How would you feel if you were given a gift of one shoe: a quality piece of footwear, highly polished and comfortable, but only good for one foot? Half a bible verse is like that. For example, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)
This verse is inlaid in the foyer of the CIAs headquarters in Langley, Virginia (even though spying involves little truth and a lot of lying). John 8:32 is a powerful verse but it’s not the whole truth but rather the conclusion.
The statement begins in verse 31: “Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed in him: ‘If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed’.” But it doesn’t end there. Verse 32 begins with and. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
If we do not continue in the word, we will not be his disciples indeed and so will not know the truth that would have made us free. The promise of verse 32 is conditional on the requirement of verse 31, which is that continuing in the word is what makes us “free indeed” — really free.
Abraham told a half-truth to two different kings, which was that his wife Sarah was his sister. When caught out in the lie, he confessed that fear made him do it (he thought the king would kill him to get his beautiful Sarah). Then he added, “But in fact she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother…” Sarah was Abraham’s stepsister (Genesis 20:12). A half-truth is a half-lie.
Never do things by halves! A Big Mac with half its bun is a Half Mac. A full gospel church that preaches half the truth is a half gospel church.
The prophet Hosea refers to Ephraim (Israel) as “a cake unturned” – what we would call half-baked! I’ve heard more than a few half-cooked sermons preached over the years that have left me unsatisfied. The speakers began well but didn’t know when to turn over from the Old Testament shadow to the New Testament substance.
Years ago, evangelicals loved Old Testament types and shadows, but the realities of ‘time poor’ life today demand a few short, sharp bullet points and a bottom line.
In many instances, the message was good but not as good as it could have been. (The good is the enemy of the best.) If you have become satisfied — well, ‘sort of’ — with half-truths, maybe you need to increase your appetite!