Confidence in God's perfection, truthfulness, and reliability is a basic assumption of Western civilization. In fact, our cultural assumption of God's truthfulness is so deeply ingrained that the dictionary definition of "God"1 assumes it.
Of course our cultural assumption that God is trustworthy isn't the same as proof. Ultimately, we can't prove that God is truthful and trustworthy any more than we can prove that He exists. But even though God's trustworthiness can't be proven, denying His trustworthiness has some very serious consequences.
By definition, God is Creator of the universe. Even someone who denies the existence of a personal God must acknowledge that the universe is based on a foundation of natural laws and principles. When we assume that nature is governed by laws that are uniform, reliable, and predictable, we are assuming that the Creator of natural law is truthful and trustworthy as well. Further, if the Creator of the universe values truth, the universe can be expected to be "in tune" with truth by rewarding truthfulness. Therefore, a trustworthy God provides a basis for ethics and morality.
By contrast, if the universe weren't created by a truthful God there would be no basis for knowledge or ethics. Nothing would be real; everything would be shifting and illusory. Seeking truth would be like trying to grasp a dream. In such a chaotic universe the scientific method would be futile, and science would be impossible.2
The Bible is clear and unambiguous in declaring that God is worthy of our trust. It tells us that:
The natural world affirms God's truthfulness (
Psalm 85:11).
Ironically, though Christians should be the first to assert and defend God's truthfulness, there have been times when they have been unwilling to accept its implications. In the past, for example, some Christians have mistakenly concluded that Joshua 10:12-13 required dogmatic belief that the sun revolves around the earth.3
We should never discard God's truthfulness when it seems inconvenient or requires us to grapple with difficult questions. Faith in God's truthfulness is as essential to our spiritual well-being as the air we breathe and the food we eat are essential to our physical health. In Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses described the importance of faith in God's truthfulness:
Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Our spiritual well-being -- and ultimately our salvation -- depend on our willingness to hear and trust "every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord" (cp. Psalm 91:4; 145:18; John 8:32; Hebrews 11:6).
Many people live in denial of God's truthfulness. Although most of them don't realize it, they have made a serious and deadly decision. Blaise Pascal, the brilliant 17th century mathematician and scientist, viewed the choice between faith and unbelief as a "wager":
Now, what harm will befall you in taking this side? You will be faithful, humble, grateful, generous, a sincere friend, truthful. Certainly you will not have those poisonous pleasures, glory and luxury; but will you not have others? I will tell you that you will thereby gain in this life, and that, at each step you take on this road, you will see so great certainty of gain, so much nothingness in what you risk, that you will at last recognize that you have wagered for something certain and infinite, for which you have given nothing.
We either believe in the truthfulness of God and the meaningfulness of life, or we believe in the alternative. Everything depends on our choice.
1. "A being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and ruler of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheistic religions" (American Heritage Dictionary).
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2. In fact, even the assumption that God isn't truthful is enough to block the development of science. Not surprisingly, science developed in the West, where there has been an underlying confidence in the truthfulness of God, the significance of existence, and the meaningfulness of experience. In the East, where the dominant world view (Pantheism) maintains that the material world is illusory, there have been great thinkers and brilliant discoveries. But belief in an illusory universe could never encourage the steady growth of science.
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3. Clearly, the sun appeared to stand still in the sky. We know without any doubts, however, that it is the earth that revolves around the sun. It was a mistake to interpret the language of appearance in this verse as scientific fact.
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