Believe The Truth Not Lies

Is it not true that our LORD is suffering shame, reproach, and rejection now because of an immense amount of falsehood and misrepresentation in Christianity itself?

If Christianity, rather than being a mere 'religion', were really a life - that is, Christ as an indwelling reality checking us up on our behaviour, conduct, manners, speech, appearance, influence, courtesies or discourtesies - would He not be saved from the hands of many who want a case against Him and find it too easily in those who bear His name?

This kind of life is not to be purchased in religious stores. It is not procured cheaply and from others. 

It is not something 'put on'. It is wrought in the very souls of those concerned, so that others are able to say - 'Something has been done in that one'; and to this we have to give ourselves. 

There is infinite value in a firsthand knowledge of the LORD.

We venture to press our point into another realm, and here it is a venture indeed. But its importance calls for boldness.

Is it not true that a very great amount of the weakness, shame, dishonor, and even disgrace, characterizing Christianity, is due to the ease with which Christians can take up and retail rumours, reports, insinuations, suspicions, and the like? 

'Information' is passed on, and, without investigation, substantiation, or verification, it is accepted as true and repeated.

Is it not true that the ever increasing number of divisions and alienations among Christians can be laid to the account of this failure to verify at first hand the criticisms and judgments that are current?

Surely we are being forced to realize that this whole world - secular and otherwise - is wrapped around with a growingly dense blanket of suspicions, misrepresentations, distortions, insinuations, and lies!

Confidence is well-nigh obliterated. Loyalty and mutual trust have almost entirely disappeared.

The last precious thing in fellowship is assailed.

Unless we constantly draw our breath from Heaven, this evil atmosphere gets into our own spiritual lungs, and we too breathe it out.

Scepticism, mistrust, suspicion, from which very little indeed escapes, is the evil ether of this world.

It wrapped itself around Jesus when He was here, so that He could only live and do anything at all by constantly resorting to the pure atmosphere of Heaven.

The same spirit of prejudice and discrediting dogged the steps of Paul wherever he went.

Attach a question-mark to anything, and the object is at once suspect.

The most poignant and tragic aspect of this sinister campaign of the evil powers is the facility with which Christians sponsor it.

That destructive and blighting 'But' is the common pitfall. 'Yes, there is a lot of good in it (or him); but - you know...' 

That 'But' does not rest upon the solid ground of investigated and verified proof, but upon mere hearsay, or, at best, the prejudiced judgment of someone who has some private interest to protect.

We are zealous for the inspiration of the Scriptures, but we are not allowed to be selective in this.

Not only are the glorious Scriptures of our salvation and the grace of God inspired, but equally such other Scriptures as: "Lord, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that slandereth not with his tongue... nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour" (Psalm 15:1,3). Or: "Prove all things" (1 Thess. 5:21).

Satan's workshop is kept busy night and day making what Paul calls "evil report" (2 Cor. 6:8), and his business is thriving.

The LORD save us all from being accessories to that prosperity.

Here is a realm where we should not be cheated with the cheap words of this nefarious business, but, in the matter of being sure and 'knowing the truth' . 

~T. Austin Sparks~