The Bible deals extensively with the subject of truth and presents it as a vital element in the Christian faith and life. Here are some examples of what the Bible teaches about truth
What definition of truth does the Bible provide?
The world has presented us with hundreds of different ways to understand the truth. In the postmodern world, all truth is relative. Therefore, there is no such thing as absolute truth (which is itself a claim about truth).
Pluralism, on the other hand, claims that all truths are equally valid. However, you may ask, how can a dog be both a dog and not a dog at the same time? The law of non-contradiction says no.
Socratic thought, which takes many guises today, asserts that although truth may exist, it cannot be fully known. An atheistic worldview should support this understanding by default. If the brain is just a random collection of neurons firing randomly, then who can trust it?
The Bible presents a different understanding of truth. Psalms 119:160 tells God: “The sum of your words is truth, and all your righteous judgments stand forever.”
Truth is anything that aligns with ultimate reality as designed and defined by God. In the Gospel of John, Jesus affirms this statement: “Sanctify them through the truth” (John 17:17) and continues: “Your word is truth.”
Therefore, according to the Bible, the truth is absolute, reliable and aligned with the ultimate reality. This truth is defined by God and revealed in His Word, the Bible.
What does the Bible say about seeking the truth?
Contrary to the Socratic view that rejects the ability of each person to know anything completely, Jesus tells his listeners, “But if you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32).
Jesus seems to have believed that truth is both real and intelligible. His words also show that we do not inherently know what is right – God must reveal it to us. Therefore, we are in captivity.
According to Jesus, the discovery of truth does not happen passively and cannot be found by searching in one’s own mind. This truth must be sought through discipleship, continuing in his word and with the help of the Holy Spirit (John 13:16).
This teaching is in line with Romans 1:20, which says: “For from the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divinity, were well understood through his works, so that they are without excuse.” The truth about who God is cannot be found by looking inside your mind, but by looking outside yourself.
John C. Lankes, professor at Oxford University and author of several books, cites Jesus’ teaching found in John 11 that “if any man walk in the day, he shall not stumble, for he hath seen the light of this world.” (John 11:9) In the context of the entire Bible, Genesis 1, we see that the lights of the world are presented as a means of guidance. Without the sun, we would not have a proper understanding of our place and time in this world. Although we may catch bits of truth here and there, when we try to make sense of the world on our own, we are mostly left in the dark. Just as we all depend on the guidance of an entity outside of ourselves to see our path, we need a guiding light outside of ourselves to learn the truth. Christ, “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), is that light.
Today in the article : What Does the Bible Say about Truth? We reviewed useful information about the Bible and the way of Jesus. If you wish, you can view other articles of Ali Vahidi about Christianity
