2 of 2

Instead, we must learn to dwell in truth, like "the God of truth" (Ps. 31:5) and like Jesus, who is "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). It is not just that God speaks the truth, but also that he is true. He is reliable in keeping his covenant commitments. One aspect of God's being true is that his words are true. The same attribute should characterize us.

Disciples of Jesus Christ know the truth (1 John 2:21), tell the truth (John 19:35), "belong to the truth" (1 John 3:19), love "in the truth" (2 John 1:1), and walk in the truth (2 John 1:4). Truth is not simply something that is believed or even spoken. Rooted in faith in the trustworthy triune God, truth is a way of being, a path that is followed, and a place that one inhabits. Truth is a commitment of each individual and of the entire Christian community, verified by our actions—beginning with, but not limited to, the words that come out of our mouths.

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

David P. Gushee is Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy at Union University. His books include Only Human: Christian Reflections on the Journey Toward Wholeness, Getting Marriage Right, and he is coauthor of Kingdom Ethics Following Jesus in a Contemporary Context. His columns for Christianity Today include:

Our Missing Moral Compass | Christianity is more than an event, an experience, or a set of beliefs. (Nov. 14, 2005)

Bill's Big Career Move | How do we make important family decisions? (Jan. 10, 2006)

first page |  2 of 2

share this page

March 2006, Vol. 50, No. 3