20141102
The idea and concept of truth has always been challenged especially by so called “enlightened” people. “Relative truth” seems to be the flavour of our times. There are people who, with an air of intellectualism, express opinions such as “what is true for you is not true for me”. We hear strident demands that a secular state (like Singapore) should not allow public open professions of religious beliefs tied to biblical truths. Sharing our Christian faith in public is seen as imposing our Christian belief of the True Light (Jesus) on others. But as Christians, we must not be surprised or alarmed for even during early Church times this has been so.
It has never been and will never be popular to share that Jesus declared: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn 14:6). During Apostle Peter’s time, the Roman emperor Nero “refined upon cruelty… he had some [Christians] sewn up in skins of wild beasts and worried by dogs until they died, others dressed in shirts made of wax… and set on fire in his gardens to illuminate them” (Foxe’s Book of Martyrs). Around the world today, Christians are still being tortured with exacting cruelty. In Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Christians are much persecuted and beheaded and in North Korea, Christians are persecuted wrongly accused, criminally charged and thrown into tough labour camps.
In the face of such oppositions, the Apostle Peter urges Christians to remember the truth of God’s Word. What we believe is true and the suffering we face will not be in vain. The power and coming of Jesus were not “cleverly devised stories” (2 Pet 1:16). Instead, eyewitnesses faithfully recorded what they saw and heard. Unlike ancient myths or history books, the Bible did not come from someone’s own interpretation, but from God (2 Pet 1:20).
As the Apostle Peter exhorts us, we must pay attention to the prophetic Word confirmed: Jesus our Saviour has forgiven us from our sins. In this dark world with its doubts and deceptions, Jesus is like a shining light. He will lead and guide us. He will give us this light in our hearts too, if we trust in Him (2 Pet 2:19, 2 Cor 4:6). Be encouraged that we have this assurance from God whatever the circumstances: by trusting in Jesus, the True Light of the world, we will never walk in darkness and we will never walk alone.
