In a world where the most fundamental truths are under assault, it’s important to remind ourselves often of the certain and absolute truth we have in God.
No matter what the world and surrounding culture have to say about who we are as human beings and how we ought to function as a society, we know that absolute and reliable truth is found in God alone. We can set the compass of our thoughts and emotions by His Word, and as we do, we find our way.
A chorus of deceiving voices has been rising for a long time. It argues that all points of view are equally valid, and that truth is relative to the individual — morality, religious faith, political ideologies and all art forms. People are told, you decide and live according to your beliefs and all
will go well with you.
As society fashions its own brand of truth, confusion increases, and millions grope in the dark unable to find hope and peace. Yet, Jesus says that he came into the world to testify to the truth.
In fact, all through John’s gospel, Jesus and truth are closely connected and at times even synonymous. He says to his disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life…” (John 14:6)
Someone wrote, “Truth is the self-expression of God. Truth cannot be adequately explained, recognized, understood or defined without God as the source. He is the necessary starting point.”
Truth is rooted in God, not in the minds of billions of individuals who decide that truth is up to them.
Truth is a Person. Jesus is truth incarnate. John wrote, “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus says of himself, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 1:14; 14:6)
Truth is emphatic. Truth does not require an apology. Rather it must reach us with the spiritual force needed to dislodge all confusion and lies. When Jesus spoke, he often began with the words, “I tell you the truth”. In fact, that phrase appears 15 times in John and a total of 78 times in the gospels.
The fact that Jesus said it so many times tells us that he was concerned with the truth and concerned about the perils of moral confusion. He wanted his listeners to know that what he said was the truth. There are many voices in the world claiming to speak the truth, but they tell us everything but the truth. Jesus was the expression of truth.
Truth embraced sets us apart from others. Jesus asked the Father, “Sanctify them [set them apart] by the truth; your word is truth.” (John.17:17)
Truth embraced and expressed comes with a price tag. It won’t make us popular, and the world will not applaud our convictions. Jesus said, “All men will hate you because of me…”. Still, we take a stand and when opposition comes, we have the assurance that Paul had before his opponents: “I am not mad…but speak the words of truth and reason.”(Matthew 10:22; Acts 26:25)
Truth sets people free. Speaking of sin and of bondage to sin, Jesus says, “…you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Truth must be our moral compass. The psalmist wrote, “Surely, you desire truth in the inward parts, you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” (Psalm 51:6)
Truth must be shared. Jesus says, “When the counsellor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify…”. (John 15:26-27) In the New Testament we see God’s children testifying to the truth of the Gospel continually.
John was an evangelist and he faithfully testified about Jesus. In his first epistle he expresses his longing for others to know what he knows and to experience the rich life of a soul that is redeemed. He writes that Jesus came into the world to show us the Father and demonstrate what true love is by giving His life in ransom for ours and making possible a vibrant relationship with God.
Truth is not something we make up. It is a free and freeing gift that we receive with gratitude and reverent submission. Paul wrote, “…we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God…” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
While we live in the cross current of a culture led by the confusing words of people, let’s continue to graciously share the word of truth, certain and absolute. It is one of the great gifts of God to a lost world. If you would like to be a Messenger of Hope, we would be glad to send you Finding the Hope booklets. They can be mailed, dropped in mailboxes or left somewhere to be discovered as you are able. Don’t hesitate to ask us for quantities!