Truth

What Is Truth?

“Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘So You are a king?’ Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears My voice.’ Pilate said to Him, ‘what is truth?’”
(John 18:37-38)

During the time period when Jesus walked the earth, there were many opinions concerning truth; and some had even supposed that it was a thing utterly out of the reach of men. Pilate perhaps might have asked the question, “what is truth” in a mocking way; and in not staying to get an answer he indicated that he either despaired of getting a satisfactory one, or that he was indifferent about it. Nevertheless all truth in heaven and on earth was standing before him and he did not know Him.

To know Christ, the living Word of God, is to know truth, for Christ is the embodiment of all truth. Like Pilate, most of mankind had lost sight of truth and Jesus came that He might restore mankind in truth. Apart from truth man cannot be in right standing with God, therefore man must seek to know God’s truth.

The word truth is defined as a statement or an act that conforms to fact or actuality. Fact is exact and cannot be altered; thus fact has no variation; and truth conforms to fact, and it too, to remain truth, cannot be in part, vary or be altered. Fact and/or truth are the standard by which all else is measured. To make a statement or to do an act that adds to, takes from or omits the facts is a distortion, a variation and a misstatement that does not represent and uphold the facts; thus it is not truth.

Truth establishes trust. Trust is defined as confidence in the honesty, integrity, reliability and justice of a person or institution. If a person or institution is to be trusted they must be known for speaking and abiding in the truth. It is the element of trust in truth that has the power to transform the soul.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

“I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”
(1^st Timothy 3:15ff)

God’s word---His truth, is His expressed power and authority; therefore the power and authority of the church is God’s truth. Myths, fantasy, fiction or any other form of a lie has no place in the church of the living God; for the true church is Christ body in the earth today, the embodiment of truth.

To be a member of the body of Christ, the church, one must be faithful to know, be obedient to-- and faithfully speak the truth.

“O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill, and to Your dwelling places.”
(Psalm 43:3)

James C Sanford