It was an insurance commercial on the radio. The speaker asks: if what you thought was true wasn't true, when would you want to know? At that point, my mind went off on a tangent, and I did not really hear the words that followed. My guess is that he was talking about inadequate coverage. What if you believed you had sufficient insurance coverage, but you didn't? When would you want to know the truth about your coverage, before or after a wreck, a major illness, or a catastrophe? Would you want to know the truth about your coverage in time to correct the problem or when it is too late, and you are facing a huge financial loss or burden. I think most of us would agree that we would want to know the truth before it was too late. Furthermore, we would probably appreciate someone informing us of the truth in this matter.

What about religion? If what you believed to be the truth really wasn't the truth, when would you want to know? Would you want to worship vainly through the years (Matthew 15:8-9), disobey God through ignorance (1Timothy 1:13), teach others wrongly (Galatians 1:6-9), and stand before God in judgment only to find out that although you had said, "Lord, Lord" and done many wonderful works in His name, you had been a worker of iniquity (lawlessness, or sin)? Remember, Jesus will say to these, "I never knew you; depart from me" (Matthew 7:21-23). Should we not want the truth before it is too late? Should we not appreciate someone who would inform us of the truth in matters of religion?

While many want the truth with regards to their insurance coverage, they are content with their religion, no matter what. Furthermore, they do not want anyone to challenge their present beliefs. Is insurance more important than religion?

Perhaps, some do not realize the importance of truth or think that sincerity is all that matters in religion. However, Paul admonished Timothy, "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee" (1Timothy 4:16). Similarly, John taught, "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son" (2John 1:9). Long ago God's faithful servant Joshua exhorted, "Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth..." (Joshua 24:14). Sincerity is important, but so also is truth.

Paul was sincere and did all things in good conscience before he learned and obeyed the truth (Acts 23:1; Acts 24:16), yet he was wrong-- "chief of sinners" by his own admission (1Timothy 1:15) and in need of instruction on how to be saved (Acts 9:6). After his conversion, Paul often tried to instruct those who believed they had the truth, but did not. He taught some who were baptized "unto John's baptism" to be "baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:3-5). Galatians is an epistle written by Paul to correct the thinking of Christians who still thought one must adhere to certain commandments of the law of Moses and who followed a "perverted" gospel (Galatians 1:6-9). Why would Paul change, and why would he explain the way of God more accurately to those who thought they knew truth, but didn't, if these were not the right things to do?

If what you thought was true wasn't true, when would you want to know? The correct answer for those who love the truth is: as soon as possible! Now, when would you like to know?