December 25
December 25
The best defense against the lies that are all around us is to be firmly built up in the truth.
We face two main challenges to the truth of Scripture and its core message of redemption in Jesus Christ. As we would expect, the first challenge comes from the surrounding culture, which has little place for God or his word. When people reject God and his word, they believe lies instead—and then communicate those lies to others. Because we carry devices with us that connect us to billions of voices, the world’s influence is more pervasive and dangerous than it has ever been before. Who has your ear? Who shapes your sense of identity? Who interprets life for you? Who defines and explains what is true to you? Who is your final authority?
But there is also a second, more subtle challenge to what the Bible declares to be true. This challenge comes from inside the church. There are those inside the church who obscure the clear message of the gospel. They distort the gospel. Many argue from Scripture, but what they argue for is not what Scripture teaches. These people are even more dangerous than the outsiders who challenge the faith, because these “insiders” claim to be believers who hold the Bible as their authority. And, for a while, they get a listening ear.
The people of God have always had to defend themselves against threats to the truth, from both within and without. The book of Jude speaks about threats to the truth with practical wisdom that we all need to heed:
You must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 17–25)
How do you defend yourself against lies and distortions of the truth? Take the Bible’s warnings seriously. Build yourself up in the truth. Never stop praying for biblical discernment. Keep your eyes on eternity. Remember that standing firm is a community project. Humbly admit that only the Lord can keep you from stumbling. Live for his glory, not your own. May God give us grace to never stop doing all of these things.