"THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"
What Is Truth?
(John 18:37-38)
“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king
then? Jesus answered, thou sayest that I am a king, To this end was I born, and
for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the
truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him,
what is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and
saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.”
INTRODUCTION
1. When Jesus appeared before Pilate, the
subject of truth was
discussed...
a.
Jesus claimed to bear witness to the truth
b.
Pilate raised the perennial question: "What is truth?"
2. Today, many people sound a lot like Pilate...
a. A
Barna Research Group survey on what Americans believe asked the
question, "Is there absolute Truth?"...
1)
Sixty-six percent of adults responded that they believe that
"there is no such thing as absolute truth; different people can define
truth in conflicting ways and still be correct"
2)
Seventy-two percent of those aged 18 to 25 expressed this
belief
b. In a
series of more than twenty interviews conducted at random at a large
university, people were asked if there was such a thing as
absolute truth - truth that is true across all times and cultures for
all people. All but one respondent answered along these lines:
1)
"Truth is whatever you believe"
2)
"There is no absolute truth"
3)
"If there were such a thing as absolute truth, how could we
know what it is?"
4)
"People who believe in absolute truth are dangerous"
--
Info from http://www.christianity.co.nz/truth1.htm
I. THE BIBLICAL VIEW OF TRUTH
A. BIBLICAL WORDS FOR TRUTH...
1. True (alethes) - "unconcealed,
manifest...actual, true to fact"
- Vine
2. True (alethinos) - "denotes
'true' in the sense of 'real,
ideal, genuine;'" - ibid.
3. Truth (aletheia)
a. "objectively, signifying 'the reality
lying at the basis of
an appearance; the manifested, veritable essence
of a
matter' (Cremer)" - ibid.
b. "subjectively, 'truthfulness,' 'truth,'
not merely verbal,
but sincerity and integrity of character" -
ibid.
-- When the Bible speaks of truth, it describes
that which
corresponds to reality, what is factual and
absolute, not
relative
B. BIBLICAL STATEMENTS REGARDING TRUTH...
1. God is a God of truth
“He is the Rock, his work is
perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity,
just and right is he.”
2. Jesus is the truth, and full of truth, and
spoke the truth
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me.”
“And the word was made flesh, and
dwelt among us,(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of
the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
3. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, and
guided the apostles
into all the truth
“Even the Spirit of truth; whom
the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye
know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of
himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew
you things to come.”
4. The Word of God is truth
“Sanctify them through thy truth:
thy word is truth. 18As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also
sent them into the world.”
5. The judgments of God are according to truth
“Before the LORD: for he cometh,
for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness,
and the people with his truth.”
“But we are sure that the judgment
of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.”
6. Christians should walk in the truth as
revealed by Jesus,
including the standard of morality He taught
“This I say therefore,
and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in
the vanity of their mind, 18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated
from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the
blindness of their heart: 19Who being past feeling have given themselves over
unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20But ye have not
so learned Christ; 21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by
him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22That ye put off concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man,
which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25Wherefore
putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are
members one of another. 26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down
upon your wrath: 27Neither give place to the devil. 28Let him that stole steal
no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is
good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29Let no corrupt
communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of
edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30And grieve not the
holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31Let all
bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away
from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”
Ephesians 5:1-17
“1Be ye therefore followers of
God, as dear children; 2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and
hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling
savour.
3But fornication, and all
uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh
saints; 4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not
convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5For this ye know, that no
whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any
inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no man deceive you with
vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the
children of disobedience. 7Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8For ye were sometimes darkness,
but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9(For the fruit of
the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10Proving what is
acceptable unto the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them. 12For it is a shame even to speak of those
things which are done of them in secret. 13But all things that are reproved are
made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14Wherefore
he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall
give thee light. 15See then that ye walk
circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16Redeeming the time, because the
days are evil. 17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of
the Lord is.”
7. Christians should patiently teach others the
truth
“But foolish and unlearned
questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24And the servant of the
Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25In
meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will
give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26And that they may
recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him
at his will.”
8. Many will turn their ears away from the truth
“I charge thee therefore before
God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom; 2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of
season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the
time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own
lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they
shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
-- Much more could be said, as the Bible reveals
so much about
what is truth
CONCLUSION
1. What is truth...?
a.
Truth is what is real
b. God
is real, and reveals what is real
c. God
is truth, and what He says is the truth
2. Call yourself what you may, but you cannot be
a Christian unless...
a. You
hold the correspondence view of truth
b. You
believe in moral absolutes of right and wrong
c. You
accept Jesus and His Word as the ultimate source of truth,
especially in regards to morality and salvation
For those willing to accept Jesus as the
ultimate source of truth, they will be greatly blessed.
“Then said Jesus to those Jews
which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples
indeed; 32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any
man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34Jesus answered them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35And
the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36If
the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
**If you would like to give your heart to Jesus today, repeat these words below:
'Dear Heavenly Father,i come to in the name of Jesus; Forgive me a sinner and wash me in your precious blood. Make this heart of stone to be made flesh, so that your word may be sown in it. Any addictions that i may have, remove them now in Jesus name! I've accepted Jesus Christ as my savior and believe that He died and rose from the dead! And from this day forward, i commit my life to you and seek for guidance and understanding in your word, as i walk in your path of righteousness, In Jesus name i pray, AMEN!!!'
If you have recited these words and meant them in your heart, you are saved and if the Lord would come today, you will be ready to go to Heaven!! I will keep you all in prayer, to continue to walk in the ways of Jesus Christ our Lord. READ, PRAY, SEEK and TRUST in Him and you will overcome this wicked world! **
