From: TRUTH & REASON, a bulletin of the Glendale church of Christ, Glendale, AZ.
Editor: Steven Harper
July 4, 2004
 

Words Of Truth And Reason

 

When the apostle Paul stood before Festus [governor of Judea] and Agrippa [king], he gave an answer for the false charges the Jews of Jerusalem had brought against him. After Paul finished his defense in which he described the heavenly vision he had seen on the road to Damascus, Festus said, "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!" To this Paul answered, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason" (Acts 26:24, 25). Though the story of the heavenly vision seemed strange - even crazy - to Festus, Paul was not just some lunatic spouting incoherent and senseless babbling; he spoke truth, and he spoke it with all soundness of mind. In our current society, there is no less a need to "speak the words of truth and reason" than there was in Paul's time. We live in a world where many deny the existence of God, so it is absolutely necessary that we speak the words that give ample evidence that proves God does indeed exist. For too long, we have failed to give the skeptical, unbelieving world the evidence they need to be convinced that one can honestly believe God exists, even as the so-called "experts" promote a feeble theory of evolution and teach it as fact. For too long, we have been in a defensive mode and let the atheistic evolutionist present his evidence and theories as fact while the teachings of the Bible are ridiculed and mocked as myth and fantasy, and deriding anyone who would dare believe or teach it as truth. In the midst of a society that ridicules belief in God as backwards" and foolish and that holds up the wisdom of men as the standard, we must not be ashamed speak the truth and stand out from the world.
 

And this same world thinks that anyone who has some sort of religious beliefs must, of necessity, throw logic and reason out the window to hold such beliefs. In some religions that may be true, but not for the true follower of Jesus Christ. Remember that Paul said he spoke "the words of truth and reason." From the beginning of the Christian faith, reason [a sound argument that defends what we believe and teach] has been required. You see, friends and brethren, believing that God exists and believing Jesus is the Christ does not mean one avoids logic and reason - it means we use logic and reason! I have often said that if we cannot give a reason or our faith, then we do not really believe what we say we believe. Faith, according to God, demands substance and evidence (Heb. 11:1). But even those who are religious will reject logic and reason as a way of explaining their faith, so to them we must give a reasoned, sound defense for what we believe, teach and practice. Many who claim some sort of religious belief are unable to give a defense for what they believe, but rely on their feelings or emotions as their rule and guide. When someone asks a reason for what they believe, they can only point to what they personally feel, with hand placed firmly over their hearts. We need to give this world something better than personal feelings as the foundation upon which their faith is built. Remember the words of the psalmist, who said, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it" (Psa. 127:1). The Lord did not build His house [the church] on personal feelings, but on the solid foundation that Jesus is the Christ (Matt. 16:18). Our faith's foundation must begin with the word of God (Rom. 10:17), or it is not faith at all. But what exactly is the "truth and reason" of which Paul spoke? What is truth and what is reason?

 

These are the things we must understand if we are to be bright and shining lights in this dark world;

these are the things that we must learn - and learn to use - when we discuss the matter of eternity with

those who are yet unbelievers. Truth. (John 18:38) When Jesus faced Pilate's questions, He was asked whether or not He was a king (vv. 33, 37). When Jesus told Pilate that He was indeed a King and had come to bear witness to the truth, Pilate then asked, "What is truth?" What a question! If only Pilate was really interested in the answer, it may have changed his life!
 

Truth, by dictionary definition, is that which is true (and) accords with fact or reality, and an established or

verified fact, principle, etc. [Webster's New World College Dictionary, 4th Ed.] By definition, truth is what is real and verifiable, and is based on and agrees with facts. Truth is not opinion, which may change with time or conditions, but stays the same unless the facts change. [Ex., When I say I am alive, that is truth unless I die. Then, the truth is that I am not alive.] I may have an opinion about how good of an actor John Wayne was, but the fact remains that John Wayne was an actor. The facts show this to be true and this will not change, no matter how much you may have disliked his acting. Our receptiveness to truth does not change the fact that it is truth.

 

Truth, by definition, is something that is consistent. In mathematics, 2+2=4 and this equation does not change. That also means truth is narrow. Although there are many errors [2+2=5, 2+2=3, 2+2=22, etc.], there is only one true answer. The sincerity of the individual arguing that 2+2=5 does not change the fact that 2+2=4. Likewise, one who sincerely thinks mere belief will save someone from their sins before and

without being baptized does not change the fact that one must believe and be baptized (cf. Mark 16:16).

Though some have tried to change the "equation" [belief = salvation, then later add baptism], the truth

remains the same:  belief+baptism=salvation.
 

The same may be said about the question of who Jesus was. History's record and God's revealed word

may not agree on this, but the inspired writer John said that the record of His miracles were enough to

cause belief that He is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:30, 31). Will some people reject that as

sufficient proof? Certainly. Will some reject it simply because of the consequences it demands [belief and

obedience]? Certainly. Will some reject it because of what they have believed all their lives? Certainly.

Will some people reject this for a variety of reasons that defy the facts and ignore the reality? Certainly.

But none of these rejections will change the truth that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of God.

We may choose to reject Him and His words, but the truth is, we will be judged by those same words

in the last day (John 12:47, 48). When we consider truth in the context of spiritual matters, we must

understand that this is something that does not change, and never will change and we need to be

speaking truth at every opportunity.
 

Truth, according to Jesus, is God's word (John 17:17); the word of God is truth! The psalmist further defined it as the entirety of God's word (Psa. 119:160) and we must agree, for a partial truth is not truth at all. If I tell you that the road ahead is not as smooth as what it normally is, and neglect to tell you that it is because the bridge is out, you might suffer the consequences of driving off into the river because I did not tell you all the facts. It is this same consequence that must motivate us to ensure we are speaking the entirety of God's word on all matters. If we do not speak the whole truth of God's word, we are leaving out some important facts! Let us never shun to declare the whole counsel of God (cf. Acts 20:27), but always speak truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Souls are at stake!
 

Reason. The word used here in the Greek is sofrosune [so-fros-oo´-nay], which literally means soundness of mind or sanity. As I firmly believe every single word in the Bible has meaning, let us pay close heed to what Paul is saying here. When charged with being mad, or insane, Paul rebuts Festus and then appeals to the king [Agrippa] as one who would have known of these facts himself. Though the idea of a heavenly vision and salvation through Christ may have seemed preposterous to Festus, Agrippa's knowledge of the facts would show this to be false! Paul denied insanity and pointed to the king's own knowledge as proof.

 

Who would dare equate the king with himself unless he was indeed of sound mind? Soundness of mind is something we must use as we set out to convince the world that God exists and Jesus is the Christ, in addition to the revealed word of God. We do not need to make farfetched and illogical arguments, we do not need to dispel with reason and sound arguments, and we do not need to appeal to emotions to convince someone to obey. The word of God [truth] is sufficient, but it must be presented in a clearly logical manner if we are to convince men that they have a need to obey. If the conclusions from our teachings do not agree with our premise, then we have not presented a sound argument; if our teachings and practice contradict other portions of God's word, then we are not acting reasonably; and if we teach that we will all face ultimate judgment and live like the world, our argument will fail before those who hear us because they will see only hypocrisy.
 

Peter said we must "sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man

that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you" (1 Pet. 3:15). This is not an option, but it is

required of every believer to be able to give a defense for what he or she believes, and why others should believe. Only by using truth and reason will we be able to do this! Only when we point others to God's word will they have faith (Rom. 10:17), and only when we present sound arguments will they be able to make logical conclusions that lead them to understand the importance of acknowledging God's existence, believing that Jesus is the Christ, and obeying His word.
 

When people ask us why we believe, let us answer with the word of God, let us do so with logic and reason, and let us show that we believe what we teach by the way we live our daily lives.

 

Let us, like Paul, speak the words of truth and reason. --

 

Steven Harper
 

Truth - is as old as God -
His Twin identity