What is the Truth?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

One of the ways Jesus describes himself is “the Truth.” There is nothing false in him. He never lies or misleads people. Everything he says can be trusted. It is impossible for God to lie. (Hebrews 6:18) This should help us understand why the truth is so important. It is the very essence of what God is. When we stand in the truth we are standing with God himself. When we turn away from the truth we are turning away from God.

Our world is full of alternate truths, spins on the truth, misleading stories, and plain old lies. We need to be careful about what we see and hear. (Matthew 13:15-17) We need to commit ourselves to Godly discernment. (Psalms 119:125) When we allow ourselves to believe a lie we are walking closely with Satan. Jesus called Satan the father of lies, a murderer, and someone who does not stand in the truth. (John 8:44) Surely none of us wants Jesus to look at us and say we do not stand in the truth!

With social media, and 24-hour news how are we to know what is the truth? With so many stories, reports, and spins floating around in the cloud and into our homes, our eyes and ears, how do we discern truth from a lie? First and foremost, we turn to the source of all truth, that is God. We admit our inability to always know and humbly ask God to lead and guide us into His truth. We pray for God to help us see the world as He sees it. And we keep asking, keep praying, knowing that we are always subject to being misled by Satan and his lies. We are always dependent on God to guide us through each and every day.

Secondly, we study the Bible. Although the Bible is an ancient book with no references to our modern 24-hour, instantly available news, it still offers us a multitude of truths. When we read and study daily we begin to view situations the way God views situations. Over time we hone our ability to use Godly discernment to separate truth from falsehood.

For example, the parable of the sower tells us much about God’s view of things. (Matthew 13, Luke 8, and Mark 4) God knows that even when good seed is distributed not all seeds will produce a crop. The sower distributed the seed in four places, on the path, on a rocky place, among thorns, and on good soil. Of the four paces only one produced a good crop. The other three places produced nothing good. By considering the truth as a seed distributed by God, we quickly realize how easily that truth may not have Godly results.

A path is a place for people to walk past the field, perhaps not even noticing the field. The seed is used to feed the birds not for a crop. If your life is full of activities and busyness you may be walking the path constantly and not notice the seed or truth growing in the field. Your activities may be good and honorable things involving children, work, or church, but if you do not have time for prayer and Bible study you will become easily lead away from the truth.

A rocky place is often covered in shallow soil which prevents the roots from growing deep into the soil and nourishing the plant. The seed germinates but its roots will hit rock and have no nourishment. Some people live a shallow life. They chase after the trending news. They easily believe what satisfies their opinions and never take time to look deeper into the matter. The truth does not grow in their lives because they follow anything which provides emotional excitement. The deeper truths of God will pass by them.

Other seed fell among thorns which choked out the crop. Sometimes people have difficult lives. They can’t find a good job. There are health issues and medical bills. There could be addiction or abuse in their lives. These things can have an emotional effect on people and cause them to struggle with God and his guidance. A person abused as a child, may not be able to consider any father loving. A person with health issues may wonder, why the Bible talks about healing when God has not healed me. This can cause the truth to be choked out of a person’s life. It becomes a struggle to trust and obey when we feel God has disappointed us.

Then there is the seed which falls on good ground. This represents people who are willing to listen and willing to be taught. People willing to spend time studying a matter and comparing it to other truths. Someone who is not searching for an emotional high but rather is able to accept the truth even when it requires making changes. This is the seed that bears fruit and produces a hundredfold crop.

It may be depressing to know many people are not good ground for the truth. There are many who reject the truth as foolishness. Others are too busy or lazy to search for the truth and accept anything handed to them. Some cannot let go of what life has given then to fully take hold of the truth. But the parable tells us when God distributes his word or the truth enough seed will flourish to produce a hundredfold crop. God’s word does not come back to him empty. There is always a crop. God will always tell us the truth. God’s purpose is always accomplished. (Isaiah 55:11)

What must we do to fully search for and embrace the truth? First stay in a close relationship with Jesus. Let him guide you in all you do. Pray. Attend Bible studies. Let the truth of Jesus wash over you day after day. Jesus said that if we ask it will be given to us. If we search we will find. If we knock the door will be opened. Pray over Matthew 7:7 and ask Jesus to guide you in your search for truth.

There are also practical ways to find the truth. When studying the Bible use a commentary to help illuminate what you are reading. A wonderful resource for commentaries is this web page https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/. Which has 110 commentaries. I recommend you start with William Barclays Daily Study Bible https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dsb.html.

Books to read include The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment by Tim Challies,  Parables: The Mystery of God's Kingdom Reveled through the Stories Jesus Told by John MacArthur.

When you hear a person speaking on non-religious matters and wonder if it is true, there are a few internet sites which debunk popular opinions floating around in our culture.

https://www.factcheck.org/ a non-partisan site trying to search for the truth on both sides of the aisle.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/ Gives a more in-depth research of why political statements are true or false.

https://www.snopes.com/ Covers urban legends and viral stories.

I recommend being very careful when watching network news. FoxNews has a conservative bias while CNN is liberal leaning. If you watch only one channel you will hear only one side of the story. Be careful with reports that are all opinion with no facts to substantiate the story. If you truly want to know if a subject is reported truthfully rather than completely biased, then pray and ask God to help you hear the truth. Do some research at the library, bookstore, or internet sites. Pray for God to lead you to truthful material.

There is not always time to research everything we hear. But be careful of accepting anything handed to you. Do not let your emotions lead your opinions.

In Matthew 13:11-13 Jesus said, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ¹² Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ¹³ This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”

Those that have and will be given more are the ones who study and search for the truth. In their search they find more truth than they had before. Those that do not have and what they have will be taken away are the ones who refuse to study, refuse to search for truth. The little knowledge that they have will evaporate from their minds and they will accept anything which comes their way.

Diligently work to become a person who sees and hears the truth.

 “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city. 

Jerimiah 5:1

Dear Lord, Thank you for hearing my prayers. Thank you for answering when I ask. Give me eyes that see your truth and ears which hear your truth. Guide me through the onslaught of information around me. Help me to navigate around the lies and towards the truth. As your son is the truth, I want to learn to fully embrace your truth in my life. Let the search for truth always be one of the desires of my heart.