There is no mere relationship between truth and goodness. In fact, they are one and the same thing.
They are more than just siblings, but rather like spirit and soul, body and soul.
Whatever is true is right. Truth is a lamplight that uncovers the future, exposes all of it as more of the same, as something not to be feared. It is just more of the same, shrouded in darkness, but still more of the same.
There are no lies in goodness. Just as there is no darkness in the light.
Truth and morality have become divorced today. “Niceness” is more highly valued than truth, or goodness. Goodness and niceness are not the same thing.
Niceness is a hypocritical, nominal, superficial nod in the direction of morality, but lacking the courage of conviction about moral things.
Niceness is just the living out of lies. You dress up lies in expensive clothing, and you have the world’s version of moral goodness.
Look, the fact is, that the telling of truth is not nice. It will not gain you favor with the world, and you will not be popular.
But telling the truth can never be wrong, in a moral sense. Truthfulness is rightness. Truthfulness is goodness. Niceness is not goodness. This is where the world becomes confused.
Niceness is just a form of outward hypocrisy. It is the display of goodness, but lacking the faith in truth that goodness demands and necessitates.
If you have ever wondered why a lie just feels wrong, even in the service of niceness, it is because a lie has no authority in and of itself. It can only manipulate, but never expose. It can only dress up or cover an injury site, but never heal the wound. A lie, then, is much more than a falsehood. It is the opposite of truth, which is the active opposition to light, and to goodness.
Jesus never said that the truth will set you free. He said that you will know the truth, first. This is critical. Because all of the science and facts in the world isn’t worth anything compared to understanding, to a personal, face-to-face encounter with knowledge.
It isn’t the truth that sets you free, but a revelation of the truth. It is when an old, time-tested adage that you memorized as a schoolboy suddenly becomes activated with new energies, finally is understood as a great store of value that you never appreciated.
Christ said: “and you shall KNOW the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” This is where the godless get off of the train. They know what truth is, but they just don’t like it. They know where truth lives, has his address, but they don’t want to visit. They are satisfied enough with knowing that is around, out there, somewhere. They don’t allow it to have an impact in their moral lives. That would bring enlightenment, which leads to change.
It just isn’t obvious to most that whatever is true is right, and whatever is false is wrong. Goodness is just the electrification of moral facts. Not just any ole data suffices. I’m not talking about mathematics or history or any other factual disciplines.
This seems obvious, and it should be, but it really isn’t. Nothing is truly obvious to a man until he receives a revelation of it, until he is enlightened about it, or approaches it in a deep and personal way.
Finally, truth is valuable, but it is also not without risk to commit to it. Truth, being of great value, always carries a personal cost. There is always a price to be paid for the telling of truth.
The lesson of Christ is that “no servant is above his master.” The speaking of truth will lead to persecution. If you commit to a lifestyle of truth, men will seek after your life. If men are not seeking after your life, you are still yet above your master, still yet not living up to his call toward total truth.
Truth is valuable, but anything valuable is also inherently costly. It goes without saying. There is no such thing as a free lunch, or a free anything. Goodness is not cheap. Truth is very expensive, as it should be.
I think we need to commit to truth again, as a people, as a nation, as a race. We need to turn away and reject the false idea that truth can be convenient and fluffy, adoring and nice. It is not nice. But it is good.
Niceness is not goodness, except in the world’s view of things. If Christ was nice, he would not have been crucified. He was crucified because he committed to truth, and goodness.
Let the world be nice. Let them become apologists for convenience. Let them enable sinners in their path of self-destruction out of a sense of niceness. They will destroy themselves in the process. Because niceness is not a natural law of nature or Nature’s God. Nature is always true to itself, but never nice.
If we are going to survive in this world, we need to be the same.
Crafty as a fox, but as harmless as a dove.
Not nice. But truthful. Which is always right.