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
Free from those who wants to take control of our lives!
Our lives continue each day with the decisions we make. When we decide, we direct ourselves to accomplish our tasks, goals, or just let the time pass us by. The choice we make leads us to an expected end. What we expect to happen do materialize because we make sure our actions will make it so.
When we make judgement, however especially on critical issues, we know that our decision should be reasonable. It has to be based on facts, reality, or the truth. We verify information if it corresponds to reality and its quality or state of being is true.
Unconsciously, what we look for as sound decision is the truth. Without the truthfulness of matters we rely on, we would get into trouble or at worst suffer untimely death.
Deceptively what professes to be the truth sometimes are the contrary. Disguising as genuine, actual, bona fide, and proper, at a certain point, it bares naked to be fallacious, fake, de facto, insincere, and inaccurate. Such lies mislead us!
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy says, to lie is to make a false statement to another person with the intention that the other person believe that statement to be true. With this definition, four necessary conditions are needed for lying. First, the statement condition where a person is required make a statement. Second, is untruthfulness condition where the person making the statement knows its falsity. Third, addressee condition where the untruthful statement is directed to another person. Fourth, intention to deceive the addressee condition whereby the intention is to make the other person believe the untruthful statement to be true [The Definition of Lying and Deception].
The truth is omitted when we are in fear. The fear that when others discover what we don’t want them to know, will diminish our worth. We tend to deny the truth about ourselves or the situation to escape from shame or punishment. But the lie compounds together with the enlarging fear, until it blows up.
The truth is manipulated to cause other people to do or not do something in order to accomplish the liars’ desire. The propagandist may choose to be called a marketing expert or publicist for a professional career in manipulating reality to succeed in fooling others. This has its corresponding price maybe not in monetary terms, but by retribution corresponding to the degree of damage afflicted to its victims.
We lie to create an acceptable public image. Pride directs us to falsehoods in order to meet standards set by others or by the society. We lie to please them even if we know that this is costly, stressful, and fleeting.
This world while revolving through an unalterable law of nature has become so confused by people’s tendency to lie.
We cannot change the truth such as the sunrise and sunset, the limitation that a day is only a 24 hour affair, and as we are born alive, we end this earthly life in death. These unchanging realities remains the determinants of truth. Time, numbers, cause and effect, and practically nature itself will test and prove what is indeed the truth.
The confusion created by man with his functional lies has become normal and it seems are enjoying this situation especially those who profit from it.
If you want to get out of this confusion, let me introduce you to Jesus, who said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8: 31-32).
His teachings helps people to overcome all forms of fear, comprehend scheming forgeries, and repress stupid pride. Living with honesty as He has shown us, is simply telling how the truth is like. Jesus as a teacher is the compass needle that points at true north as we journey through life.
Truth is never about pragmatism that justifies an end for the means type of agenda. Even if lies appear to “work,” it cannot replace the truth. An articulate or logical conspiracy supporting a false story persists as untrue in due time. Feeling good is a matter of preference so, bad news although unbearable should be accepted for its value. The majority cannot overturn what is true, popularity may prove significance but not correctness. A comprehensive and detailed report based on lies beget false conclusion. Good intentions cannot assure honesty. A lie will always be so even if it is believed to be true for it continues and magnifies itself as undeniable lie. A substantiated news may be the acknowledged truth but its truthfulness maybe in the form of a private information as to the whereabouts of a hidden wealth. Truth therefore is not in how we understand an evidence, the truth is the proof per se [What is truth?].
When we study the teachings of Jesus, we learn discern the evil ploys. Thus we are free from the lies that prolong our fears, the social and personal manipulations that enslave us, and our selfish pride that descends to self-destruction. Our faith in Jesus marks our liberation from the devices of deception but imparts our duty to prevent lies to confuse this world further. In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead (James 2:17).
Listen to Amy Grant’s Old Man’s Rubble
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