How Do You Measure Truth?
Bible Reading: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
We are thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation, a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and by your belief in the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13
A bank robber rushes up to a teller. “Put the money in the bag, lady,” he growls.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” the teller says. “Other people put their money in the bank so we can keep it safe.”
“I want the money,” he presses. “Hand it over!”
“But why should I give it to you?”
“I’ve decided I can choose right and wrong for myself. And I’ve made up my mind that it’s a really good thing for me to take money from banks.”
“Well, then. Why didn’t you say so? You’ve thought this through-and you’ve made up your own mind about good and evil. That’s so sweet.” The teller calls over the guards. “Frank, Charlie-would you help this man load up his car with money?” And then the clerk turns to the bank customers. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Mister-umm—what’s your name?”
“Doe,” he stammers. “Joe Doe.”
“Joe Doe will be emptying our vaults today. Let’s give him a round of applause!”
You wouldn’t keep your money at a bank that lets people walk in and demand your money just because they think it’s the right thing to do. But believe it or not, that’s how some people think we should decide what’s good and what’s evil!
Christians believe that they know the right rules—rules that apply to everyone. Yet it’s not enough for Christians to say, “We know the rules everyone should live by.” We need to understand where these rules come from and why they are truly best.
We can be sure of the difference between right and wrong because the rules that govern the universe come from one source: God. And they are perfect because he is perfect. God is so righteous, so just, so true that he alone sets the standard for right and wrong, justice and injustice, and truth and lies.
We know love is good and hatred is evil because God is love. Honesty is right and lying is wrong because God is true. Purity is moral and impurity is immoral be¬cause God is pure.
What God tells us about right and wrong is absolute—true for all people, at all times, in all places. He cares too much for us to command us to do anything less than his best.
TALK: Why is God’s standard of right and wrong the one to use? How would you explain this to a friend?
PRAY: Lord, the world gives us all kinds of standards to judge actions and ideas. We know you are the perfect judge of what is good and right.
ACT: Look today for ways that people throw out God’s rules of right and wrong. What could you say to change their thinking?