Intro

There has been a lot of talk in the media lately about truth.  We are told that we live in a post-truth world.  We hear of fake news, and of alternative facts.  So this week seemed like a good time to quote Pilot and ask “what is truth”?

Scripture and Commentary

The Scriptures provide us with a lot of insight into truth:

The truth comes from God, not by the law, but by grace thru Christ and by God’s word:

John 1:14-17:

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

John 17:17

17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

We must seek to understand the truth thru the gift of discernment, given by God:

2 Timothy 2:15

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

James 1:5

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you

Proverbs 15:14

The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

Philippians 1:9-10

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ

Truth is recognizable by 5 key characteristics:

A. Truth is consistent with “good fruits”

Ephesians 5:9

9 for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth

And 22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

B. Truth has nothing to hide

John 3:20-21

 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

1 John 1:6-7

6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

C. Truth glorifies God, not individuals

John 7:18

18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 

D. Truth doesn’t preach a “prosperity doctrine” or other false teaching

I Timothy 6:3-5

3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

2 Timothy 4:3-5

3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

E. Truth is loving in both word and deed

1 Peter 1:22

22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

1 John 3:18

 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Conclusion

I reject the notion that we live in a post-truth world!  Instead I think we live in a world where the truth is being fulfilled, while simultaneously many are also being deceived.  The Bible tells us that Satan is the father of lies, and that there is no truth in him, but as Christians we can always be confident that with the assistance of discernment given by God we will know the truth, and be set free.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K