Which is more important, Your feelings or the truth?

It seems as though people are more concerned about their feelings than they are about the truth. The facts have become less important than if our feelings are hurt. When a person makes a statement and it is different than what the hearer thinks or believes, the person is automatically assumed to be attacking their beliefs or ideas. The person, making the statement, may not have even tried or intended to hurt anyone’s feelings, or meant to attack anything. Telling the truth has become a dangerous thing.

As George Orwell once said: “Speaking the truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act.”. People say that they love truth, but what they actually mean is that they love truth as long as it agrees with what they already think or believe. The old saying , “Ignorance Is Bliss”, has proven to be true. People do not want to be confused by the facts or the truth. What they do not know does not bother them, they are happy campers. Being confronted with the truth makes the person uncomfortable and forces the person to make a decision. They will have to act on the information in one way or another. They can consider the information and learn from it, or they can take the easier path. Most people take the easier path, reject the information and choose to be offended by it.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32 KJV) Most of us are familiar with John 8:32, most of us believe it, but very few of us will apply it to our lives and our thinking. What happens is that if we consider a statement, something we have read, or heard, and learn from it, often the truth will make us angry before it makes us free. This is one reason why people reject truth and are offended by it. Some one has rocked the boat, they have upset the apple cart, they have dared to go against the “status quo”, against the traditions that have been held dear.

“ Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.”(Proverbs 23:23 KJV) Although we are instructed to get a hold of the truth, we often treat truth in the way we are instructed to treat the devil (James 4:7), we reject it and it flees from us. We will defend something false rather than be embarrassed about being wrong about something. What I call “Truth Barriers” are often thrown up when someone is confronted with the truth. They will use a “Truth Barrier” like, “Well, the important thing is Jesus” as if to say that whatever was stated is not as important as Jesus, therefore it is not important. When a person starts to see that what was said might actually be true, they will use a “Truth Barrier”like, “Well, what difference does it make, anyway.”. Truth is important to Christ and it should be important to us. Christ stated that He is “. . . the way, the truth, and the life. . .” (John 14:6). If Christ is important to us, then truth should be important to us also. We say that it is, but is it really?

Not long ago, someone was stating that they had heard that a Professor had made some statements that had offended some people. What surprised me, and it should not have, was that no one was asking if the Professor had actually made the statements or if they were true. The subject seemed to be that someone was offended. Truth will be sacrificed to avoid offending someone. The following is from a message entitled “In The Name of Purpose: Sacrificing Truth on the Altar of Unity” by Tamara Hartzell, from: http://erwm.com/ .

"Truth becomes the sacrifice:
When absolutism is out, and relativism is in;
When obedience is out, and pragmatism is in;
When teaching is out, and dialogue is in;
When thus saith the Lord is out, and consensus of opinion is in;
When using Scripture to judge right and wrong is out, and unity with tolerance at all costs is in;
When the narrow way is out, and the broad way is in."

In most Bible Book Stores, today, there are rows and rows of what is called “Christian Fiction”. There are many other books in the Bible Book Stores that probably should also be listed with the “Christian Fiction”. The words sound good, but do they edify, will they turn someone from their sin, will they bring a person closer to God? If the Bible is true, and I believe that it is, what do we need “Christian Fiction” for? The actual events, as described in the scriptures have far more drama, adventure, and excitement than can be invented in books of fiction. Certainly there is a time to relax and we do not spend all of our time studying the Bible, but in most cases, a lot more time is spent studying fantasies and fictitious stories than is spent in any area of the Bible. People read so much fiction that it creeps into what they believe. Thomas Jefferson once said: “Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong.” I have heard it said that it isn’t so much what we don’t know that is hurting us as it is knowing so much that just is not so. Fiction makes us feel good, but I have found that my greatest joy has come from Bible study. When I used to teach a Senior Adult Sunday School Class, I would study all during the week and more than likely enjoyed preparing for the class more than the class itself.

None of us have all truth. Our understanding is limited and is often influenced by our life experiences and what we have already learned. Many of the books, commentaries, and even notes in Bibles, are just some one opinion and understanding. Some may be pretty good and others are just fiction as compared to the Bible. I have heard many things,spoken by the Big TV preachers, that may sound good to their audience, but are just fiction and foreign to the Bible. Many are teaching a gospel of feelings, where there is salvation without repentance, without the need for their sin debt to be paid, and therefore, no need of a savior. Their words make people feel good, but they would be better served with the truth. The false teachers that preach fiction for profit, using words to tickle the ears of the audience, so that those heard them will feel good, will have to answer to God for their deeds. Their audience will not be held blameless. A Christian is to use discernment, we are to walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise (Ephesians 5:15). Even if the truth hurts our feelings, we are not to stay babies in the Lord. With a close walk with our savior and study of His word, we are to grow and become mature. It is the immature, the spiritual babies that act on feelings. If feelings are most important, then we are immature Christians and need to feed on the word of God and grow in Him.

Let us make truth more important, in our lives than our feelings. We need not be offended by truth but embrace it.