Distorted Truths

You’ve probably seen them at fairs or farmer’s markets, those artists that do caricature paintings.

The “nice” definition of a caricature painting is that it is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings.

The “not so nice” definition is that it is a picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect.

Having a somewhat prominent nose and some slight gaps between some of my front teeth, I’ve never been interested in seeing how either or both of those two features would be exaggerated in a comic or grotesque way!

But whether nice or not so nice, a caricature normally should resemble that which it is supposed to represent.  Yet, the greater the exaggeration effect, the more difficult it can become to see what it is supposed to represent.  And, if the exaggerations are pushed too far, you could probably lose all resemblance.

In a way, false teachers are caricature artists.  They sometimes emphasize or exaggerate one attribute of God to the exclusion of others.  For example, false teachers might emphasize that God is love while deemphasizing or excluding the fact that He is holy.  The caricature then reflects a distorted and exaggerated message that God no longer cares how much sin is an affront to his holiness because God’s love is all that matters.

The Apostle Paul put it this way:  “For some godless people have slipped in unnoticed among us, persons who distort the message about the grace of our God in order to excuse their immoral ways, and who reject Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord. Long ago the Scriptures predicted the condemnation they have received.”  (Jude 1:4)

The Apostle Peter wrote similarly:  “For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”  (2 Peter 2:1)

The false teachers in both contexts perverted and distorted truths about the grace of God so that they could justify engaging in immorality which likely was of a sexual nature. 

Peter further wrote this about those false teachers and how they approach truth:  “Many people will follow their lead. These people will do the same evil things the false teachers do. They will cause people to think badly about the way of truth.”  (2 Peter 2:2)

If we begin to think badly about truth, it probably means that we are starting to believe distorted or exaggerated messages.  Furthermore, it should tell us something if these distorted or exaggerate messages try to justify unrighteous behavior, especially that of sexual immorality. 

While these messages typically start with minor distortions or exaggerations, they usually become so exaggerated and so distorted that it is difficult to recognize what they are supposed to represent.

But whether slightly distorted or grotesquely exaggerated, the key to determining if something is a caricature of the truth is to know what the truth really looks like!