We Speak What We Know

Where do our beliefs come from? What forms them? Are our beliefs really true? Or are they just something we simply WANT to be true?

If we trace our beliefs back to our birth we can see the influences we have encountered along the way - our parents and grandparents, the schools we attended, our friends, books, television, movies, the Internet, work and church. Besides those influencers, experience too is also a great teacher.

But simply believing something does not necessarily make it true. Try these "truths" on for size.

1. Three wise men came to visit baby Jesus. Maybe. Nowhere in the Bible does it say there were three of them.
2. Adam and Eve ate an apple. Maybe. It was "the forbidden fruit" that they ate.
3. Benjamin Franklin wanted a turkey to represent America, not and Eagle. False. Old Ben actually wanted an image of Moses to represent our country.

Just believing something it true doesn't necessarily make it true. So how can we tell if something is true or not? How do we know what's true and what's a lie? That's easy. Find some absolute truths and some absolute facts. And where can we find those? The Bible!

• Fact #1 - God does not lie. Lying is a sin and God cannot sin. God is holy and lying is not in His nature. So, everything that God says is true. It has to be, otherwise God is not God.
• Fact #2 - Jesus is God. This is a basic tenant of the Christian faith. Jesus is part of the Trinity along with God and The Holy Spirit.
• Fact #3 - Jesus cannot lie. See Facts 2 & 3 for more information.
• Fact #4 - God spoke through the prophets. God often dictated what was to be told to His people. He revealed these words to His prophets like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Daniel.
• Fact #5 - The Bible is true. "16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," - 2 Timothy 3:16

The problem is that, even though we have been given God's Word, a volume of 100% truth, we often choose to ignore it and create "truths" of our own. We choose the lies that we tell ourselves over the truth that God tells us.

"Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness." - John 3:11

So, how can we tell truth from lies? Hold a statement up next to the Bible. It's like examining a 100 dollar bill. How can you tell if it's real or not? Hold it up next to a bill you KNOW is real. A bill that came right from the source.

Recently a group of American politicians tried to remove the words "so help me God" from our oaths of office. They were defeated. But the fact remains they tried to remove it. It's only a matter of time before they are successful. They have tried removing the words "One nation, under God," from our Pledge of Allegiance. Where they have failed to do that they often have remove the pledge all together.

It is written that "the truth shall set us free." Do you know where that comes from? It comes from God. The Bible. Therefore it is true.

"27They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up a the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30Even as he spoke, many believed in him.

31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” - John 8:27-32

At the end of this clip from The Passion of The Christ movie, Pilates wife says, "If you will not hear the truth, no one can tell you." And so it is in our world today. "Let him who has ears to hear, let him hear."

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