Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
By Mike Chaffin
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4:25
Truth is a virtue every Christian should beam to the world. We should live in and exude the truth. Our reputation rests on our truthfulness.
The vice of lying can be stopped. The truth living in us can stop lies from deceiving us. Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Spirit of truth. If we have the Holy Spirit living in us, as we should, then we will see through lies spoken about Jesus, Christianity, sin and so much more. We will be set free from falling for this devilish tactic.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6
Jesus is the truth. Knowing Him and having His Spirit of truth living in us will guide our walk and our maturity in Christ. Later in this same conversation with His disciples he tells them, and us,
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 14:16-18
Jesus doesn’t leave us orphans. He cares for us and gives us the ability to live a truthful life, not one where we lie to others. As the psalmist put it, we can be the ones who walk blamelessly, who do righteousness, and who speak truth from our hearts. And the wisdom of proverbs tells us that truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only for a moment. (Psalm 15:2, Proverbs 12:19, paraphrased)
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:21
As Christ’s light bearers we must live a truthful life, one that isn’t corrupted by lying. Jesus never lied when arrested in the garden and brought to trial. He spoke truthfully. Even Pilate, who asked, “What is truth?” knew Jesus spoke the truth and wasn’t guilty. So, in our pursuit of Christlikeness, people who don’t like us should be able to see in us that we speak the truth.
When lied to or about respond in truth as the Apostle Paul did.
We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. Galatians 2:5
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15
And that is our ultimate goal, speaking the truth in love.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for loving us and showing us the truth. You are truth. Help us live in you, knowing and sharing the truth. Help us to love our neighbors and share the good news of the truth of the gospel. In Jesus’ name, amen.
