What Is Truth? Expanded 1/10/2018

WHAT IS TRUTH?

What is truth?  Where can truth be found:  can it be found from individual people; from books; from scientists?  What individual or group has the truth:  is it Black Lives Matter; Antifa; Democrats; Republicans; communists; socialists; homosexuals; lesbians; transgenderists; abortionists; CNN; MSNBC; CIA; FBI; (and the list could go on for several pages)?

It soon becomes clear that if any individual or group believes their idea or concept is true then it becomes their personal TRUTH and all opposing ideas or concepts are false by default.  Planned Parenthood and their followers believe that the abortion of unwanted fetuses is the truth and all other beliefs are inherently false or misguided.  The same duality can be found in all other pro and con constituencies within the list given in the first paragraph.

Given the information cited so far in this article, it can be said that truth is whatever the largest, most powerful, and most militaristic group claims it to be.  At least in the secular world.

However, there is TRUTH and it is only to be found in the mind, will, character, glory, and Being of God.  Where can the truth of God be found?  Only in the Word of God which can only be found in the scriptures of God which today is known as the Bible.  There are many false prophets claiming to speak words given to them by God, however, these words are only their personal opinions and/or wishful thinking.

John 18:33-38 NET  So Pilate went back into the governor's residence, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"  (34)  Jesus replied, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?"  (35)  Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people and your chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?"  (36)  Jesus replied, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here."  (37)  Then Pilate said, "So you are a king!" Jesus replied, "You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world — to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."  (38)  Pilate asked, "What is truth?" When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders and announced, "I find no basis for an accusation against him.

As He was questioned by Pilot, Jesus identified “the truth”: (for this reason I came into the world — to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice).  Other New Testament scriptures attesting that Jesus is the Truth:  “full of grace and truth” John 1:14; “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” John 1:17; “rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15.

God acknowledged as the God of Truth can be found in several Old Covenant passages:

Deuteronomy 32:4 KJV  He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth (moral fidelity) and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Isaiah 65:16 KJV  That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.

Does the secular world accept the Word of God as the Truth?  Not at all.  Intellectuals and pundits have attempted for centuries to discredit the Biblical scriptures as the Word of God.  Prophetic works have been accused as being written after the fact such as the Greek Empire sections of Daniel and the Cyrus prophecies of Isaiah.  Others argue the Bible is basically wrong by using non-Biblical works of various secular authors (i.e. their particular opinions become truth as opposed to the real truth of scripture).  Although they may not be totally aware of it, liberals, leftists, and others of similar mindsets inherently know the Word of God speaks the truth which they viciously attack, misrepresent, or misunderstand. 

Truth does not originate from any earthly vessel such as a book or from any human being.  No poll or public opinion survey can reveal truth.  Even scientists cannot accurately discover and interpret truth.  Truth can only come from God.  Why?  Because God created reality and thus, only reality as perceived by God can be absolute truth.  Without the Word of God there cannot be any absolutes and there can be no objective universal truths.  The postmodernism concept claiming, “what is true for you may not be true for me”, is the biggest untruth existing.

Francis Schaeffer from Pearcey, N. (2005). Total truth : liberating Christianity from its cultural captivity. Wheaton, Ill., Crossway Books.

“Christianity is not a series of truths in the plural, but rather truth spelled with a capital “T.” Truth about total reality, not just about religious things. Biblical Christianity is Truth concerning total reality and the intellectual holding of that total truth and then living in the light of that truth.”

i.e. God is the author, mediator, ultimate standard, and final judge of truth.

The truth of God will set one free from the demons, both real and contrived, that contribute to the mindless violence and acts of aggression that besets many people.  There is no other method or system to free oneself.

John 8:31-32 NET  Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, "If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples  (32)  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

God’s truth does not change.  It remains the truth from the first sentence of scripture to the last sentence.

Hebrews 13:8 NET  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!

John 1:1-3 NET  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God.  (2)  The Word was with God in the beginning.  (3)  All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.

Ray Gano at prophezine.com claims that 2018 marks the end of the age.  If a generation is 70 years then this year is 70 years beyond the beginning of the founding of the modern state of Israel in 1948.  Although his prophetic prediction should perhaps be taken with a grain of salt, I agree that we are extremely close to the beginning of the Millennium or the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 24:34 NET  I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

In some form, all the nations of the world are rebelling against God and His truth.  The one-worlders including Israel-America continue to devise coups, takeovers, and wars to increase their land size and to gain additional resources such as oil and minerals.  The once vastly Christian North America and Europe have degenerated to a majority of deists, agnostics, and atheists.  The World of God and the truth of God are no longer venerated or respected.  They consider the laws and statutes of God as chains of bondage.  The nations have declared a revolt against the Creator.  God’s plan is to cure the problem, not to destroy the earth. It is to remove sin and bring heaven to earth, not to separate heaven from earth.

Psalms 2:1-3 NET  Why do the nations rebel? Why are the countries devising plots that will fail?  (2)  The kings of the earth form a united front; the rulers collaborate against the LORD and his anointed king.  (3)  They say, "Let's tear off the shackles they've put on us! Let's free ourselves from their ropes!"

I believe, from reading articles in alternative news sources that Mystery Babylon is being assaulted and taken down by Russia, China, and Donald Trump, although other world figures are assisting without my immediate knowledge.

Only when the truth of God is taught to the world will the “sword be turned into a plowshare” which is a metaphoric way to claim that war will become peace.  Without the truth of God there will be no peace.

This article was inspired by a recently heard Sunday morning sermon entitled, Truth Matters.  The message struck a powerful chord within my spirit, perhaps even more powerful than the actual message.  Everyone is clinging to various self-proclaimed truths, but there is only one Truth.  It is the:  fall of mankind; the physical embodiment of God as the Anointed One; the Gospel as proclaimed by Jesus Christ; the sinless life of the second Adam to conquer death; the crucifixion of Jesus Christ whose blood covered all sins for all time; the resurrection to eternal life of Jesus Christ as evidence that all will be resurrected and will eventually gain eternal life.