What is truth? This is such a prevalent question in our society today. People are seeking truth but they don't really believe in the existence of truth. They are seeking truth but they don't know where to look. We all have a desire, a God-given desire, to know truth. So what is truth?
In John 18:37-38, we see this conversation between Pilate and Jesus after Jesus has been arrested: "Pilate therefore said to Him, 'Are You a king then?' Jesus answered, 'You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.' Pilate said to Him, 'What is truth?'"
I found it interesting as I read this that Pilate, one of the most powerful men in the Roman empire, would ask Jesus, a man who had been brought to him as a criminal, "What is truth?" It's such a big question to ask. I don't think it's a question that people would ask of just anyone. I think that Pilate knew Jesus held the answer to this question. We know that Pilate believed Jesus was innocent and that he did not want His blood on his hands. The next statement from him recorded by John in verse 38 is, "I find no fault in Him at all."
In John 14:6, Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." In John 17:17, Jesus prays to the Father, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." That's pretty straightforward. Jesus is truth and God's word is truth. So to find truth, to answer the question, "What is truth?", we must look to Jesus Christ and God's word.
Here are a few things that I know to be true. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, born of a virgin. (Luke 1:26-37) God sent His Son to earth to take on the consequence of our sin through His death on the cross. We all deserve death for our sin but Jesus paid our debt, for God's glory, covering our sin with His blood. (John 3:14-16, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23) Jesus, after being crucified on the cross, was raised to life on the third day. (Matthew 28:5-7) In order for anyone to have true relationship with God, we must accept the free gift of salvation that comes through Jesus' death on the cross, believing in faith that He is who He says He is (the Son of God), confessing that we are sinners not worthy of even entering His presence, and that He died in our place. Romans 10:9-10 says, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
My fear is that we take truth too lightly. I'm afraid that we don't take it seriously enough, thinking that because God loves everyone, everyone will go to heaven. Matthew 7:13-14 says, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." This makes it pretty clear that not everyone will find the path which leads to eternal life in heaven with God. Jesus is the only way. This is truth.
In John 18:37-38, we see this conversation between Pilate and Jesus after Jesus has been arrested: "Pilate therefore said to Him, 'Are You a king then?' Jesus answered, 'You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.' Pilate said to Him, 'What is truth?'"
I found it interesting as I read this that Pilate, one of the most powerful men in the Roman empire, would ask Jesus, a man who had been brought to him as a criminal, "What is truth?" It's such a big question to ask. I don't think it's a question that people would ask of just anyone. I think that Pilate knew Jesus held the answer to this question. We know that Pilate believed Jesus was innocent and that he did not want His blood on his hands. The next statement from him recorded by John in verse 38 is, "I find no fault in Him at all."
In John 14:6, Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." In John 17:17, Jesus prays to the Father, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." That's pretty straightforward. Jesus is truth and God's word is truth. So to find truth, to answer the question, "What is truth?", we must look to Jesus Christ and God's word.
Here are a few things that I know to be true. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, born of a virgin. (Luke 1:26-37) God sent His Son to earth to take on the consequence of our sin through His death on the cross. We all deserve death for our sin but Jesus paid our debt, for God's glory, covering our sin with His blood. (John 3:14-16, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23) Jesus, after being crucified on the cross, was raised to life on the third day. (Matthew 28:5-7) In order for anyone to have true relationship with God, we must accept the free gift of salvation that comes through Jesus' death on the cross, believing in faith that He is who He says He is (the Son of God), confessing that we are sinners not worthy of even entering His presence, and that He died in our place. Romans 10:9-10 says, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
My fear is that we take truth too lightly. I'm afraid that we don't take it seriously enough, thinking that because God loves everyone, everyone will go to heaven. Matthew 7:13-14 says, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." This makes it pretty clear that not everyone will find the path which leads to eternal life in heaven with God. Jesus is the only way. This is truth.
