It’s a nice Utopian thought to believe that everyone can live within their own personal truth….until it invades your personal space, which is inevitable.

So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said (scornfully) to him, “What is truth?” ~John 18:33-38

“Political language – and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists – is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” ~George Orwell

In a world where truth is ambiguous there can be no true earthly justice. Everyone wants justice, but everyone also wants to be their own judge, and their own god. Justice for some means that they can cause harm to others without punishment. And when these deceitful people come to ruling authority then mercy becomes limited to scarce for ordinary people, unless they can benefit those in authority with financial contributions, political favors or conformity to the distraction of the day. In other words, one must serve the system and bow to their gods. There is nothing new about this (Ecclesiastes 1:9). It is the nature of the Beast.

The unbelieving world walks in the futility of their own minds (Ephesians 4:17), they are tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes (Ephesians 4:14), whatever floats their boat for the day……. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ! ~Ephesians 4:18-20

For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. ~Psalm 5:9

He shall die without instruction (in truth); and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. ~Proverbs 5:23

Live In Truth

“Forsake your folly and live, And proceed in the way of understanding (truth).” ~Proverbs 9:6

The truth is that until Jesus returns to the earth, we live in a fallen world. As followers of our King Jesus, we can submit to worldly governing authorities as long as it does not conflict with our devotion to Him. And yes, sometimes this will bring trouble to our doorstep, because we are commanded to speak truth in love even when it causes the world to hate us, and also to seek justice for ourselves as well as for others who cannot defend themselves.

Remember that authority is given by Yahweh, our Creator, Himself. He may allow tyranny and injustice for a season as a reminder that human authority, if not kept in check by firm truth and morality, will eventually cause much misery and much death. But not just any truth, for there can only be one truth. Only the foundation of His truth will bring about freedom and justice for all.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. ~Romans 12:2

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word (walk in My Ways), you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ~John 8:31-35

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” ~Matthew 7:24-27