The Truth about Truth

Messenger: Lorenzo King
Date: February 21, 2009
Venue: Andrews Memorial Seventh-Day Adventist Church

I attended the Adventist Fellowship on Sabbath. There I heard free uplifting music and heard the lady welcoming everyone to their "community of G-d's children".

Church for me now is a place to:

• hear free uplifting music


• hear inspirational and motivational speaking


• meet and fellowship with persons who want to improve morally

While I did not receive much from the day's worship services, I did benefit and value the flier handed out to me, with some thoughts of the pastor, Lorenzo King.

I think he wrote some brilliant ideas, worthy to be shared here. (His wife is a Librarian, so I was not at all surprised that sufficient bibliographic data was provided on the flier for me to prepare a citation). The citation is as follows:

Lorenzo R. King. "The Truth About Truth" The Write of A King Vol. 2, No. 25 (February 21, 2009).

King in his commentary indicates that there are three truths about the "truth". First, he argues that the Devil tells truth with an agenda of furthering his cause (Mark 5:7-8; Acts 16:16-17; Genesis 3:5,22).

I would add that the Devil also tells the truth to condemn and accuse the brethren (Zechariah 3:1-2; Jude 9; Revelation 12:10).

The second point about truth raised by King is that truth must be shared responsibly. He argues that there is no truth or Biblical support to the adage: "speak the truth and speak it ever cause it what it will." He said not all truths must be revealed, as sometimes the revelation of truth can be harmful to persons whom the truths have been revealed to. He shows in the scripture that there are a number of times, when G-d held back truth from humanity knowing that they were either not ready for such truth or are unable to "endure the impact" thereof (John 16:12; Revelation 10:4).

I would also add that Jesus admonishes us that we must not give truth and wisdom to those unworthy of it (Matthew 7:6).


Finally, Pastor King goes on to admonish us that possessing truth can be "dangerous, as such possession of truth can lead to "intolerance and bigotry". He suggests that it hard to remain humble when we have truth that others do not have. People with truth have a responsibility to guard against feelings of "superiority" and "intolerance", while recognizing that possessing truth makes one a servant to those who do not have truth. As one who possess truth we will have to be apostles to those who lack it.

King argues that we who possess truth must not be "arrogant" or practice the "piety of intolerance". According to King, "Enlightened bigotry is worse than ignorant but peaceful coexistence. He cites the example of how Jesus rebuked his disciples for a display of intolerance (Luke 9:51-56).