In John 18:38, Jesus is before Pilate and Pilate asks him the question for the ages, “What is truth?” The amazing thing about this question from Pilate is that standing before him was the embodiment of truth and yet it seems Pilate missed it. Like Pilate, every person is in search of the truth, most asking the same question what is truth? The challenge we face is not people asking the question, but do they really want the answer. As our society becomes more and more “enlightened” we appear to be slipping further away from how we define and understand truth, which could possibly make this question more important than ever.
Here is how Dictionary.com defines truth: “the true or actual state of a matter; conformity with fact or reality; a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like.”
When you look at this definition you begin to see there is a definitive nature to truth. The words used here to describe truth are very decisive. Truth is factual and indisputable. The reason this is so important is because truth remains true. It is not dependent on what you think or feel about it.
Yet with a word that has such a concrete definition, there are many who have identified different ways to understand how we come to truth and how we define what it is. Not to become too philosophical, let’s approach this question from the perspective of the average person. In our society today, a safe assumption is the average person would probably narrow down truth into two categories, absolute truth and relative truth.
1. Absolute Truth. Absolute truth is true regardless of how a person thinks or feels about it. Here is a biblical example of absolute truth. Jesus is Lord. Regardless of how you feel about that statement, it is true. Many will argue about this statement and try to debate its veracity, but this does not change the truth that Jesus is Lord. Here is a verse that defines what absolute truth looks like.
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
In this verse, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. On this day opinions or feelings won’t matter because everyone will acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Whether you agree or not what makes this truth absolute is it doesn’t change based on your opinion.
2. Relative Truth. Relative truth is the belief truth changes based on the individual’s understanding of it. With relative truth, there are no absolutes and what may be true for you is simply not true for me.
A common statement reflecting relative truth may sound like this “You have your truth and I have mine.” The problem with relative truth it is a contradiction in terms. If truth is factual and indisputable then you cannot have different truths for different people. Relative truth is a rejection of absolute truth.
One reason people embrace the idea of relative truth is because it allows them to create their own reality that frees them to do whatever they want. I know we often like to think of this as a societal problem however this problem exists in the church as well. Paul warned us about this.
"Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (2 Timothy 4:2-4).
This is the age we are living in. People are surrounding themselves with those who will tell them the “truth” they want to hear. While this gives them the freedom to justify how they live, they are basing their lives on a truth that is not true at all.
For this section, when I talk about truth I am talking about absolute truth. While there can be a multitude of opinions, there can only be one absolute truth. What are the characteristics that define this kind of truth?
1. Truth is constant (It does not change). For something to be deemed true, it cannot change and must remain constant. Circumstances may change, but the truth surrounding those circumstances must remain constant or you are not dealing with truth.
2. Truth is objective (It plays no favorites). Truth must also be objective. This means that the same truth is applicable to everyone. If the standard for truth changes from person to person, then it is no longer truth. For example, Romans 3:23 tells us all have sinned. For this to be an absolute truth it must apply to everyone, which this statement does.
3. Truth will prevail (It will be standing in the end). While I believe as Christians, we have a responsibility to defend the truth, at the end of the day truth will defend itself. Time is the greatest ally of truth. Eventually, the lies will fall by the wayside and all that will be left is the truth.
When you pull back the curtain, relative truth is standing on shaky ground. One place where the idea of relative truth is faulty is when it comes to the way to salvation. Some will try to convince you it doesn’t matter which road you choose to find salvation because all roads lead to the same place. Many would add just find one and get on it. This is the great fallacy of relative truth because this simply cannot be true.
This is not true in a physical sense, and it cannot be true in a spiritual sense. If someone asked me how to get to NYC and I told them it doesn’t matter what road you take just pick on and you will get there, you would immediately see the error in that statement. The same is true when it comes to salvation. All roads do not lead to the same place. For starters they don’t all teach the same thing so how can they all lead to the same destination.
Jesus established a truth that separates him from everyone else. “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'” (John 14:6).
This is not only a truth but also without question an absolute truth that leaves no room for another interpretation or relativism. This statement shuts the door to any other way of getting to the Father and any other hope of salvation. If you believe this you will experience the benefit of this truth, however, your belief is not necessary for this to be true. This will be true whether you believe or choose not to believe. Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father, and that will never change.
One quick side note. Having and holding an absolute truth like this is not meant to make you judgmental or give you a feeling of superiority. The goal should be to recognize you possess the truth and by God’s grace and the help of the Holy Spirit help others to discover it.
It is not enough to understand what truth is; we must also understand why we need absolute truth. With no absolute truth then there are no longer any standards. I believe it is safe to say many of our standards, which were once considered absolute truths, are under attack today in our society.
Not just here in America but all around the world. When the standards are removed then people are free to do what they want, and we become a society that lives by relative truth. While some may see this as liberating, I see this as disastrous. We would become like Israel at the end of the book of Judges.
“In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25, NLT).
As Christians, we must uphold the standard of truth, through all the challenges associated with it, because without the standard there is no truth.
The good news is our faith is built on truth that is absolute. When you consider some of the things used to describe our faith you will discover our faith has a strong foundation that was built to last through all the shifting changes of time. By the way, this truth is not just based on faith but on reason and evidence that has stood the test of time. Here are some scriptures that speak to the strength of the foundation of our faith.
"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11).
“For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame’” (1 Peter 2:6).
“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 26:4).
You should feel confident knowing your faith is based on eternal truth. When you are posed with the question of what is truth, know that Jesus is the truth. Beyond that, he is eternal, unchanging, and the rock on which our salvation stands. Since he will not change your confidence in him as the truth need not be shaken.
Regardless of how anyone else feels, at the end of the day he will be standing alone, the one who is our Rock and the one who is the truth. This is the hope and assurance we have.
To close, I want to leave you with the words of this powerful hymn reminding you of this great truth. 'On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.'
Live today knowing you have the answer to the question 'what is truth?' The answer is found in Jesus Christ.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Thomas Soellner