What is Truth?
Truth?
“What is truth?” Jn. 18:38. Pilate asked this question while standing in the “judgment hall”. Jn. 18:33. But Pilate, in asking his question, showed he lacked sound judgment: he was unable to discern truth. To him, there was no truth. Jesus, on the other hand, approached truth from a different perspective. To Him, truth is essential, absolute, and undeniable: He knew truth, discerned truth, and was truth incarnate. He started from this belief: “[T]hy word is truth”. Jn. 17:17. Invariably, our world is determined by one of those two perspectives: 1) there is no truth, or 2) thy word is truth. That’s what I’d like to talk about in this post.
Only Known Truth Sets Us Free.
Most of our doctrinal errors originate in the failure to wrestle with the inconsistencies of our own beliefs. Further, and oftentimes, we don’t allow God’s Word to be the final authority on matters of truth. Now, we say we do, but…when what we believe is challenged, or our doctrinal position is challenged, rather than wrestling with what we are challenged by, we ignore, avoid, or fight against it. And in the process, we deny the truth, if not directly, indirectly. When we do that, we miss one of the greatest gifts given to us: the ability to grow in understanding, discerning, and knowing truth. And in the process, we stay in our place of bondage, for only known truth sets us free.
One of the greatest needs is our world today is: the desire, quest, and search for truth, divine truth. And that quest begins where Jesus said it begins, thy word is truth. I want to hear what Jesus said about God’s Word. One, as we’ve seen, Jesus said, “thy word is truth”. Jn. 17:17. Two, Jesus said, “the scripture cannot be broken”. Jn. 10:35. Three, “until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Matt. 5:18, ESV. Four, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Matt. 24:35, ESV. Here, Jesus establishes the absolute authority and authenticity of scripture.
Scripture is true. Always. Where we miss it is in our failure to properly understand it. Yes, it is possible to twist and distort scripture. The Apostle Peter, in his response to the Apostle Paul’s writing said, “In which there are some things that are difficult to understand, which the untaught and unstable [who have fallen into error] twist and misinterpret, just as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.” 2 Pet. 3:16, Amplified Bible. The twisting, distorting, and misinterpretation of scripture is what caused Jewish leaders to reject Jesus. Further, notice the Apostle Peter says, it’s those individuals who are “untaught and unstable” who twist and distort the scripture.
Right here, the Apostle Peter was encouraging the teaching and instruction of scripture. Further, he was saying that the Apostle Paul’s understanding of the scripture was beyond his own understanding and comprehension. The Apostle Peter recognized that he was not a theologian. Further, he recognized the Apostle Paul was a theologian. In fact, much of the doctrine of the Church has been developed through the Apostle Paul’s writings. The Apostle Paul was a learned man when it came to the scripture, as he testified, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.” Acts 22:3, NIV. Notice, the Apostle Paul said of himself, “he was thoroughly trained”.
Yet, today, much of the doctrine of the Church is being developed by those who have not be trained. In fact, many take pleasure in their lack of training. And rather than admitting they are unlearned and their ideas untested, they double down on what they say. At least the prophet Amos, prior to prophesying, said, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs.” Amos 7:14, ESV. The prophet Amos understood that it took years of study at a school of prophets to become a prophet. Though God called the prophet Jeremiah from birth, he was stilled called, “the son of Hilkiah”. Jer. 1:1. Hilkiah, according to the prophet Jeremiah, was “one of the priests from the town of Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.” Id.
Jeremiah’s authority as a prophet was supported by his lineage and confirmed through prophecy. That is how God affirms what is of Him. God supports what is His. Yes, God supports being taught in the scripture. Yes, God supports prophets being trained. That is shown by Jesus spending most of His time, not with the multitudes, but His own disciples, some of whom became apostles. The twelve Apostles were chosen among those personally taught by Jesus about the “the things pertaining to the kingdom of God”. Acts 1:3. Oftentimes, in today’s culture, that scriptural perspective is has been lost and systemic theological training has been derided.
In Proverbs 23:23, Berean Standard Bible, we are encouraged to “Invest in truth and never sell it—in wisdom and instruction and understanding.” When you think of truth, how much time, energy, and money have you invested in your pursuit of truth. How about theological training, bible school or college, university level teaching, or the like? For prophets, have you been “schooled” as a prophet? What level of training? How long? Did you obtain a degree? How have you applied what you’ve been taught? Has it made a difference in your life? How?
Yes, we must take up the mantle of seeking truth. Truth is the only thing that can set this generation free from the deception it’s in. Truth will liberate those who find it. Truth will bring to light our secret sins. Truth will expose us; we will be naked before it. Truth, when harnessed with wisdom, will bring a new age of discovery and freedom to all mankind. But it will challenge us, change us, confront us, convict us, and cause us to recognize error — the lie. Possibly, the greatest danger to mankind is the root of all mankind’s problems — the lie.
The root lie is Satan’s lie — “No! You will certainly not die” Gen. 3:3, Christian Standard Bible. When the devil (or his servants), start using words like certainly, truthfully, and honestly, you should be concerned about yourself. He has you on his hook. You’ve bought into his pitch. He’s reeling you in for the kill. Then, he’ll use language like, sign here, or in Eve’s case, bite here. He’s got you! Hook, line, and sinker. You’re done! That’s where Pilate was. He believed a lie — no one has the truth. Jesus didn’t. He stood on scripture and said, “thy word is truth”. That’s safe ground. It will stand for all time.
Have tou consider the ground you’re standing on? Is it solid, safe, and secure? I would encourage you to evaluate your beliefs, search for truth, and not stop until you’ve got it. Or rather, it has you. Truth will guard and keep you through every storm of life. Invest in it. It’s eternal. Selah!
Let us pray!
Post a Comment