Building a Culture of Truth
In this series, I take our law homily from our church gathering each week (The law homily is where we read from the law of God and let His law examine our hearts so that we can be a tender-hearted and repenting people), and I post them here for your edification.
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." - Exodus 20:16
When we think of the Ninth Commandment, our minds often fixate on the notion of lying. While this command indeed prohibits lying, it also calls us to something far deeper. It beckons us to embrace a commitment to God's truth in every corner of our lives and society.
The Westminster Larger Catechism, in Question 144, begins like this “The duties required in the ninth commandment are, the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man.” This perspective shows that our duty in a war on falsehood extends beyond the white lies, falsified reports, and dutiful silences. We are called to create and preserve a wholesale culture of truth, where honesty and integrity are so thick, that falsehood, lies, and deception are suffocated.
How To Build A Culture Of Truth
The Ninth Commandment calls us not only to avoid falsehood but also to actively promote truth in our communities. Building a culture of truth involves more than honesty in our statements; it requires us to be advocates of truth in every situation.
For instance, in our daily lives, we must embody truth. Think of a whistleblower who exposes corruption despite personal risk out of courage to uphold truth in a culture of deceit. Similarly, in our workplaces, we should not be turtles who hide in their shells. Instead, we should be influencing the landscape and climate of our vocations so that DEI committees and woke HR departments are not propagating harmful and deceitful cultures that gobble up the righteous and spit in the face of reality. In our families, we should teach our children from the Word so that they will know the truth, see the truth as critical to our lives at every level, and encouraging them how to recognize lies, repent of falsehoods, and how to live in the light of Christ in all things. In social circles, we should stand against misinformation, whether it's a “harmless rumor” or a damaging lie. As people of the truth, we must require that truth abounds in every thing we touch and in everything we can influence.
Creating cultures of truth also means rewarding honesty when someone might be tempted to lie, celebrating fidelity in marriage, refusing to use someone’s preferred pronouns regardless of the cost, and promoting forthrightness in every conceivable dimension. Imagine a garden choked with weeds (falsehoods). Just as a diligent gardener aggressively removes the weeds and continually plants and replants new seeds so that only healthy plants may flourish, we must actively root out deceit everywhere it is found, while also continually speaking truth, promoting truth, and acting in truthful ways in order to suffocate deception out of our world and cultivate a world that aligns with the Word. While that is a tremendous job that none of us can accomplish today, we can begin that work in our lives, in our jobs, and in our homes.
Practical Steps
BRING GOD’S TRUTH INTO THE HOME: In our families, practices like family worship, catechetical training for the children, sabbath dinners, and singing psalms at the dinner table instill a love for God’s Word and a commitment to truth. Disciplining our children joyfully, not angrily or violently, will remind them that the way of truth brings abundant life, whereas the fleeting pleasures of the wicked will end in death and darkness. These habits create a foundation of faith and honesty that will guide our children throughout their lives.
BRING GOD’S TRUTH INTO EDUCATION: Abandon public schools. There is no virtue in sacrificing your child on the altar of public education. Your children are not missionaries. They are to be trained up in the fear and admonition of the Lord so that they can grow up faithfully into adult hood. With that, take them out of Caesars indoctrination camps and put them in homeschooling or in Christian schools. The curriculum should be robust, challenging, excellent, and grounded upon truth. By investing in these educational options, we protect our children from the lies being force-fed to our children from pedophiliac bureaucrats and equip them with a biblical worldview to rebuild Christendom.
BRING GOD’S TRUTH INTO REPENTANCE: Encouraging open and honest communication within our homes is crucial. Teaching children to admit their mistakes, hate their sin, and to seek forgiveness fosters an atmosphere of honesty, integrity, and fidelity. Celebrating honesty, even when it is difficult, helps to cultivate a love for truth in your children and will contribute to the culture of this world. Imagine if every Christian had as many children as was prudent for them and taught all of them a love of learning and truth. Where would the world be in 40 years if that were the case?
BRING GOD’S TRUTH INTO OUR DECISION MAKING: Society is going to try to squeeze you out. They are going to pressure you to do all kinds of things that violate a Biblical worldview. But, our job is to kindly and joyfully refuse them. For instance, when they want you to call a man a woman, decline that invite. Because in that situation, they are asking you to participate in falsehood, which is a lie. When they encourage you to watch this movie that looks incredible, but has nudity in it, refuse them. Because in that moment, they are asking you to lust (which lies about the nature of godly sexual attraction) or they are asking you to affirm the promotion of lust (which lies about the nature of God’s world and what people need). In whatever way that truth is being distorted or perverted, we must be people of the truth. We must ask ourself what “truth” is being told by this thing, this person, this culture, this action, this statement. And if that “truth” is a lie in Scripture, we must dutifully and delightfully refuse it.
By following these simple steps, we can build a culture of truth that permeates our personal lives, families, and communities, reflecting the light of Christ in a world darkened by deceit.
Conclusion: A Call to Repentance and Gospel Transformation
As we reflect on these responsibilities, let us remember that living truthfully and promoting truth is not legalism. It is a manifestation of our love for the God of truth and our desire to see His truth permeate our lives and communities. By being truthful, we emulate God’s nature, contribute to the building up of a godly community, and shine as beacons of His grace and truth in a world marred by deception.
Today, if you have lied, manipulated, or promoted falsehood—whether deliberately or unintentionally—confess these sins to God. Seek His forgiveness and be reoriented to Him in truth. If you have neglected to create a culture of truth in your family, business, or community, now is the time to repent. If you have been embarrassed by the truth, ashamed of it, or cowardly concerning it, turn back to Jesus Christ, who is truth incarnate.
Jesus Christ, the embodiment of truth, calls us to a life transformed by His Gospel. He lived a life of perfect truthfulness and went to the cross to atone for our sins, including our failures to uphold the Ninth Commandment. Through His resurrection, He offers us new life, empowering us to live in truth by the power of the Holy Spirit. As we embrace the Gospel, we are not only forgiven but also equipped to be truth-bearers in a deceptive world.
