Resisting the Truth

The apostle Paul spoke of those who "resist the truth" (II Tim. 3: 8) and who "suppress the truth." (Rom. 1: 18) He also in the above text spoke of those who will "turn away their ears from the truth" and who rather "turn aside to myths." Though these texts describe unsaved people, yet it is also the case that even saved people can be seen resisting the truth. I did that myself for several years when I was a Hardshell Baptist preacher. I would read Bible texts which contradicted Hardshell beliefs (which I had accepted as true). I would resist accepting those texts and would begin to try to see if I could make those texts say something different so as to conform to my Hardshell premises and propositions. 

Many Christians are in churches or cults or sects that teach false doctrine and when someone confronts them and shows them how the Bible teaches against their false beliefs or how they are twisting the meaning of scripture, we see how most resist the truth, stubbornly holding to their false beliefs, even though the new information presented to them produces cognitive dissonance. Solomon said: "He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him." (Prov. 18: 17 kjv) 

The truth is the truth even if no one believes it. A lie is a lie even if everyone believes it. We must be on guard against becoming unwilling to be examined in our beliefs, against close-mindedness. I thank God for others who have helped me to "see the way of the Lord more perfectly" (Acts 18: 26) and have shown me my errors in biblical interpretation. We must be as the noble Bereans, of whom it is written:

"Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so." (Acts 17: 11 nasb)

What they examined was what Paul and Silas had preached to them, and even apostles are to be examined in what they teach. They are to be examined and judged by "the scriptures" and not by any councils of men. This is what the Lord commanded and advised long ago when he said via the prophet Isaiah: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isa. 8: 20 kjv)

I have become frustrated in trying to convince fellow Christians of their errors for most of them resist the truth and hold to their errors tenaciously. I have seen this with my Hardshell brothers over the past thirty years or so when giving them proof that their beliefs were against scripture. I have also seen such resistance with Campbellites (those of the "Church of Christ") when I have had debates with them. Of course, they think I am the one who is resisting the truth and being stubborn. However, at least the Campbellites will debate their differences. The Hardshells of today, however, run from any discussion of their beliefs with anyone who they think can expose them. At least their forefathers, though wrong, did debate with their opponents.