By Dr. Thurman R. Hayes Jr.

Lately there has been a lot of talk in our culture about “fake news.” People on all sides of the political spectrum are accusing others of lying to the public.

Did you ever stop to think about the pervasive lies that all of us are told by our culture? Here are a couple of them.

Lie: Your worth comes from what you do. Our culture tells us that some jobs are more important than others. In fact, busy stay-at-home moms are told that they are not working at all.

The Bible has a different vision for the work we do. It says, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24)

Notice that whatever job you do is precious and sacred to God, if it is done for His glory. The issue is not what position you hold, but the posture of your heart as you do your job, whatever that is.

Lie: Your worth comes from what you have. This message is reinforced to us every day in a thousand different ways. It is such a pervasive lie in our culture that it is practically in the air we breathe.

John Ortberg, a pastor in California, recalled a conversation he had with a man after the financial meltdown in 2008.

The man said, “I used to be worth this much, and now I am worth this much.” To which John said, “Here is how much you are worth — Jesus died for you.” That’s not fake news. It’s the truth.

Truth: Your worth comes from whose you are. The Bible says that if you are in Christ, you belong to God. Paul says in Galatians 2:20, “The life I now live I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Your worth comes from the fact that you are loved by the God of this universe. Romans 5:8 says, “God shows His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

When we welcome Christ into our lives as Savior and King, God adopts us as His own sons and daughters. Romans 8:14-15 assures us that “All who live by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.”

His own children — sons and daughters of the King — that is who we are in Christ.

Don’t believe the “fake news” of the culture. Believe the Good News of the gospel.

Dr. Thurman R. Hayes is senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Suffolk. Follow him on Twitter at @ThurmanHayesJr.