What Is Truth

What Is Truth?

Shelby G. Floyd

July 12, 2006

The central issue in every court trial is “what is truth.” Jesus faced such a crisis when he was brought before the judgment hall of Pontius Pilate. Pilate asked him if he was a king, since the Jews had charged that Jesus claimed to be a king and rival of Caesar. Jesus answered Pilate in these words,

“You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. (John 18: 37-38.)

Pilate made a true judgment in regard to the accusations brought against Christ, when he stated to the Jews that he found no fault at all in Jesus Christ; but Pilate would not stay around long enough for Christ to tell him about the truth of God which everyone must hear to be of the truth.

What is Truth?

The question asked by Pilate is still a good question, “What is truth?” Today, there are some who deny that we can know what truth is; others believe that truth is relative, that circumstances alter each case, and therefore, truth is not absolute; others believe that various situations determine what truth is. This has led to a state of confusion.Still people are sincerely searching for the truth.

Truth involves the quality or state of being true; therefore, it involves such ideas as constancy, veracity, sincerity and genuineness; it is that which is represented and corresponds to reality; it is that which conforms to an absolute rule of exactness and correctness; it is that which conforms to fact or reality. Truth must conform to what is, has been or must be. The answer to what is truth, is best understood by a realization that God is the very essence and nature of truth. God cannot lie, and he has confirmed his word by an oath, and is therefore spoken of in the Bible as the God of truth. (Psalms 31; 5; Isaiah 65: 16.)

God Originates All Truth

The Father is the originator and giver of all truth. In the fullness of time the Father sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. The Son has personalized the truth of God. Jesus Christ is full of grace and truth. (John 1:14.) The grace and truth of God came by Jesus Christ. (John 1: 17.) Jesus Christ then is the very embodiment of God’s truth, for he himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6.)

The Holy Spirit is Truth

Jesus Christ always told the truth, and as the time came near for him to leave the earth, he promised that he would send back to the apostles the Spirit of truth, who would guide the apostles into all truth. (John 16: 13.) The Holy Spirit is truth (1 John 5: 6.) The Holy Spirit superintended and guided the minds of the apostles so that they spoke the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Even the very words which they used were taught by the Holy Spirit; they were inspired and therefore we may be assured that God’s word is the truth. Since the teaching of the apostles was recorded and has been faithfully preserved and handed down to us today, we may be sure that we have the truth.

Jesus on one occasion said, “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. (John 17: 17.) Just as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all truth, so all of the commandments of the Lord are truth. (Psalms 119: 151.) God’s word has always been true from the very beginningand since he is the author of it, his truth is just as eternal as he is; it will live and abide forever. (Psalms 119: 160.) God’s word is truth and it is the final standard of authority in every matter of religion. It is the ultimate appeal to understand and know what is the truth regarding a certain proposition.

The Truth Can be Changed into a Lie

All of this is well and good, but much confusion has been worked in the world today, because the truth of God can be changed by men into a lie. (Romans 1: 25.) There are many ways that the truth can be changed into a lie. In the beginning the devil changed the truth into a lie by adding just one word when he spoke to Eve. (Genesis 3:4.) So, it is today, that many propositions of truth are changed by the adding or taking away a word, or by the twisting and changing of words. There are several ways then that truth can be changed into a lie.

The truth of God can be changed into a lie by perverting the truth. In the area of Galatia, Paul preached the truth to those churches of that province. Later, when Paul left the area and went on to other fields, some men came in and perverted the gospel that he had preached. Paul was amazed that the people to whom he had preached the truth had so quickly left the truth, and were following another gospel of a different kind; in other words, a perverted gospel. (Galatians 1: 7.) The word pervert literally means to turn about, turn around or to turn one thing into another. The false teachers of Galatia had turned the gospel around, they had turned it into something that it was not; therefore, the perverted gospel of these false teachers was not the truth. They had corrupted it; therefore, Paul emphatically stated that anyone who preached another gospel was to be accursed, regardless of whether he was an apostle or an angel. (Galatians 1; 8-9.)

Man Can Distinguish Between Truth and Error

This strongly indicates that men can distinguish between truth and error, between the gospel of Christ, and the perverted gospel of the devil. God’s truth can be changed into a lie, not only by twisting it and turning it around, but also by simply adding to or taking away from it. Moses, the great law giver, warned the people of his day not to add to nor take away from the words of the law which were delivered by him. (Deuteronomy 4: 2; 12: 32.) In the closing verses of the New Testament, the apostle John makes the same warning against adding to or taking away from God’s truth, and thereby turning it into a lie. (Revelation 22: 18-19.)

The Truth Will Triumph

In view of these facts of truth, we should be confident that today we have God’s truth in his revelation of the New Testament. It is a mighty instrument of power in combating the false doctrines, principalities and powers which oppose the church. God’s truth can be for us today a mighty shield and buckler. (Psalms 91: 4.) The power of truth was well expressed by William Cullen Bryant,

“Truth crushed to the earth shall rise again. The eternal years are hers, but error wounded writhes in pain and dies among his worshipers.”