By Mae Shurow

God is the One True God and His Kingdom is a Kingdom of Truth (John 18:37).  “Truth has reference to facts which always demand recognition by all men as reality, to the normal state which corresponds to divine and human order. There is no truth outside God.  All truth comes from God and is truth because it is related to God.”  Truth is reality, the way God made things to be!  To deceive means to cause to roam from safety, truth or virtue. God made the world without falsehood, but the serpent brought in deception when he deceived Eve (Gen 3:13). This was the first time the truth of God was changed into a lie.

 WHAT DOES TRUTH MEAN? 

225. alétheia; from alethés (227), true. (A) Truth, reality; divine reality, the unveiled reality lying at the basis of and agreeing with an appearance; the manifested, the veritable essence of matter.  Reality clearly lying before our eyes as opposed to a mere appearance, without reality.  (B) Spoken of what is true in itself, purity from all error or falsehood.  “The truth of the gospel” (Gal. 2:5) means the verity of the gospel. (III) In the New Testament especially, divine truth or the faith and practice of the pure gospel is called 'truth' either as being true in itself and derived from the true God, or as declaring the existence and will of the one true God, in opposition to the worship of false idols. Hence divine truth, gospel truth, as opposed to heathen and Jewish fables. (IV) Conduct conformed to the truth, integrity, probity, virtue, a life conformed to the precepts of the gospel.
Ant.: pseúdos (5579), falsehood, lie; (1388), guile; (5582), a falsehood or an acted lie;(1917), a plot; (5326), spectre, spirit; (3701), vision. (Harris, TWOT)

226.  aletheúo; from alethés (227), real, actual, not counterfeit. To act genuinely, truly. Ant.: pseúdomai (5574), to lie, deceive by lies, speak falsely;(4105), to lead astray, deceive; to pervert; (4780) (Harris, TWOT).

227.  alethés;. True, one who cannot lie. (I) True, real, conformed to the nature and reality of things. Credible, not to be rejected as a witness. (II) True, loving truth, sincere, veracious. (III) True in conduct, sincere, upright, honest, just. (Harris, TWOT)

228. alethinós; from alethés (227), true, one who cannot lie. Real, genuine (I) True, conformed to truth. In the sense of real, unfeigned, not fictitious (John 17:3, meaning the only true God, not feigned like idols; Spoken of what is true in itself, genuine, real, as opposed to that which is false, [5571]) or pretended.
Ant.: pseudés (5571), false;  (1386), deceitful; (4108), one who leads astray; (5423), a mind–deceiver; (4112), fictitious; (3541), illegitimate. (Harris, TWOT)

LIES OPPOSE TRUTH 

970b lie,  “This root and its derivatives occur forty-nine times in the Old 

Testament.  The basic meaning is to speak that which is untrue and

therefore false to reality. It is often used in connection with “vanity

emptiness.” Fundamental to the concepts of truth and falsehood in the Old

Testament is the understanding that the God of Israel does not lie (Num

 23:19; Ps 89:35). He is faithful to all that he has said and expects his

followers to do the same. This is why false witness was such a serious

offense (Prov 6:19; 19:5, etc.). Not only was a person denying the truth, but

he was calling the God of Truth to be a witness to his crime.

An equally serious offense was false prophecy in God’s name (Ezk

13:6–9, 19; Mic 2:11, etc.). Such prophecy was vanity because it was

empty of any reality. (Harris, TWOT)  

Because of man’s alienation from God the Truth, lying has become

endemic to us (Ps 4:2). Having lied to ourselves about the true nature of

our relation to God and thus lost the security of trusting him, we are forced

into greater lies about life (Isa 57:11). The essence of wickedness then

is a denial of faithfulness and commitment, either to people or to facts

(Ps 62:4). Indeed, it becomes a commitment to lies (Isa 28:17). By

contrast, a faithful person will not lie (Prov 14:5). (Harris, TWOT)  

But trust in anything or anyone other than God is vain—a lie (Job 41:9; Prov

30:6). Indeed  “a lie” is probably used in Isa as a derogatory substitute for

“idol" (Isa 28:15, 17, cf. also Am 2:4; Ps 40:4). Lies can only deceive and

fail one (Prov 23:3). It is this which God was trying to demonstrate to Israel

through the prophets. Israel’s hope that she could get her temporal

needs supplied without commitment to God was a lie (Amos 2:4) and

the longer she followed that road the more barren she became

(Hos 12:2). Her only hope was to accept God’s redemption and

return to reality (Isa 28:17; Hos 7:13). Then she would discover

freedom (Zeph 3:13) and fruitfulness (Isa 58:11) in life as it was meant to

be (Ps 40:4; 25:10–13).”(Harris, TWOT) 

“Lying cannot be viewed as merely the opposite of truth.  Untruth is non-being and error as a false judgment of reality.  At issue is the divinely protected order of the world.  Every active mode of being is determined either by divine or demonic reality” (Harris, TWOT).  A lie (psuedo) is empty, vanity, nothing there, no reality, no substance, illusion.  It appears to be true, but there is no substance to it!  Lies are the essence of wickedness, denying the reality of God! Unbelief is believing a lie instead of believing God’s truth.  Believing lies, falsehoods, or deception is the ultimate rebellion against divine order, against God’s Sovereignty and Kingship. 

God on Trial 

“In Is. 43:9–13 and 44:7–11 Yahweh arranges before the nations a kind of trial in which it will be shown who is truly God, Yahweh or the gods of the Gentiles. The nations are interested witnesses who must come forward to demonstrate the deity of their gods from their experiences (43:9; 44:9). These witnesses or deities have nothing whereof to testify. They see nothing and hear nothing. The makers of idols are impotent, in this trial they will be put to shame (44:9–11). In contrast, Israel is told three times: “You are my witnesses,” 43:10, 12; 44:8.  Yea, ye are my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no rock; I know not any,” 44:7–9. In this trial between God and the nations and their gods, Israel, on the basis of the guidance, deliverance and revelation which it has experienced, will declare to the nations of the world the uniqueness, reality, and deity of God. Hence they are His witnesses” (Harris, TWOT).

• Isaiah 43:10-11 Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.

The Kingdom is present now in the hearts of all believers.  If the King of Kings rules in our hearts and lives, then our lives will manifest and be witness to Truth.  WE ARE TO PROCLAIM IT!  

The Spirit inside us witnesses to the Truth, and gives us the power to proclaim the Kingdom.

• Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

• 1 John 5:6 …And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
• Proverbs 22:21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
• Acts 28:23 …[Paul] expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
• Ephes. 6:19-20 [Paul asked for prayer] …that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery [hidden truth] of the gospel, 20For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
• Titus 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee [disregard, reckon as nothing].
• Acts 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

AND WE ARE TO LIVE IT! We are to live our lives in absolute trust of God, believing and teaching His reality instead of lies.  As we live our lives depending on God, without hypocrisy, not trusting in or believing in the flesh or anything else, we proclaim the truth by His rule in our lives.  We proclaim His reality!

• Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,  “Uncorruptness (90) “sincerity, integrity, freedom from corruptible mixtures or adulterations, without admixture, unadulterated teaching;  indicates that it is constitutionally impossible to change the teaching of Christ and still have it produce the same results as the pure doctrine of the gospel" (Zodhiates, #90) Sincerity (861) genuineness, incorruption, imperishability, freedom from corrupt doctrines or designs” (Zodhiates, #861).

• 1 Tim. 4:12 …be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
• Zeph. 3:13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
• Psalm 119:104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
• 2 Tim. 1:7-8 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
• Ephes. 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
• Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

The truth is that God is the only help, safety, and satisfaction.  All power and strength are in God!  If we are not living our lives in this manner, we are denying the reality of God, believing the lie that there is safety in other things; satisfaction in other relationships; help from other places; power or strength from other sources.  All else is a façade!

• Isaiah 44:20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

• Psalm 4:2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing [falsehood]? Selah.

• 1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
• 1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
• Jeremiah 13:25 …because thou hast forgotten [denied] me, and trusted in falsehood.
• 1 John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
• Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.  “Denying (720) “to deny by actions that there is a God; can include the idea of falsehood or contradiction. 
• 2 Tim. 2:12-13 …if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
• Isaiah 59:4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
• Isaiah 57:11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart?…
• Isaiah 59:13 In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
• Hosea 7:13-14 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. 14And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.

God is coming to establish His Kingdom, His rule, in us.  It will be a Kingdom where His divine reality is established, truth will reign, and all lies will be abolished.  All that we say and do, our every action proclaims to all our fellow man what we believe.  Do we trust in our King? Or in emptiness and vanity? 

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*All emphasis  mine.

Copyright ©2005 by Mae Shurow 
Permission is granted for non-commercial (free) distribution 
provided proper citation of authorship is included.

________________________
 
Harris, R. L., Harris, R. L., Archer, G. L., & Waltke, B. K. (1999, c1980). Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament.
         Chicago: Moody Press.
Zodhiates, S. (2000, c1992, c1993). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN:
         AMG Publishers.