I don’t want to get particularly political, but we do live in an age where news sources may or may not be reliable. I might not use the term “fake” news, but the reality is the line between fact based journalism and opinion pieces are harder and harder to tell apart. How might one define “unreliable news”? Let me suggest that 1) it sounds and feels true. 2) Some of the information is factual. 3) It seems like it should be true. 4) It fits in with what we already know. 5) Somebody you know or trust has said it.
If that is true for modern-day journalism, I’d like to suggest that it could be true of us as well. Especially as we consider biblical truth. Here are some examples: “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” “God works in mysterious ways.” “God helps those who help themselves.” These all sound like they’re true. We hear them regularly from people we actually trust. All three of those phrases “feel” true. The problem is they’re not.
I’ll take one – “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Really. It seems true, but often it’s not. Serving God and others might just get you really dirty. Some of the “cleanest” people on the outside, are not inside. And visa-versa! Matthew 23:25 says, “”Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. The religious people of the day looked good and clean on the outside, but inside were full of greed. My point is simple, Quote the Bible as truth, not slogans that sound true or sound biblical, but are not.