WHAT IS TRUTH AND WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
KEY POINTS
- The nature of truth demands that truth is absolute, objective, and definable.
- The definer of truth is God and His expression of that truth is the Bible.
You may have heard some form of today's question brought up in recent years. Even the Roman governor Pontius Pilate asked this question to Jesus in John 18:38. What is Truth? In our world today, there has been a gradual cultural shift in seeing truth as subjective and moldable based on the perspective and experiences of each individual person. People will talk about the subject of truth and say phrases like “my truth” or “your truth”. This subjective approach to truth is not only wrong but also a dangerous way to look at such an important topic. The nature of truth demands that it is absolute. Views, beliefs and statements have to be able to be determined to be true or not true. If, on the other hand, there is no absolute truth, then truth is non-existent and meaningless. But If there is truth, then it is definable and If truth is definable, then there has to be a Definer who defines and determines what truth is and is not. I hope you followed along with that line of logical thinking.
We believe that The Definer of Truth is God Himself and His expression of the truth He defined is His word , the Bible. His word is where we find what is true and what is false and is the standard by which we measure what is true and what is false. It’s also the measure by which all people should measure these things as well, but we know that as people reject God, they will also reject any of His standards. As Christians, we do not determine what is true or false based on our own opinion. We have forfeited our own opinions on truth and instead turned to God's word as the standard or basis of Truth. Another way of saying this is by declaring that we are not our own authority, our own god, or our own “Who says”. Everyone has a “Who says”. That who says is the basis or standard for determining what is true or false. The danger is that so many people have become their own who says or have elevated a celebrity, an admired political leader, or the media into a position which should only be held by God and His Word. This deception is not by accident or a coincidence. John 8:44 says that Satan is the father of lies and when he speaks lies he is speaking his native tongue. Satan loves to deceive people by stripping away the Truth of God and deceiving people into seeing God's truth as hateful and somehow bigoted. Be prepared for this narrative to continue to increase over time. The bible will continue to be seen as a hateful and bigoted book because the truth in God's word sheds light in dark places that want to stay hidden. This false view of God's definition is the furthest thing from the Truth, because truth and love walk hand in hand. There is no such thing as your truth or my truth. There is only the truth and scripture tells us in John 14:6 that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We can only find the truth we are so desperately looking for by seeking and finding Christ. Truth is not subjective or changing based on our emotions and feelings. Truth is something we can anchor our lives on in Jesus Christ and the Word of God. We pray that you would turn to Jesus and fix your life on Him and on the foundation of His unchanging and unfailing word. Instead of asking “What is Truth,” we should be looking toward He who is truth.
We believe that The Definer of Truth is God Himself and His expression of the truth He defined is His word , the Bible. His word is where we find what is true and what is false and is the standard by which we measure what is true and what is false. It’s also the measure by which all people should measure these things as well, but we know that as people reject God, they will also reject any of His standards. As Christians, we do not determine what is true or false based on our own opinion. We have forfeited our own opinions on truth and instead turned to God's word as the standard or basis of Truth. Another way of saying this is by declaring that we are not our own authority, our own god, or our own “Who says”. Everyone has a “Who says”. That who says is the basis or standard for determining what is true or false. The danger is that so many people have become their own who says or have elevated a celebrity, an admired political leader, or the media into a position which should only be held by God and His Word. This deception is not by accident or a coincidence. John 8:44 says that Satan is the father of lies and when he speaks lies he is speaking his native tongue. Satan loves to deceive people by stripping away the Truth of God and deceiving people into seeing God's truth as hateful and somehow bigoted. Be prepared for this narrative to continue to increase over time. The bible will continue to be seen as a hateful and bigoted book because the truth in God's word sheds light in dark places that want to stay hidden. This false view of God's definition is the furthest thing from the Truth, because truth and love walk hand in hand. There is no such thing as your truth or my truth. There is only the truth and scripture tells us in John 14:6 that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We can only find the truth we are so desperately looking for by seeking and finding Christ. Truth is not subjective or changing based on our emotions and feelings. Truth is something we can anchor our lives on in Jesus Christ and the Word of God. We pray that you would turn to Jesus and fix your life on Him and on the foundation of His unchanging and unfailing word. Instead of asking “What is Truth,” we should be looking toward He who is truth.
BIBLICAL REFERENCES
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17
All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. Psalm 119:160
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:18
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15
TRUE NORTH COLLEGE COURSE
Knowing God | Practical Theology 241
A study of the doctrine of knowing God (epistemology). Special attention will be given to the practice of knowing God so as to challenge and motivate the student to seek God. Special emphasis will be on what faith is and is not and how to use your faith.