What Is Truth?
by David A. Cox
via Biblical Insights, Vol 15. No. 1, January 2015
Pilate asked the question in the trial of Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38), which has been asked many times. Many believe that truth is relative. Relative truth means that each individual determines the truth and what they believe the truth to be. Is this how truth is determined, or is there an objective source of truth?
The Matter of Relative Truth
As we consider the idea of relative truth or truth determined by what an individual thinks, let us consider what the scriptures teach. First, the scriptures warn us, saying, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Again we are warned, “It is not in man that walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23b). Certainly all would agree that these wise and inspired men were not giving warnings to which there was no real danger. All will surely admit that there have been times in their lives or in the lives of friends that have seemed good, but in the end, they were not right but wrong.
Jacob provides us with a good example of this from the scriptures as we think of truth being determined by what we think or how we feel about what is true and right. Genesis 37 records the story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him and hated him greatly. Their hatred for Joseph got to the point that his brothers wanted to kill him. But instead of killing him, they plotted together to sell Joseph as a slave to a band of Ishmaelites who were passing by on their way to Egypt (Genesis 37:12-28). In their plotting, they decided to take a coat of many colors that Jacob had given Joseph, dip it in blood, and show it to their father. In Genesis 37:31-33, we read:
“So they took Joseph's tunic, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood; Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, ‘We have found: this. Do you know whether it is your son's tunic or not?’ And he recognized it and said, ‘It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn in pieces.”
The plot of the brothers worked; Jacob believed Joseph was dead. Jacob made an honest assessment of the information he had. He was honest, but he was wrong. Jacob could not have believed anything to be truer than what he believed to be true about Joseph. Was Jacob’s conclusion right because he believed it with intensity or because it seemed the correct assessment? No, he was wrong. Truth is never changed because of how convinced one may be that something is true.
How Can We Determine What Is True?
Look to the Right Source
Jesus said, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). This means that we must take the Bible, the word of God, and study it openly, honestly, and carefully. We must compare what we believe to be true with what the Bible says, and if they do not match, we must understand that God is true and accept what is taught in God’s word.
Look for the Truth
The Bereans were a good example of this type of people who looked, longed, and searched for the truth. Paul in describing those of Berea said, “these were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the scriptures daily find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). We must be like those in Berea in searching and looking for the truth, not just accepting it because “good ole’ brother so-and-so” said it. Let us seek the truth, desiring to know what truth is.
Love the Truth
To really know the truth and profit from it, we must love it. Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, spoke of those that were deceived, who thought they were right, but were deceived because they “did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (II Thessalonians 2:10). Paul simply states that some were lost because they did not love the truth enough to accept it and obey it.
Live the Truth
Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Let us ever desire to live as God’s Word directs and to know the truth. This means applying the principles of truth found in the scriptures and making the proper application in our lives.
