Is It True?

We hear a lot of stuff every day. In an election year this is especially true. Much of what we hear appeals to our emotions. Much of what we hear appeals to our desires. Modern marketing has turned this into a science………the science of manipulation.

When we encounter a piece of information, we often ask questions.

What will this cost me?
Can I profit from this?
Does this make me happy, sad, angry?
What will my friends say?
Does this mean I’ve done something bad……..or good?
What are the implications for my future?

In a word…………how will this affect me…….and my family?

These are good questions. But, they are not the first question that we should ask. The first question should be….is this true? Because, if it’s not true…….the other questions are irrelevant. It is shocking how easily those who would manipulate us manage to slip a piece of information past that first essential question.
Just today, I saw a post, that was put up by a friend of mine. The post compared conservatives to Nazis. I am generally conservative. I zoomed straight into angry mode………without ever asking the question, “is it true that I am like a Nazi?” In case you have any doubt…..I am not a Nazi……..and neither are you. The post was manipulative and it was untrue. It required no further analysis.

But that doesn’t seem to matter today.

We live in a world where truth has lost its importance. Our culture places more value on the question, “will this get me what I want?” than on the question “is this true?” Years ago, in college, I had a friend who was studying, of all things, journalism. He wrote an article for the paper…….and the title line was grossly misleading. We called him out on it. He said that the purpose of the title was to get you to read the article. The fact that it was untrue was unimportant, as long as it accomplished his goal. Today we call this “clickbait”…….and you can’t pick up your phone without seeing it.

I see the world from a conservative perspective. But I still try to weigh every thing I hear against the standard of truth. Years ago I asked the question. “Is this whole God, eternity, heaven, hell thing true?” Because, if it’s true, whether I agree or approve is irrelevant.

Here is what I came up with:

The Bible says it is true.
Jesus says that the Bible is true.
If the death and resurrection of Jesus are true…….then Jesus is superhuman.
So, if Jesus is superhuman……that is…..if Jesus is God, then the entire God, eternity, heaven, hell thing is true.

So the critical question……..the most important question of your brief life……..considering the heaven, hell, eternity issue……is this:

Is the resurrection of Jesus true?………because, if it is, then the whole heaven, hell, God, eternity thing is also true.

Dozens of witnesses saw Jesus after the resurrection.
11 apostles died gruesome deaths rather than recant.

And that is good enough for me.

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

Luke, NIV

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Jesus, NIV

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord ,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Paul, NIV