The question of “what is truth” is the most important and controversial question humankind has been trying to answer since the beginning of time. Declaring absolute surety of the answer, if done at the wrong place or the wrong time can get you mocked, rejected or even killed. This is the fundamental question that separates every religion, ideology and entire cultures and societies.
This article is not intended as a declaration or “ownership” of truth, (please don't take it this way) but instead as a faith-based perspective motivated by the name of the project (“Truth” and art) and is intended instead, for enjoyable reading that will hopefully make you feel empowered. In other pages on this site, for your enjoyment and for the sake of completion, we also consider – what is Art? - and - what is life? - All of this is for your consideration.
To begin with, let us consider two angles or perspectives of truth. First, there's absolute truth, which is entirely outside of our control, ownership and view. It objectively exists whether we see it, recognize it, understand it or not - it's still there. Then there's what we'll call for the sake of this article – physically perceivable or relative truth which happens within our physical recognizable world. I see this difference as - “who is God?” (absolute truth, whether perceived or not) versus - “the book is on my desk” (relative truth, based on perceivable reality).
Since my point of view regarding truth comes from the Bible let’s look at the historic moment documented in the book of John chapter 18 verse 38. In this dramatic final moment between Jesus and Governor Pontius Pilot, before His crucifixion, the Governor asks Jesus “what is truth?”. Note that Jesus did not directly answer Pilot because He had already given him the answer to this question, and which ironically was arguably the primary reason the crowds wanted Him crucified. In fact, Jesus answered this question throughout His ministry declaring that He Himself was “the truth” (John 14:6).
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. - John 14:6
Later in John chapter 18 Jesus declares that He was in fact a King and not of this world, and that one of the proofs of His non-earthly origin was the very fact that His people were not physically fighting back. Isn't that fascinating how Jesus equates NOT fighting back with true power? Compare that to the way many “Christians” today portray Jesus and use the label of Christianity to obtain political power.
Jesus declares in John 18:37 that His role as a king was designed to facilitate his mission of bearing “witness to the truth”, and that because He IS the truth “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice”.
So we see here that if Jesus Christ was then and is who He and His Word says He is (the Son of God, God in the flesh, the image of the invisible God) then the absolute truth is not limited to subjective opinion. It is an objective force and phenomenon that exists and manifests itself regardless of our perceptions and opinions.
This perspective on the nature of objective truth begins to shine light directly into our lives and allows us to realize that we (humans) are the ones who are lost and confused about what IS. That which IS truth is something completely outside of our natural perceptions, and only those with the necessary understanding are able to hear and see the truth for what it is (i.e. align themselves with that truth).
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation - Colossians 1:15
I want to shift the conversation to a topic that is different but inseparable from truth. You can't claim to be a top doctor if you don't UNDERSTAND medicine, and you can't be a math wizard or scientist if you don't understand complex math or science respectively. Understanding is critical so let's talk about this topic from a biblical point of view.
As you study the Bible, notice a common and critical theme which is often repeated; the tool, the transforming element or the gift of understanding. Understanding is a deep topic which begs the equally profound question of “what is understanding?”. We won’t dig too deep into this here except to say that without understanding you cannot arrive at truth. The difference between someone who is lost and someone who is truly walking in Christ, is understanding. This truth is plain to see in the parable of the sower recorded in Mathew 13 (verse 23):
But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it ...
This is also a reminder that God preserves knowledge of the truth that we're to find and understand. It could never be destroyed, switched out or replaced. So all that we can do with truth, as Jesus points out in this parable, is line ourselves up with it and ask for understanding because without knowledge and understanding of truth it's impossible to line yourself up to it.
I believe the parables are the most important Bible passages to understand. The parables use illustrative thought to offer deep insight on many topics. Jesus emphasized that the parables were strategically intended to reveal deep secrets of the kingdom of God to select listeners. We see this in Luke 8:10
To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.
Here we see that purposely speaking in code so that those against Christ (e.g. Pharisees) would not be able to decode the meaning of the truth behind the parables (due to lack of understanding) was clearly another purpose. We see this pattern throughout scripture, where a certain leader or people have their understanding darkened, and this ignorance then pushes intended events forward. To drive this point Jesus even quoted the prophet Isaiah when asked why He chose to speak in code (i.e. parables):
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;…’ - Mathew 13: 13-14
There you have it. So, truth can only be identified through understanding which comes from the Spirit of God, the only true God recorded in the Bible, not just any “god”. Jesus is the only man who declared Himself to BE the truth and to prove it by rising from the dead and leaving an empty tomb as one of the evidences. He also proved His case in many other ways. The truth incarnated, lived among us and those with understanding were so convinced of the truth (and the life) that they gladly gave their lives and were willing to be martyred to be part of that life and truth for all eternity.
[NOTE: Emphasis added to facilitate understanding]
And then there’s the 'relative' truth we talked about earlier. Recall my example of “the book is on my desk” - This is truth because it's physically provable but it's agreed upon by human perception, language and logic. Let's have some fun playing with the logic.
For example, we all agree that a cat is a cat, that yesterday is yesterday or that I’m here and you are there. Yes, a cat is a cat, but in theory all of humanity can agree to call it something else. We can agree to call yesterday “tomorrow”. Again, just in theory, for the sake of demonstrating how language works.
However, when applying truth to ourselves, can we agree that I’m not here and you are not there and still claim this is true? While some magic thinkers may want to convince themselves that you can, the fact is, no you cannot truthfully agree on this. I really am here, and you really are there.
The difference is that we are humans created in God’s image. Animals who are not created in God’s image, unlike humans, do not argue that “I’m not here” or “you are not there” because they are unable to rise to this level of reason and truth awareness, but humans are.
So, bear with me on this complex argument - while we can manipulate or agree upon "new truths” when it comes to language, we cannot do this even with other language and perception-based issues that are consciously verifiable and involve awareness. By this I mean, that we have an awareness of certain physical realities that even language manipulation (i.e. - lies and deception) cannot override.
We know this because God has put this consciousness (verification mechanism) in us. That is, an awareness of truth which we ought to be careful to not reject. Romans 1:18-19 tells us:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them
This consciousness in us is the thing that separates us from the animals and allows us to communicate with God. It’s also the consciousness in us that allows us to know evil from good. Exactly as we’re told in Genesis 3:22:
Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”
As we can see, mankind is without excuse because it knows good from evil, and as mentioned earlier, it is aware of the truth that is being rejected. Before returning to the Father Jesus tells us, promises and then delivers to us the source of that truth, THE truth which everyone is looking for and the only real truth that IS. We see this in John 14:15-18:
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
In this spectacular answer to our original question (what is truth?) Jesus demonstrates that truth is a “product” or commodity that He and His father owns, and that out of love for His followers He would arrange a personal request with the Father to provide this special commodity or gift to His children.
Truth itself would be given as a gift to His children through the Holy Spirit which the world cannot possibly receive. Like an encrypted communication line, the world doesn't have the coordinates or the password to be able to listen in on this gift of truth, thus they cannot see and hear the actual truth.
Jesus even equates not providing this special communication privilege to His children, to leaving an orphan abandoned. This is how important the communication tool of truth, which (again) the world cannot receive, is to our walk here on earth.
Finally, we see in John chapter 17 that when Jesus, knowing His arrest was soon coming and knowing this was one of His final moments with His disciples, begins to pray for them (verse 6) and to pray for the rest of the believers of the world (verse 20). In this very important and revealing prayer Jesus prays that God the Father would protect them from Satan and fill them with Joy as they navigate on the earth as foreigners. Then He prays for them to have that special ammunition of truth (John 17: 17-19) (emphasis added):
Sanctify them by Your TRUTH. Your word is TRUTH. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the TRUTH
So, never think of “what is truth” as a trick question. Instead ask yourself how can we exist, and how can life’s amazing design exist in such perfect functional unity WITHOUT an intelligent designer that IS and owns truth itself. When you finally realize this, you'll marvel at the beauty of a designer that allows for the created being to discern for themselves between ultimate truth and agreed upon truth, and a designer that humbly comes to earth, dies for us, and tells us pointedly that He is giving us the GIFT of truth, as Jesus did!
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