What is Truth?

​John 18:37-38 ~ “Then Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?’”
 
Here is a question asked by every person on this earth: “what is truth?” How grave it is to only live in a speculative condition, hoping and wishing and thinking that there are pieces of information available, but it is all built upon subjective analysis and personal bias. And yet the world revolves upon an axis of truth. Architects design massive projects and all their data must be true. Relative measures will not work when a bridge must be built. Surgeons perform precise incisions within the human body that would fail if it was only guesswork. Truth, dear ones, is not a relative commodity nor can it be biased upon the speculative opinions of man. A common phrase used in our modern colloquialisms is actually a logical fallacy. It goes something like this: “I am living MY truth.” There is no such thing as a truth isolated to an individual. If it is true, then it must be true for all.
 
Let me pose a different question: is Jesus true? For herein lies the great dilemma for most of mankind. We are called upon to place our faith in the LORD Jesus, and some will argue that to have faith is a blind leap into a dark abyss, hoping that there is something in the darkness to land on. But that is not the faith of Christianity. The Christian faith is built upon truth. The LORD Jesus gives this declaration, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world.” We shall get to that purpose in a moment, but first I would have you gravitate to this real situation—Jesus had come into the world. He was born, He lived and died and He rose again. All of these things are true. The Bible is not just a compilation of religious doctrines, it is the written accounts of eyewitness testimony from those who lived with and observed the activity of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:6 testifies, “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.” With over five hundred eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus, it is a testimony worthy of acceptance as true.
 
For what purpose, then, did Jesus come? Our text continues, “to bear witness to the truth.” Jesus did not come to offer a greater speculation or provide a more robust conversation on religious matters. Jesus came and testified to the truth. Some might ask: the truth of what? Many things to be sure, but let us take three matters in hand. First, the truth about God. In answering Philip, Jesus said in John 14:9, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” Second, the dire condition of man. In John 3:18 Jesus proclaimed the condemnation of all mankind for their unbelief, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” Third, the way of salvation. We read the LORD’s words in in John 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” These are not matters of interpretive assessments. These are truth claims of Jesus Christ—absolute truth that applies to all mankind. And that brings the question again: is Jesus true?
 
Did Jesus prove His claims and will you trust what He says? The answer to the first is, yes. His proof is in His resurrection, verifying His claim to be God and Savior. The answer to the second brings us to our next portion of the text, “Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” To deny what Jesus says is to make God out to be a liar for the Father, Himself, testifies concerning the Son (see Matthew 17:5). 1 John 5:10 emphasizes this, “Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.” There are many who deny the Son of God, holding fast to their own opinions and unwilling to humble themselves to the truth of Jesus Christ. Our LORD gives us the reason, “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word” (John 8:43). Are you of the truth and will you listen to the voice of Christ in His word? Beloved, this is the dividing line between all who belong to Christ and all who are in the world.
 
So, what is truth? That very question of Pilate is answered in the life of Jesus. Can you bear to hear what Jesus has to say? I tell you this, you can put your absolute trust in the truth of Jesus Christ.
 
In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

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