Fake News?

One of the most popular phrases over the past few years has been ‘fake news.’ We all know what news is, and we essentially understand the term ‘fake news.’ The question that we should be asking is: Is this news ‘fake‘ or ‘biased?” If it is fake, then we should completely disregard it. However, most of the news we get is not out right fake. More often than not it is biased. Let me explain.

Suppose for a moment that a policeman entered a store. He tells the bad news to everyone there that they must leave because their is a bomb in the building. Everyone leaves, but there was no bomb, and the officer knew it the whole time. That would be fake news. The information was given knowing it was false and in order to accomplish some task. What is biased news then? It is giving you part of the story, the part that one would hope to sway you in a certain direction. In our day in time it is reporting all the deaths from one disease but none from another. Even more, it is never speaking of the lives lost in abortion but always mentioning when a group does not support “a woman’s right to choose.” It is not fake but biased, seeking to persuade you with part of the equation instead of the truth.

Why does this matter to the Christian or the person considering the truth claims of Christianity? It matters because we are reminded one of the most significant events in history was disregarded by spreading fake news. After Jesus died He was laid in a tomb and a Roman guard of soldiers was tasked with patrolling the tomb. Then in Matthew 28:11-15 we read, “While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place.  And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.”

Jesus of Nazareth had risen from the dead! The savior of the world had demonstrated power over the grave. He had literally done more to demonstrate His worthiness to be the Messiah than any could have dreamed. Moreover, now He had risen bodily and was showing Himself to His followers. What happens next? His enemies paid money to spread fake news that the disciples had robbed the grave. For a soldier this type of failure would have been punished terribly. Thus, they had to bribe the governor just to keep this lie afloat.

The fake and biased news, or whatever we read today should not worry us too much. This is how sinful people have operated for all of history. If we do not like something, we disregard it as false. Yet, our job is to seek the truth, and the place we find the most significant truth for our lives is in the Bible. Look to the good news of Jesus Christ and with the Christians throughout the centuries shout, “hallelujah we need not fear for our Savior has conquered the grave!!”