Truth is an essential and elusive thing these days.
The Bible shows us it is love:
What is truth in the Bible? Big gift of love:
For this purpose, I was born and for this purpose, I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. – Jesus in John 18:37
What is truth?
This is the ultimate question. Pontius Pilate asked this in response to Jesus’ statement above. Pilate was confused. He knew that Jesus* was innocent and that he should let Him go.
*indicates that there is a short biography of this person in Spiritual Lives.
For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. – Mark 15:10
So far, Pilate was acting according to what he knew was true and was about to release Jesus. When the Jews heard this, they said,
“If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend.” And he bowed to this political pressure and sentenced the Son of God to die.
Pilate did not “belong to the truth,” but he knew it.
Everyone knows the truth.
St. Paul* wrote the Romans,
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead;
so that they are without excuse: Romans 1:20
Truth is reality. Seeing is believing, and everyone can look at the things around us and know that they are there, they did not come to be by themselves, and that God made them.
Adam and Eve knew this and lived in and with the Truth and walked with Him in the Garden of Eden. When they sinned their access to the Truth was barred, they were separated from God, and on their way to destruction.
Truth in the dictionary
truth
noun
1
a
(1) : the body of real things, events, and facts: actuality
(2): the state of being the case: fact
(3) often capitalized: a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality
b: a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true.
truths of thermodynamics
c: the body of true statements and propositions
2
a: the property (as of a statement) of being in accord with fact or reality.
b chiefly British: true sense 2
c: fidelity to an original or to a standard
3
a: sincerity in action, character, and utterance
b
archaic: fidelity, constancy
4
capitalized Christian Science: God
The Bible’s Definition of Truth
The word “truth” appears 237 times in the King James* Bible, “true” 81. Here is a simple definition drawn from what the Bible teaches:
Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. Even more to the point: Truth is the self-expression of God. That is the biblical meaning of truth. Because the definition of truth flows from God, truth is theological.
Truth is also ontological—which is a fancy way of saying it is the way things really are. Reality is what it is because God declared it so and made it so.
Therefore, God is the author, source, determiner, governor, arbiter, ultimate standard, and final judge of all truth. – John MacArthur
Truth is a Person
Jesus put it quite clearly,
I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. – John 14:6
The Truth. He is not only true but truth itself: this may regard his person and character.
He is the true God and eternal life; truly and really a man; as a prophet, he taught the way of God in truth; as a priest, he is a faithful, as well as a merciful one, true and faithful to him that appointed him;
and as a King, just and true are all his ways and administrations: he is the sum and substance of all the truths of the gospel. –– John Gill
Jesus said this at the Lord’s Supper after He had washed the disciples’ feet. His purpose was to comfort them and assure them that all was well, even in the looming shadow of death.
His statement is an absolute affirmation of what Moses* wrote about God:
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. – Deuteronomy 32:4
The Jews believed this, but their understanding was limited. They rightly identified the Law of Moses* as Truth but mistakenly thought and taught that it was also the Way that led to Life.
At the beginning of his Gospel John* tells us:
For the law was given by Moses*, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.* John 1:17
The Jews had given Moses* a job he could not do. St. Paul* puts it like this:
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. – Galatians 3:11
Moses* was a great man of God, and Jesus* honored him:
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. – John 5:46
Moses* had indeed written of the His coming.
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. – Deuteronomy 18:18
Here Moses* was repeating what the LORD had told him on Mt. Sinai when He gave him the ten commandments. At that time, the children of Israel were so terrified of His glory that they asked Moses* to be their mediator, which was done.
John Gill explains the importance of this:
they were not only made easy for the present by appointing Moses to receive from the Lord all further notices of his mind and will, but were assured that when it was his pleasure to make a new revelation, or a further discovery of his mind and will, in future times, he would not do it in that terrible way he had delivered the law to them;
but would raise up a person of their own flesh and blood, by whom it should be delivered, which was sufficient to prevent their fears for the future:
Sadly, the Israelites looked to Moses* too much, and put him in a place to which he did not belong nor could anyone but the Son of God fulfill.
Jesus* came to them to save His people from their sins, to preach repentance, and bring the Gospel. This was exactly what He did:
Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.– John 7:16
But they would not hear Him, because they had no faith; they were not “born again.”
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. – John 6:63
The written word of God is truth, but it alone cannot save. Only the living Truth in the person of Jesus Christ can save.
O where can truth be found today?
And where does wisdom hide?
O who to life’s mysteries holds the key?
O where does the knowing heart abide?
From ivory towers, philosophies fair,
From oracles of a day,
In halls of the learnèd, in palaces strong,
Do questioners seek to learn the Way.
They travel to and fro and run
To far off lands and lore;
With unhearing ears, they do not perceive
That truth is knocking at the door.
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
Respond to Jesus’ call,
And open the door to truth and light:
In Him is no darkness at all.
Let Jesus have your heart today,
He peace and love will bestow;
On Christ the Rock of truth now stand,
From whence do wisdom’s waters flow.
Words: Richard W. Adams, March 23, 2019.
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