The world suffers greatly because it lacks the truth, or more completely, because even though the truth is available, most will not accept it. In our culture, media often portrays premarital or extramarital sex as exciting and pleasurable, which is true but not the whole truth. It omits the guilt of breaking God's seventh commandment, as well as the stress and harm from unwanted pregnancy or sexual disease that result from this sin. The complete truth reveals that penalties follow sin, potentially leading to suffering, death, addiction, or the ruin of prospects for a proper marriage and family. Avoiding the whole truth can thus have far-reaching consequences. Submitting to God's truth requires effort and often involves a struggle, as what God deems necessary may conflict with our desires. God's Holy Spirit guides and reminds us of the truth, but applying it in our lives is our responsibility. God may place us in repeated situations until we grasp the need for change, yet ultimately, we must submit to the truth. Practically, truth means rejecting all deliberate falsehood and hypocrisy, whether conscious or unconscious. We must shun falseness presented to us and reflect truth in all our dealings, as truth builds and encourages, while falsehood destroys faith and trust. Jesus Christ declares that abiding in His word reveals the truth, which sets us free from superstitions, wrong ways of living, and the ungodly practices of the world, preparing us for the Kingdom of God.

People ignore truth by returning to Christmas and similar holidays after leaving God's church, preferring humanly reasoned opinions and traditions over the requirements of God's Word. They justify these celebrations by claiming to honor God's sovereignty, yet the mixture of pagan roots with Christian themes creates spiritual confusion and constitutes a lie that misrepresents true worship. Scripture shows that Christ came to bear witness to the truth, and only those who love truth hear His voice, while others suppress it in unrighteousness, exchanging God's truth for the lie and serving the creature rather than the Creator. This suppression stems from pleasure in unrighteousness, as people trust empty words and lies that initially please them rather than truth that exposes sin and separates them from God. Such ignoring of truth appears in syncretistic practices where pagan customs receive Christian names, as occurred when Rome assigned December 25 to Christ's birth to align with the sun god's festival. God finds lying abominable and twice lists it among the seven things He hates, declaring that lying lips are an abomination while truthful dealings delight Him. Prophetic warnings against trusting lying words apply directly to those who mix idolatrous rites with worship of the true God and then claim deliverance despite ongoing abominations. The works of the flesh evident in holiday excesses contrast with the fruit of the Spirit produced by God's holy days, confirming that pagan traditions cannot conform anyone to Christ's image. Worship must begin with God as light in whom there is no darkness, accepting only the revelation given in Scripture rather than human reasoning or self-centered desires. Starting with personal wants leads to false doctrines and vain traditions that make God's Word of no effect. True Christianity rests on facts revealed in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life; any compromise with falsehoods severs fellowship with the Father and produces spiritual slavery instead of godly character.