Zechariah 13:3
“And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.”
The convicting power of truth is amazing. Zechariah prophesied that one would prophesy truth, but his parents would turn them in to be killed by the authorities. This shows the convicting power of truth, but it also shows the degree a person must take to stand for truth.
Truth is polarizing. You find throughout history that many performed horrible acts to those who proclaimed and stood for truth. Herod had John the Baptist beheaded because he told him the truth about his affair with is brother’s wife. Darius had Daniel thrown into the lions den because he would not stop praying to the God of Heaven. Jeremiah was thrown in a pit because he prophesied truth. Jesus was crucified because He told the truth that He was the Son of God. Truth is certainly a dividing factor.
We live in times when people want everyone to just get along. The problem is that when truth is proclaimed there will be division. Jesus said that truth would divide in Luke 12:51 when He said, “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:” Jesus understood that there would be divisions, even among those who call themselves Christians.
How deep will these divisions go because of truth? Jesus told us in Luke 12:53, “The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.” Jesus said that truth would literally divide families. Children would turn against their parents and parents would turn against their children all because of truth.
Christian, the test of truth in your life is determined by what degree it takes for you to compromise. If a little fighting between Christian brethren causes you to compromise truth, then your love for truth is anemic. Not only is it anemic, but your belief in truth is not really a belief at all. It is only a convenience if battles cause you to compromise truth.
Let me ask you, what will it take for you to turn on truth? If you must lose your family for the sake of truth, will you hold onto truth and lose the love of your family? If you must lose friends of a lifetime for the sake of truth, will you hold onto truth? If you must pack your bags and leave a church you attended your whole life because they compromised truth, are you willing to do it? If your alma mater teaches false doctrine, are you truly willing to stand against it for the sake of truth?
You must consider how much you truly believe in truth. I challenge you to know what the Scriptures truly teach. You will never stand for truth if you don’t know what the Scriptures teach. Second, I encourage you to daily ask God to give you the courage to stand for truth when you must. Only God can give that courage. None of us know when that day will come when we must stand for truth alone, but it will come. My prayer is that you will love truth so much that no matter the cost, you will stand with truth.