How would you define the word “truth”? Take a moment or two and think about how you would respond to that question. At first glance, the answer seems so simple. We might even say something like, “Well the truth is the truth. You know. That’s just the way it is.” But what does that mean, “the truth is the truth”?
If you asked people, “What is truth?” many would respond, “That depends on a lot of factors.” The impression they have is that truth is something that changes from day to day, person to person. We are comfortable with mathematical truths. No one will dispute that two plus two always equals four. The answer to that equation always has to be the same. But there is much disagreement over the truth about right and wrong, good and evil. Is it wrong to cheat on a test? Some will say, “Yes”! But many will also reply, “No, it’s okay to cheat if it will help you get what you want. It just depends on the situation.” And there is the key phrase “it depends”.
Does the truth depend on one’s circumstances or is there some kind of unchanging, constant truth which permeates all human life? It’s an important question which we don’t talk about enough because how we answer that question will have huge implications on our daily lives.
Many years ago a politician went against his gut feeling, making a decision he knew was wrong. To salve his conscience he muttered, “What is truth?” That man was Pontius Pilate. He has been remembered throughout history for that moral compromise. But the importance of Pilate’s question is not that it was motivated by self-serving cynicism, but rather that the answer to his question was standing in front of him. It was to Jesus Christ he addressed the question, “What is truth?”
Relegating truth to a category of personal preference can seem liberating to the human spirit. It does just the opposite. It makes us slaves to our circumstances and our self-serving desires. Freedom is not in the statement, “Truth depends….” but rather in the confession, “Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.”
If you’re not sure how you would answer the question, “What is truth?”, join us for one of our weekend services. Jesus said that the truth he offers sets people free. Isn’t that worth checking out?
Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday:
10:00 am
