This poisonous virus!

(Arthur Pink, "The Word of Truth")

By nature, both writer and reader are liars. "The wicked are estranged from the womb, they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies" (Psalm 58:3). No child has to be taught to lie—it comes naturally to him. Nor does he have to be corrupted by contact with others—he is born corrupt at the core of his being! This is the inevitable consequence of the Fall. Our first parents preferred the Devil's lie—to God's Truth, and all of their descendants inherit this poisonous virus.

In consequence "the whole world lies in the wicked one" (1 John 5:19) and he is "a liar—and the father of lies" (John 8:44). Thus by nature, we have no love for the Truth—but instead, we all have a strong antipathy and resistance against it. The unregenerate do not want to know the truth about themselves—no, they wish to be flattered and encouraged to entertain a good opinion of themselves. Hence, the Lord Jesus declared "Because I tell you the Truth—you do not believe" (John 8:45). Had He told them pleasant lies—they would have welcomed Him.

Since the whole world lies in the wicked one, and he is the arch-liar, we should not be surprised at the world being so full of pretense and deceit—and that the Truth of God is so bitterly hated. The fact is, that "Truth has fallen in the street!" (Isaiah 59:14) and is now being ruthlessly trampled on, on every side.