What is Truth?
“There is one thing a professor can be absolutely sure of: almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative” (Bloom. 25; 1987 A.D.). “What is truth?” (Pontius Pilate, 33 A.D., John 18:38).
When Pilate denied the existence of truth, he was replying to the assertion of Jesus, “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Is there even such a thing as absolute truth, or is truth relative, illusory, or completely illusive?
Truth comes from God rather than the mind of man. We can’t “look within ourselves” to discover truth (Ps. 100:5; Jer. 10:23).
It is God’s truth. It is not culturally determined. “His truth endures to all generations.” If God forbade homosexuality in first century Corinth (I Cor. 6:9-10), it is wrong in 21st century America.
Truth is absolute. God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), so, whatever He says must be true. Since there is but one God, there is but one truth (I Cor. 8:5-6). There’s no “That may be true for you, but not for me.” The divine will is unchanging and unchangeable (James 1:17), and His truth is universal (I Tim. 2:3-4). Men often either lie (Rom. 3:13) or are mistaken (Eph. 4:17-19), so we should always believe God rather than men (Rom. 3:3-4). Since men are often self-deceived (Jer. 17:9), we should believe God over our own feelings.
God reveals His truth in His Word (John 17:17). Since the Scriptures are His Word (I Thess. 2:13), we should turn to them to find the truth.
Jesus Christ fully reveals the truth of God (John 1:14; 14:6). We must “Hear Him” (Matt. 17:5).
The Gospel reveals the truth of Christ to all mankind. The gospel is for all people everywhere until the end of time (Matt. 28:18-20). The Gospel makes known the full truth of God to all mankind (Col. 1:3-12).
We must hold to truth above all else (Prov. 23:23a). The truth of the Gospel will save us (John 8:32). If we do not love the truth, we will believe a lie and be condemned (II Thess. 2:9-12).
