"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jn 8:31,32)

This scripture has always struck a chord with me, but recently it has become more and more like a warning siren. What has become of the concept of truth in this modern world?

Starting about the 1960s we had post-modernism, which states that there is no real truth, only perceptions which vary from person to person, according to the time or situation. In other words, “truth” could be a lie if the real truth happened to be inconvenient!

Now we have post-truth, which suggests that you can have any “truth” you like, as long as it agrees with your personal bias. We saw this concept take off in 2016, during the US election.

Isaiah described the society in ancient Judea as being very similar to our modern world:

“Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed. Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked". (Isa 59:14, 15; NLT).

Last year, I came across a headline on Facebook: "Trump Collapses and Dies of Heart Attack!”. In disbelief, I immediately did a search and came up with nothing. Something so shocking and world-shaking would obviously have been all over the internet! It was fake!!

So how can we know what is truth? A few simple guidelines come to mind:

(1) Love the truth. The apostle Paul said that if we love the truth and really value it, we will be less likely to be deceived. (2 Thess 2: 10)

(2) Be your own fact checker! Who wrote this? Who said this? If something is online, check the author, and the website name (URL) which can appear similar to a reputable website. Do a Google search to see if any other websites confirm the information.

(3) Beware of false prophets (Jer 23: 30-32). Check to see if any of the person's previous predictions have come about. (Deut 18:21,22)

(4) Look at the fruits of the person who gives a “prophecy” or “secret truth” (Matt 7:16). If the person remains anonymous, be suspicious.

(5) Don't pass on information or news unless you have thoroughly checked its authenticity.

When Pontius Pilate examined Jesus Christ, he seemed to be very confused about what was true and what was false:

Christ said, “..Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" (Jn 18:37,38).

Love the truth, and the truth shall make you free.