The Lens Through Which We Read
Chapter Five: God is Truthful
Scripture Cannot Contradict the One Who Spoke It
At the heart of faithful interpretation is a single, bedrock conviction: God does not lie. Everything hinges on this. If God is not truthful, then His promises are fragile. His warnings are suspect. And His Word is unreliable. But if God is perfectly, eternally truthful, then every word of Scripture can be trusted. Every doctrine can be harmonized. Every apparent contradiction must be resolved, not accepted.
This is not blind confidence—it is theological certainty, grounded in the character of the One who has revealed Himself.
What It Means That God Is Truthful
To say that God is truthful is to say:
He never lies (Titus 1:2)
He never misleads (Hebrews 6:18)
He never contradicts Himself
Everything He speaks is reality—because He defines what is real
“Your word is truth.” – John 17:17 (WEB)
“God is not a man, that he should lie…” – Numbers 23:19 (WEB)
Truth is not something external to God—it is part of who He is. He does not speak truth because He conforms to a standard. His nature is the standard.
Why This Matters for Interpretation
If Scripture is breathed out by God (2 Timothy 3:16), and God cannot lie, then:
Every passage is internally consistent
Doctrinal harmony is not optional—it’s essential
No verse can be rightly interpreted in a way that denies another
This gives us confidence in the Bible’s unity and clarity. The problem is never with the Word. The problem is always with the reader.
Common Interpretive Errors That Violate God's Truthfulness
1. Allowing Contradiction Instead of Seeking Harmony
Some claim that the Bible contains contradictions and that we must simply "accept the tension" rather than resolve it.
But theological tension is not the same as contradiction. God is not double-minded. And His Word does not cancel itself.
We may not always understand how truths fit together. But we must never treat contradiction as acceptable.
2. Picking Verses Against Each Other
This happens when we use one verse to cancel out another, instead of integrating both.
“We are justified by faith…” (Romans 5:1)
“You see that a man is justified by works…” (James 2:24)
Rather than letting these texts contradict, we must understand that Paul and James are addressing different distortions of the Gospel:
Paul rebukes legalism
James rebukes dead faith
Both are true—because God is consistent.
3. Reinterpreting Clear Truths Based on Cultural Pressure
Some reinterpret biblical teaching on sin, marriage, gender, or judgment to align with contemporary values. But truth is not subject to culture. If God’s Word can be rewritten, then His character cannot be trusted.
Examples Where God’s Truthfulness Preserves Interpretive Integrity
1. God’s Promises
“He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23) If God is truthful, then every promise—no matter how delayed or difficult—will be fulfilled.
2. The Consistency of Doctrine
The Trinity is not a contradiction—it is a mystery revealed in harmony.
Election and responsibility are not enemies—they coexist in God’s sovereign wisdom.
Judgment and mercy are not opposites—they converge at the cross.
The truthfulness of God means that we can trust doctrine to hold together, even when it challenges us.
3. The Authority of Scripture
If God is truthful, then His Word is not subject to private interpretation, revision, or dilution. It is objective, unchanging, and binding.
“Forever, Yahweh, your word is settled in heaven.” – Psalm 119:89 (WEB)
The Interpreter’s Task in Light of God’s Truthfulness
Faithful interpreters must:
Submit to the whole counsel of God, not isolated texts
Seek to resolve difficulty, not excuse contradiction
Trust that every word, rightly understood, will align with every other
This is not a demand for intellectual mastery—it is an act of theological submission.
Conclusion: You Can Trust the Voice That Never Lies
God has spoken. And because He is truthful, His Word is unified, consistent, and trustworthy. When we interpret Scripture in ways that reflect His nature, we find harmony where others see conflict. We find clarity where others see confusion. We find worship where others see only words. Because the God who spoke this Book is truth itself.