We have all thought about and heard others report how hard it is to know what is truth. Pilate must have felt a bit like so many in our world when he asked Jesus “What is truth?” (John 18:38). Today, we have heard so many conspiracy theories, exaggerations, seen so much hypocrisy, few if any know what the real truth is about Covid-19, its variants or the vaccine’s actual effects. The media has put our society into such a swirling motion people are so off balanced they have started to think and say evil is good and good is evil (Isaiah 5:20). We can now relate to Pilate’s frustration with all who claimed to have the truth.
In that context I have found God’s ways to be especially fascinating. Strangely enough He loves to hide truth in the Bible, in prophecies, in parables—even in ants and spiders! Proverbs 25:2 (ESV) “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” We often think Jesus made things simple by telling stories or parables. If you honestly believe that to be true, consider this thought-provoking insight. Jesus very clearly said “This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand (Matthew 13:13, ESV). Jesus did not speak in parables to be simple so everyone would understand! Far from it. He spoke in parables to separate the unbeliever and casual Christian from those serious enough to seek out who the Bible God really is. Instead of trying to mislead or hide truth, God draws us to seek to know the truth that will set us free. He waits for us to be hungry and thirsty enough to earnestly invest ourselves in the pursuit of finding His eternal life-giving truth. A quick read will not cut it. I believe this tells us a lot about God’s character, value system and His ways with man.
Ezekiel 36:27 explains when a person is authentically spiritually regenerated (born again in Jesus’ words), His Sprit plants within that soul a yearning that will cause them to … follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations (Ezekiel 36:27, NLT2). Paul pressed Timothy to Do your best (study KJV, = to be eager) to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15, ESV).
I have read the Bible through many times yet to this day, each time I drill down to find out what the passage is really saying, my heart is refreshed, and understanding is enlightened with fresh insights on God’s timeless truth. In contrast to the fading of my physical and mental faculties, this hunger to find God’s truth has not faded away with age. It has only become more intense.
I am convinced there are many modern-day Pilates around us today who are eager to know the truth about the Bible God but are not sure anyone knows it. But rightfully so, they are very wary of receiving our version of truth for fear of listening to one more Charlatan asserting false truth. But when they see a Christ-follower plainly practicing the heart and lifestyle Jesus lived, the Spirit utilizes that witness to energize that person’s desire for solid truth. This opens the door for you to share with them the authentic, life-changing truth you have found.
If ever there is a time, we MUST take time now to invest more earnestly and intensely in moving our own faith journey forward, it is today. It will be our progressive, life-giving changes evident in our love, behavior, attitude, patience, and convictions that will provide the validation that we have found genuine truth and not just some form of faddish culture change.
Thank you Pastor Bob for sharing these thoughts. I’m so grateful that I took the class with you a year ago before Covid hit. I’m finding myself more and more hungry for the word of God. As I read and dig, I find treasures I’ve never seen before, even when I’ve read the passage many times. Blessings!!