Pilate asked this question to Jesus “what is truth” a question that he never found an answer to from what I can find in scripture. Everybody knows the postmodern debate (for the most part) especially amongst those with even a superficial knowledge of the Emergent Church. Today I am not going to attempt to define or even defend truth directly. This is an overflow of the deep despair of my heart due to the lonely pursuit of truth. I believe with every fiber of me that Truth can not be attained apart from Christ. Not that Christ speaks the truth but he fully embodies all that even is true. So Christ is the essence of Truth. The funny thing is that engaging someone for this pursuit and having others join you to help defend and explain it becomes a daunting task. The majority of this problem is birthed out of the fact we live in a non-confrontational era. Where many of the previous societies openly debated and even encouraged such intellectual dialogue today we have pushed all aside for “unity”. Ahh, Unity! What a very tricky and elusive word. What exactly does it look like, on what should we unite for and for what issues do we say, unity is not possible because truth becomes a lifeless victim? Should we unite? The obvious answer is yes, the Apostle Paul makes it clear, in Colossians. Love is the bond of such unity, but what about truth? Does unity and love take precedent over truth; do we slay truth in the great names of love and unity?
This is where I start to struggle. Naturally I am confrontational and I am an extrovert. Coupled together and sprinkled with passion (some say obnoxious) this can be a real recipe for disaster. So there are times where I may go overboard and times where I may just should chalk things up as a lost for the moment and come back at a future time. However, I handle conflict verbally and I process things verbally and I wear my emotions on my sleeve (as they say) so I am usually engaged in some type of theological discussion. I tend to think that this isn’t as bad as most think it is, I was just born 2000 years too late. I think if I were Paul’s homeboy when he debated the philosophers at Mars Hill, how I would have love to sneak a couple of catchy clichés in, or how I would have stood with the great Apollos and Stephen as they debated in the synagogues with the Jews. However, I was not born in those days. I was born in America in an era where everyone’s opinion is truth and the consequences are eternal. Due to this I usually find myself alone; sometimes by choice and other times by exclusion.
I attempt not to get into these discussions in crowed venues. I have learned that people really don’t like to discuss issues pertaining to eternal life at the family gatherings, basketball games, and even in small groups. We would rather play it safe and talk about things I deem to be fairly irrelevant to life, such as: who is going to win the National Championship (if I knew I would have bet my savings on such knowledge), Kanye West’s mothers dying (very sad, but doesn’t matter for us), or which entertainer or entertaining preachers are getting divorced. The truth is I don’t really care. But I do care about the greatest question ever asked “what must I do to be saved”. Most of the pertinent News becomes secondary in light of the Cross and what I want to discuss is the wonderful truths of scripture and their application to life transformation. I want to know, do you know for sure where you will spend eternity and how. I also want to know how this salvation is obtained; and that is when I figure out that Britney Spears and K-Fed or Tyler Perry is much more important. Typically I find myself disengaged from the conversations at most dinner tables, even with gathering Christians. I read Acts 2:42 and wonder why they were so in love with this new found faith and we are so disinterested in it. I wonder why they purposely got together to fellowship and intentionally encourage one another in the great truths of the Christian faith and we would rather talk about Lebron James or Michael Vick.
Why is Jesus such off limits and why is scripture always secondary? It is because of our newly found enemy truth! He has become a problem, a major party pooper, a thorn in the flesh. Most people just want to live never confronting, never addressing the seriousness of his existence and the responsibility to respond to him (truth that is). So now we say “unity at all cost, truth is impossible”. All the while hell is filling up with the souls (and eventually bodies) of people we would rather unite with versus discuss truth. As I stated this occurs in my small groups. Christians would rather stay away from scripture and truth as if now they are saying “I can finally let my hair down and relax”. Maybe I am too concerned with this “stuff”. I tell you what one thing about barber shops that I love is the platform to discuss current ideas. It is the perfect opportunity to philosophize about current events, life, death, and the after-life. It is funny that I get more theological discussion out of a barber shop visit than I can in small groups and Christian gatherings. The sole purpose of fellowship should be to discuss “Truth” namely Jesus Christ. Sorry about the rambling.
So I say all of that to say this. If God has given you an appetite for His truth, pursue it recklessly. As the man who sold all he had to buy the parcel of land. We should have the same mindset. It may be lonely and you may be ignored, I promise you one thing you definitely will not be popular. But so what, a thirsty soul is infinitely worse. Most times a good book a couple of hours with the Lord and articulating that truth brings me the greatest joy. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing someone have an “ah ha” moment. Nothing is more rewarding than being prepared to defend Truth even if you are mocked for such a truth and nothing is more rewarding than “drinking from the well that never runs dry”. Our reward is the truth. While so many are “ever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth” God has graciously revealed His truth to us and given us an unsatisfiable thirst for more of Him. “What else there besides you oh, Lord” should be our heart and whatever comfort we forfeit in this life will be given with great interest in the life to come. Truth is a gracious gift from God; pursue it as an invaluable treasure!
4 comments:
What's up Lionel? This is Chris. I posted a couple of times on your homeboy's Tyris's blog. Man, I definitely understand a lot of your statements as far as being alone in seeking and learning truth goes. This past year and a half has been a rollercoaster ride. I thank God for showing me my ignorance of His Word then and ever since I have been, as you say, relentlessly seeking the truth. Sadly enough, my parents think I am just out of my mind, and, well, not to get too personal, but there was a lady in my life I thought would be a good friend and all, but she failed to understand me too. I simply pray for them and attempt to show them the truth. I do wonder about everything sometimes, but my love for Christ and the truth of His rightly divided Word has grown substantially as opposed to how ignorant and uncaring I was before. I take after the example of those noble Bereans you know? I seem to be in the minority in that regard, ironically enough. Like the title of your entry, it truly is a lonely pursuit of truth. Keep speaking the truth. God bless.
Hey Chris, I hope all is well for you brother. Good blog Lionel, very much needed topic. I also feel unattracted to senseless converstations. How I also long to having meaningful one's around family and those needing their only hope-that is Christ!!
You know it, brother Lionel! I'm with you. I don't believe I can add anything to what you have written here except to offer a word of encouragement that you are on the right track.
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