What is Truth?
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· 17 viewsHow can we find truth? What are the dangers of us looking to ourselves to determine what's true?
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John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
We can tell lies; we can tell truths; Jesus is the Truth.
Everyone is searching for Truth. These days, everyone thinks they have the ‘truth’, because we are taught that the truth lies within ourselves.
How do people, without Jesus, find ‘truth’?
They search their own opinions (influenced by the world)
They look to false religion (Unitarianism, social ‘justice’, politics)
They’re life guiding principal is what feels good and makes me happy (horrible way to live life!)
What is truth?
Let’s read two scriptures and see what we learn about truth.
APOLOGETICS: Some people might say we shouldn’t use the Bible to form our beliefs. They might say it’s fake. What would you say to that person?
What we’ve been learning on SUNDAY AM, is that The Bible is a SOLID historical document.
We have non-christian, detailed references of Jesus that are dated close to His life.
You have the free will to not follow Jesus, but you cannot make up claims about the Bible not being reliable.
So let’s read what the Bible says about Jesus in these verses.
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Titus 1:1-2
Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,
in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,
Jesus is made up of grace and TRUTH.
God cannot lie!
We might be able to say true things, but Jesus is TRUTH.
In contrast, as a result of the fall (Gn 3), we’re made up of sin (lies).
What’s the lie that Adam and Eve believed in the garden? That they could be like God.
So even our good ideas and efforts to love those around us, if they’re done by our own will, are selfish at their core.
And yet, we look within ourselves to find truth!!
At the root of every sin, is the lie, that God is wrong and you are right.
Sexual sin is saying, "God I know that you made sex a gift to be shared between a husband and wife, but here’s what I think!”
A lot of the tenants of progressive Christianity are prideful ideas that directly go against TRUTH.
Read quote from progressive facebook post.
“Since you have many christians telling you the opposite. I just want to encourage you with this:
It’s not a sin to cuss.
It’s not a sin to be gay.
It’s not a sin to NOT vote republican.
Abortion is a complicated issues. It needs to be safe, legal, and rare.
Wrath of God and Hell aren’t literal - they are metaphors for swimming against the flow of God’s love. ...”
Perversion vs Perfection
When we go to ourselves searching for what it is true, we end up finding perversion.
When we go to Jesus searching for what is true, we end up finding perfection.
JUSTICE
Perversion: Us laboring to make wrong things in society right by our own inner compass, while ignoring the true Injustices.
Perfect: The Justice of God, isn’t like our attempts at acting justly. Justice is an unchangeable principal of his very nature.
The concept of social justice is attractive because we all want to see what we think is wrong made right.
But what’s the problem when sinful humans define what’s wrong and right?
Even their efforts to being about justice are sinful and rooted in selfishness.
It’s actually misplaced energy!
If we can’t agree on the problem, we’re never going to agree on the solution.
Looking into ourselves (desires, opinions, etc.) to find truth is like going to Chick-fil-a (that’s not the Dwarf house) and ordering a burger.
They might be able to put ketchup and mustard on a chicken patty, but it’s not going to be a burger!
You can’t make chicken beef!!
When we go to Jesus searching for Truth, we always find it, because it’s what he’s made of.
Jesus is made up of grace and TRUTH.
John 8:31–32
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
What do you think “the truth will make you free” that means?
We can know Jesus, and Jesus can set us free!
He offers us the Truth about life and death
The Truth about our purpose
the Truth about Satan and his schemes
the Truth about ourselves and what our real issues are
That Truth that comes from GOD can free us from our sin and free us to live the lives intended for us to live!
“The truth shall set you free,” Jesus said in John 8. They’re among his most famous words, but people forget the rest of the passage: ““If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Truth isn’t a passive energy in the universe. For it to do its freeing work, it has to be sought and internalized, obeyed and known. It takes work.
All you have to do is believe in Jesus and submit to his will for your life.
NOW THAT WE’VE TALKED ABOUT TRUTH, LET’S LEARN WHERE LIES COME FROM.
John 8:43–44
“Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.
“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Who is the father of lies?
What does that mean?
How long has he been a liar?
How much truth is in him?
Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.
God hates a lying tongue and a false witness!
It’s interesting that in this list of seven things, lying is mentioned twice.
Murder is mentioned, as is pride and other things; but lying gets double attention!!
Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.
Again, we see what the Lord detests, but let’s look at the positive aspect of this for a minute—He delights in those who are truthful!
Conclusion
Jesus is the truth.
When people base their opinions on their own feelings or opinions this is a HUGE PROBLEM. Why?
How can we correct this behavior in our own lives?
You’re out to coffee with a friend. They say, “The Bible might be true to you, but that’s not true to me.” How could you respond in a way that’s TRUE?
Salvation is a relational decision to accept or reject the God of creation. He is the TRUTH and through him, we can have eternal life.
In God’s final act of Judgement he will separate his followers from those who did not freely choose him.
Choose him today!
RIGHT NOW FOCUSING ON SPENDING TIME WITH GOD - Spend time with the Lord! Even if it’s 10 minutes a day. Allow God’s word to RENEW YOUR MIND!
STARTING SERIES ON AUTHORITY NEXT WEEK
APOLOGETICS CLASS SUNDAY AM
PRAY
DISMISS