When Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate, He talked about His mission to bring truth into the world. Pilate responded with a rhetorical question: “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38) That is actually a great question. What is truth? It could quite possibly be a question in the minds of a lot of people nowadays. Do the newspapers and magazines print truth? Are the TV news media presenting truth to us? Is there any truth on Social media at all? What about the Internet in general? Do our leaders stand for truth? Where do we encounter truth these days?
The word “truth” appears in the Bible about 275 times. That’s an estimate, which varies from source to source, so I’m not exactly sure of the truth about that! (See what I mean?!!) Regardless of the exact number, Jesus did in fact talk a lot about truth, and actually claimed to be “…the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6) That is a bold statement! In contrast, He also gave the definition of the opposite of truth being a lie, or deception. Jesus went so far as to identify another spiritual entity as the embodiment of lies and deception – the devil. This is a quote of Jesus’ words:
John 8:44 (AMP) “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths.”
I think it is fair to say that whatever is not absolute truth has some element of deception. I speak from experience when I say that I have been completely deceived at certain times in my life, and I never want to fall into that situation again. It only takes a drop of poison to adulterate what is pure. Would it be OK to put a tiny bit of cyanide in the delicious brownies I serve you? Or could I dish you up a sumptuous platter of sautéed “cap mushrooms” which are deadly? OF COURSE NOT! As in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, the serpent offered them a tempting morsel about God their Creator that had just an ever so slightly twisted angle of the truth.
I would submit to you that truth is the highest reality. God is omniscient – He knows all things. He has created the reality of all things through His omnipotence – His power. I must see and know His reality to have truth. He is the Father of truth, Jesus is the Way of truth, and the Holy Spirit is the revealer of all truth to me. His Word is truth. Truth is a path of light that can lead me out of darkness and deception into the revelation of who I truly am. I want that! So each and every day I can lift my heart up to God and ask: “Will you show me Your truth about this?” And I believe that is exactly what He wants to do, because He created me in His image and likeness to know Him. Won’t you also accept His invitation today to be transformed into the beautiful human being in whom He so delights?
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