"We Have The Truth"

Have you ever noticed that people become numb to phrases that they hear, especially when those phrases are frequently used? This is an interesting habit, that we start to lose interest in thinking about certain words or sayings that we hear all the time. Honestly, I was a bit frustrated with myself last night, as I was sitting in church and a realization hit me like a frisbee that you didn't see your buddy throw right at you. It stung a little bit.

A phrase that has been coined to tragic death in our churches is: "We have the truth." Now, this phrase is usually followed by a negative designation, such as: "...and the denominations don't." As a preacher uttered that phrase last night, in came the high-flying frisbee. We have the truth...what does that mean? When this is said in reference to what we have, and what someone else doesn't have, what it is that we are trying to point out, exactly? Do we have more truth than anyone else? Is there a resource of truth to which we alone have VIP access? No, God's truth is open to all men, isn't it? I think what this little saying is appealing to is our understanding of the Bible; our understanding of truth. If it's not, then it basically means that other folks don't have the means by which to understand truth. Let's remember that God is the one who has the truth, not us. And since we have His word, we have the truth that we need to learn about Him, to come to a saving knowledge of Him, and to follow Him. And since we aren't the only people with a Bible, it becomes obvious that this phrase is referring to our understanding of the Bible.

Now, if we are at this point to say, "We have the truth", then what we're saying is that we are the only ones who understand it. All of it. Every bit of it. We've got it. But I propose that even churches which clearly have some teaching errors understand parts of God's truth. So we can't haul off and say things like, "...and the denominations don't." It's too all-inclusive; too broad. On the flip side, if we say that we have it, we are saying that we understand, without mistake, every facet of God's word. But we don't, and since we know that we don't, we shouldn't say things like the phrase in question. See what it really sounds like, when you think about it? (which is the problem- not enough people think about it) So it would be more honest to say this instead: "We see that we have a healthier and more accurate understanding of scripture than other people who understand some, but are missing some very important parts of it." But no one wants to say something like that--which brings up a question. Why? Well, it doesn't sound as good. It doesn't have the same ring to it, and it doesn't make you feel as good about yourself as the original one does. What is the value in pointing this out? That's my question. Because when you state the phrase in more honest terms, like I just did, it really sounds dumb. It especially begins sound dumb when a bunch of people say it all the time from the pulpit. Let's not break our arms patting ourselves on the back. So why do we feel the need to point this out?

Perhaps we need to tell ourselves something else. We will always have misconceptions about the Bible. I know that I will. The entire Word is not going to come into my understanding by the time I pass from this world. We will, however understand what we need to in order to know that we are saved, and to understand enough about our salvation to follow orders and go tell other people about it, and to see them brought into God's family. That's the point, and we ought to be telling ourselves about that instead of falsely reminding ourselves about our higher understanding of God (if there is such a thing). You know what other group in history did that on a regular basis? The Pharisees. Yep, and there goes that frisbee again...

So I begin to wonder why I hear people continue to coin this phrase all the time. What is the goal of saying this? What is it supposed to produce, what effect is desired? We always talk about what the denominations don't have, but I realize something that they don't have is enough prayers from us! Why don't we ever pray for them? Goodness sakes, we talk about them enough, but I don't ever recall hearing someone bring them up in order to pray for them, that they can come to know God more and be part of the family. Why don't we do that for them? I want to coin a phrase about that. My encouragement is that these kinds of phrases should be thought out before they are repeated anymore. Imagine what that would sound like to a visitor, a potential Christian. Put yourself in their shoes, where it matters. Doesn't sound like a humble thing to say, does it? I want to encourage our brotherhood to be more concerned with how we present ourselves to the world around us, if we are to impact them and to help them to know God.