"...thy word is truth."
The truth is very different than the narrative of the current culture.
The disciples asked Jesus, “why do you teach the people in parables, it doesn’t seem that they are understanding them?” Jesus replied to them:
Matthew 13:11-15 “For everyone who listens with an open heart will receive progressively more revelation until he has more than enough. But those who don’t listen with an open, teachable heart, even the understanding that they think they have will be taken from them. That’s why I teach the people using parables, because they think they’re looking for truth, yet because their hearts are unteachable, they never discover it. Although they will listen to me, they never fully perceive the message I speak. The prophecy of Isaiah describes them perfectly: Although they listen carefully to everything I speak, they don’t understand a thing I say. They look and pretend to see, but the eyes of their hearts are closed. Their minds are dull and slow to perceive, their ears are plugged and are hard of hearing, and they have deliberately shut their eyes to the truth. Otherwise they would open their eyes to see, and open their ears to hear, and open their minds to understand. Then they would turn to me and let me instantly heal them.” (TPT)
Jesus’ answer is a good description of one who has embraced a narrative and its fruit rather than truth.
Definition of narrative: a) A representation of a particular situation or process in such a way as to reflect or conform to an over arching set of aims or ideologies. b) a story that connects and explains a carefully selected set of facts, supposedly true events, experiences, or the like, intended to support a particular viewpoint or thesis.
Definition of truth: the word of God (according to Jesus in John 17:17).
When one adopts a narrative for their “truth”, it blinds their eyes from seeing clearly.
They now see, hear and interpret everything through that narrative. They are no longer able to view things objectively. All information contrary to the narrative that they have adopted is deemed offensive and threatening. The narrative has been linked to their identity and their well-being. A narrative can be more destructive than an addiction to heroin or meth. A narrative is divisive and is intended to manipulate a person‘s perspective. The very definition of the word requires an author. Most people who have adopted their narrative don’t even recognize or know who the author is. In the mind of one who has adopted this narrative as truth everything consistent with that narrative are facts and truths and, therefore, anything contrary to that narrative is a lie or false. A narrative is formulated to produce tunnel vision which leads to emotions of fear and anger. An opposing point of view challenges their very identity and they see all opposing views or information as a personal attack on themselves, which causes them to fight. They have no peace about anything that does not fit the narrative they have adopted. They are constantly seeking validation for that narrative. Searching high and low for supporting voices. That narrative becomes the authority in their life. Even what is really truth becomes subject to that authority. Good becomes evil and evil becomes good. The basis of the interpretation of truth is now the narrative.
The word of God is not a narrative. It is truth. It contains factual events related to us by the spirit of God. These truths are related to us to produce freedom. Freedom from ideologies, dogmas and theologies that have held man in bondage for millennia. Any view, information, or narrative contrary to the word of God is not truth, no matter the presentation or popularity, it is bondage. Understanding that fact reveals to us who the author is of that contrary view, information and narrative; it is satan. Knowing who the author is reveals the motive behind the message: death, destruction and loss..
In 1 Timothy 1:4, Paul admonishes Timothy “do not give heed to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith…”;
The word fables that is used here is defined; a story or narrative; a speech, word or saying. It comes from the Greek word mythos, from which we get our English word: myth – a story used to relate or explain something ie. an idea or belief and is often a misrepresentation of the truth; generally the author or originator is unknown.
Paul warns Timothy that discussing a narrative with others will only produce more questions and no godly edification. Paul expands this instruction in his second letter to Timothy by saying we must preach the word because;
2 Timothy 4:3-4 “…for the time will come, without fail, when they will not endure (to hold on firmly or remain steadfast to) sound doctrine, but after their own lusts they shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears… that truly they shall turn away their ears from truth and be turned to a narrative.”
Peter speaks of fables and contrasts them with the truth of the word which was inspired by God. Peter describes the doctrines that he was up against as cunningly devised narratives aimed at deceiving people.
2 Peter 1:16 “ for we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ…” verse 20-21 “… knowing this first that no prophecy/word of the scripture is of any private interpretation for the prophecy/word came not in old-time by the will of men but holy men of God spoke as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit…”
We see in those examples from the word of God that a narrative has been around a long time, just concealed in different terminology. The definition is what reveals to us that it is a narrative. You can call it a doctrine, teaching, ideology, myth or a paradigm, but no matter what term you try to conceal it in, the meaning brings us right back to a narrative instead of truth.
The truths in the word of God, such as 1 Corinthians 5 and 2 Timothy 3, according to our current culture’s narrative, would be considered false and extremist view points. In fact, most of the truths expressed by Jesus, and even most of the Proverbs and Psalms would be placed in that category.
Without a standard higher than majority opinion, popular consent, and even knowledge from the most advanced levels of education, a person will be easily misled following any narrative that makes them feel good about themselves. The author of the narrative easily manipulates their audience by using phrases, slogans or images to move them in the direction they want them to go. Like a drug addict, the longer the narrative remains in one’s mind and heart the harder it is to be released from its effects.
The highest standard of evaluation for any information is the truth of God’s word. God has given us his word as that standard so that we might discern good and evil. When one knows and lives in God’s truth they are free. God’s word was written to benefit all mankind and give them the greatest liberty available in the earth. That liberty being the ability to follow His spirit with all of our heart thereby experiencing the very life of God. Narratives will come and go but the truth of God is eternal and unchangeable.