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Revelation 15:1–4
“Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!” (Rev. 15:3b).
As Christians, we must be intimately involved with and passionately concerned about the matter of truth. Why? Because the Bible leaves no doubt that, in His inmost being, God is altogether truthful. Scripture refers to Him as “the God of truth” (Deut. 32:4; Isa. 65:16). In doing so, it is conveying several ideas. First, God speaks truth (John 17:17). Though He may keep His own counsel on many matters, all that He reveals to His creatures is accurate. He neither deceives nor creates confusion. Second, God is truthful in terms of His consistency (2 Tim. 2:13). He always behaves in accordance with His character, which is holy and righteous. In other words, He is dependable; He cannot violate His own code of conduct. Third, God is truthful in that He is trustworthy (Heb. 10:23). The Hebrew word hesed, used in the Old Testament to speak of God’s love, sometimes is translated “steadfast love” or “mercy,” but it basically means “loyalty.” It tells us that we can trust God’s promises to us.
It is important to note that each member of the Trinity is associated with truth. Jesus referred to Himself as “ ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ ” (John 14:6). And the Holy Spirit is sometimes called “the Spirit of truth” (John 16:13; 1 John 5:6).
What does this strong association between God and truth mean for us? Scripture indicates God is truthful because truth is consistent with His character. As mentioned above, He is holy and righteous, and falsehood simply is not consistent with holiness. Out of this fundamental divine character trait come the biblical commands for truthful living. In other words, God’s character is expressed in His law. Thus, the Ten Commandments include an injunction against bearing false witness, which involves saying something is true when it is not, or that something is false when it is true. The Westminster Shorter Catechism says this commandment, the ninth, “requires the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man” and “forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth.” Other laws scattered throughout the Old and New testaments affirm this assertion by prohibiting lying in various situations. God clearly wants His people to be like Him in truthfulness; as David says in Psalm 51:6a: “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts.” God’s everlasting desire is for truth in us.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Our calling as Christians is to emulate God in all ways, including truthfulness. We should speak truth and not deceive. We should be consistent. We should be dependable and trustworthy. Examine your life today, asking the Holy Spirit to show you your failures in this area. Commit yourself to pursue truth in all your relationships.
For Further Study
- Psalm 119:142
- Malachi 3:6
- 1 Corinthians 1:9
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3
- James 1:17