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PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017.
From the Minister's Study
Truth and trust -who can we believe?
By Pastor Ernest Dow
Living Water Christian
Fellowship (EMC), Blyth
There has been much discussion
lately about truths becoming a
scarce commodity. Google and
Facebook have redoubled attempts
to weed "fake news" out of their
feeds. As reported in Shawn
Loughlin's excellent column in this
periodical last week, a counsellor of
the new American president
responded to reporters alleging the
press secretary had lied by stating he
had instead presented "alternative
facts".
It's getting harder and harder to
know just who to believe. Now on
social media one has to take a hard
look at the origin of a startling story
- it may indeed be fake news
fabricated in order to generate lots of
clicks and advertising revenue.
Conspiracy theories abound. Even
once -accepted news outlets are
becoming suspect if they
consistently appear to be covering
just one slant of the political
spectrum. Whom can we believe?
Truth is closely related to trust.
Someone who lies soon loses their
credibility. This applies also in the
field of religion. If a system of
spirituality is to be accepted as
trustworthy, its foundational
documents must appear to be true.
What is the case for Christianity?
Can we really trust the Bible - or is
it 'fake news' instead of "Good
News" (gospel)?
Within the realm of Biblical
thought and theology, the reliability
of God as being truthful is a core
concept. Truth is viewed as one of
God's key attributes. "God is not a
man, that he should lie, nor a son of
man, that he should change his
mind." (Numbers 23:19)
"God...does not lie..." (Titus 1:2)
Jesus stated baldly in prayer to His
Heavenly Father, "Your word is
truth..." (John 17:17)
The divine Son shares God's
truthfulness, for Jesus viewed
Himself as speaking only what the
Father told Him to say. "He who sent
me is reliable, and what I have heard
from him I tell the world" (John
8:26) He declared, "I am...the
truth..." (John 14:6)
At a critical and stressful moment,
when on trial before the governor of
the land, Jesus insisted His whole
purpose in existing was related to
See histories and
historic photographs
on the Huron History
section of our website
www. northhuron.on.ca
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Feb. 5: Acts 2:42-47
"The Outflow of Genuine Worship"
Special Report:
Tiffany & Dawn Uyl
Niagara N
SERVE 2016 J ,�
Evangelical Missionary Church
"Conquer Series" • purity for MEN: Mon, 7 pm at Huron Chapel, Auburn
Small Group • Tuesdays 7:36 pm at R&S Howson's, Blyth
Coffee Break Women's Bible Study • Wed. 16 am at Blyth CRC
Youth Group • Wed, 6:36.8:36 pm at Huron Chapel EMC, Aubum
10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School
at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God)
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848
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making truth known: "For this
reason I was born, and for this I
came into the world, to testify to the
truth. Everyone on the side of truth
listens to me." (John 18:37)
The third member of the Trinity is
also closely related to truth in
Christian thought. Jesus predicted,
"But when he, the Spirit of truth,
comes, he will guide you into all
truth." (John 16:13)
Now, so far we have not
established the veracity or reliability
of the sourcebook for these
assertions (the Bible). I am just
pointing out that, within Christian
thought, there is acknowledgement
of the importance of the truth
question in regards to God's nature.
The God of biblical teaching
purports to be a God that can be
trusted because His essence and
relationship to His creatures is
characterized by truth and
faithfulness.
But why should we accept the
document stating this as reliable?
How do we know the Bible itself
accurately reflects what its authors
originally wrote, or that it isn't shot
through with errors?
Science can play a role here.
Archaeology through the decades
has made significant finds which
corroborate the basic outline of
historical events and rulers
portrayed in the biblical narrative.
Textual criticism is a branch of
science which sorts through the
thousands of manuscripts and
fragments extant from early
centuries of the Christian era, so
readers of the Bible can be sure their
text (after translation) is remarkably
close to what the original authors
wrote.
Alongside the written text which
has been preserved and transmitted
through the centuries, there is a long
chain of human supporters
stretching back to the first
eyewitnesses. These believers vouch
for the reliability of biblical teaching
as adopted in their own lives. The
apostle Paul reflects on this: "For
what I received I passed on to you as
of first importance: that Christ died
for our sins according to the
Scriptures... (was buried, raised)
...he appeared to more than five
hundred of the brothers at the same
time, most of whom are still living,
though some have fallen asleep."
He's implying here that his readers
could check it out with these others.
Similarly, to his apprentice
Timothy - "But as for you, continue
in what you have learned and have
become convinced of, because you
know those from whom you learned
it ..." (2Tim. 3:14) Timothy was well
aware of the persecutions Paul had
endured; also there was the example
of his believing mother and
grandmother (2Tim. 3:10, 1:5).
But ultimately, though external
factors such as disciplines of science
or the attestation of other people can
lend support to credibility of a faith -
Continued on page 19
';` \ BRUSSELS
Q United Church
WORSHIP SERVICE
AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am
Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224
blythunited@tcc.on.ca
Church bookings: 519-887-6377
6.
Everyone welcome
Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. - 226-963-1175
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5
We invite you to join our church family in:
Worship & Sunday School - 11 am
Coffee & Snacks following the service
Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2
- a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and
made possible by the Brussels churches working together.
c
Nursery care available
519-887-6687
Blyth United Church
Est. 1875
Worship Service & Sunday School at 11:00 a.m.
-, -
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Sunday, February 5
There's more
to salt than
the flavour
MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. & OFFICE: 519-523-4224
You're e9nviteJ loin is ,Stn 6ars4ip
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS
B LYT H
Trinity
9:15 am
Church Office
519-357-4883
BRUSSELS
St. John's
11:15 am
Church Office
519-887-6862
Everyone Welcome!
COME WORSHIP WITH US!
eftaddeed elorstItactv Edge eitaftee
You're Invited
to come worsh p
with us
Sunday, February 5
Brussels Business & Cultural Centre
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m.
Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers
during the sermon.
Coffee & cookies after the morning service.
For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621
Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
"Hope in the Christian life is not wishful
thinking. It is confident expectation"
Henry Blackaby ...)(7 -
ear 0
Hor
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HURON CHAPEL AUBURN
"Always A Place For You"
Every Sunday @ 10:30am huronchapel.com
THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH
CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS.
OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
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St. Ambrose
Saturday
6:00 p.m.
17 Flora Street
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Sunday
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Sunday
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