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“What you believe about eternity determines how you live today.” – Groeschel

I came across this quote while listening to a sermon yesterday morning and it has really stuck with me. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that our society is struggling so immensely. They don’t know what they believe. We live in a time where everything goes and everything is accepted. We don’t want to accept something as absolute truth, because that may hurt the feelings of those who believe differently.

As a result, we become passive. We become complacent. We live in such a way that is neither hot nor cold for truth. We treat truth as if it can never be known, or understood. And when we believe in nothing, we live scattered, unfocused,permissive, “everything goes” kind of lives.

If there is no real truth, then what I believe is most likely the standard. Yet my truth is influenced and limited only to my interpretation of events, and my filters of cultural and background knowledge. My truth represents less and less absolute truth – even though I want itto be treated as such by all I encounter.

You and I were not created to be the dictators or judges of what is truth. Our opinions are too limited. Our experiences are too contained. Our emotions are too strong. Our selfishness is too big. We are limited to only a small chunk of time on the continuum of life. We cannot therefore be accurate at determining what is truthon our own. Not accurately.

So we see struggle. So many, believing they are enlightened by what is right and what is true, are relying solely on self to find it. And inflict their truth upon others. Perhaps with the intention of wearing the others down, or having the loudest voice, asif that makes their truth right.

Truth does exist. It exists in the One True God. It exists in His Son, Jesus Christ – the mirror image of Him. Truth does exist. And if we seek it, not by searching ourselves, or our culture for it, but seeking Him, we will find it. 

I realize that there are some people who live in such a way that though they claim to know Christ, there is little to no fruit of His presence within them. They look and act no different from those who make no such claim. Having a title doesn’t always mean you are actually doing what the title indicates. I would encourage all of us to steer clear from trying to emulate that lifestyle or seek truth from someone like that. However, there are those whose lives, while not yet perfected, are living lives set apart, focused, and disciplined, and theirfruit is evidenced daily. The Bible says that the fruit of the Spirit is “love,joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, andself-control.”

How would our society – our world, for that matter – be different if we were all walking and living with that sort of “fruit” consistently being produced? If everyone were loving which does not mean enabling – or permitting all things. That’s not really love. But I mean actually let love be the filter in which we spoke to one another. Or if instead of being harsh and full of anger or bitterness, what if we lived lives of kindness? What if I was able to exercise self-control and make every attempt to put others first instead of myself?

Seriously friends, we have become so ugly in the “name of truth” that we are regularly shootinghatred onto one another whenever someone holds a different view than have.

Christians – real Christ followers cannot do this and still be walking in the ways of truth.

John 1:17 “For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John14:6 “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 16:13 “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own, he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

What do youbelieve about eternity? Do you believe what God says in His word? Do you believe that there is life after death? The Bible says that there is. Are you living in such a way that supports your belief? Christ didn’t call us to blend in. He called us to be a light in a dark world. He called us to bear fruit. He called us to be set apart. He called us to live in truth. May we never grow tired of living in the way that Christ intended for us to live. It is only when we draw near to Him that real truth can be found.

Blessings!