Truth And Hate

Eric Arthur Blair, better known by his pen name, George Orwell, once stated these words: "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those that speak it" (source). Throughout Bible history, as well as secular history, we see Mr. Orwell's statement being true time after time.

We see this hatred for truth in first century society, resulting in the crucifixion and death of our Savior as well as the persecution of His followers and apostles. The society of Paul's day hated the truth so much that they "exchanged the truth of God for a lie" (Romans 1:24-25 AMP).

Paul asked this question when he learned that some of the Galatia brethren wanted to return to their worldly lifestyle: "Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?" (Galations 4:8-16 NLT).

Regarding truth and hate, our Lord stated: "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God” (John 3:20-21).

The Lord told His followers that they would suffer persecution and even death for upholding the truth (Matthew 24:9; Luke 21:12; John 16:2; Acts 4:1-3; Acts 7:51-60).

What's the bottom line to all of the above? That if we teach and preach God's truth in its entirety (Acts 20:17-27) in the 21st century, we will be hated and persecuted by all those in our society who hate truth (2 Timothy 3:1-12), just as those folks were in the first century.

Beloved, George Orwell's above statement regarding truth and hate, is an undeniable truism.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets