truth - god is truth
What is 'Truth'? Is anything really THE truth? In our
postmodern times, it is popular to think that all things are equally
true. Buddhism is true for some, Hinduism is true for some, and
Christianity is true for some in this age. Of course, like the
Christian, the Hindu believes Hindu doctrine is true, and thusly cannot
agree with the Postmodernist, just as the Christian cannot
believe. This dilemma fits for many. It seems that perhaps
the person who wants to believe whatever he wants to believe is the
only person who claims that there is no truth. If he is wrong,
then the truth will eventually catch up to him and prove him
wrong. But HOW can we know what the TRUTH is? This question
has been asked by mankind for a long time. The question can be
wrapped up nicely in the question asked of Jesus by Pontius Pilate:
'What is truth?' Pilate asked."
John 18:38
Interesting enough, for a postmodernist to make the claim that
'everything is relative' or that 'there is no absolute truth' is
hypocritical, since he is making a truth claim! Using his
logic, why would we believe that his statement is true? His
own statement is self-defeating. Besides, we intuitively know
that there are truths in the world. Throw yourself off a tall
building, you will fall to the ground. This is
absolute. We call it the 'law of gravity'. There
are many examples of other 'laws' which are 'Truth' under another
name. For instance, it is truth that our bodies need
sustenance, love and warmth. To not conform to these 'truths'
is dangerous. Anyone who might disagree may find their lives
in peril. But are these 'laws of nature', or are they an
example of 'established truth'? If they are simply laws of
nature, then where did they come from? Can order and
stability (the natural laws) come from chaos and indeterminacy, as
Scientism proclaims? Or perhaps they are the hint of
something beyond us, something that established the order of things,
and to which we must be subjected to for our greater good?
Of course, the Christian believes the latter. Those who deny
God's sovereignty believe the former. This condition was described by
the Apostle Paul when he said:
They [those who deny God's sovereignty] exchanged the TRUTH of God for a lie..."
Romans 1:25
Truth can be thought of in several ways. First, it
can be
epistemological (or simply logical) truth, such as 'It is raining on my
yard today' (assuming of course, it is!) Truth can also be
ontological, also known as 'reality'. This is the closest to
the meaning of the attribute of God. If God is,
philosophically, the Creator of all, the Sustainer of all, the
Sovereign of all, and the basis of all reality, then by definition he
is the source of all meaning, and this meaning is the TRUTH.
So what is the truth? Anything that aligns with God's will or
nature. This is the basis of all of realities, and if we act
in ways contrary to God's will or nature, we are not 'in
truth'.
God gave us a means to comprehend His Truth via the Scriptures, the
Law, and the prophets. But the ultimate and most meaningful
revelation of His Truth is evident in His incarnation, in
Christ. We see that Jesus claimed to be Truth in bodily form:
I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me." John 14:6
We have seen His [Christ's] glory, the glory of the one and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14
Indeed, Christ claimed His purpose to be based upon the Truth:
For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth."
John 18:37b
It was to this statement that Pontius Pilate asked his famous and
timeless question, as pointed out above.
Since Truth is of God's nature, it is then by definition
unchanging. This is the important part for us to
understand. As Christians, we pursue the Truth (God's nature
and His will):
God is spirit, and his worshiper must worship in spirit and IN TRUTH." John 4:24
If you hold to my teaching...then you will know the Truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 8:31b, 32
The bottom line of the Truth of God is that 'all things must
pass
except the things that are of Him.' In other words, God is
the TRUTH, and anything that is not of God (conforming to His nature
and His will) will not be left standing in the end.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." Matthew 24:35
All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." 1 Peter 1:24-25
Your word, Oh Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens." Psalm 119:152