What is Truth?

Most people expect others to tell the truth, and we can witness this expectation in many spheres. In law, truth is taken so seriously that people must be sworn in by raising their right hand and making an oath to tell the truth. In football, referees are accountable for making calls based on the truth. In business, people are expected to be truthful employees. Yet it seems that our society is confused about what truth is. We witness this when we hear statements like, “that can be true for you, but it’s not true for me,” or “that’s just your perspective.” These statements often stump people when they encounter someone with a contradictory view. Let’s clear up the conversation by unpacking what truth is and preparing ourselves to promote truth in our spheres.

Truth Reflects Reality

In our postmodern, or some would say our “post-church”, society, many people claim that truth is a matter of perspective or feelings. The individual might advocate that truth is constructed through individuals, communities, and language. Often, they are living what is called a pragmatic theory of truth, a belief that “it works for them” in their lives. But this belief falls short because it not only leads to relativism, but it is also self-defeating.

Relativism holds that truth is shaped culturally and that objective truth does not exist. This can be true if it is a subjective truth, which is an opinion or preference of an individual. For example, if a person says, “Chocolate is the best flavor of ice cream.” This is true for that subject or individual. These truths are an individual’s preference. But if societies lived by relativism, then objective truth could not exist, and each leader and community would regulate laws according to the ebb and flow of their passions.

Relativism is also self-defeating. Imagine two people who believe two contradictory statements. For example, one claims, “a girl can be a boy,” and one claims, “a girl cannot be a boy.” Can both be true? The pragmatic theory of truth would say, “If it works for you, then it is true.” But both cannot be true; that would be self-defeating. Biologically, a boy cannot ever have a baby because a boy is not born with the biological makeup to have a baby.

Truth is what corresponds to reality. Truth must reflect what is real; it is what matches the way things truly are. If a person were to say, “The Earth is flat.” It would not match the reality of what has been discovered beyond the Earth. People have traveled outside of the Earth to discover that it is an oblate spheroid. Truth is not what works; instead, truth mirrors reality. If someone were to say “George Washington was not the first president,” that would not match reality because records reveal that George Washington was the first president. It is not a personal preference or how we feel, but it is outside of us. Truth reflects reality.

Truth Is Universal [1]

Truth can be true even if others deny it because truth is outside of us. If truth is outside of us, where does it reside? What is the reference point for truth? Many people claim to have the truth. Buddhism says it’s revealed by the Buddha, Islam says it is revealed by Allah, Hinduism says it’s Brahman, and Christianity says it resides in God, Jesus Christ, revealed through the pages of the Bible. These religions contradict one another, so which one is true? C. S. Lewis contended, “There were really only two answers possible: either in Hinduism or Christianity. Whatever you could find elsewhere, you could find better in one of these.”[2] However, Hinduism falls short due to the absence of historical evidence, among other things. Christianity provides the historical evidence to support the reliability of the Bible.

From manuscripts to archaeology, the Bible is affirmed as being reliable. Historical biographies emphasize the importance of truth and historical accuracy, as seen in the book of Luke 1:1-4:

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

Not only are there historical biographies attesting to the truth in the Bible, but it also claims to bear the truth.

John 17:17 – “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

John 8:31-32 – “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

John 17:8 – “For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.”

The Bible reveals God’s testimony to mankind of the truth. In reading it, the reader can discover that God is truth. Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh, came to testify to the truth in John 18:37 and that He, being God in the flesh, is the truth in John 14:6. God is truth, and the Bible is the reference point of truth. The Bible is the reference point that reveals universal truths.

Promoting Truth in Society

People in our culture often make judgments based on what works for them or how they feel rather than on what is true. As Christians, we must be familiar with the truths of the Bible over pragmatism and feelings. If truth were relative and feelings oriented, people would lack a standard of morality. Societies would have no standard for right and wrong. Cultures would be unable to criticize other cultures that practice evil. But there is a standard of truth in the Bible. God has given us truths for all peoples, in all places, for all times.

It is the truths of the Bible that build good societies. People do not like it when others steal from them, nor do they like it when people lie to them.

“God, who is outside us, above us, and beyond us, reveals that lying and stealing are wrong because God is truth, and justice is right because God is just. Hatred is wrong because God is love. Forgiveness is right because God is merciful. Sexual immorality is wrong because God is faithful and pure. These things are right or wrong, not because society or even the church agrees with them or frowns on them, but because they are either contrary to or consistent with the nature and character of God.” [3]

These are the truths that Christians can promote in societies because it is good for all people in all places at all times.

Conclusion

We have learned that truth reflects reality, God is truth, and truth is revealed through the Bible for all of humanity. Universal truths build good societies. They teach us to love our neighbor as ourselves. As Christians, we should promote truth to extinguish evil and be a redemptive force in our world.

Notes

[1]

[2]

[1] Editor’s Note: Truth is “universal” in the sense that it’s true for everyone, i.e., universally. If 2+2=4, then that’s not just “True for you but not for me,” because every instance of 2+2 that has ever occurred anywhere has always equaled 4. The universality of truth also means it’s “outside” of us in the sense that the Pythagorean theorem is true independently of you or me. It is still true even if we disagreed with it, didn’t know about it, misunderstood or even if we genuinely believed we had disproven it.

[2] C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy, Signature Classics Edition (London, UK: William Collins, 1955), 273.

[3] Sean McDowell, The Beauty of Intolerance (Uhrichsville, Ohio: Shiloh Run Press, 2016), 188.

Recommended Resources:

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek ( INSTRUCTOR Study Guide ), ( STUDENT Study Guide ), and (DVD)

Is Morality Absolute or Relative? by Dr. Frank Turek DVD , Mp3 and Mp4

When Reason Isn’t the Reason for Unbelief by Dr. Frank Turek DVD and Mp4

How Can Jesus be the Only Way? Mp4 , Mp3 , and DVD by Frank Turek

Deanna Huff is a wife and mother. She is passionate about teaching others to share and defend their faith, drawing on 25 years of experience in the field. Her publications include The Prophets’ Use of the Shepherd Motif and Its Contribution to Their Presentation of the Character of God, and she has contributed chapters to Why Creationism Still Matters and Strong Faith.

She is also a speaker who has led seminars for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Ladies Retreat, and the State Evangelism Conference. In addition, she taught high school students for ten years at Christian Heritage Academy, covering subjects such as Bible, Universal History, Apologetics and Philosophy.

Deanna earned a Ph.D. in Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University. She holds a Master of Theology in Apologetics and Worldview from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma.

Deanna is an active member of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, where she co-hosted a podcast called The Analysis with Pastor Mark DeMoss. She also co-hosted a podcast with her daughter, Ellie Huff, called but why should i care. She and her husband teach an adult Sunday school class, discipling others in the faith.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/4v2pn6W