Truth Matters
This blog post is Part 1 of a series entitled, "Orthodoxy" by Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith of Donelson First in Nashville, TN.
Message Date: January 8, 2023
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This is proof that prayer works, and God is good. - Levi Wallace, Cornerback, Pittsburg Steelers
This comment was made by Pittsburg Steelers Cornerback Levi Wallace in response to Damar Hamlin coming off of a ventilator and speaking his first words since Monday night.
On Monday night, the NFL and much of the world watching at that moment, came to an eerily unchartered and devastating halt when, for 16 minutes, young 24-year-old Buffalo Bill’s defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed and remained unresponsive during the football game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Almost immediately, the world began to pray. In the hours and days to follow, TV personalities, players, coaches, family, and friends of Mr. Hamlin held prayer vigils and have spoken often of the importance of prayer for this young man.
We pray for Mr. Hamlin, his family, his friends, and all of those impacted by this tragedy.
I personally cannot recall the last time I witnessed so many in the world of sports so passionately speak of the power of prayer and the need for God’s hand of healing and hope. Yes, this is a wonderful thing. And I agree with the words of Levi Wallace, a close friend of Mr. Hamlin’s.
What has aroused much thought within me this week is the passionate and prayerful pursuit of God’s healing hand in the aftermath of the Monday night collapse of this football player. I’ve been encouraged to hear so many speak openly about prayer, the power of prayer, and the importance of passionately seeking the face of God in times of need. And what has convicted me with the story of Mr. Hamlin is the reminder that such passion and zeal for defining, believing, and living the Christian faith should be a part of my daily journey with the Lord in yes, times of need, but also in times when all is going my way.
It's so easy to cry out to God when I am in need. Ashamedly I will admit, I need to be better at pursuing Him and His promises and His truths in seasons where the need for His hand of mercy, goodness, and healing doesn’t seem to me to be of great need. I wonder if you can say the same for your life? Such a reminder has led me to this realization and desire as I begin 2023: I want to pursue God, and trust God, and revere God, whether in need or in plenty.
My willingness to do so has everything to do with what I believe about His truths. Today we begin a new series where we will discuss this very reality.
Am I bored with Christianity?
Before answering with an abrupt, “No” or “Of course not!” ... consider these questions:
Do I consistently ask God to reveal to me those areas of my life that need addressing?
When I miss a day (or more) getting into the Word, does my day feel “off?”
Am I so burdened about people dying and going to hell that I consistently think about with whom I need to share the astounding story of the love of Jesus?
When I pray, do I listen as much as I talk?
If your response to any, or each, of these questions, is “No,” then it is quite possible that you have, in fact, become bored with God.
I should be consistently asking the Lord to show me areas of my life that are not in sync with His will.
I should feel as though something is missing when I miss a day (or more) spending time reading the Word.
If I take God at His Word, believing that hell is a horrific place reserved for those who do not choose to accept Jesus as Savior, then I should be horrified at the reality that people I know are potentially going to spend an eternity in this place of horror and never-ending pain and death.
And, if I am truly thrilled by the wisdom of God, I should want to stop talking, often, and simply listen as He speaks to me about the things which He desires I hear. Because what a good God He is!
J.R.R. Tolkien, the English writer known best for such classics as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, once said:
The most regrettable feature of human nature is how quickly we become unsatisfied with the good. J.R.R. Tolkien
I live in a home I love in Donelson’s historic Bluefields neighborhood. I drive the GMC truck I’ve always wanted. I have a gorgeous and smart and funny wife and 2 beautiful and wise-beyond-their-years daughters. Both of my parents and in-laws are still living. I have 2 great brothers whom I love dearly. I have a dog who just might deserve the “dog of the year” award and, as of this week, another dog who, once we get past the pooping in the house & late, late, late night potty-training season, will be another great dog! I get to work at one of Nashville’s legacy churches that, by all of today’s “healthy church” standards, is a fast-growing and vigorous church.
Yet, full disclosure, I complain... I complain about weeds in my yard. I complain about Nashville’s often “sunless” winter skies. I complain about the overwhelming amount of puppy poop now that is in my yard. My life is so very good. But, as Tolkien so wisely points out, it can be easy to become dissatisfied, unthankful, and to forget the miraculous story that I am saved from hell by a God who forgives, redeems, and restores!
And the result... if even unintentional, I can become - bored - with - God.
Meaning... I am no longer thrilled by His goodness. I am no longer amazed at His grace. And... I am no longer grateful for His forgiveness.
And listen Church... when boredom takes root in one area of my life...
Boredom eventually breeds dissatisfaction in mostly every aspect of my life. I become bored with my job. I become bored in my relationships. I become bored with my blessings.
The wisest and richest man to have ever lived amassed everything he ever wanted. We’ve studied his story before. Look at what he wrote in:
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
King Solomon went after everything his heart desired, and his conclusion left him feeling bored and empty.
He says – Ecclesiastes 2:11 - - it’s all “meaningless!”
King Solomon would go on to say in this chapter that he actually hates his life due to the lack of meaning and significance he finds in all that he does.
Here is a man who had everything yet felt as though none of it mattered.
Some might say, “How could this happen? How could a man who had so much feel so empty?”
But, in both similar and different ways, aren’t we at times as was Solomon? Solomon knew the Lord. His Father revered the Lord. He knew the Lord Almighty had proven Himself faithful and just and good over and again in both his father’s life and now his own.
Yet rather than placing trust in this truth, what did he do? Ecclesiastes 2:1
He says, “I will see what is true about meaning, and purpose, and fulfillment!”
How can a man look to any place other than God for truth, especially when this man’s father wrote these very words about truth?
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:5
For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Psalm 33:4
Solomon’s very father wrote these words about the truth that God provides. Yet, he turned to the world for his answers rather than to the Lord.
You see: When I believe wrong, I live wrong. When I live wrong, I become bored with the good God has given to me. When I become bored with the good God has given to me, I am no longer wowed by my Christian faith.
Church – THIS is exactly where so many people, people who follow the Lord, who worship the Lord, who believe in the Lord, and who say “I love the Lord”... find themselves today.
THIS is who so many in the Church have become. A people who know of Him and say they love Him, yet they are no longer “wowed” by Him. They have become bored with God. They have become bored with God because they have allowed the shifting and the swaying of the culture to infect their belief system... just as did Solomon! Solomon’s belief system was skewed because he believed and then lived trying to prove, that purpose and meaning can be found in stuff – in worldly acclaim, riches, intimacy, and more.
Solomon toiled in an attempt to prove that “good comes from doing and getting and conquering and accumulating!”
You see... and this is really important Church - - The more I have studied here at the beginning of the year through the foundational principles that shape the Christian faith, the more I have truly come to understand just how important my belief system is. What I believe about God and the Holy Scriptures and their impact on my life truly shapes the way I think, the things for which I am passionate, and the convictions which I hold about a plethora of issues.
My belief system and yours play such a powerful role in our lives. And, if we allow it, it can pervert the way we see life, Scripture, purpose, marriage, and even our view of God! This is why Paul warned young James to be careful not to let such a wrong belief system infect His faith. Paul said: James 1:16-18
Paul is reminding James, and you and me, that all the “good” we have we only have because the Father has given it to us!
I turned to James specifically to study this idea of the “good” coming only from God. But while I was here studying this passage, I noticed a word that I had not previously noted.
Specifically, notice what Paul says in verse 18...
He says we are birthed through what? - - Through “truth!” This realization of “truth” produces something amazing!
Paul says We are to be “first fruits.” What is a first fruit? It is exactly as it sounds - - the first of fruits. As a Christian, you are to live a life of truth for others to see - - to see the fruits of your works. And as they do, the hope is that your fruits are as seeds being planted over and again in the fertile soil of the lives of others who then go and produce first fruits of their own...and the pay-it-forward happens over and again.
But be clear: This is ONLY possible because of the “word of truth” through which we are born.
James 1:18 The Greek word used here for “truth” does mean the opposite of “errors” or “lies.”
However, the word used here also directs the Christ-follower to an action.
truth (Greek) = aletheia (al-I-thi-a) aletheia = to convey truth or to convey the right way
We sure do live in a world that conveys a lot of information to us, don’t we?
For instance... listen to these so-called “truths: we have heard many times over.
Eating carbs puts on the pounds.
Cracking knuckles leads to arthritis.
Caffeine dehydrates me.
On average, I swallow eight spiders a year in my sleep.
My nose is always visible to me, but my mind ignores it.
Only one of these statements is actually true. Which is it?
The true statement: My nose is always visible to me, but my mind ignores it. This happens through a process called Unconscious Selective Attention.
How do we best define truth amidst so many errors?
The answer? One word: Orthodoxy
Before we talk through the idea of Orthodoxy, let me briefly continue to build my case as to the commanding function of truth in our lives and the shaping of one’s belief system. And then I will spend some time clearly defining for you the attributes of Orthodoxy and its importance in our lives as we live the Christian faith.
Following his defeat at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, Mark Antony believed it to be true that his one love, Cleopatra, had committed suicide. In response to this devasting blow, Antony stabbed himself in the abdomen - only to soon discover that Cleopatra herself had been responsible for spreading the untruth. He later died in her arms.
Mark Antony had not received aletheia (al-I-thi-a) - - “the right way”
Jesus Christ said this about aletheia (al-I-thi-a): I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
The Psalmist wrote this about the words of God: All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. Psalm 119:160
Though we know, as once did King Solomon, (who by the way Scripture says was the wisest man to ever walk the planet other than Jesus Christ), the truth of God and His overwhelming love for us, I am confident we are each guilty at times of allowing circumstances and struggles and emotions and frustrations and maybe, even our pursuit of love, to sway our beliefs about what truth is. You see...
The reality: I live as I believe. I commit my life to what I believe. I become what I commit my life to.
Do you agree with these statements? Do you?
So… if these three statements are true, which I believe they are, then the opposite of these statements must also be true:
The dilemma: If I believe wrong… I then commit my life to what is wrong. I then become one who lives a life immersed in error.
I asked this question this week as I studied: Why does truth matter?
I ask you this same question for your consideration: Why does truth matter?
This could lead us down a very detailed path. And in the weeks to come in this series, we will deeply explore this very question. But for our time this morning, let me answer this question with one statement: Truth matters because it is the foundation for everything in which I place my trust.
If I place my trust in what is true, I will live a life rich in purpose and peace. If I place my trust in what is not true, I will live a life void of purpose and peace.
Truth is true because it is truth, not because I say it is truth.
Truth is true because God says it is truth.
And when I choose to believe in His truth, I win!
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12
This is why we need: Orthodoxy. Truth is something I must discover to fully exercise my faith.
Otherwise, without truth, my faith is shallow, and it will eventually fail.
For example...
If I do not believe it to be true that a parachute will operate properly, I am not jumping from a plane.
If I do not believe it to be true that a heart transplant can save my life, I am not going under the knife.
If I do not believe it to be true that Cinco de Mayo has some of the best chips and salsa in Music City, I am not headed there after Worship today!
You see... once I discover the truth, I jump, or I place my life in the hands of my doctors, or I eat and eat and eat!
But herein lies the problem with the truth! Are you ready for this - - - Many people are less interested in the discovery of truth and are instead more interested in the experience of thrill.
For instance, several years ago I spoke at an event in Florida, and Amy and the girls accompanied me. While in Florida, we surprised the girls with their first trip to Disney. I recall one morning we arrived at the park extremely early. As quickly as the doors opened, we ran to get in line at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The ride is all of 3 minutes. At the conclusion of that ride, we raced to our next thrill-seeking experience – Space Mountain is also a quick 3-minute thrill. And thus was our journey for three days inside the Magic Kingdom to Tomorrowland, Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and on and on...
But, after three days, a lot of poor-quality greasy food, quite the sunburn, and my wallet being about $2,000 thinner... the experience was over!
This is the journey of so many people today. We are programmed in culture to seek out the experience of the next thrill:
We binge-watch a Netflix series. And at the conclusion, the conversation usually turns to this question. What’s the question? - - “Now what will we watch?!”
For some, it’s the next beer, and the next, and the next. And after a while, it takes “the next drink” to get the next thrill. There was a time when a flat-screen TV was all the rage. Now, it’s about a 72’ or 90’! It absolutely must be a smart TV, Roku, or get this... the new Samsung Neo QLED 8K that’s a so-called “steal” for $6300!
We are thrill-seeking people in search of the next experience.
... are we not?! But... once the experience is over, the thrill is over.
This is just fine when referring to one’s favorite theme park experience. However, sadly, this pursuit too has slithered its way into the church.
Many American churchgoers correlate the thrill of Space Mountain with the Sunday AM experience as “spectators in the seats.” Sadly, what often happens is we make a judgment call on aesthetics, a “feeling,” a style of worship, or how skinny or lack thereof are the Pastor’s jeans.
And... when we are not thrilled with the experience... we go church shopping to find the experience that does thrill!
Truth is not something I experience. If it were, then the truth would end as quickly as the conclusion of my favorite theme-park thrill. And it would not return until I “ride” the next best thing.
THIS is what I believe to be most true about the truth:
I don’t experience truth. I discover the truth.
The Psalmist understood the lasting effects of discovering truth when he wrote: Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:5
This Hebrew writing style is one that speaks to lasting longevity. The wording “all day long” is not merely in reference to a “long day.” Instead, the writer, King David, is referencing an ever-lasting hope one discovers that continues day to day to day being guided by truth. You see...
Once I discover the truth, I align my life to the truth. I then exercise faith as I live my life in truth. I realize that once discovered, truth never comes to an end... Instead, the thrill of the Christian faith only escalates.
This is why John recorded these words spoken of Jesus in John 8:32:
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32
Jesus revealed that once discovering the truth, one is truly set free. Everything begins with the truth! And: Once I discover truth, I can clearly recognize falsehood.
As a Christian, I should be:
1. A truth seeker.
2. A truth protector.
In my pursuit to both seek and protect truth, as a Christian... I must embrace Orthodoxy.
So... what is orthodoxy?
To a philosopher such as Aristotle, Orthodoxy meant a “right or correct opinion.”
Orthodoxy is a word once used often in the early Church. To early Christ-followers, Orthodoxy was a word repurposed to mean “having a right belief.”
Throughout the 21st Century, the word has been used less and less in the protestant Church.
Orthodox (Greek) = orthódoxos Orthódoxos = correct opinion
Throughout this series, we will speak often of Orthodoxy. So, I want you to understand when you hear this word, this is what I mean:
orthodoxy = The foundational truths that define the Christian faith.
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church defines Orthodoxy = (simply as this) A right belief.
Now, I must quickly express these two realities about Scripture: As I interpret the Holy Scriptures:
1. I am in error of the Holy Scriptures.
Since I am not God, I do not have full knowledge of God and His ways. Simply: I get some things wrong, and so do you.
2. I may not interpret the Holy Scriptures as do you.
Countless scholars, pastors, theologians and laypeople have discussed and disagreed on the Scriptures for centuries.
Such discussions and disagreements will always be a part of the dissection of God’s Word.
However: The core beliefs of the Christian faith leave no room for dispute.
When you think of Orthodoxy, here are three key statements to which I plead you to hold:
1. Correct opinions.
Throughout this study, we will examine the opinions of a variety of biblical scholars. You will see that there are varying opinions on an array of topics. However, on the core beliefs of the Christian faith, there is no room for dispute.
2. True interpretations.
The Bible’s major theme and overarching story are held together by a core of beliefs. We will examine these over the coming weeks.
3. Foundational truths.
God’s people have always held that we cannot approach God’s revelation and invent our own novel interpretation of His words. We just cannot. Rather, our views must correspond to traditional Orthodoxy, as handed down from the apostles and prophets.
Look at Ephesians 2:18-22: For through him, we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him, you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:18-22
Orthodoxy is a word of ancient times. Orthodoxy too is a word for all times. Are you familiar with these words:
I heard an old, old story How a Savior came from glory How He gave His life on Calvary To save a wretch like me I heard about His groaning Of His precious blood's atoning Then I repented of my sins And won the victory!
This song was penned in 1939 by Eugene Bartlet. A song of ancient times, but a song of truth for all times.
This is Orthodoxy. It is ancient. It is classic. It is timeless. And... it is truth.
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Jeffrey Dean Smith is a husband, father to Bailey & Brynnan, author, and the Senior Pastor at Donelson First in Nashville, TN. If you are in Music City, meet Jeffrey and enjoy iced tea on the front lawn each Sunday at 10:30a.