What is Truth?
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After His trial before the high priest Jesus is taken to Pilate the Roman governor. During questioning, Jesus declares that He has come to testify to the truth. Pilate’s response is interesting:
Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”
John 18:37b-38a (NASB)
Jesus and Pilate were talking about two different realms. Jesus was talking of the Spirit, but Pilate talked of the world. Pilate’s observation was valid. Humankind is full of truths. In a world of self-interest and worldly ambition, truth is more about opinion and personal validation than anything else. The truth Pilate refers to has a name and it is called ‘my way’. If ‘my way’ is the world’s view of truth we are in big trouble. It seems that even where vast numbers come into agreement on a particular truth, many will disagree. One thing is sure, and it has been constant from the beginning: ‘I’ am right, and ‘I’ am in the truth.
Whether we live in the first century or the twenty-first century we are offended by anything claiming to be truth that challenges our place of comfort or the limits of our red lines. Logic tells us that truth is something that should have a single source, an independent point of proof, yet we persist in the idea that we are always on the right side of truth even if the test of validation stops with my mind and my opinion. Pilate’s response to Jesus was cynical but it showed his understanding of how fickle we are. He did not expect Jesus to answer, it was a rhetorical question because he thought that no answer was possible.
If we are intelligent enough to recognise that the world is full of competing truths, why play the game? It seems that fake is in and how much it comforts us! Swirling around us are genuine truths, yet amid the immense oceans of varying opinions and outright lies it is often hard to identify them, or grasp hold of them amid the conspiracies, and those who influence the masses having declared themselves as gods.
I suppose we need to move on. Railing against the fickle nature of man will get us nowhere. What we may conclude is that ‘my way’ is a collection of truths that selfishness has justified and are often truths that demand little, being low maintenance and involving little in terms of personal cost.
The truth that Jesus was testifying to also has a name and it is called ‘His Way.’ There is a reason why ‘my way’ is in lowercase and ‘His Way’ is capitalised. Jesus is truth, not just full of truth or displaying truth but He is the very source of it. We are not writing only about the truth of His messages, but all truth. You may ask how we, one couple writing amid the millions of intellectual scholars and people of common sense, make such a claim? We do not make the claim, but the Holy Spirit makes it and the evidence and witness of millions of His followers make the claim, and the power of His Word makes the claim. Yet since we know how fickle mankind is, if you are not convinced by the testimony of many to healing; to restoration, to victory, then ask Jesus himself to override your own imagination with truth. Yes, just ask it aloud and see if He will answer. His truth is trustworthy and leads to life.
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Romans 1:20 (NLT)
We may still need to explain how Jesus is the source of all truth. As the Word of God comes directly from the throne of God, so that Word is always true. All believers must accept this otherwise they have dethroned the Creator from His rightful position as ‘Holy’ and ‘Almighty.’ This ‘Word’ is seen in scripture and in prophecy and the revelation of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The world presents a more difficult picture because there are many potential truths amid many lies and imaginations. Believers must test them by the Spirit of truth – the Holy Spirit to discern truth from falsehood. Is this not why Jesus was eager for the arrival of the Holy Spirit as our helper who would reveal all truth?
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.
John 16:13-14 (NLT)
The world seems satisfied with fake masquerading as truth. People are not dull, yet fake seems to offer an attractive alternative to truth. Perhaps for some the reality of the world is too hard to live in without the comfort of a close and personal relationship with Jesus. As a result, many turn to fantasy to escape, becoming entwined with conspiracy messages, addictions, violence and corruptions.
Christian – it is time to check yourself. You may have turned to accept Jesus for salvation, but have you nourished your personal relationship with the Word and with the Holy Spirit? Are you hearing His Word? When your answer is Yes, then your witness will bring you to lead your family, your friend, your colleague and the stranger to the greater comfort of the source of all truth. It is time to be a faithful witness among believers and unbelievers.
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
Romans 10:14-15 (NLT)
If you are not a follower of Jesus and you are reading this, then today can be the day of salvation. If you will call to Him and ask Jesus to cleanse you and free you from the comfort of the fake and false imaginations of the world and lead you to the comfort of the truth in a relationship with Him, He will be faithful to help you. He has always wanted to bring you freedom from ‘my way’, because rather than the freedom it suggests, it is nothing but a prison separating you from the truth. Call to Him who can bring you from what is dark to the light, to the light of truth-the light of ‘His Way'.
Recommended reading: God is all about relationship