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Is it True?

When Paul traveled to Berea he told some Jews there that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Since this was at the core of Jewish belief and expectation, the Berans were greatly interest if this was true. To determine if it was true they compared what Paul told them to the scriptures (Old Testament) with which they were familiar. This is a good way to critically assess new information with which one is provided. However, it can also be beneficial to review information one has already accepted to make sure that one has not accepted that which, if not completely wrong, may also not be completely right.

Most today have spent at least 12 years having information transmitted at them with the expectation that everything they have been told is true. This can produce at least a laziness if not a crippling deficiency in being able to make critical assessments. It can be dangerous to be unskilled at determining truth.

A child raised to believe that he will come back in his next life as a cow may not find a different eternal future than one who is raised to believe that he can earn is way into heaven by doing good works. Both can benefit from the process of making critical assessments of their belief systems. Here the Christian has a distinct advantage. He has both the word of God as well as the Holy Spirit to use as a standard to determine truth. However, considering all the different “flavors” of Christianity one might think that most Christians are unable to discern which ones are closer to the truth than the others.

The biggest problem is that most Christians take what they are told as truth and resist anything different. A perhaps better approach to is weigh what one is told and through questioning and investigation adjust what one considers truth higher or lower based on the results of inquiry. One way to estimate truth is to ask if is logical. For example, the assertion that the earth is flat might be questioned if anyone has ever seen the edge. Similarly one might question the modern demonstration of spiritual gifts as are they actually real, useful, or verifiable since one might see them as intended to be for those outside the church to authenticate the gospel message (1Cor 14:22) and then only for a limited time (1Cor 13:8, Heb 6:5).

The bible describes differences in understanding using the word “persuaded” (Rom 14:5). It is unlikely that we all will be in agreement about everything. However, the implication is that one is open to being persuaded which implies he is seeking to learn. If one is told that Christians today are “building God’s kingdom”, one might reasonably be asked how this is to be accomplished. The more one knows about people in general, the less likely is seems that people (even Christians) would be able to accomplish this. Also, the more one learns about the bible, particularly the promises made to Israel, the less likely it seems that humans will accomplish anything godly.

Being able to gauge the truth of something is critically dependent on bible familiarity. Since the bible is truth, it is critical to being able to measure the truth of that which is presented to us. The assertion that we are already in the kingdom would seem to gain traction from Col 1:3 and the use of the past tense “translated”. However, the word translated “kingdom” is better translated “the reign of” as this emphasis is in the Greek. Here we can begin to integrate several verses that show we are already seated in heavenly places (Eph 2:6) and our “conversation” is in heaven (Phil 3:20). We can see that rather than a physical territorial kingdom on earth (yet to come and will be established by Christ 2Tim 4:1)), the emphasis on “reign” includes heaven were we already have a position with Christ. This is sometimes described as a “spiritual kingdom”. Some see a spiritual kingdom as all that is intended, others see this as a transitional “kingdom” until the physical kingdom is established on earth. Here we can see both diversity in understanding as well as the usefulness of continued learning so that we can grow.

Growing in truth is not so much selecting which is right and which is wrong as it is a matter of continual questioning, testing, learning, and growth (even if one takes an occasional wrong turn). One might at first take a view that all of the spiritual gifts described as operating in the early church as still operative today. One may then come to see only the “sign” gifts have ceased. Over time one may begin to consider that there are no longer any supernatural gifts operating today or perhaps they will be reintroduced for Israel when the physical kingdom is established.. This process of growth is less suited to a “right or wrong” perspective than it is to a “could it be” perspective.

A retired pastor and his wife in conversation once were presented with the possibility that the “Great Commission” was intended for Israel and not the church today. The pastor acknowledged that view, but the wife who had participated in many church mission weeks over the years was bowled over with the thought that what she had considered true may not have been. She ended her perplexity by telling her husband, “You just tell me what to believe”.

There are many (perhaps most) professing Christians who just want to be told what to believe. Some are not capable of inquiry by reason of ability and others by reason of interest. The division of Christianity into clergy and laity also serves to inhibit general inquiry. The person who just trusts in what he is told is vulnerable trusting in something wrong. For this reason those who teach should be doubly cautious in what they present. Those who trust also should make sure of in what or whom they trust.

Many go to college with the same eager expectation of collegium, scholarship, and inquiry that many who go to seminary have. They both often soon encounter all the pettiness, vanity, and arrogance that people generally display (perhaps with a bit more self-righteousness). Those who teach in these environments usually have reduced their instruction to dictums and declarations that have already been determined and are to be memorized and regurgitated. Questioning is not seen as enthusiasm for learning but as dissention and may lead to one being rejected. As a result, one often comes away with an inclination to promote the same “party line” rather than having skill at administering an environment that promotes inquiry, skepticism, and questioning.

Some of what others say is true and useful. However, much is not. For this reason developing the skills necessary to sift through what is present to find a nugget or two of truth is a very useful skill. Since sio few follow this path of inquiry, one has to be careful not to engage with those who remain faithful to whatever flavor of static view they hold. Sadly most in Christianity have strong brand loyalty and can be offended when presented, even with a question, that they can see as an attack.

The person who asks, “Is it true?” is not often encountered. Many young people who might have aspired to this are directed to seminaries when young and have their own desire to inquire quashed. As a result, most pursue inquiry on their own. The Internet provides access to an almost endless number of assertions, declaration, and proclamations most of which seldom have much truth. However, as one tries to fit puzzle pieces together, slowly one can find a deeper picture emerging.

That inquiry is often done on one’s own is because groups usually turn into organizational systems that adopt rigid patterns and ossify into a stasis that inhibits inquiry.

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