Archive for the ‘truth and lies’ Category

16:3 Established Mind

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

Robert Boyle, a Christian maker of modern science, struggled with doubts early in his Christian life.

16:3 Commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established.

After Robert Boyle committed his life to God at the age of sixteen, he struggled against thoughts of suicide. The reason? Much of the “science” of the seventeenth century went so contrary to the Word of God that he was torn in his mind. Both could not be true.

In the end he opted for the Word of God but determined to study the sciences to see if he could sort out the truth for himself. The results were peace of mind and new light on the sciences. He exposed the errors of alchemy, moved the world toward a more accurate understanding of chemistry, and became a charter member of the Royal Society. He proved in his own person that true science and reasonable faith are not at odds.

The legacy of his faith was of great value to national culture and to science. As his confidence grew, he shared his thoughts with contemporaries. They made bestsellers of his science object lessons. More importantly (as far as the present age is concerned) it was in refuting certain skeptical propositions of Thomas Hobbes that Boyle promulgated his law of gases which still stands. He created the scientific paper as we know it, which describes the hypothesis, tools, and conditions of an experiment.

Moving from the example of Boyle to that of Christ, it is evident that our Savior committed his ways to the Father. He did so with such fullness that he could say “I and the Father are one” (John 10). As a result his thoughts were recorded by his followers and are established as scripture throughout the entire world. So certain was Christ of the validity of his words and his unity with the Father that he could call everyone to take his yoke upon them and learn from him (Matthew 11:28-30). Now that is the ultimate example of having one’s thoughts established.

Posted in mind, truth and lies | No Comments »

25:14 False Gifts

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Whoever boasts himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

The Death of Ananias by Masaccio.

The Death of Ananias by Masaccio.

One of the most terrifying stories in the Bible is that of Ananias and Sapphira. This pair sold a field, and held back some of the money, but wanting a reputation as great givers, pretended they had given the whole amount. There was nothing wrong with keeping some back. The sin lay in the pretense. God slew them, saying they had lied to the Holy Spirit. They had given a hypocritical gift, but God saw through it.

A man who lived not far from me gave a false gift of another sort. He gave his church large sums he could not afford, and when he had backed himself into a financial corner, attempted to stage an “accidental” death on his wife and children so he could collect their insurance. The fruits of his hypocrisy ruined himself and destroyed his family.

Christ’s giving, by contrast, was thoroughly genuine and cost him more than we can understand with our present knowledge.

Posted in giving, truth and lies | No Comments »

18:17 Tough Questions

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

The first to plead his case seems right until his neighbor comes and questions him.

Alfred Wegener gave geology a new paradigm.

Alfred Wegener gave geology a new paradigm.

When Alfred Wegener first presented evidence for plate tectonics early in the twentieth century, he was derided by the scientific establishment. Standard theory invoked land bridges, long since eroded or sunken, to explain similarities in flora and fauna across oceans.

Wegener continued to amass evidence, but what brought scientific consensus his way was the mapping of sea beds by submarines after World War II and the development of laser techniques which permitted precise measurement of continental drift.

That is how science progresses—by questioning earlier hypotheses and bringing new evidence to bear.

Today an intriguing new hypothesis, known as expansion tectonics, receives derision similar to that which faced Wegener—when it is not simply ignored. Will its questions (and predictions) eventually force yet another modification of geological theory?

Jesus came to an Israel which held a legalist theory of righteousness. His actions and the questions he posed to the religious leaders of his day challenged the reigning consensus. The Pharisees had seemed right until Christ became the neighbor who questioned them. Then the weakness of their presuppositions became painfully apparent.

Posted in truth and lies | No Comments »

10:11 Mouth of Peace, Mouth of Violence

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

Beau Nash

Beau Nash

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

Beau Nash was the reigning dandy at Bath in 1739. An adventurer and gamester, he paraded his materialism with gaudy displays of pomp and profligacy. When he learned John Wesley was coming in June, he promised to drag him down. Friends pleaded with Wesley not to risk preaching, but Wesley refused; he must share the word of life.

As a consequence of Nash’s boasts, the crowds were larger than usual, and many among them were the fashionable people and visitors of the town. Wesley preached in his normal style, warning people high and low that all were locked under sin and needed a savior.

Nash appeared and tried to disrupt the meeting. He asked by what authority Wesley preached. Wesley easily answered; he had been ordained by the man who was now Archbishop of Canterbury. Nash then twisted the law to claim the assembly was illegal; Wesley replied that the law referred to seditious gatherings. Nash next charged him with frightening the people, to which Wesley demonstrated that Nash was speaking from hearsay. Finally Nash demanded, “I desire to know what this people comes here for.”

An old woman shouted in reply, “You, Mr. Nash, take care of your body; we take care of our souls; and for the food of our souls we come here.” Nash retired defeated.

Anyone who has read the accounts of Christ knows that, like Nash, the Pharisees did all in their power to impede Him from speaking of true righteousness. There was violence in their speech, and ultimately violence in their deeds.

These examples remind me of something Paul Johnson wrote in Enemies of Society. He said that those who will do violence to the language [i.e.: twist facts and meanings to make a point] will do violence to people if they get the power. It has been the way of Satanic opposition from the beginning, for as Christ reminded us, Satan is a liar and a murderer, and his followers act like him.

We must make every effort to be honest with our facts, use words properly, and tell the whole story, not just the parts that support our position.

Posted in righteous, tongue, truth and lies, wicked | 1 Comment »

17:7 Lying Leaders, Truthful Leaders

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

Charles I on the scaffold.

Charles I on the scaffold.

Arrogant lips are unsuited to a fool—how much worse lying lips to a ruler.

King Charles I of England had great difficulties with Parliament and his people. Eager to accept those Bible verses which seem to promote divine right of kings, he showed little regard for verses such as Proverbs 17:7 which would have restrained his dishonesty. Most of his problems were the result of two errors: his determination to be an absolute monarch and his disregard for truth. He seemed incapable of keeping his own word, and in the end perished on a scaffold at the hand of a rebellion which would never have succeeded had he been honest in his dealings.

By contrast, Jesus, who truly had divine right, became a servant of his people and died for the truth. He introduced many of his deepest sayings with the words “Truly I tell you…” or “Truly, truly I tell you….” He even asserted that He Himself was the truth, and at his trial declared to Governor Pilate, “for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.”

Both Charles and Jesus perished, but Jesus for the nobler sake of truth. Because of this and his vindication in resurrection, he still appeals to us with the words, “Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.”

Solomon presented to us two kinds of leaders: the first arrogant and lying, the second humble and truthful. Which are you following?

Posted in fools, kings, truth and lies | No Comments »