It is not just what you believe that matters. Why you believe it is equally important.

I confess that the reasoning I find behind much of what I currently read is slightly maddening. At the speed we currently share information, ideas, and opinions, it is easy to understand why we shortchange the hard, time-consuming work of reasoning and reflection, choosing to accept arguments that neatly fit our preconceived perceptions and desires. Verifying claims and examining their reasoning is a big investment, and with passionate feelings burning within us, we easily latch onto whatever will keep the flames alive. However, our preconceptions, and the arguments that support them, may be flawed.

The professor who taught Critical Thinking in college warned that taking his class would make things challenging for us when we completed our study. I had no idea how prophetic he was.

Just as the axiom, “those who fail to study history are destined to repeat it,” repeatedly proves its accuracy, so those who care about reason are destined to be frustrated by its absence.

In John 18:37, we find Jesus, in the midst of his trial, responding to Pilate, Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Jesus cared about truth, in fact, he embodied it.

Consider these scriptures:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” – John 1:17

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” – John 4:24

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:32

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth” – John 16:13

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

The Bible says a lot about truth. Jesus made it a priority in his teaching and life. Truth matters. While everyone may be entitled to their own opinion, not every opinion is true. If we are going to represent the heart of God, expressed in Jesus Christ, truth must be at the core of our life and witness as well.

It is easy to adopt the mindset of Pilate, hear the divine call for truth, and share in his response, “What is truth?” When Pilate asked this question he was not seeking information. It was a dismissive retort to Jesus emphasis. Pilate did not want to wrestle with the truth, he simply wanted to believe he was right and act accordingly. Often, we want to do the same.

Places of difficult discernment exist, but that does not mean truth does not exist. Just because we find it elusive does not mean we should surrender our quest. Truth reveals the way, leads to life, and sets us free.

If we embrace Jesus, then we embrace truth as well. We cannot merely settle for what we want to believe, even if it is popular. We should not dismiss the search for truth because it is difficult. That should be all the more reason to do the hard work, and when we find truth, we should hold onto it tightly. Truth can be uncomfortable and unpopular. It is powerful, and changes our worldview, but the disruption it creates is worth every bit of discomfort.

Pilate’s passions and preconceptions caused him to reject truth even when truth was standing before him. Our passions and preconceptions can cause us to do likewise. When we reject the truth, we are rejecting Christ and embracing a lie. That is a path we are not meant to travel.

What is truth? Truth is Jesus Christ. It is God’s word. It is the way that leads to liberation. The Spirit will lead us into all truth, that we may be made holy in the truth of God.

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The Apostle Paul warned Timothy, the young pastor he was mentoring, that a time was coming when people who claimed to be following Jesus would have, “a form of godliness, while denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:5). He knew, even at the early stages of Christianity, that there would be great temptation to leave behind the truth and the power of God, for something that seemed safer and easier. In our day, many hold to forms of faith, practicing rituals and attending services, but one has to wonder, “Where is the power?”

Is it possible, that we have lost faith in the story, or its Author? Do our frustrations and fears hold us back from believing in big things? Have we begun to view life through our own limitations, instead of the limitless possibilities of God?

I confess that, at times, this has been very true for me. I can easily lose sight of the promise from Philippians, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (4:13) In its place, I begin to look at my own strength and abilities, and quickly discover that I come up short. Trapped in the walls of my own ability, I begin to accept my circumstances, and try to do my best to make things a little better.

This, however, is not the life of faith, it is the life of belief, and that is not my (or your) calling! God’s invitation is to a life filled with faith in what God can, and will do. It is so much more than simply believing God exists. It is the opportunity to experience the awesome, life-transforming, circumstance-changing power of God!

A number of years ago, when I was taking martial arts lessons, my instructor had a sign he loved. It was the word “Can’t” written in bold letters, crossed out by a large red line. At the bottom, the sign read, “Can’t is a Four-Letter Word.” This was good motivation, but with God, it is the truth. There is nothing God call us to do, that we cannot accomplish in his strength.

How will people know that the story is true? It will happen as we demonstrate our trust in its authenticity, and as God begins to move in response to our faith.

One of my favorite promises comes from the blessing found at the end of Ephesians Chapter Three, “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine…” (3:20) Think about it – abundantly far more that we can ask, or imagine, and God does it through his power at work in us.

Our God is greater than we imagine, and we are stronger in him than we believe.

How do you strengthen yourself in God?

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