When The Truth Becomes A Lie

I Corinthians 3:11 says, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than the one that is already laid, who is Jesus Christ“. (I Cor.3:11). Jesus is THEE way the truth and the life, there is no other foundation, no other Truth that we build upon. If you try and take A truth and make it into THEE truth (the primary emphasis, a separate foundation) it becomes a lie. You cannot lay another foundation. All truth must be built upon thee truth, the one Foundation, in order retain its truth. All truth is predicated upon Jesus. (See John 14:6). All truth is defined in relation to Him. So if you make another biblical truth the foundation, even though it is true, over time that truth will evolve into a lie because it is no longer tethered to Jesus. It loses its moorings and, eventually, its redemptive context and Scriptural meaning.

Here’s what happens when a truth becomes a lie. Jesus is thee Truth, the others are “truths”. If one of those biblical truths becomes thee emphasis and is not built upon Jesus, it will eventually veer off into error. I’ll give you an example: Holiness. Holiness is a truth. We know that without it no man will see God. But holiness is not THEE truth. Holiness is A truth and to retain its “truthfulness” or biblical integrity, it must be defined relative to Jesus. For instance, Jesus tells us holiness will not be accomplished by trying to be holy, by externals (Mt.23:26). In fact, holiness or righteousness is a free gift from God when we are born again. We are MADE holy, clothed in His righteousness by the finished work of Jesus Christ (Ro.5:19, II Cor.5:21). Hebrews 10:9 says, “By this will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all“. And, on top of that, Ez.36:26,27 says, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep mine ordinances, and do them”. So we are changed from within as well as clothed from without. We are not only covered in His righteousness but have new holy desires inside! It’s all Him!

BUT, what happens when holiness becomes the foundation upon which we build instead of Jesus Christ? There are churches, denominations and movements that have done this. It results in legalism; a law based, guilt driven attempt to maintain favor with God that leads to death; a roller coaster ride of self righteousness and condemnation. Holiness is not the result of observing rules but from what Christ accomplished for us 2000 years ago. Now we bear fruit out of relationship with Him. But when holiness becomes the foundation in itself and is not built upon the ONE foundation ALREADY laid (Jesus) the truth becomes a lie. And in its extreme, just visit Pennsylvania Dutch country.