Nothing But The Truth …

I was having a chat with a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

As ever in their missionary strategy they got round to asking me if I wished to explore the truth further with them along the lines of the helpful literature they have produced. I know it may come as a surprise to you, but actually I was interested in exploring what their views of the truth were. I am genuinely interested in hearing people’s presentation of their beliefs, because it’s better than just reading a book or even watching a video on it.

What I wanted to do, however, was also have the opportunity to explore how their views matched up with other perspectives on the same subject. This disturbed the couple, however, and they were reluctant to engage in that territory because of a concern that it would turn the issue into a ‘spiritual ping-pong’ match. What they preferred was just to be able to go through their tract and their material to assess if their reading of scripture was indeed the truth and on that basis then see if I would accept what they were saying and then become a Witness. (I wonder if they were the inspiration for the call ‘can I get a …’?)

What concerned me then, and concerns me now is the reluctance to open their views to be challenged and critiqued with alternatives. After all if what you believe is the truth you’ll have a response to those who argue otherwise and at the end of the day the truth will out anyway, whether I choose to accept it or not. To clamp down on getting others opinions is rather repressive.

Now I’d like to say that was the first time that I’d experienced such repression, but sadly in a sphere of Christianity that I knew far better than the Witnesses, something similar was taking place. The thinking was to only take on the word from the elder of the church and not bring outside material or resources that had not been vetted by that elder as acceptable in his sight. So if the teaching according to the elder was not accepted then it was as good as heresy you were spouting or worse still you were in rebellion to the will of God through the elder. That level of control just does not make sense in the light of what the truth is. Especially the truth of Jesus Christ.

I love teaching, I love sharing, I love studying, researching, preparing and presenting the results of all that in the hope to stimulate and convince people of what I’ve come across. The key in what I present though is caught up in the phrase ‘don’t take my word for it’. I want people to explore what I am saying for themselves and see if it resonates with the truth of God as they understand it and can verify it for themselves so that it’s theirs.

If I have been faithful and accurate then all I’ve successfully done is conveyed a message on behalf of the Truth, so the Truth gets the glory and I’m happy at a job well done. If under scrutiny some elements are justifiably amended for whatever – well the Truth still comes out trumps and hopefully I can be humble enough to make those adjustments. If what I’m saying is a load of old cobblers then that should emerge and significant correction given to me and again Truth triumphs. Either way Truth wins and my role in it is merely incidental in the larger scheme of things.

I should have no trouble at all with you looking to confirm what you’ve heard with the Spirit. If you come back and engage further I should be thrilled at the opportunity to explore truth together. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not in for point-scoring or proving yourself to be an ace Bible quote-smith as though Scriptures are bullets in the OK Coral. Yet I’m excited to see the Truth for what it is and how it is. That Berean spirit should be applauded, not clamped down in the name of protecting the pedestal you hold so dearly or whatever other agenda you’re propagating ironically at the expense of the Truth.

The experience has been a good one in informing my own passion to share the gospel and Kingdom living with others in conversation as well as in example. My primary passion is to be a channel of God’s grace, peace and love for all men, so rather than just wanting to say something and wait for you to fall over in accepting what I’m saying, I’m far more interested in coming alongside people and engaging with them where they are at to be able to convey this Truth in the best possible way and accept any questions or challenges that fit that situation.

Anything else, ironically, does not promote nothing but the Truth.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd