Pondering (for days) the second part of the courtroom oath: “the Whole Truth,” the Lord called to mind these words that John wrote at the end of his gospel:

“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books which would be written.” John 21:25.

I get an image of a huge river flowing before me: so wide that I cannot see the other side…the “Whole Truth River.” As I dip into that River for Truth about so many things, I begin to feel that trying to find and communicate the Whole Truth is an exercise in futility…or, at least, impossibility. However, I think the key to this dilemma is found in the words of Jesus:

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of Truth…you know Him because He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:17 “Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of Living Water will flow from within them.” John 7: 38

Jesus refers to this “River” before His ascension: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into ALL the Truth.“

The original question was whether or not “the elect” can be deceived and how this could/would happen to them. This is why C.S.Lewis’ “Screwtape Letters.” is so brilliant. It reveals the strategy that the enemy uses and has used since the very beginning: he uses God’s Word itself to deceive by presenting only a portion of the Truth instead of the “Whole Truth”: Let us go to the garden of Eden (See Genesis 2:9 through 3:1-7); can we even imagine the pristine beauty of it? [A friend of mine just sent pictures of her premature newborn son: such fragile newness and hope.] Since “God is Spirit” He spoke to Adam and Eve as He speaks to us: “in the Spirit”: “If you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall surely die;” this meant that they would die spiritually.

However, Satan comes to Eve with a “hath God said…?” When Satan says “you shall not die,” he is talking about physical death. Just think: the word “die” was used by both God and Satan, but Satan knew that it meant two different things entirely. So, technically, he told a portion of truth: they did “not die” physically, but they did die spiritually. This is why he is called “the deceiver of the brethren.”

In Matthew 4:6-7 Jesus has just been baptized and before beginning His ministry He is experiencing 40 days of temptation in the wilderness. Again using the Word of God, Satan says to Him: “‘If you are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written: (Ps.91:11,12), ‘He will give His angels charge over You and they will bear You up on their hands…'” “Jesus responds:, ‘it is written also ‘You shall not tempt, test, or try exceedingly the Lord your God.’“  Here Jesus instructs us by His example in how to respond to the beguiling, misleading half truths of the enemy: ask God to fill you with His Spirit and then purpose every moment of every day to sensitize yourself to His Voice and surrender to His leading. “Trust in the LORD your God with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him & He will direct your path.” Ps.37

In my last blog I addressed how what people often perceive as “truth” is subjective: based on what they believe trough what theyhave experienced, or been taught. This word “taught” brings up another huge issue. If the people that I trust to teach or communicate truth to me are themselves deceived or intentionally deceiving, then what I learn from them is not Truth. Consider the Scribes and Pharisees: leaders, teachers, experts in the Law — because they hated Jesus, they misrepresented him, falsely accused Him, and crucified Him.

It is important to recognize that some of them, like Saul, believed that Jesus was not only dangerous, but that He was the worst possible blasphemer: thereby “deserving” of death. After all, Jesus claimed that He was God. To make matters worse, Jesus had harshly confronted them and, throwing over the money changer tables in the temple, thereby threatened their income, their positions and their power. Furthermore, He said things that to just human ears might sound like inciting violence: “….I have not come to bring peace but to bring a Sword...” We see how easily they were able to misrepresent Him and sow fear in the hearts of the masses. It is also clear why they hated him: their pride, intellect, and strict adherence to the “letter of the law” blinded them: they were not only unwilling to see and hear Jesus, they were unable to see due to spiritual blindness and the hardness of their hearts.

Alas, we are still susceptible to being similarly misled. Due to our own selfish desires and opinions we can be unwilling or unable to see/receive truth. Think of the commonly accepted phrase “Love is blind:” just try to point out to a “star struck” lover the character flaws of their “beloved.” This comes into play in other areas: frequently sport fans put on “blinders” through which they judge the referee’s calls: happily accepting any that favor their team. Clearly, in these last years we have seen how this wreaks havoc in our institutions and government: “Love is blind; Hate blinds us.”…no wonder we are in such dire straits. Finally, consider courtrooms where, on the basis of testimony that may be true, false, or partially true, the lives and destinies of men and women are decided.

Years ago I watched a one hour special about a man convicted of killing his wife. Because the D.A. was up for reelection, he had wanted a quick conviction in this big case so he ignored DNA evidence; as a result this innocent man spent ten years in prison, leaving his children without a parent. However, because someone believed in him and continued fighting for him, the DNA evidence was introduced in an appeal and the conviction was finally overturned: the real murderer was apprehended. This is not fiction! A man left early for work one morning and ended up losing his wife, his children, his career, and his freedom…all due to someone else’s evil and another’s selfish ambition.

My lifelong friend, Janet, was alerted that a huge explosion had killed her sister and husband destroying their beloved older home. The explosion was so massive that the authorities had no explanation except a bomb. Soon their two twenty-something children — already paralyzed shock and grief — were (very briefly) “prime suspects.” Fortunately, the whole, factual, indisputable Truth was discovered: there was a slow propane leak in the basement furnace which had gone undetected: an unspeakable tragedy but not a crime. Can you imagine the horror being blamed — even for a moment?!

Let us pause and consider before we pronounce judgements and assemble the tribunals, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8

“I will send the Spirit of Truth Who will guide you into All Truth.” Jn 16: 12-13