December 30, 2024

Honesty: Telling the Truth

The importance of telling the truth, or at least not telling a lie, cannot be overstated. We are created for relationships. The Bible is a manual on how to put those relationships in proper order to get the best out of our relationships. While man has an inherent need for connections, it is essential these relationships must be conducted in a morally upright manner, excluding behaviors such as fornication, adultery, and homosexuality.

To have healthy and properly functioning relationships, they must be built on trust, and that is built on honesty. Honesty is the cornerstone of all relationships, heavenly and earthly.

The book of Genesis tells us that suffering and sorrow entered the world because of a lie. Man chose not to trust God, and Adam and Eve were seduced with a lie. He told them they would not die. Jesus calls Satan, “He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44 NLT). In the teachings of Jesus, as recorded in the New Testament, truth is a central theme.

In John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” He encourages His followers to seek truth, follow His teachings, and live in accordance with moral and spiritual truth. He also warns against falsehood and deception, associating lies with the devil as the “father of lies.”

Empire of Lies

All of the world’s dictatorships were built on lies. When the government lies to us, we call it propaganda, and this leads to a lack of transparency and distrust because people believe they are being misled. Dictatorships, like Soviet Russia and Communist China, establish extensive networks of informers and surveillance apparatus that encourage citizens to report on each other’s activities.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn, a Russian writer and dissident who experienced the Soviet labor camp system firsthand, emphasized the importance of telling the truth in his works and public statements. One of his most famous quotes on this topic is: “One word of truth outweighs the world.” Solzhenitsyn believed that telling the truth, especially in the face of oppression, tyranny, and injustice, was a moral imperative.

His writings, particularly “The Gulag Archipelago” and “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich,” exposed the harsh realities of the communist labor camp system and the oppressive nature of communism. These works were seen as acts of courage and defiance against a government that sought to suppress dissent and control the narrative.

Solzhenitsyn argued that by telling the truth about the injustices he witnessed and experienced, he could shine a light on the dark corners of Soviet society and, in doing so, contribute to the process of reform and the restoration of moral values. He believed that truth had the power to inspire change and expose the falsehoods and corruption of authoritarian regimes.

In the Soviet Gulag system, Solzhenitsyn found Christ and became obedient to the gospel. He was an atheist when he was imprisoned. During his imprisonment, Solzhenitsyn witnessed some fellow inmates’ resilience and capacity for moral goodness. They did not buy into the lies of the government. They refused to compromise their morals for a crumb of extra bread.

Maintaining Healthy Relationships

As stated earlier, open and honest communication is essential for building and maintaining healthy relationships. It’s important to note that while lying may provide short-term benefits in some cases, it often leads to long-term harm in relationships. Avoiding consequences, ducking conflict, and preserving self-esteem are all bad reasons. When the truth eventually comes to light, it can damage the trust that others have in the person who lied, leading to strained or broken relationships.

One of the greatest evils facing the family is the idea of relative truth. When people say that truth is relative, they are expressing a perspective that suggests that the truth of a statement or belief can vary depending on one’s perspective, context, or frame of reference. In essence, what is considered true for one person or in one situation may not necessarily be true for another person or in a different context. This view challenges the idea of absolute or objective truth, asserting that truth can be subjective and context-dependent. Relativism challenges the idea of objective truth, which posits that a single, unchanging truth exists independently of human perspectives.

Instead, it suggests that human beings construct truth and that it is subject to change and interpretation. The question of relativism is refuted by asking, if there are no objective truths, is that statement true? To say otherwise violates the law of noncontradiction. The Bible demonstrates that certain truths are not merely matters of opinion or cultural preference but are grounded in an external, unchanging reality.

In a pragmatic sense, you can only solve any problem with a clear understanding of the truth. It will become an arduous and futile endeavor. Truth is the North Star in our quest for solutions, providing a reliable reference point for building a logical plan with effective strategies. Otherwise, we find ourselves navigating a maze of uncertainty, where conjecture and assumptions replace solid foundations. Imagine a doctor trying to find a cure without accurate information about the disease or akin to trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces; the resulting picture remains incomplete, leaving us vulnerable to misguided decisions, unintended consequences, and an ongoing cycle of problems. In the medical field, this is called malpractice.

Author: Jon-Roy Sloan is the Chief Communications Officer for NationsUniversity and the author of Anastasia Smiles: Love Needs No Translation. Disclaimer statement: Please note that the opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone and are based on his personal understanding of scripture and how God works in our lives and do not necessarily reflect the views of NationsUniversity®.

Article 14, Family Policy Series – 205 Honesty