Discerning The Truth

SUN., NOV. 22, 1987, 5:55 AM
FARM, STUDY

One fundamental task of mature life in the earth is discerning the truth. In an earth life you encounter truth, but also partial truth and non-truth. Education in school and university offers you ways to determine truth. Christian education tells you of even a better way. But then there is discernment, and this is what I speak of this cold morning, o son.

Most formal education urges you to use your rational mind in determining truth. Science is a way of knowing. Logic is a way of thinking that helps sort out truth from non-truth. Critical analysis of literature lets you find truth in fiction, drama, and the various arts. Emotion sometimes helps to determine truth, but just as often turns you away from it.

You know, however, that I shall trumpet the capacity of spirit to discern truth. This is one of the main functions of spirit in its role as the unifier and coordinator of all the other dimensions of your being. As spirit grows, develops, and matures it is more capable of discerning truth, and more willing to do this. Mature spirit is simply unwilling to let you live and function with non-truth as if it were truth. Now there are compromises. You may know truth, but certain circumstances may urge you to act in ways contrary to this. Your teaching field is mostly secular, and you often must present material or assign reading that is, at best, partial truth. Being a responsible professional in your field can conflict with truth that you have discerned with spirit… including what you have learned from Me. (And this is a rather blatant form of discernment.)

As you discern truth that is counter to what is “standard” in your field or to what some friend or associate believes you must decide, often rather quickly, how to use this truth. Sometimes you will offer it as a counter to some other assertion. At other times you will present it as “another way of looking at the matter.” And in some instances you just will hold it back, keeping the distinction to yourself. Sometimes the maintenance of a communicative relationship is important, and too much truth can hinder such.

Certainly the most difficult situations are those in which two spiritually attuned persons discern truth differently, even from the Holy Scriptures and relationship with Me. Some sincere Christians offer the truth that these are the “end times,” and soon the battle royal between good and evil shall take place. After much destruction good shall triumph and earth shall be a peaceful, love-filled garden again. I tell you that I am fully in charge of this earth, as it is, and am quite satisfied with the various ways earth life can help in the development of spirit. There are other idyllic realms. Earth is not meant to be such. Should you always present your truth in counter to this other interpretation? I leave this to you, but know the truth that I have given you.

Fundamental Christian truth is that each created soul has only one life in the earth and as a consequence of that, in deed, intention, and commitment, goes on to eternal life in heaven or in hell. I tell you that each soul is on a spiritual path and some may come into the earth in a physical body. For some this is for many years. For others it is a precious (or a harmful) few. Of those who come into the earth, some come only once, others more than once, and some repeatedly. You cannot often offer this truth comfortably. I say… just await opportunities and discern the truth, even as you may not present what you know.