Recognizing The Truth

Recognizing the Truth

Damaris

Read: Acts 17:16-34

Chloe looked at the clock, punched her pillow a couple of times, and flopped over onto her stomach. She wanted to be a good citizen, but she hadn’t expected her first turn at jury duty to keep her awake at night. They were just three days into the trial, and they’d already heard totally different accounts of what had happened. All the witnesses seemed convincing to Chloe, but they couldn’t all be giving accurate testimony. How will we ever sort out such a mess? she wondered. How are we supposed to decide who is telling the truth?

Damaris may have had similar feelings at some point in her life. She lived in ancient Athens, regarded as the intellectual capital of the world at that time. The people loved to discuss and debate all the latest ideas. The apostle Paul took advantage of this openness to present the gospel to the city’s prominent council of philosophers. When Paul finished speaking, some laughed at him, others expressed an interest to hear more later, and a few believed his message. We don’t know what drew Damaris to Paul’s words, but we do know that she responded to God’s Spirit. In a culture that took pride in its diversity of beliefs, Damaris recognized and embraced the life-changing truth of the gospel.

We live in an atmosphere similar to the one that Damaris lived in. Our culture prides itself on being open to new ideas and philosophies. One set of beliefs is considered as good as any other. But without a thorough knowledge of what God says in his Word, we can easily be deceived. Paul warns us not to be pulled into “empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking” (Colossians 2:8). Only God’s Word and Spirit will help us recognize the truth when we hear it.

[Jesus prayed,] “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.”

John 17:17