“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.” John 18:37-38 NIV
Pilate asked the question of a lifetime! What is truth?
Miriam-Webster defines truth as: the body of real things, events, and facts; the state of being the case.
As Christians we know what truth is. Truth is the Word of God!
It is written:
Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.” 1 Kings 17:24 NIV
The first step in recognizing the truth, is to truly and earnestly SEEK the truth. We will find the truth, and recognize the truth, when we search for it with all of our hearts.
As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:10-11 NIV
The Berean Jews found the truth because it was important enough to them to diligently seek after it. And what happened when they encountered the truth?
As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. Acts 17:10-12 NIV
Cause and effect, seek and find!
When we sincerely seek truth, our search always leads us directly to Jesus!
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7 NIV
He also prayed this on our behalf:
“Sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth” John 17:17 NIV
Jesus was with his Father when He created the world.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. John 1:1-2 NIV
Jesus is the living Word of God, Jesus is Truth!
Therefore, we constantly seek Jesus and we encourage others to seek the truth through our witnessing. In doing so, we lead others to Christ so they too can know Truth. That’s the goal. That’s the great commission!
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
Alas, let us be reminded:
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 NIV
Love on another.
Barnabas
Special thanks to Barnabas for this guest submission.