Author : Keith Sharp
“… any given thing is to me such as it appears to me, and is to you such as it appears to you.” (Protagoras, 5th century B.C., quoted by Copan).
“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 Pontius Pilate implicitly denied the existence of objective truth by the rhetorical question, “What is truth?”, he was replying to the sweeping assertion of Jesus of Nazareth, “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.” This terse exchange embodies both the greatest philosophical inquiry and the most crucial and practical personal decision. What is truth? Is there even such a thing as absolute truth, or is truth relative, illusory, or completely illusive?
The following answers assume the existence of one true and living God, the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ, and the inspiration and authority of the Bible. For those who deny or question these foundation facts, I challenge you to study the evidences for faith with honesty and diligence. Such a study will lead the inquirer to accept five fundamental concepts about truth.
First, Truth comes from God rather than the mind of man. Popular songs notwithstanding, we can’t “look within ourselves” to discover truth.
“For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)
Notice, it is God’s truth. It springs from Him. It is not culturally determined. “His truth endures to all generations.” If God forbade homosexuality in first century Corinth as absolutely wrong (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), it is equally wrong in 21st century San Francisco or New York City.
Some basic facts about God emphasize that truth is absolute. God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:17-18), thus, whatever He says must be true. Since there is but one God, there is but one truth (1 Corinthians 8:5-6). There’s no “That may be true for you, but not for me.” The divine nature and will are unchanging and unchangeable (Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19; James 1:17), and His truth is universal (1 Timothy 2:3-4). Thus, truth is the same for all people everywhere at all times. Since God cannot lie, and men very often either lie (Romans 3:13) or are mistaken (Ephesians 4:17-19), we should always believe God rather than men (Romans 3:3-4). Since men are very often self-deceived (Jeremiah 17:9), we should always believe God over our own feelings.
Second, God reveals His truth in His Word.
“The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” (Psalm 119:160).
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17).
Since the Scriptures are His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13), we should turn to them to find the truth.
Third, Jesus Christ fully reveals the truth of God.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).
“Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
If we desire to know the fullness of divine truth, we must heed the words of God, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matthew 17:5).
Fourth, The Gospel reveals the truth of Christ to all mankind. The gospel is for all people everywhere until the end of time (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20). The Holy Spirit was sent from Jesus to reveal all the truth of the Gospel to the apostles of Christ (John 16:13-15). They wrote down the truth of the Gospel in what we call the New Testament (Ephesians 3:1-7). The Gospel makes known the full truth of God to all mankind (Colossians 1:3-12).
Fifth, We must hold to truth above all else.
“Buy the truth, and do not sell it….” (Proverbs 23:23a).
The truth of the Gospel will save us (John 8:32; James 1:18) If we do not love the truth, we will believe a lie and be condemned (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
Conclusion
“Truth is true- even if no one knows it.
Truth is true – even if no one admits it.
Truth is true – even if no one agrees what it is.
Truth is true – even if no one follows it.
Truth is true – even if no one but God grasps it fully.” (Copan.18.)“What is truth?”
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
“Buy the truth, and do not sell it….”
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Works Cited
Bloom, Allan, The Closing of the American Mind; quoted by Copan. Introduction.
Copan, Paul, “True For You, But Not For Me.”
