Fear of Truth

by James W. Adams
(1914-2013) in Words Fitly Spoken, p. 60

My daughter’s friend expressed great interest in the doctrine of “Premillennialism.” It so happened that I was at that time engaged in a series of studies involving the subject on a television program. My daughter suggested to her friend that she might tune in, watch, and listen. Her friend said, “Is he for it or against it?” When informed I was opposed to it, my daughter’s friend said, “In that case, I don’t want to hear it!”

There are many who feel the same way. They refuse to hear or read anything contrary to their preconceived beliefs and practices lest they find their cherished idols to be mortal delusions. On the other hand, truth has nothing to fear from investigation. Like pure silver, the more you rub it, the more it shines. It is said that “a philosopher of Florence could not be persuaded to look through one of Galileo’s telescopes lest he should see something in the heavens that would disturb him in his belief of Aristotle’s philosophy” (Buck). So it is with many; they fear testing their beliefs by the word of God lest they find them to be untrue.

"'Present your case,' the LORD says. 'Bring forward your strong arguments,' The King of Jacob says. Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; as for the former events, declare what they were, that we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming; declare the things that are going to come afterward, that we may know that you are gods; Indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together. Behold, you are of no account, and your work amounts to nothing; he who chooses you is an abomination" (Isaiah 41:21-24).

"But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing" (Zechariah 7:11).