Can you imagine someone who would actually resist knowing
or believing the truth? It happens all the time. In fact, people say that truth
in its first form is always negative. We often react negatively the first time
we hear a truth.
This occurs especially if the truth is contrary to what
we were taught, or have heard all of our life or falsely believed in our past.
We may resist or reject the person speaking the truth, as well as the truth
itself.
Timothy knew people like this. He described them as men
of corrupt understanding and reprobate in the area of faith (2 Timothy 3:8).
People in the 21st Century have this same problem.
We want to escape judgment or punishment, so we tell a
lie. We cause other people to believe lies; and in the process, we often
prevent them from knowing the truth. We tell a lie so many times that we start
to believe that it is actually true.
We resist the truth of God's Word because Satan already
polluted our mind with his lies. Even books, novels written for entertainment, are
used by the devil to prevent people from believing God's Truth.
In today's world, comedians make a living poking fun at
truth and touting lies as the more logical belief. They convince the weak in
heart and mind to believe these lies as if they were truth (2 Thessalonians
2:9-12).
Some people regard godliness as a means of gaining
material wealth. They go into the ministry as a job rather than a calling. They
pretend to have an intimate relationship with God, but their actions deny any
authentic union between them and our Savior.
They are devoid of God's truth and do not devote the
hours of service required by the position of pastor or teacher, but do the bare
minimum of work and spend the rest of their time in leisure (1 Timothy 6:5).
They are actually detestable, unfit for the ministry and disobedient to God's
Spirit (Titus 1:16).
Even if we have to apologize or admit that we are or were
wrong, it is worth walking in the light of God's Truth. God has a place for
liars in the pit of hell (Revelation 21:8). Resisting His Truth determines our
eternal destination (John 3:18).
Prayer:
Father God, it is easy for humans to lie to maintain our
false image or to justify our actions. Your truth tends to convict us, and many
people run from conviction. They avoid admitting their faults and resist
walking in Your Truth. They manufacture reasons to excuse their sin and to
convince themselves that they are righteous.
You call us to walk in Your Truth in order to gain Your
blessings (1 Kings 2:4). Help us to walk in Your Truth, so that as we fear You
more than people, we will walk in Your ways (Psalm 86:11). Remind us to walk in
Your Spirit at all times, and we will never resist Your Truth (Galatians
5:15-25).
Thought for the Day:
We delight in knowing that our children are telling us
the truth and know that we can always trust them when they do; God feels the
same way. - 3 John 1:4
