What the World Needs Now
There is an old song from, I believe, the 70’s made popular by Dionne Warwick with music from Burt Bacharach. You can still listen to it on YouTube on the internet. Part of it goes: “What the world needs now, is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.” I will not comment on what was needed in the 70’s, but for today I believe the song should be: “What the world needs now, is TRUTH, sweet TRUTH. It’s a gift of God, that there’s just too little of.” Or, as the prophets of old declared, “And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.” Isaiah 59:14-15.
In the modern halls of learning many people have returned to the question that Pontius Pilate had, “What is truth?” John 18:38. Many people believe each generation must create their own truth to live by and there are no moral absolutes to govern all generations. This is nothing more than a rejection of the Bible. It is not a new philosophy or a new way of dealing with things. It is simply the old rebellion against God that has been with people since the creation of Adam and Eve.
In Old Testament times the Israelites were given a marvelous gift when Moses gave them the laws of God. These laws were declarations of truth for the people of God. “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.” Psalm 119:142. “Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy commandments are truth.” Psalm 119:151. In the Kingdom age, the law shall go forth and change the world. “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Isaiah 2:3. When we receive the Holy Spirit, the truth of God’s laws is impressed on our hearts.
When Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” he did not realize that truth was in front of him. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. If we know Jesus, and know his will, we will not be deceived and enslaved by evil. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32. If a nation receives the Bible as the word of God, the citizens of that nation will know freedom. If a nation rejects the Bible, the citizens will be enslaved. In the book of Judges there are records of Israel being enslaved by the Ammonites and the Philistines. “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25. It was not until David became king and brought the truth of God’s laws to the Israelites that they knew freedom. We await the return of Jesus Christ, Son of David and Son of God, to bring us everlasting freedom.
In our day there are many proclamations about truth. If a proclamation does not agree with the Bible, it is not truth. Some say, “All religions point to God.” Wrong, Jesus Christ is the only way to God. Some say, “All that is important in this life is that people must love each other.” Wrong, we must love God first and people second. That is the first and great commandment. We must love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Some say, “People do not need to get married. Living together is good enough.” Wrong, Jesus made a difference between living together and marriage when he talked to the woman at the well. He did not accept her union with her man friend as equal to marriage. Also, Adam and Eve were united by a wedding ceremony when God brought Eve and presented her to Adam. We can apply the Bible to any question of truth. Bible truth is what the world needs now.
