Truth or Consequences

Shortly after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead we read, "Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation ... So from that day on they plotted to take his life (John 11:47-48, 53)." Here we have Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, living, breathing and walking among mankind. In the midst of a large crowd of onlookers, He raises a man from the grave who had been dead four days! And what do some of them say? Basically, they say, "We have to kill this man or we will lose our position in life." You would think they would just drop to their knees in worship or at least ask, "Who is this man?" No, we have to kill Him so my life won't be effected by Him, His message or His followers. This same attitude permeates the world today regardless of whether it pertains to the truth about Jesus or some other aspect of life. For example, I was recently involved in a debate about these recent shootings of Black men by police officers. Despite my attempts to interject facts about police shootings into the conversation, those I debated with weren't having it. It didn't matter that police officers shoot more whites than Blacks. It didn't matter that a police officer is 18 times more likely to be shot by a Black person than vice versa. Regardless, of what the facts state all I kept getting was,"Well, facts can be manipulated." Never once was a fact produced to defend their point of view. Nor was anything I said refuted. But, you see, it is not simply about whether something is true, it is about the consequences in a person's life if they accept a truth they previously denied.

In the case of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, what did his detractors do? They plotted to kill Him because, "the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation." Jesus, who later on in the same book of John, would refer to Himself as, "the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6)" was the "truth" that the chief priests and the Pharisees did not want to believe in because of the consequences of doing so. In my debate the truth that suggests police officers may not be the racist, killing machines they are being portrayed as is not accepted because of the cost that may have to be paid in order to accept it. When believing the truth after accepting a lie for so long, there is a lot that can be lost in the aftermath. Family, friends, jobs, social and political connections, and more, may all be lost once it is revealed you no longer believe as you once did. It took me years to find a church I was comfortable with attending after I accepted the truth about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how we are to live as Christians. I know many Christians who believe as I do who still don't have a church home.  It is no fun when you feel you need to leave a church because you're at odds with the teaching. It is no fun when you no longer believe like many in your family believe. It is no fun when you suddenly become at odds with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ for what you believe. It is no fun when you believe the Holy Spirit is leading you to the truth about the Bible and life in general, but the result is being called names by your family or falsely accused of teaching something you're not by supposed friends and other Christians. But, what did Jesus say? "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26-27)."  Hearing the truth is one thing. Believing the truth is another. While you may stand alone, you must stand! Does truth matter? If it does than you must hold onto it regardless of the consequences that may come your way. People will try and tear you down, ridicule you, isolate you and be stiff-necked in their opposition to you. But, stand firm, regardless. The truth matters. Let Jesus deal with the consequences.