August 12

Aug 12 - Today from Proverbs 12 we look at verse 19
"Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment."

Truth. Postmodernists say there is no such thing as absolute truth, there are only realities. They are partially correct. Most realities are not truth. But the postmodernists are wrong when they say there is no absolute truth. Truth is found in the Creator. Realities not based in truth are only temporary - truth will eventually consume them just as light consumes the darkness.
When you walk into a dark room and turn on the light switch, light does not start from the bulb and push darkness out the window or through the walls. It simply consumes the darkness. When the times will have reaches their fulfillment, and the incarnate Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ, comes to consummate God's eternal plan and bring all things in heaven and earth together under one Head (Ephesians 1:10), there will be only one reality - and it will endure forever. All other realities will be consumed.
It's a curious thing about truth. It cannot be undone and it cannot be consumed. If it is true, it stands forever. A lie, on the other hand, becomes undone the instant it is exposed to truth. Truth is supported by evidence. Lies are supported only by believability. When the evidence stands against the believability of even the best contrived lie, the lie no longer has support - nor does the liar.
There is evidence of absolute truth all around us. One of those evidences is to be the life of the believer. Jesus called us to be His witnesses. A witness bears evidence to the truth. Our testimony of a changed life, of God's intervening grace, of gracious servitude in a self-serving world, of integrity of character, of holy living - all are to bring a witness to the Truth. History and archeology bear witness to the Truth. The marvel and order of creation bears witness to the Truth. The Holy Spirit comes to bear witness to the Truth. Man must live in denial and embrace the lie in order to continue to stay in rebellion and remain unaccountable to the Truth. But the Truth is eternal, and one day it will expose and consume all lies, and those who lived in denial of Him will have no excuse to fall back on. Excuses will be gone. Their only recourse will be to bow the knee and confess the Truth before they too are removed to a place where there is no light. Their moment of living a self-serving lie is gone. Now they will be relegated to ages of existence in darkness, knowing that they rejected light. I think that will be the torment of ‘hell’. We should wish it on no man, for Jesus died for all men. All men deserve to be relegated to such an existence - especially me. But God in His grace rescued me. Now He calls me to be a witness to others - even the worst of sinners.
Truthful lips are those which speak the truth. Truth abides in the heart. An unbeliever can say 'Jesus is Lord', but if it is not born from the heart, it is not truth to the one who spoke it. That is the key - it must be truth to the one who speaks it. Jesus says there will be many who say to Him "Lord, Lord . . .", and He will say, "I never knew you. Away from me you evil doers." (Matthew 7:22-23). The lie was not that He is Lord, that is truth. The lie was that He was not their Lord. They were living in the wrong reality.
Lordship is Headship. He is the Master. His Word is non-negotiable. Discipleship is serious business. Truth is to be embraced, proclaimed, and lived out. Is it worth it?