An open display of the truth

It seems to me, or maybe it is a bit of wishful thinking, that the truth hasn’t disappeared, it has just gone underground in our culture. We’ve become afraid of proclaiming it and standing for it. Extremists and their groups have become so good at attacking anyone who disagrees with their propaganda that we’re a bit paralyzed, even though truth is on our side. Goebbels would be so proud.

While we may not openly proclaim and stand for the truth as we ought, we still hold to it in many of our congregations and homes, or at least I hope we do. The only thing fit for public consumption is lies, half-truths, and deception. I’m reminded of Isaiah 5:20:

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20, NASB95)

If we fail to return to “open displays of the truth,” the drivel that is spewed publicly today will be what is held to in our congregations and our homes tomorrow. Hazen G. Werner, who served as a United Methodist bishop in Ohio, Hong Kong and Taiwan, once said: “There is no more startling phenomenon in our day than the respectabilization of evil.”

Open displays of truth can only come from the people of God, for Jesus is the truth. Let’s cease covering up the truth. Let’s share the truth in love. Jesus said:

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:14–17, CSB)

David Cranford is senior pastor of the First Baptist Church in Ponchatoula. This editorial first appeared on his blog.