WHAT IS TRUTH?

All Bible texts are from the King James Version.

According to the dictionary truth is :-

"conformity to fact or actuality, a statement proven to be true."

But how would one find out what is truth from the Bible.

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." John 5:39.

"Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:" Isaiah 28:9, 10.

"And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isaiah 8:19, 20.

To find truth in the Scriptures we must first search them for they testify of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Then we must compare all the Scriptures that we can find on one particular topic using the precept upon precept and line upon line, here a little and there a little principle. If we do this, then it should line up with the law, God's Ten Commandments, and the Testimony, what is written elsewhere in God's Word the K.J.V. Bible.

Can there be more than one truth?

While walking on this earth Jesus Christ said :-

"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." John 14:6, 7.

According to what Jesus Christ said in this Scripture there is only one truth, of which He is the source. In John chapter 8 He tells us some more about "the truth"

"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." John 8:31-36.

Jesus Christ is also the way. If we follow His example that has been left for us in the Scriptures then we will walk the right way, the straight and narrow way.

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matthew 7:13, 14.

Jesus Christ is also the life. John tells us "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men." John 1:3,4. But there is also another life that Jesus Christ can give us. If we sin we are slaves to sin, but Jesus Christ can set us free if we continue in His Word, and He will give us life eternal.

If Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was "the truth" while walking on this earth, was He the truth as far back as creation, and beyond to the ceaseless ages of eternity? Is He still "the truth" today? And will He still be "the truth" for the future, even the rest eternity?

Paul in the book of Hebrews and Malachi tell us :-

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Hebrews 13:8.

"For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Malachi 3:6.

Clearly the answers to the above questions is yes, yes, and yes!

Another text that shows this is found in Psalms :-

"For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD." Psalms 117:2.

How long does the Lord's truth last? It endureth for ever!

This then brings us back to our original question, "What is truth?"

The answer can be found in God's Word, in the book of Psalms :-

"Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth." Psalms 119:142.

What is truth? Thy law! But who is the "Thy" spoken of here.

If we go back to verse 137 we see that it is the Lord. In Ephesians 4:5 we find that there is one Lord. John 20:28 tell us that Thomas called Jesus, "My Lord and my God." So the Lord is Jesus Christ, who is also God being part of the Godhead, namely the Son Of God.

There are many laws and commands in the Scriptures, but when we say, "the Lord's law" or "God's Law," we are referring only to one thing. That is the law that God spoke to His people at Mount Sinai, and wrote with His own finger on tables of stone.

This law was placed into a special box prepared for it called the Ark of the Covenant. Above the law was the Mercy Seat which also acted as a lid for the Ark. It was between the Cherubim on this Mercy Seat that God met and spoke to Moses, and later the High Priest. The Ark of the Covenant with the Mercy Seat on top represented God the Father's throne. His throne or government is based upon His unerring, infallable, everlasting law. The Cherubim on top of the Mercy Seat represent how the angels have high regard for and reverce God's law. Between God the Father who to sinful mortals would be a consuming fire, and His law stands mercy. The mercy that stands between the Father and His law is Jesus Christ who gave His life to save mankind from their sins.

At the death of Jesus Christ a law was nailed to the cross, but what law was it? We have already seen that Jesus Christ is the truth, that He never changes therefore His truth never changes, and that His law is the truth.

So what law way done away with at the cross of Jesus Christ? Using God's method let us compare Scripture with Scripture:-

"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." Colossians 2:14, 16, 17.

"Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:" Ephesians 2:15, 16.

"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect." Hebrews 10:1.

Let us summerize into points what Paul has said in the above quotes :-

• The cross blotted out the ordinances that were against us.
  
• We are not to judge others by what they eat, drink, holy day, new moons or sabbath days which were a shadow of things to come.
  
• By dying on the cross Jesus did away with the law of commandments contained in the ordinances.
  
• The law that was a shadow of good things to come, was about sacrifices.

By comparing all the Scriptures we can see that the law that was done away with at the cross was not the law that was placed inside the Ark of the Covenant which was God's law, but the law of ordinances that was place in a pocket on the outside of the ark (Deuteronomy 31:24 - 26). This law of ordinances was written by Moses, the Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God. This law simply could not be that of the Ten Commandments because they do not point forward to anything. There is only one of the Ten Commandments that points to anything, and that is the fourth which is the Sabbath Commandment. This Commandment however does not point forward to anything, but point us back to Creation.

To add to this evidence we have what Daniel prophecied about Jesus death and what would be done away with.

"And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off . . . And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease . . ." Daniel 9:26, 27.

Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God, the one to whom all the sacrifices, holy days, feast, sabbath days, new moons, and all the ordinances that were associated with the Temple pointed forward to.

Clearly the Lord's law that is spoken of in Psalms is the Ten Commandments.

But are not the Psalms just songs of praise written to God? Can their content be considered accurate?

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.

Paul told Timothy that all Scripture, not just part but all Scripture was given by inspiration of God. At this point in time when Paul wrote this the only Scripture that was around was the Old Testament. So the Psalms would certainly have been included.

What else does the Scriptures tell us the law is :-

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." Psalms 1:1, 2.

"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." Psalms 19:7 - 10.

"Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments." Psalms 119:1 - 6.

"For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:" Proverbs 6:23.

"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." Romans 7:12.

"But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;" 1 Timothy 1:8.

Not only is the law the truth, but God's law also :-

• is a delight to God's people.
  
• is perfect.
  
• is pure.
  
• is a blessing to those who keep it.
  
• is to be respected.
  
• is light.
  
• is holy, just, and good.

Keeping in mind that God's law is the truth, let us now look at what else the Scriptures have to say about truth :-

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." John 17:17, 19.

"Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;" 1 Corinthians 13:6.

"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:4.

"In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;" 2 Timothy 2:25.

"Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;" Titus 1:1.

"Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:" 1 Peter 1:22.

"I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth." 1 John 2:21.

"But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;" Romans 2:8, 9.

"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?" Galatians 3:1.

"One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Titus 1:12 - 16.

"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." 1 John 2:4, 5.

"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:" 2 Thessalonians 2:8 - 13.

Jesus Christ said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.". (Luke 21:33) And Peter tells us that, "The word of the Lord endureth for ever." (1 Peter 1:25).

We have found through the study of God's Word that God's Holy Law, the Ten Commandments, is the truth. That the Ten Commandments were not the law that was done away with at the cross, it was the law of ceremonies that was associated with the Temple. As well as that His law is a delight to God's people; perfect; pure; a blessing to those who keep it; to be respected; light; and holy, just, and good.

We have also learned that we are sanctified through the truth; we are to rejoyce in the truth; that God wants us to come into a knowledge of the truth; we are to acknowledge truth; we are to obey the truth through the Spirit; that no lie is of the truth; those who obey not the truth are evil; we are to place the truth above whatever man says and obey it or we are denying God; anyone that says he knows God but does not keep His Commardments is a liar; and that God will send strong delusions to those who don't love the truth, that they might believe a lie.

Do you want to be a true Christian that God will approve of, and that He can take to heaven to live for eternity? Or do you wish to end up in the lake of fire and be destroyed for eternity? The choice is yours! Your decision today may affect your eternal destiny!

God's Word says this about those who He will take to heaven :-

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Reveltion 14:12.

God's people will love the truth, His Law!

 

© D & S Goeldner, 2001.

 

  

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