What is Truth?

It is common today to believe that no one has a corner on the truth. If someone stands up in a public debate and states that a certain action is “wrong” then people say in response, “that’s just his opinion.” People view religion as a private matter for an individual to engage if he so desires. But what a person believes, or what a religion teaches, is only considered valid for that person or that religion. It’s not true for everybody – only for those who believe it. The end result of this line of thinking is that morality and religion are privatized, left up to a person’s own discretion. “It may be true for you,” some will say, “but it’s not true for me.

Such a philosophy leaves us with an important question, “What is truth?” Indeed, is there even such a thing as truth out there? Is Christianity just a private affair that has nothing to say to other people? Is God just God for Christians or does His existence affect others? Is there something outside of ourselves, outside of humanity, which is true and certain and real no matter what humanity thinks, says or does?

Thankfully, the answer is, “yes!” The Bible has been given to us by God as His Word. It is His message about Himself and our salvation. To be sure, it comes to us through the writing of men but ultimately from a source beyond man, God Himself: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.1 And this God has existed before humanity, even before creation: “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.2 Mankind is but a creature on God’s earth – we haven’t created our world, nor have we brought ourselves into existence. So it’s really very arrogant to think that truth lies within individual people, that it’s up to us to determine what is right and what is wrong. It’s much more sound to understand that truth comes forth from the everlasting God who “is the same yesterday and today and forever.3

And this God has revealed to us the one way of salvation in His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This is an exclusive claim that affects not only believing Christians but all people everywhere. The way out of sin, the way out of the brokenness in this life, the way into a living, peaceful, joyful relationship with God is through faith in Jesus Christ – there is no other way. The Apostles taught this truth as well: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."4

The truth is: all other religions are false. All other gods are pretenders: Allah, Vishnu, Krishna, Mother Earth, and whatever other god has been invented. Jesus Christ makes the exclusive claim that He is the only Saviour5 – there are not many pathways to God. There’s only one Way – true faith in Christ.

That means too, that there are absolutes in this world. God has made them known in the Bible. We find a summary of them in the 10 Commandments – all of these are true and sure. Based on them we can judge what is right and wrong and we can live according to the truth of these commandments. It’s not just a Christian’s opinion that, among other things, homosexuality is wrong or that same-sex marriage is evil or that casual sex is a sin – it is God’s honest truth. Without it, morality becomes subjective to everyone’s whim and soon there will be no morality left at all.

What is truth? God is truth, and everything that He has revealed in the Bible is true. Think about it – does it even make sense to think that truth originates within finite human beings? We’re here today, gone tomorrow, but God is forever – why not trust Him? It’s His Bible, not mine. It’s His Word, not that of any human being. And if you believe in Him, it will mean your redemption.

Biblical quotations on this page are from: 1) 2 Peter 1:20,21; 2) Psalm 90:2; 3) Hebrews 13:8 4) Acts 4:12; 5) 1 Timothy 2:5

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version (NIV)


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Questions and Answers:

1. How shall we liive?
2.
Rebel or Respect?
3. Dare to Discipline?
4. Fetus or Baby?
5. Death Penalty?
6
. Should Sex be Free ?
7. Same-Sex Marriage?

8. Christian Divorce?
9. Roll the Dice?

10. White Lies?
11. What is Truth?
12. How is Your Heart?

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