Have you ever found yourself investing in a bad deal? In the financial arena this happens to people all the time. In recent news we have seen many wise investors get duped by swindlers. However, this happens in other areas of life as well. For example, people may invest in a specific type of education just to find out, after all the time, money, and effort, that its really not the right path after all.
The question is, when do you give up on an investment? When do you cut your losses and run? Or are you the kind of person who never admits they have made a bad choice, or invested in a lie?
The point being, many people invest in a lie. They are told something that they bought into. But later find that the truth will not be silenced. Do they abandon the lie and embrace the truth, or do they count the cost of abandoning the lie? What is meant by counting the cost?
- I've championed this cause for too long.
- I've defended this ideology to many people.
- I've convinced others that this cause is true.
- I would be humiliated if I abandoned that which I once embraced.
The difficulty with this line of thinking is that it is next to impossible to convince someone else that they are thinking wrong. It is kind of a truth that you have to come to yourself. This is evident everyday in the political realm. I have discussions with friends and family who are just as convinced that my political views are wrong as I am of theirs. I seriously doubt that I will have much if any influence on their views. But changing the minds of people is not a burden that I choose to carry.
What I would like to focus on is what do you do when you come to the realization that what you once thought was true, isn't. What do you do with that knowledge? Do you embrace it and rejoice in that new found truth?
I once heard a middle aged pastor say that he believes the exact same way now as he did in college. Does he mean that after 20 or so years of studying God's Word, since college, he hasn't been enlightened to any new truth? He hasn't found himself disagreeing with any view that he was taught as a student? Could this be true? I believe it is more likely that he bought what he was taught and committed himself to it.
As a younger Christian I believed almost whatever I was told. However, as we dig into the Word of God, and truth is revealed to us, we are obligated to forsake our previous ideas and embrace that which is true.
As Jesus famously said, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”. Truth is liberating. The ultimate truth of the gospel of Christ is the most freeing truth of all. However, simply knowing the truth holds no value to us. One must embrace it.
Without a doubt, there are those who go to their graves embracing what they know to be a lie. Sometimes they have invested too much to turn back, or they know the truth, but hate it. You are familiar with the old saying, ”the truth hurts”? They hate the truth because the truth is life changing. Not everyone wants to change. Change might just mean a change in lifestyle. A change in the way you worship. A change in life's purpose.
There are many Christians today who have embraced false doctrines and teachings and refuse to embrace the truth. Few Christians will break from the traditions of their church or denomination. Some Christians are so taken in by their leaders that they would never forsake their teaching.
All of us have been duped at one time or another. However, what do you do when you realize you have been duped?
Jeremiah 20:6 “...There you will die and be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied lies.”
This passage is interesting because it shows that not only was Pashhur going to be judged for falsely prophesying, but those who believed his lies would also be judged for it.
Sure, people can have the wool pulled over their eyes and innocently believe a lie. However, why do you believe what you believe? Is it because your pastor told you? It fits your lifestyle? Or is it because you have plunged yourself in to the Word of God with prayer? There is no excuse for believing a lie when the truth is at your finger tips.
Even the Apostle Paul expected his words to be examined in the light of Scriptures.
Acts 17:11 “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
Question everything! If anyone claims to be a seeker of truth then this must be their motto. Never be afraid to question everything from every source. Truth always holds up to scrutiny. Don't be afraid of finding out something you thought to be true isn't. Or, something you knew couldn't be true is true.
The problem here is that our sinful nature blinds us from the truth that is right before our very eyes. It is almost like there are special glasses needed to see it. In a sense this is the case.
2 Corinthians 4:4 “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
The god of this world has blinded the unbelievers. As a blind man is unable to see an object before him, they are unable to see the truth, even if it is right before their very eyes. Only God can remove the blinders from their eyes. As believers, who were once just as blind, we must share the truth in love and pray that their eyes be opened to the Truth.
But what about those who already believe? Those who have trusted in the Lord and yet don't question the doctrines they learned in Sunday School, from the traveling Evangelist, or even from the pulpit each week?
Over the past several years the Lord has led me into some life changing truths. Truths that radically changed the way I look at the church. I am extremely thankful to God for opening my eyes to these truths. However, it would have been much easier for me, in someways, if He would never have revealed them to me at all. Why? Well, there are a few reasons. One, the Truth is life changing. Although, these changes are good, they often require one to leave their comfort zone. For us, this meant we had to leave much of what was familiar to us. Much of what I held to be true for so many years I was forced to forsake. This means that we are no longer “in the loop”.
Second, the truth is alienating. If you think the embracing the truth is going to win you friends and make you popular then you are sadly mistaken. Our friends are either gone or we simply don't share the same common beliefs and convictions that once bound us together. This in some ways is very painful. We miss our friends, their families, and the fellowship we once shared. Yet, I would not trade the Truth in order to have companionship here on Earth. The road of a true disciple of Christ is a lonely one. Praise God that we do have like minded friends. But, they are few. Very few! However, the common bond that we share with these few is a stronger one than I have ever known.
The point that I am trying to convey is a simple one. If you are a true follower of Christ you will never stop growing. Search the Scriptures and pray that God will lead you into Truth. Don't search the Scriptures for ways to defend your current position. Don't follow the cult of personality that so many professing believers do. There is never any reason to exalt another man's teachings over the Word of God. In seminary I was taught a certain theological grid. Everything either fits into that grid or it is rejected. This is not a bad thing so as long as you factor in one thing, your grid might be wrong. You are not infallible and neither is your pastor or seminary professor. Question why you do what you do. Does what you call church bare any resemblance to the biblical one? Do the ones you call leaders bare any resemblance to the biblical description of a leader? It is never wrong to challenge your current beliefs.
I've heard it said that “An open mind is like an open window. If you don't have a screen up you will let all the bugs in.” This statement is one to live by. But what is your screen? If your screen for Truth is your pastor or your denominational line, then you have the wrong screen. If your screen is one of the popular radio preachers or conference speakers, then you have the wrong screen. As christians we are responsible before God for what we believe. We can never blame our false beliefs on someone else. We are bound to the study of God's Holy Word. This, and only this, must be our screen and measure of Truth. Truth is freeing!
