Greetings,
As the year 2016 draws to a close, it is perhaps fitting that we give some attention to the Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2016. It neatly sums up where this year has brought us and gives us an indication of what might lie ahead for 2017. The word is post-truth – an adjective defined as ‘relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief’. It doesn’t discount the existence of truth. Rather, a post-truth society is one in which truth takes a back seat to emotion—where feelings effectively replace facts. That is an interesting concept for people who accept that God’s Word is truth. What part do truth, emotions and feelings play in our lives? Or, in other words, to what degree is our processing of God’s truth influenced by our emotions and feelings?
Henry Kissinger is reported by The Atlantic magazine (December 2016) to have said in an interview, “The world is in chaos.” This indicates that we are in a time when emotions and feelings have the opportunity to effectively replace facts.
The apostle Paul had a good working knowledge of the natural human mind. He informs us that the mind in this state, “… suppress[es] the truth in unrighteousness … and exchange[s] the truth of God for the lie” (Romans 1:18, 25). Here Paul is saying that objective facts about God’s eternal power and Godhead are pushed aside by futile thoughts which promote false wisdom. Truth was seen as being based on a person’s perspective, feelings or opinions – a subjective rather than an objective mindset.
We, of ourselves, cannot know truth. It is not somewhere within us waiting to be discovered. There are four vital elements to our knowing truth – Christ, the Holy Spirit, righteousness and the law. Christ said, “… I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. But I know Him for I am from Him, and He sent Me” (John 7:28-29). The world may not know Him who is true, but those called by the Father know Him through Christ. The Spirit which flows from Him who is true is the Spirit of truth (1 John 5:6). This Spirit is the power which allows the mind to over-ride human emotions and feelings and sets us free from subjective truth. “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). We no longer have minds that are “… always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). We can know objective truth – truth which has an eternal quality. “And Your law is truth … the righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting” (Psalm 119:142, 144). God’s truth will never be post-truth and we must not let the foolishness of worldly thinking make it so in our minds.
The year ahead for us should not be a reflection of where the year 2016 has brought the world. Having established a relationship with God, we must be “… speaking the truth in love, [that we] may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ …” (Ephesians 4:15).
Emotions and feelings tend to accentuate the natural mind if not directed by God’s Spirit. God’s spiritual, objective truth will help us grow in spiritual maturity as we speak the truth in love.
Warm Regards,
Brian Orchard
