What is the truth? Jesus says, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32, KJV).
We can draw two important points from these words of Jesus. One, the way we come to know the truth is by continuing in the Word of God. That means the Word of God is the truth. Truth is not subjective. It is not situation ethics. Truth is not relative; it is an absolute. And the Word of God is the absolute standard of truth.
Two, Jesus says if we stick with the truth, it will make us free. The truth is not always pleasant to hear or to acknowledge. Sometimes, the truth hurts. But if we follow the truth where it leads, the truth will make us free. Because of its liberating power, we need the truth found in the Word of God.
By contrast, lying and cover ups and misleading others will put you into bondage. The longer one lives a lie, the more it will cost him to come clean by acknowledging and telling the truth to be free. How many people have hidden the truth so long and told so many lies to sustain a lie that they don’t know how to escape the prison they have placed themselves in?
The subject matter experts of our world promote their own version of the truth about all aspects of life. They want to tell us their version of the truth about things such as abortion, same-sex marriage, premarital sex, etc. But if what the world says about anything differs from what God says about it in His Word, the world’s version of the truth is wrong because the Word of God is the standard of truth.
The Church is God’s Advocate on Earth for the Truth
Since God has given us the Word of God, the church must be the drum major for the truth. Paul refers to the church as the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). In effect, the church is the foundation and the uprights that uphold the truth. No other body on earth has been divinely empowered to do the same.
If the church fails to be the pillar and ground of the truth, it will serve no relevant role in this earth.
Preachers must not be afraid to proclaim the truths of the Word of God. Those who occupy the pews need to be challenged by and confronted with the truth. The truth cuts to the chase, giving us God’s clear verdict on a matter thereby bringing clarity to our confusion. It strips away our determination to rationalize our misconduct as an attempt to justify it. The truth challenges our willingness to compromise when we need to stand firm.
Sad but true, many people today don’t know what truth is. The good news is that no one has to be confused about the truth. God has blessed us with the absolute standard of truth. And for those who will receive the truth and follow it where it leads, the truth will make them free.
Copyright © 2023 by Frank King. All rights reserved.