy Word of God.  So, it would be fitting for Satan to know what the truth is and what is not the truth, right?  God’s Word and His presence defines His entire existence as an eternal source of life itself, lying only represents stoppage of the truth which means it is disobedience to God’s existence which means it is sin.  Therefore, it is our responsibility to understand God well enough to know what is from Him and what is not from Him, Satan understands this fact so why don’t we do our best and continue to seek God and what He stands for as well?

The evil portion of the conversation between Adam and Eve with the serpent was the fact that what Eve said complemented the lie that the serpent wanted to project.  While a portion of what the serpent said was true the basis for obedience was left out thus establishing the groundwork for the advancement of his wicked kingdom into our lives.  Before sin entered into our existence Adam and Eve lived in complete Covenant with God and it is obvious that God had planned out everything possible for them to live in such a manner and when Adam and Eve tried to cover themselves with leaves afterward it was obvious that they could not do it themselves.  This meant that God’s Covenant is 100% intact and is 100% present at all times and therefore 100% our choice to live within its boundaries or not.  This means that we must give ourselves 100% to Christ as well for He is the ultimate sacrifice and the only way to the eternal Father; Covenant is not ½ done nor is the covering of Christ ½ done.

There is not a day that goes by that we see an example of how the world lies to our hearts but when we see such turmoil we place it on a physical level and ignore its true roots.  It is easy to figure out that when someone shoots another person, or possessions get stolen by another that it is something that does not represent the good in humanity but if we do not understand exactly why these issues occur it will be pointless to fix them for our efforts will touch only superficial limbs and not even grasp the root of the problem.  God gave us His Word as the one source of understanding how to effectively combat the lies of the devil for you see according to the Bible, everything that the devil does is a direct lie to God and to your life.  How important is it to understand and to know the Word of God in your heart?  If you do not completely understand the Word of God and strive for this wisdom then you shall NEVER understand the complete truth about anything for the world cannot tell you the truth for it is ruled by the father of lies.

One last Scripture passage before we come to the Church section of this article and it actually deals with the Early Church and it is found in 2 Timothy 2:15.  “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  The question asked here is one of someone being able to stand upright and pure before God and if one has done what they could to tell the entire truth at all times then these people will not have any worries when it comes time to take account of their actions.  In the later portion of this verse we come across the meat of the meaning of truth and how to handle such wisdom, a setting that many of us desire to keep intact but at the same time we encounter just as many people who wish to tell their version of the truth and leave out great details in order to prove their point.

“rightly dividing the truth” is the portion that deals with how we need to deal with truth for truth can be harmful sometimes and if not told correctly just as harmful on the opposite side of the spectrum as well.  The Greek phrase here is “orthotomounta ton logon tes aletheias” which is directly translated as accurately handling the word of truth.  What can be truer concerning the Word of God, God Himself, and His Son Jesus than this descriptive phrase?  It is of the utmost importance that we tell the truth about God’s Son when we are speaking to those who do not know Christ as their eternal Savior.  It is just as important to study the Word of God so that when questions arise we will have the logical expressions to convey to those who are asking, even if they are just wishing to argue the facts, give it to them in the proper manner according to how Jesus responded to those who demanded answers from Him.  If we do not fully know and accept the Word of God as it has been written by God through human hands then we will not be able to defend ourselves when attacks come from our enemy.  Our conditions will not differ in any way as it did for Adam and Eve when they were finally challenged by the serpent.  We cannot afford to give out ½ information to those who are tired of being lied to by the world and are actually seeking truth for their lives. 

The second portion of this verse is the result of completing the first portion of this verse in 2 Timothy.  When we study to show something that means that we have an earnest desire to portray it the best we can and in this case we are presenting God as our representative to others all the while understanding that at some point in time that the roles will be reversed and it is God that we will be standing in front of while He asks us the questions.  Church, how will you stand in this day?  Will you be able to stand upright and be truthful in the ways that you have read about in God’s Word, or will you have to admit that you gave out ½ truths because you justified your actions according to selfish wants and popularity contests?  Did you accurately handle the truth that was in front of your eyes and spiritual heart or did you manipulate it for your pride and acceptance factors?  It is obvious that we have failed miserably in the truth-telling to a dying world, and to be truthful we have failed so miserably that I dare to say we have more missionaries coming into this nation than we are sending out to other nations. 

How important is it that we tell the truth and nothing but the truth?  For the past few articles, I have shared with you about how our community has been gripped by two youth suicides and how we have responded to these tragedies in general terms.  However, there is a detail that needs to be spoken about and handed down as a warning to what occurs when a ½ truth is portrayed or told without the full content being delivered.  In the last suicide that occurred here the family knew the Bible and had actually attended the church in which my father pastured years ago.  At this young man’s baptismal, he publicly spoke and said that he understood that he was not of this world and that he was only passing through and that his true home was in heaven.  While this statement of his that you just read is not a direct quote it is the words that he used and ones that are of a true and correct nature.

This young man took his life because according to him the problems of this world were too much to handle and that he wanted to be in heaven, his true home.  God does not and has not created anyone to take their own life for any reason because God cannot represent death for it was not Him that created us to die in the first place.  This testimony of this young man was read at his funeral and boldly spoken about how he was not of this world and that he was only passing through.  There was no mention that the act that he did was wrong and it was not just in God’s eyes.  Here is the ½ truth and lie that was publicly displayed to anyone who sat in that auditorium that day and heard what the people stated.  There was no mention whatsoever about how life was created for a reason and it was not to be fulfilled in this manner or by these means, only that his life was now gone and had passed as he spoke about at an earlier time.  I understand that this is a difficult time for his family, loved-ones, and close friends but an opportunity to open the suicidal doors to everyone else who was listening to that day is so eternally wrong and eternally dangerous.

Church, you have taken yourself out of this eternal equation because you have made the Word of God a poster for self-seeking achievements instead of finding methods to teach the dying world that Jesus died for their sins and that there is an answer to all of the lies that have been told to them.  Why do we remain silent when each day teen suicides, murders, and other heinous activities are committed by humans on each other and to themselves?  Don’t we see that with each story of death the kingdom that rules this world probably gains another person that will not see eternity as it was meant for them?  Does this not break your heart to know such a permanent and eternal position has been put into place?  This reality and truth that this topic covers breaks God’s heart, once again, why doesn’t it break your hearts as well?  We must come to terms with the fact that if we do not tell the truth to those who need God today that one day God will tell them the truth as He sees it and according to His Holy and Perfect Ways and what will be our response when He asks us about the so-called truth we proclaimed? 

Church, the issue lies within our hearts to believe that either the world is telling us the truth or that God is telling us the truth, there can be no other options available.  We witness so many atrocities each day both in person and around the world that this decision really should not be a difficult one to make.  However, our enemy has done a pretty good job at convincing us that the world is an acceptable place with rules that make everyone safe and comfortable.  With what our eyes and hearts see each day we know that this statement from the world is a lie and should be avoided at all costs, yet the Church has fallen for these lies as well and her status as the bride of Christ lays in jeopardy.  It has become clear that she believes that God can live 2^nd in her life and still function as the Jesus’ promised and the pure bride, a lie that Satan has convincingly sold without any visible challenges to speak about.  The Bride of Christ will suffer greatly from the world which means that she cannot be a part of it in any way, how much do you believe it shall cost for this true status?  Are you willing to pay this high cost?

God has never lied to His children, from the time of our creation until this very moment.  God has been so consistent with His Word and His promises, on both sides of the issues.  Why should we forget His Ways when He is the one that has faithfully shown us the way for such a long time?  Pride will convince you that you know everything you need to know about God’s Word and that you do not need to spend time studying it any longer, that is a lie!!  We need to bury our hearts in the Bible so that God will show us how to walk in His footsteps each day, to show us who to talk with about His love and His salvation and to be separated from this world so that we may be the true example of a light unto the darkness.  Seek the Bible and then listen with your spiritual heart for it is that communication pathway that God will show you the answers to His Word, and be ready for when this process occurs a huge river will begin to flow from your life and it cannot be hidden on any level.

We have lost this truth factor from our hearts and through this loss, we have jaded the truth that God wants us to share with His people.  We have lost the concept of holy truth from our lips and daily actions by accepting provocative appearances and worldly touches, God is calling for us to drop these sinful wants and rants and to return to Him and His Ways.  The only way that this is possible is for our hearts to be buried in the Word of God and to repent of our wicked ways.  If we teach a ½ truth on any level it is a lie and we have adopted such an example and then portrayed to those who need God.  Repent, Church and begin once again to teach the entire truth about God not only by speaking the Word to those that need it but also to show them through physical appearances and speech.  God’s Word contains no ½ truths and neither should your heart as it speaks and shares the Gospel of His Word with others.

DLB