“Fake News” and “Fact checker” have been popular terms used recently in society. A Gallop poll was taken and the result were sadly evident of what is going on in our society. The poll found that only 7% of American adults say they have "a great deal" and 29% "a fair amount" of trust and confidence in newspapers, television, and radio news reporting. That means that over 70% of Americans doubt or don’t trust the media!!!!
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Before 1986, the IRS did not require any form of proof when you claimed a dependent on your taxes. You could simply claim as many as you wanted! An IRS agent thought of the idea of listing the dependents social security number in order for it to be valid. The idea came with some pushback, but the IRS decided to implement the idea. That next tax year, not so surprisingly, over 7 million dependents disappeared.
There is a lot of falsehood going on today in our culture and in our society. In fact, there is no other temptation as easy to embrace in our life as this idea of not being truthful. It is so often justified by saying it is simply a small lie! What harm will it do? If we are not careful, this will lead us down a slippery slope of destruction.
At the center of the Christian armor is truth! The Bible says, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;” (Ephesians 6:14). Just like a carpenter’s tool belt holds all his tools and materials close to him for work, so is truth like a belt, that holds everything together for the armor of a Christian.
The source and beginning of all truth is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the embodiment of truth, God is truth, the Spirit is truth, and the Word of God is truth. We have the truth by having a relationship with Christ!
We overcome falsehood by seeking the truth. A person will not know falsehood unless they know the truth. When you are infatuated with the truth you will know a lie when you hear it and see it. You will not need to teach a banker to recognize a fake bill. They will know it when they see it. Why? Because they have been around the real thing so long, that when a false one shows up, it will be easily identified! As God’s people, we must study the truth, know the truth, and submit to the truth.
We overcome falsehood by speaking the truth. Society is infatuated with “his or her truth.” “His or her truth” could be false factually—but it is their “truth,” so we are told we must accept it! To that I say a resounding, “No!!” It is not about “our truth,” but about the Truth of God! We must overcome falsehood by speaking boldly, truthfully, and lovingly.
Ephesians 4:15 “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”
