The recent issue of Christianity Today (September 2009) features an article on "Word Pollution" that intrigued me. In fact, I turned straight to the article written by Marilyn Chandler McEntyre, a Fellow at the Gaede Institute for the Liberal Arts, Westmont College.
While I may not totally agree with everything in the article, there was a statement that stood out to me. McEntyre writes, "It is hard to tell the truth these days, because of the varieties of untruth are so many, so pervasive, and so well disguised. Lies are hard to identify when they come in the form of apparently innocuous imprecisions socially acceptable slippages, hyperboles posing as enthusiasm, or well-placed propaganda."
In a world filled with broken promises and twisted truth, the people of God should be those who, "Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace." (Zechariah 8:16 ESV) Paul wrote it this way, "But speaking the truth in love..." (Ephesians 4:15 KJV). There should be no place in the life of the child of God, but specifically in a minister where people must constantly question the veracity of your actions or lifestyle.
Broken promises come in many forms and affect every area of a persons life, sometimes these broken promises are totally unintentional, but when they are brought to light they must be confessed and corrected. However, "twisted truth" is totally different. It leads to private and public offenses in the Body of Christ that hinder the work of the Lord on every level. Twisted truth is the place the enemy of our souls reigns supreme. Taking the Word of God out of context, whether from the ignorance of it or by deliberate actions is wrong and MUST be deliberately exposed.
Many of the difficulties local churches and organizations face are directly rooted to a TRUTH of God's word that was twisted for convenience or to shore up a petty argument that shouldn't even happen. These TWISTED truths lead to denominationalism and the delay of Christ's prayer for unity in John 17. While we want to believe that our way of thinking is the proper and righteous one, we must constantly challenge thoughts to ensure they come from a mind that is NOT in conformity with the world, the flesh or the devil. If we have been affected by a TWISTED truth, we must renounce it and seek to live out Jesus' reminder, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)
It is in these TWISTED truths that people claim to speak for God, when in fact it is their illusions of grandeur that are perpetuated, and not the teachings or direction of the Lord.
We must return to the Lord when we find ourselves living outside the scope of His authority, which is clearly outlined in the written Word of God. It is His Word that is the truth to be elevated by the children of God to a world that is darkened by sin. It is His Word that we can count on, not the corrupt delusions of fallen man who appear to be holy on the outside, but on the inside they are totally absent of the Presence of the Holy Spirit.
When someone says to you, "God told me this or that," you must immediately try the spirits (1 John 4:1) to see if the "Word" is from God. I know of no better way than a return to the standards of God's inerrant, infallible Word. His word is true, you can stake your life on it.
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