Truth Faileth

“Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment” (Isaiah 59:15).

It isn’t Hurricane Florence related. But for some reason the above verse has been floating around inside the ol’ noggin. I do believe that it speaks to our time. Those who speak the truth are shunned. Those who live the truth are mocked. Departing from the darkness and stepping into the light makes one a target, especially now in a time of an ever growing and ever strengthening darkness.

But truth needs no approval or acceptance to be or to exist. Truth can not be altered or halted. Truth is both the unstoppable force and immovable object. For us to be true requires that we be obedient to it. Truth is not malleable. It does not conform to us, we must conform to it. We can support the truth, but we can not detract or subtract from it.

When the verse states that the truth “faileth”, it is a reference to the fact that the people departed from it. Truth can not fail, it can only “be”. Once someone departs from the truth, they now become exposed to evil and soon fall prey.

Notice what displeases God in the verse? “…the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment”. No judgment. There was no one able (or willing) to discern good from bad, true from false, righteous from unrighteous and God from the devil.

The standard used in judging are the divine attributes of God. These include justice, equity, righteousness and morality in the form of the rectitude of God.

God does not change. Judicial and ceremonial laws change. But moral laws, which are the attributes of God, do not change.

Where truth and anything else meet, there will be conflict and turmoil. This is why the ultimate truth, Jesus Christ said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33).

Supporting the truth is supporting Christ and is why God is so displeased by those who do not stand in truth, in Christ. God is expressing His great displeasure for those who do not judge the true and untrue by His standards. Now this is going to make some people uncomfortable, but blind acceptance of untruths and unrighteousness under the guise of “love” and “acceptance” is not a Godly act. It’s pacifism with its sole design and intent to avoid conflict.

God’s judgement isn’t about conflict, it’s about course correcting the soul. A pacifist will let you burn in your sin and will justify unrighteousness simply to avoid any conflict of personality. A pacifist wants to be liked and well thought of at any cost.

 God would rather you turn (repent) and confront the untruth, the unrighteousness in your life so as to save your soul. Yes, there is conflict with God and righteousness, but that is only the untruth and unrighteousness striking back. Move past the conflict into Christ and onto victory.

Skin and sin will resist the true and the good of God so as to maintain its course.

Jesus warned, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him” (Luke 12:4-5).

We have to engage the untruth, the unrighteous so as to gain (or lose) a soul, including our own. Jesus said I wish you were either hot or cold.

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).

Hot or cold, it’s a yes or no proposition. You either accept Jesus Christ and His way, His truth and His life, or you accept the consequences of being left in the dark. Be either hot or cold.

If we fail (depart) truth, then we must embrace the evil. Being the truth in an evil world will make you a target. The need to “get along”, to avoid conflict and to be “loved” is so strong in man that he will embrace the evil so as to be accepted by the world. There will be plenty of people around you to justify whatever unrighteous lifestyle you choose to pursue.

The world doesn’t understand this, but judgement is a good thing.

“For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off” (Psalm 37:28).

Apply God’s standard to everything. Accept what coincides with it. Change what is in you that doesn’t. Offer Christ to those who disagree. Knock off the dirt from your sandals and move on down to the next house with those that refuse it.

Bill Hitchcock