Kingdom Economics | What is Truth?

What is Truth?

What is Truth? Do you really, really know what the truth about Truth is? This question is a quote from John 18:38:

"Pilate said to Him, What is Truth? On saying this he went out to the Jews again and told them, I find no fault in Him." (Amp)

"What is Truth?" has many answers. It just depends who is asking the question and to whom it is directed. In both instances, many internal "word" filters (or gatekeepers) will sway the meaning the "who" person intends and how the "whom" person will understand it. All of us hold various forms of internal "screening mechanisms" in our hearts and minds. We subconsciously employ these to analyze and evaluate whether something conforms to our "standard" of what we believe is true or is the "Truth."

Inaccurate internal configurations...

Our internal filters are formed over many years. They become problematic when they are not tested and tried against the Truth of the Word of God. This unchecked state could cause them to eventually evolve into ungodly strongholds in our hearts and minds. An environment like this creates an almost carte blanche opportunity for our arch-enemy, the devil, to entrench his lies and deceptions into the womb of our inner man. The outcome might look something like this:

Matthew 12:34, "You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things." (Amp)

In the case of Pilate, his internal filters bring him to the conclusion that he "finds no fault" in Jesus. However, if Pilate really desired to uncover the "Truth" and follow its divine outcome, he would have set Jesus free immediately! So, how did his internal make-up or configuration actually influence his decision?

Maybe his question was simply to mock Jesus... "What is Truth?" Or, he was actually performing his duty and being very aloof and detached from the potential outcome of his judgement. My thought is that if Pilate truly longed for the Truth, Jesus, Who is the Truth, would have fulfilled the deep and tender yearning of his heart with great joy!

So, how does this apply to Kingdom Economics?

In the previous lesson (Figleaf Faith is Religion), I introduced some thoughs about the powerful influence of our childhood experiences and interactions with money. These initial encounters impregnate the matrix of our God-given innocence with either positive or negative mental pictures. Over time, similar repeated situations and circumstances will reinforce these images and imaginations. Eventually, as we grow older, strong thought patterns form, grow, and mature into strongholds. These mental defences may either be godly or carnal. Ungodly intellectual patterns become arguments against biblical proof and examples of God's intended prosperity for His children on earth.

In fact, "fortifications of the mind" may even, over time, become emotional and rational "hide-outs." These internal "shelters" are where we find false comfort and also justify our inaccurate viewpoints. It takes the powerful intervention of the Truth of God's Word to break apart and destroy these lopsided inner fortresses! I suspect that by now you are beginning to see why I asked the question about Truth at the start of this lesson. Now, take a good look at 2 Corinthians 10:3-5:

"For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)..." (Amp)

Before I delve into the deeper meaning of these verses, allow me to give a little history about what inspired Paul to write these thoughts down:

The apostle Paul was born in and an inhabitant of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia (Acts 21:39). He knew the history of the region well, and in the passage above, he actually refers to a war which had taken place in that territory. This ancient war is the historical background Paul uses to illustrate his thoughts about the nature of our spiritual warfare.

The Pirates of Cilicia

History chronicles for us that there was a longstanding and growing pirate problem in Cilicia. These pirates raided the supply ships on their way from Palestine (the food basket of Rome, at the time). High up in the rocky Cilician cliffs, the pirates built 120 rock forts. They constructed these as their bases and called them "strongholds." Attacks by the pirates were launched from these "high and lofty" positions. Once the ships were raided and the food stolen, these marauders retreated back into the security of their fortifications.

All efforts by Rome to subdue and overthrow them on sea came to nothing. Even after successful battles against them their bases remained intact and secure. This meant the root of the problems in the region persisted and basically remained untouched for a long time. In fact, by 67 BC an army of 10,000 pirates brought Rome to its knees by completely cutting off its supplies. They had their foot on the neck of Rome.

Rome's most significant problem...

This was an obvious and very urgent obstacle and headache for the Romans which could no longer be ignored. The issue was so severe, it essentially became Rome's most significant problem. Since Rome's normal approach to warfare was such a failure, they desperately needed some kind of a fix. Their weapons were also ineffective, seeing that this pirate army was a completely different kind of army. The pirates operated more along the lines of an "underground" insurgent and guerilla type of operation rather than the military convention of the day.

For Rome the challenge posed by the pirates became a hitherto unknown embarrassment and dilemma. Such was the scope and magnitude of the situation for the Romans that the Senate commissioned top general Pompey to solve their predicament. His job was to sort out this problem, once and for all! To accomplish this, they offered him whatever he needed. And, he had an ample time limit of three years to work matters out and take care of everything.

General Pompey was a very resourceful man and he devised a clever and innovative strategy. His master plan included the design and fabrication of specialised and mighty weapons of warfare. These armaments enabled the Roman military forces to successfully defeat the pirates.

In the next lesson I will describe more details of General Pompey's victory over the pirates. Along with that I will explain the parallels between the General's strategies and Paul's insights and thoughts about spiritual warfare in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.

In the Love and Grace of Christ
Jan van Rooyen

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