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What do you believe? What do you hold to be true? How certain are you that these truths are in fact true? Are you open to the possibility that what you think is true might actually be incorrect? Are you open to possibility that other truths, that are different from your own, might be true? Or are you certain that you are right and they are wrong? In the pantheon of all that you believe is true, is there a central truth – a core truth – that you hold with the greatest certainty? That you’d be prepared to die for?
Truth is a big deal in contemporary society. We live in a post-modern era, where we regard truth as socially constructed, and where one person’s truth is acceptably another person’s fiction or even falsehood. It is a time of relative belief, of ‘live and let live’, of ‘each to their own’.
Yet, for many Christians, truth is absolute and unquestionable. What the Bible says – at least, what those passages that we choose to read – is absolutely true and must be imposed on others as being undoubtedly truly for all people everywhere.
The Apostle Paul presents what appears to be a core truth for himself in 1 Corinthians 15. It centres on the resurrection of Christ. He argues that Christ’s resurrection is so central, that if you don’t believe it, then everything else that you think you believe is flawed and futile.
What is your core truth?
I believe a lot of things about my faith strongly. For example, I believe that God created everything, that God is three distinct persons in one being, that Jesus Christ was the incarnation of God into the world, and that Jesus has uniquely facilitated the restoration of our relationship with God. But I’m not entirely certain how God created everything, whether God is just three persons or if there may yet be additional persons in the Godhead whom we’ve not yet met, or when and how the incarnation took place, and whether there is any limit on the reach of Christ’s reconciliation of people to God. I have thoughts on all of these, and I believe them quite strongly, but I’m open to the possibility – even the likelihood – that I may be wrong.
Yet, for me, I have an unshakable core belief that the heart of God is filled to overflowing with generous, extravagant, fierce love. This one core belief is the centre of my faith. I’m willing to lay down my life for that belief. And everything else that I believe emanates from that central truth. It is why I wrote the book Being God’s Beloved.
What is your core truth?
Reflections of God's Love 
After a near death accident three years ago that required multiple titanium implants to repair my broken body and crushed face as well as traumatic brain injury that cause damage to one eye and a complete loss of memory, I didn’t know if I was dead or alive and had a brain like a new born baby. Even in this baby brain state I knew there was a God and told Him that I he had made a mistake by not taking me. I was in so much pain and didn’t understand anything and wanted to be with God again. That’s all I knew.
As I was thinking these thoughts, Jesus came to me, took my pain and told me three things that would help me through my recovery. I now have faith that I never had before the accident and in the time with Jesus I felt the deepest peace and serenity that I never knew existed.
My recovery has been difficult, but I would go through the accident time and time again to experience the moments with Jesus and to experience the inner peace that I now have. I now feel the presence of Jesus and the spirits of loved ones all the time and they have helped me overcome many obstacles in my recovery. I wish everyone was as blessed as I’ve been to experience Jesus and live life as now do.
God bless you for spending your precious time to enlighten people around the world. Thank you.
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Dear JoAnne, thank you so much for sharing you story with me and with the followers of my blog. What a powerful and moving testimony! I am reminded of Romans 12, where Paul shares his insight that God is able to transform the worst of life experiences into something beautiful. It is the great capacity of God to bring healing and transformation. What a blessing to emerge out of such hardship. Your narrative resonates with my own, having experiences family troubles and sexual abuse during my childhood years. As painful as they were, I would not undo them, as God has woven them into the fabric of who I am and of our relationship together. May God continue to journey with you and bless you. Adrian
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Hi Adrian
I just loved this talk â you are completely honest about your beliefs and how you cope with the unproven pieces.
I have developed a talk (attached) on the bits that I have pieced together â all of which I am comfortable that they are correct and are facts.
So at least this bit which is such a problem for many people â like Richard Dawkins â is completely solid for all to accept (not just believe).
If you need me to come and explain (I have not recorded my sermon around this topic yet) I am happy to share at some convenient time.
Regards
John Bewsey
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Thank you for this beautiful sermon. I heard it in church and listened to it again this morning. God bless you Adrian
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Thanks so much for your message. I’m pleased that it was meaningful to you. Blessings, Adrian
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