From “Growing in the character of a disciple”: Chapter 9 – What is ‘the love of the truth’ and why does truth matter so much to God?
“—-For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice”
John 18:37(b) (RSV)
47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”
John 1:47 (NASB)
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,….
Psalm 51:6(a) (ESV)
22Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,
Proverbs 12:22 (NASB)
but those who deal faithfully are His delight.
7 No man who practices deceit shall dwell in my house;
Psalm 101:7 (RSV)
no man who utters lies shall continue in my presence
in hope of eternal life which God, who never lies, promised ages ago
Titus 1:2 (RSV)
For all who do such things, all who act dishonestly, are an abomination to the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 25:16 (RSV)
Why does truthfulness matter?
Very few people are completely truthful, especially when it is costly. In fact, few people ever think about truthfulness as an issue at all. I cannot remember ever hearing it preached on in any church. Perhaps some preachers feel uncomfortable speaking about something that they know they do not always practice themselves? At any rate, it is a subject that is rarely ever taught about, but which ought to be. God feels very strongly about us being totally truthful at all times, even down to the smallest details. He condemns deceit and falsehood very firmly:
7He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house;
Psalm 101:7 (NASB)
He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me.
14 Justice is turned back,
Isaiah 59:14-15 (RSV)
and righteousness stands afar off;
for truth has fallen in the public squares,
and uprightness cannot enter.
15 Truth is lacking,
and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.
The LORD saw it, and it displeased him
that there was no justice.
Moreover, God is continually watching and taking note of everything we say and do. He is aware of all our ways, even those we keep secret. Every lie we ever tell is immediately known about by God:
21For the ways of a man
Proverbs 5:21 (NASB)
are before the eyes of the LORD,
and He watches all his paths
God detests crookedness, but takes delight in those who are ‘blameless’. That does not mean sinless. It means being sincere, faithful, honest and true.
20The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD,
Proverbs 11:20 (NASB)
but the blameless in their walk are His delight.
Moreover, there will be blessings and rewards for those who are truthful and who live with integrity:
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show his might in behalf of those whose heart is blameless toward him………
2 Chronicles 16:9 (a) (RSV)
Moreover, there will be blessings and rewards for those who are truthful and who live with integrity:
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
Psalm 24:3-5 (ESV)
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
God wants that truthfulness to go very deep inside us. He doesn’t merely want us to be superficially honest on the outside, or by appearance, but to be truthful at our very core, i.e. all the way through to the innermost part of us:
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
Psalm 51:6 (ESV)
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Our natural inclination is to be dishonest. That is what our sinful flesh nature will instinctively choose to do.
The heart is deceitful above all things,
Jeremiah 17:9 (RSV)
and desperately corrupt;
who can understand it?
