The Truth About Truth
WHAT IS TRUTH?
BEFORE we attempt to define ‘truth’ – let’s talk about the importance of truth.
TRUTH AND THE WORLD WE LIVE IN:
“The definition of new tolerance is that every individual’s beliefs, values, lifestyle, and perception of truth claims are equal… There is no hierarchy of truth. Your beliefs and my beliefs are equal.”
Thomas A. Helmbock
Executive Vice President/Lambda Chi Alpha
Dominant World View in Education, Media and Hollywood: Multi-Culturalism
• Truth is subjective
• All truth is equal
• Everyone needs to accept others and not judge them for who they are or for what they believe
• Celebrate diversity
WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT TRUTH
Jesus & Pilate:
33 Then Pilate went back inside and called for Jesus to be brought to him. "Are you the King of the Jews?" he asked him. 34 Jesus replied, "Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?" 35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate asked. "Your own people and their leading priests brought you here. Why? What have you done?" 36 Then Jesus answered, "I am not an earthly king. If I were, my followers would have fought when I was arrested by the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world." 37 Pilate replied, "You are a king then?" "You say that I am a king, and you are right," Jesus said. "I was born for that purpose. And I came to bring truth to the world. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true." 38 "What is truth?" Pilate asked.” John 18:33-38
John 1:14
“And the Word was made 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
Truth – defined: “adherence to a standard or law”
John 18:37 – See above
The standard is Jesus.
TRUTH ISN’T A SET OF CONCEPTS, TRUTH IS A PERSON.
Colossians 1:16-17
“For by Him all things were created, {both} in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16-17
God is the original – the standard:
“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4
Truth isn’t a “What”, Truth is a “Who”
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
“So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.” John 8:36
Understanding Jesus Christ as the absolute embodiment of truth means that:
• Truth isn’t subjectively created; truth is and comes from the objective, absolute person of Christ Himself. As John wrote: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17
• Truth could not be relative and change from person to person, from community to community, because Jesus is the incarnation of the God who ‘never changes or casts shifting shadows’ (James 1:17). As the Scripture says: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
• All truth could not be equal because Jesus didn’t claim to be ‘A’ truth, one that is equal to all others. His claim was exclusive; he claimed to be the one and only truth, the only way to God. “I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). Those are not the words of someone who is ‘one among many’ or someone who is ‘equal’ to all others; those are the words of one who has no equal. He is the incarnation of the one who said: “I am the Lord; there is no other God. I have prepared you, ever though you do not know me, so all the world from east to west will no there is no other God. I am the Lord, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:5-6
Truth is relational.
Each of us are invited into relationship – relationship with God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
Christianity isn’t a set of rules and laws. Christianity is a relationship with God.
And when you come into relationship with God, you come into relationship with God’s people. “Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27
BEFORE we attempt to define ‘truth’ – let’s talk about the importance of truth.
TRUTH AND THE WORLD WE LIVE IN:
“The definition of new tolerance is that every individual’s beliefs, values, lifestyle, and perception of truth claims are equal… There is no hierarchy of truth. Your beliefs and my beliefs are equal.”
Thomas A. Helmbock
Executive Vice President/Lambda Chi Alpha
Dominant World View in Education, Media and Hollywood: Multi-Culturalism
• Truth is subjective
• All truth is equal
• Everyone needs to accept others and not judge them for who they are or for what they believe
• Celebrate diversity
WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT TRUTH
Jesus & Pilate:
33 Then Pilate went back inside and called for Jesus to be brought to him. "Are you the King of the Jews?" he asked him. 34 Jesus replied, "Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?" 35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate asked. "Your own people and their leading priests brought you here. Why? What have you done?" 36 Then Jesus answered, "I am not an earthly king. If I were, my followers would have fought when I was arrested by the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world." 37 Pilate replied, "You are a king then?" "You say that I am a king, and you are right," Jesus said. "I was born for that purpose. And I came to bring truth to the world. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true." 38 "What is truth?" Pilate asked.” John 18:33-38
John 1:14
“And the Word was made 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
Truth – defined: “adherence to a standard or law”
John 18:37 – See above
The standard is Jesus.
TRUTH ISN’T A SET OF CONCEPTS, TRUTH IS A PERSON.
Colossians 1:16-17
“For by Him all things were created, {both} in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16-17
God is the original – the standard:
“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4
Truth isn’t a “What”, Truth is a “Who”
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
“So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.” John 8:36
Understanding Jesus Christ as the absolute embodiment of truth means that:
• Truth isn’t subjectively created; truth is and comes from the objective, absolute person of Christ Himself. As John wrote: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17
• Truth could not be relative and change from person to person, from community to community, because Jesus is the incarnation of the God who ‘never changes or casts shifting shadows’ (James 1:17). As the Scripture says: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
• All truth could not be equal because Jesus didn’t claim to be ‘A’ truth, one that is equal to all others. His claim was exclusive; he claimed to be the one and only truth, the only way to God. “I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). Those are not the words of someone who is ‘one among many’ or someone who is ‘equal’ to all others; those are the words of one who has no equal. He is the incarnation of the one who said: “I am the Lord; there is no other God. I have prepared you, ever though you do not know me, so all the world from east to west will no there is no other God. I am the Lord, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:5-6
Truth is relational.
Each of us are invited into relationship – relationship with God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
Christianity isn’t a set of rules and laws. Christianity is a relationship with God.
And when you come into relationship with God, you come into relationship with God’s people. “Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27
posted by Doug Love at 10:29 AM
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