Bella Vista Church of Christ
Randall Caselman
June 17, 2001 p.m.
Truth To Live By... Can We Know It?
Reading - John 18.28-40
In our text... Jesus is brought before Pontius Pilate.
When Pilate asks if He is a King, Jesus responds... For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world... To testify to the truth. Pilate responded with a cynical question that resonates in our culture... What is truth?
Until recently... In Western culture... People had generally been convinced that truth exists and that much truth is knowable. In the latter part of the 1900s, however, some people began to think in new ways, supposing that truth might not even exist.
In 1987... Professor Allen Bloom wrote a book titled... The Closing of the American Mind. He begins the book by saying there was a time when students came to college believing that there was such a thing as TRUTH and that one could KNOW TRUTH. He says... But today... Things are different... Today, there is one thing a professor can be absolutely certain of: almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes that truth is relative.
In a survey taken just a year ago, researcher George Barna found that among what he calls born-again adults... Those claiming to be Christians... Only 44% are certain of the existence of absolute moral truth.
Class... Here is the disturbing fact... ONLY 9% of born-again teenagers believe this.
How is it that Jesus claimed His mission in life included testifying to the truth... While a majority of those who claim to follow Him doubt the very existence of truth?
First... We’ll note... False positions on truth held by our world... Our culture.
Really... There can only be two possibilities on the existence of truth... Either it does or it doesn’t. Let’s consider the following possibilities.
Some say... Truth Does Not Exist.
One method of dealing with the subject of truth is to claim that it does not exist at all. The idea is that there are so many ways of looking at things... That it becomes impossible to say that any one interpretation of those things and events is to be preferred over another. This philosophy is frequently illustrated by pointing out that four eyewitnesses to an event who all give conflicting recollections of that event... They frequently do not agree with one another. The conclusion drawn is that since no witness can recreate a truly factual account of what took place... There is no such thing as truth.
But there is a problem with that reasoning.
In order to show that none of the witnesses gave an entirely accurate picture of what happened... The true facts of the matter must be established. Once those facts are established... Then truth suddenly and stubbornly reemerges.
Notice church... That there is an inherent contradiction in the statement... There is no such thing as truth. The individual who says... That there is no truth in making a statement which he holds to be true... That there is not truth. You see... One cannot deny the existence of truth... without appealing to truth.
On a more practical level... Everyone believes in some form of truth.
-We demand truth in our labeling of consumer goods.
-We demand and vow to tell the truth in our court system.
If false charges are brought against us in a court of law... We expect witnesses to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Here is an interesting thought... If there is no truth... Can there be such a thing as false charges?
-We demand truth from our doctors.
-We expect truth in filling our prescriptions.
-We expect truth from our teachers and preachers.
If our wallet or purse is stolen... We will want to know the truth... The truth about who took it... And where it is right now.
You see... Even liars resent being lied to.
Jacob and his mother deceived Isaac in order to receive his blessing... Yet he became angry when his father-in-law Laban tricked him into marrying his daughter... Leah.
So then...
-Since a belief that truth does not exist is self-contradictory...
-Since there is a universal desire for truth...
The logical conclusion is that truth does exists.
Others contend that... Truth Exists... But It Is Always Relative.
In this philosophy... Relative truth is presented in opposition to absolute truth. For a statement to be absolute truth... It must be true no matter the situation. Relative truth, however, may vary according to circumstances.
Now to be intellectually honest... We must admit that sometimes truth is relative. If during the full moon we describe its appearance as a circular disk in the night sky, that statement is true.
If, however, during the quarter moon we describe its crescent-shaped appearance as a circular disk, our statement, although identical to the one made a few days earlier, is false.
You see... The truth of that statement is dependent upon circumstances... the situation.
Not all statements, however, depend on circumstances for their truthfulness.
For example, the earth revolves around our sun. This statement is true during the first week of the month, the last week of the month, and through every month of the year. This truth was once said to be heresy by Pope Urban VIII... Has since been firmly established by direct observation.
You see... If we make the statement... There is no such thing as absolute truth... We are making what we believe to be a statement of absolute fact... absolute truth. One cannot deny the existence of absolute truth, therefore, without appealing to absolute truth. Since the rejection of absolute truth is self-contradictory... And since there are clear examples of absolute truth, the logical conclusion is that absolute truth does exist.
There are those who contend that Truth Exists... But It Cannot Be Known.
A common belief, even among some who call themselves Christian, is that absolute truth exists, but it is unknowable... It cannot be determined.
Now... In response to this philosophy, it should be noted that, of course, there exist some truth which is unknowable... And may remain unknowable forever.
God’s response to Job’s desire to know why bad things were happening to him was, essentially this... Job, there are a lot of things you don’t know and a lot of things you will never know.
Repeatedly God asked Job questions like... Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?... Tell Me, if you have understanding... Who measured the heavens and the earth... Did you?... Since you know... Tell Me who stretched the line on the earth?
Indeed... It is absurd think that we could even begin to KNOW all that is in the mind of God.
Some truth... even though it exists... Will remain unknowable to us.
However, to say that some truth is unknowable... Is not to say that all truth is unknowable... For instance...
-We know that we are alive tonight.
-We know that this is June 17th... Father’s day.
-We know that two plus two equals four... That two plus two has always equaled four...
Even before we know that it did. Is there any reason to believe that there will be a time when two plus two will not equal four?
You see... It is self-contradictory to say that there is truth... but we cannot know it.
Essentially, this view declares the impossible...
It says... We know one thing... And that is that we cannot know anything.
-Since the rejection of knowable truth is self-contradictory...
-Since even those who don’t believe that truth can be known claim to know some things... then the logical conclusion is that absolute truth exists and is knowable.
Now... Let’s notice The Biblical Position on Truth
So far... We have considered the subject of truth from a rational... logical perspective.
We have noted that evidence and reason point to the existence of absolute truth... And to our ability to know and understand at least some of it.
Now... We want to carefully consider what the Bible says about truth.... This is important.
If the Bible makes claims for truth which are at odds with our culture or our thought processes... Then we must either...
-Adjust what we think about truth...
-Or adjust what we think about Christianity and the Bible.
You see... Both positions cannot be valid... Both positions cannot be held as true... Because they are mutually exclusive.
Even though time does not permit us to consider each of the 110 instances in which the Greek word for truth appears in the New Testament... Let us consider some important Bible teachings on the subject of truth.
First... Christianity is Based On Truth.
Christianity is a religion based on historical events.
-When Luke began his Gospel account... He told its original recipient, Theophilus, that he wrote... So that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.
-Similarly... The purpose of John’s Gospel was to provide an historical record of what Jesus did... So that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
-According to the Apostle Paul... If the historical events recorded in the New Testament did not happen... We are to be pitied more than all men.
You see... Without truth, we have nothing to hope for... because... as Paul contends... Our hope is wrapped up in Jesus... His life and His resurrection.
A people caught up in this world has this world as their hope. To them Christianity is only a tool to be used...
-To make the world a better place...
-To keep our kids off the streets and out of jail...
-To take care of us when we are hurting.
There is no doubt that Christianity offers all this. There is no question that the church can change a neighborhood, a city, a nation, the world. But it cannot do this without truth.
Remember... Truth is so important that Jesus said... He came into this world to testify to it.
So then...Any attitude toward truth that falls short of it being a crucial part of the mission of Jesus Christ is an attitude that falls outside the Bible, and places us at odds with the Word of God.
Secondly... Truth Has Been Revealed.
The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah looked ahead toward the kingdom of Christ and wrote... I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth. As Jeremiah predicted... The coming of Jesus and his ministry resulted in a revelation of truth.
Listen to these scriptures that validate this fact...
-John pointed out in John 1.14 & 18... The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and (WHAT?)... Truth. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
Church... Jesus came to reveal truth... And show us more truth about what God was like... To exegete and demonstrate God.
-Jesus also made it clear that truth was revealed in His teachings when He said... If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciple; and you will know the truth...
-Jesus said... He spoke the truth in John 8.45.
-He sent the Holy Spirit to... Guide the Apostles into all truth.
-Before the end of the first century, the apostle Peter was able to write that... God’s... Divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
Indeed... The life and teachings of Jesus... Along with the writings of other inspired New Testament writers represent a great revelation of truth. In fact Peter says... We preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven - things into which angels long to look.
Church... To the extent that we are unwilling to accept the New Testament as God’s revealed truth... We must understand that we are at odds with the Bible... A most dangerous position... RIGHT?
Thirdly... We must understand that Truth Saves.
The Apostle Paul wrote much about the connection between truth and salvation.
In Romans 1.18... He linked those headed for destruction with an improper reaction to truth... For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
Paul also stated in 2 Thessalonians that... Those who perish... Did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.
On the positive side of this point... Paul made it clear in 1 Timothy 2.4... That those who are saved are those who... Come to the knowledge of the truth
In Ephesians 1.13... He tells us that... The message of truth... is also... the gospel of our salvation.
You see...
-Truth is a matter of spiritual life and death...
-Truth is a precursor to our salvation.
If our attitude is that truth is unimportant in our relationship with God, we are at odds with the Bible... And doomed as far as our eternal salvation is concerned.
OK... If truth exists... If indeed truth can be known...
If truth saves us... Then how??/...
What is our obligation to truth?
Truth Must Be Sought... We must know truth
Just because God has revealed truth to us does not mean that we should think that finding truth is suppose to be easy and effortless.
Paul told Timothy... and us... Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
The word of God...
-Must be studied...
-It must be diligently pursued...
-It must be accurately handled... divided... interpreted...
In order to learn the truth it contains.
When Paul and Silas visited the synagogue in the city of Berea, they found people who received their preaching with great eagerness... BUT... BUT... These same people were ones who were found examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. As the Berean people heard the Gospel... they checked it against the Old Testament scriptures.
Church, listen to me... Any search for truth... Which seeks a shortcut around diligent examination of the word of God... and a commitment to handling the scriptures accurately... Is in danger of finding something other than truth, putting us at odds with the Bible.
Truth must be accepted and believed.
There is an interesting verse in John 1.12 which says... To those who believed... He gave the power... the authority... the right... To become children of God.
In Acts 2.41 Luke says... So those who believed and accepted Peter's message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added to their number... To the saved.
Class... The truth that saves... The truth that sets us free... Is truth that is accepted... Believed.
The Hebrews writer plainly says... Without faith... Without acceptance of truth... It is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists... And ACCEPT the fact that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Now... I must warn you tonight that
-Sometimes truth is painful.
-Sometimes the truth is unpleasant.
But it is the only way to be genuinely set free from our sins...
It is the only way to rise above the problems and cares of this world...
It’s the only way which guarantees us a place in heaven.
Truth Must Be Obeyed.
Now we must know this evening that... Truth presents us with more than just something with which we are to be in agreement with.
Truth... According to the New Testament... Is something which must be obeyed.
-Paul told the Christians at Rome that... God’s wrath and indignation await those who do not obey the truth.
-He rebuked some brethren in Galatia with these words... You were running well; who has hindered you from obeying the truth?.
-Hebrews 5.9 says... He... speaking of Jesus... Became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him
-Peter wrote that our souls are purified in obedience to the truth.
Clearly... Truth demands a response.
If our response to truth is anything short of obedience... Then we are at odds with the teachings of the Bible... RIGHT?
Church... Note with me now...
Some things we must know about our relationship with truth.
First... What we accept as truth is Our Own Choice.
Nobody forces us to believe anything.
-If we want to believe Elvis is alive... We can.
-If we want to believe in the Loch Ness monster... We can.
-If we want to believe the moon is made of cheese... Or the world is flat... We can.
-If you want to believe Robb Hadley hates pizza... You can... Nobody is stopping you.
Here’s the point... We can’t blame anybody else for our beliefs.
We can believe and act in the way we choose... It's our choice... A god given choice.
Joshua challenged Israel to... Choose today who you will serve.
What we accept and believe as truth is our own choice.
Secondly... Our Beliefs... What We Hold As Truth... Determines Our Behavior.
Proverbs 23.7 tells us... As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
Jesus said... Out of the heart man speaks... Out of the heart comes the issues of life.
We must be careful how we think because our life is shaped by our thoughts... By what we hold to be true or false. You see... We do not act independently of our mind, our thoughts.
Now, the problem is this... Our beliefs... What we hold as truth determine the way we act even when they’re wrong... Even when they’re false... For instance...
-If we believe we’re unlovable... We will act unlovable.
-If we believe other people cannot be trusted... We’ll tend to treat them with suspicion.
-If we believe that God is unconcerned about us... We’ll never pray.
-If we believe there is no hell... We will make no effort to avoid it.
-If we believe we must merit our salvation... We'll always be found frustrated and always unsure of our salvation... And striving for the impossible.
The point is this... Even if our beliefs are wrong... They still affect our behavior.
So... We need to examine our beliefs... What we hold to be true... Frequently... and honestly.
Thirdly... The World Gives Us Many False Beliefs.
We need to understand that we can't believe everything we hear, or even everything we see.
Did you see Forest Gump? This movie blended fact and fiction together to the extent that we found ourselves not knowing when historical fact finished and fiction began.
Technology today has given us virtual reality... where sometimes it is impossible to distinguish between fact and fiction.
The world presents us with myths everyday... I recently read a headline on the National Inquirer at the grocery store... New Discovery... Fat Burning Prayers. Pray these prayers and the fat just melts away.
We laugh at this... But there are a lot of things that just aren’t funny:.. There are MYTHS that really mess up our lives... Here are some such myths...
-Sin is a disease or the result of our environment or genetics.
-All of our problems are somebody else’s fault.
-We never have to take responsibility for our behavior.
-Guilt is detrimental to humans... So... There is never any reason to feel guilty.
-We'll always be happy... If we always get whatever we want.
-All religious people are going to heaven... Just by different means.
-The answer to man's problems is within himself... Not in religion... Religion is only a crutch for the ignorant.
Question!... Is our faith and practice based upon the myths of this world?... Or truth from Scripture?
Fourthly... A Belief Does Not Have To Be True In Order For It To Affect Us.
I remember an evening several years ago at the old Town House... Georgia and I left the sliding glass door opened so we could enjoy the sound of the rain and the cool. I went to sleep thinking about all the possibilities that could happen if someone walked into the bedroom. I woke up about 1:30 thinking I was hearing voices. I saw a shadow crossing the deck. My heart started racing... Adrenaline shot into my system... My muscles tensed up. I tried to get out of bed... I tried to wake Georgia, but could neither move nor speak.…… It was a raccoon.
You see, this kind of thing happens all the time... Doesn't it.
We worry about things that aren’t true... We're afraid of things that will never happen.
So... Even when a belief is not true... It still has the power to cause turmoil in our life.
Jesus said... You shall know the truth... And the truth shall make you free.
Class... When we know the truth... Accept... Receive... Obey truth... Live the truth... It will sanctify us... Save us... And set us free... This is the promise of Jesus... Believe it!!
Number five... The Only Source Of Absolute Religious Truth Is God.
Jesus says... Sanctify them through Thy truth... Thy word is truth.
Romans 3.4 says... Let God be true... And every man a liar.
Some fundamental questions we need answered are...
-What is truth?
-What is going to be the authority for my life?
-What’s going to be the basis for my faith and practice?
-What’s my north star... My compass?
-When life tumbles in... Where do I go for help... Assistance... and Comfort?
Jesus said... I am the way... The truth.. The life.
When it comes down to it... We only have only two options...
We either follow the word of the world... or... The Word of God.
We will either build our life on what culture says... Or on what Christ says.
The world... Or the word.
Which of them do you think is more reliable... Which can we trust as TRUE?
I hope that we will leave this lesson with...
-A better understanding of...
-And a deeper appreciation for truth.
We must understand that absolute truth exists.
While some truth is relative... It is important that we know that some truth is absolute.
The danger is that we may not clearly distinguish the difference.
You see... The problem is in thinking that truth is defined by our own feelings... desires... or even in majority opinion... It doesn’t.
Truth... IN RELIGION... Is defined by God... And is revealed to us through His inerrant Word.
And... What we accept as truth... Determines what kind of life we enjoy here and where we will spend eternity.
President Abraham Lincoln reportedly loved to illustrate the folly of letting Feelings... AND Human LOGIC guide our principles by asking his audiences... How many legs does a dog have... If you call the tail a leg?
Invariably... Someone in the crowd would answer... Five!
Lincoln would respond by saying... NO... The dog would still only have four legs because... calling the tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.
The bottom line to our lesson is this... We must always be on the alert that we will not allow relativism...and Subjective Thinking... To obscure God’s absolute...objective truth.
Remember what Jesus said... 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.
Become His disciple tonight by faith, repentance, and New Testament baptism.
As we stand and sing this invitation song... Will you come!!
