Volume 48 Number 7 July 2006
“… If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:31-32
When Jesus uttered the above words recorded in the gospel of John, He made a very simple, yet profound statement. He spoke of how to know the truth. How many men and women over the centuries have spent years of their lives in search of truth? Philosophers of the Greek and Roman empires as well as those in Europe and the United States over the past 400 years have had significant impacts on the ideals and beliefs of societies and people around the world. While it should be acknowledged that many of these philosophers have made important contributions in particular areas, many of their efforts have been in vain. This futility is especially apparent in their search for truth. A prevailing philosophy in the world today is that there is no source of ultimate truth. Another related belief is that truth is relative and dependent upon each individual’s opinions and situations. It is ironic that in their search for truth, philosophers have in their own wisdom confused themselves into concluding that there is no real standard of truth.
The words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:19-20 may be appropriately applied here. “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. … The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” It may very well be true that men cannot truly establish standards of truth for other men. However, the search for truth is so much easier when man looks to God for the answers. There is a standard of ultimate truth established by the living God. Those who ignore it, do so to their own peril. Unfortunately, many in our country and around the world have ceased to look to the Bible as establishing the basis of truth. The appeal of this article is to remind each of us to remain rooted in the real truth revealed by the Lord in His word in determining our convictions and actions.
God has much to say in the Bible about truth. In the Old Testament, we find the LORD proclaimed to Moses as ‘merciful, gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth’ (Exodus 34:6). The LORD lives in truth, judgment, and righteousness (Jeremiah 4:2). “…His truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:5). “Buy the truth and do not sell it…” (Proverbs 23:23). One way to characterize ‘buying the truth and not selling it,’ may be in the following four features: learn truth, love truth, live in truth, and teach truth. Let’s briefly examine truth in these four ways.
Learn truth.
The first thing we must do is learn the truth. The Holy Spirit was sent to guide the
apostles into all truth (John 16:13).
We learn these same spiritual truths through the Bible. God’s desire is for
‘all men to be
saved and come to the knowledge of the truth’ (1 Timothy 2:4). When we are instructed to
put on the whole armor of God, the first piece of that spiritual armor mentioned is truth,
which we are to put upon our waist (Ephesians 6:14).
Jesus, the one whom we follow as His disciples, is ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ (John 14:6).
We also study and are diligent to learn the truth of God, so that we may accurately understand
and apply it (2 Timothy 2:15).
Love truth.
Since truth is of God and we love God, it is important for us to love God’s truth.
1 Thessalonians 2:10 approaches this from the negative view when it speaks of those
who perished because they did not love the truth. The more I learn of the truth, the more I love
the truth. 1 Corinthians 13:6 connects love and truth by conveying the principle that love
rejoices in the truth. “Your word is very pure; therefore, Your servant loves it” (Psalm 119:140).
Live in truth.
After learning and loving truth, we also commit to living in truth. To live in truth
includes to worship in truth and obey truth. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must
worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
We must first know truth to worship in truth. Similarly, we must first love truth to worship in
spirit. With the love of God and truth in our heart and the knowledge of God and truth in our
mind, we may then worship God in spirit and truth. Equally important is to obey truth. In
obeying the truth through the Spirit, our souls are purified
(1 Peter 1:22).
Obeying the truth begins when ‘our bodies are washed with pure water’ (Hebrews 10:22),
and continues as we are raised to ‘walk in newness of life’ (Romans 6:4).
Teach truth.
Learning, loving, and living in truth allow us to be more fully equipped to teach truth.
May we follow the instruction of Paul to ‘speak the truth in love’ (Ephesians 4:15).
As Christians, we are members of ‘the church of the living God, which is the pillar and ground of
the truth’ (1 Timothy 3:15). Whether young or old, we are among the current and living
generations of the Lord’s church today. We have a responsibility to continue to teach the truth to
the church (other Christians) as well as teaching God’s word to the world.
We see then that mankind has always had a thirst for truth. Some men search for truth through science or philosophy, while others seek truth from God. In cases where science or philosophy agree with God, contributions should be acknowledged and credit given. However, many scientists and philosophers are in over their heads when trying to tackle issues which have moral or spiritual implications. May we leave all of these issues to God alone and use Him as our source of all spiritual truth. May we learn, love, live in, and teach the truth which is from God.