What is Truth?

By CBN.com

CBN.com - Almost 2,000 years ago, a Roman governor chose to ask a profound question of a man who was about to be executed.

"What is truth?" he asked.

Most people ponder that question at some time in their lives, especially at critical points when they are struggling with the question of the meaning of life. After all, the need for meaning is a basic human need, and there can be no meaning without some ultimate truth.

Is There an Ultimate Truth?

We seem to know instinctively that ultimate truth is somehow related to the existence of God. In fact, it is interesting that those who deny the existence of God are the same ones who say there is no absolute truth and that everything is relative. But something deep within us says this is not so -- something tells us that God exists and that He holds the key to truth.

However, that raises another question. If there is a God, a Creator, as evidenced by creation, how do we know who He is? How do we know what He's like? Has He revealed Himself and His truth to the human race?

The answer is -- yes! He has revealed Himself to all mankind and He has authenticated His communication to us in such a way that it is clear that it is His word and no one else's.

God's Message To Man

God's message to man is the Bible. The Bible is composed of 66 separate books, written by as many as 40 different authors over a span of more than 1000 years. The New Testament is composed of 27 books written by nine authors over a span of about 50 years, from 50 A.D. to 100 A.D.

The Old Testament is about how God revealed Himself to Israel through His law and the prophets. The New Testament is about how God revealed Himself to the world through His Son. Have your ever read the Bible ? The fact that a book written over a period of 1500 years could have such an amazing consistency in thought, content, and purpose testifies to its divine origin. But there is much more.

God Speaks in Person

The Bible defines itself as the word of God and consistently claims divine authorship. It claims to be the authoritative and infallible presentation of ultimate truth. It doesn't just talk about God. In the Bible, God speaks Himself. Phrases like "And God said. ..." occur about 3800 times in the Old Testament alone. The Bible is different from any other document in history in this respect: God speaks in it. But that's not all.

Archaeological Proof

The increased activity and accumulated discoveries of archaeology over the past few decades confirm the smallest details of the Bible's accuracy, hushing its critics. Before archaeological finds began confirming the accuracy of the Bible, doubters and critics made many charges against it; such as that Moses could not write, that the Hittite people (an ancient people mentioned in the Bible) never existed, and that other peoples and cities described in the Bible were merely mythological. Archaeology has proven the critics wrong in every one of these cases and in hundreds of others. Not a single detail of Holy Scripture is contradicted by archaeology. The historical accuracy of the Bible is not a matter of faith. It is a matter of fact.

God Foretells The Future

Another convincing evidence of the divine inspiration of the Scriptures is prophecy - the 100% accurate predicting of the future that is coined in the Bible. Here are recorded God's many revelations of future events to His prophets. These prophets wrote down what God showed them. Then 10, 100 or 1000 years later, those very things prophesied came to pass. More than one-third of the Old Testament is devoted to prophecy.

The most important figure in Bible prophecy is the Messiah, the Savior promised to Israel and to the world. From the books of Moses (the first five books of the Old Testament) to the book of Malachi (the last book of the Old Testament), over a time span of a thousand years, more than 300 specific details of this Savior's birth, His life, His death, and His resurrection were foretold by Biblical prophets.

The Testimony Of Messiah

Jesus Christ fulfilled every one of those prophecies. He is the most convincing argument for the truth of the Bible. Jesus Christ - the most unique individual the world has ever known. So profound is His life that the two eras of human history are divided by His coming: B.C ("Before Christ") and A.D. ("Anno Domini" which means "year of our Lord"). The life, the death, and (especially) the resurrection of Jesus Christ rocked the world and forever altered the course of civilization.

Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, the Messiah. The Scriptures bears witness to this.

16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”
20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” (The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 4: Verses 16-21).

But Jesus didn't just talk about being the Messiah, He demonstrated the power of God - His power - through many "signs and wonders." He revealed His authority over creation by turning water into wine, by commanding storms to cease - and cease they did. He revealed His compassion for people by healing multitudes, restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, health to the sick. He raised people from the dead. Finally, after Jesus was crucified and buried, He physically arose from the dead and appeared afterward to more than 500 people. In every phase of His life - from His conception to His resurrection, Jesus fulfilled prophecies made hundreds of years beforehand, convincing those around Him who knew and believed the Scriptures that He was the Messiah.

Face To Face

Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor who, almost 2,000 years ago, looked into the eyes of Jesus and asked, "What is truth?"

Pilate was talking to the Truth. He was talking to God in the flesh - the One through whom the worlds were created.

"You will know the truth and the truth will set you free," Jesus had proclaimed. But the truth was not setting Pilate free that day, because he didn't honestly want to know it. So there in his governor's palace while history held its breath, with Truth standing right in front of him, Pilate still had to ask, perhaps flippantly or perhaps sadly, "What is truth?"

He never knew. The human heart unwilling to submit to the truth will never know the truth.

What About You?

Do you really want to know the Truth? Jesus said to all who are searching, "Seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you." (The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 7 Verse 7) But if you knock on the door looking for truth and Jesus opens it, what will you do? Will you go in to Him or will you turn and walk away? And if you turn away, where will you go? Throughout the ages, in all creation, there is not other truth but Him. Jesus declared it: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but through me." (The Gospel of John, Chapter 14: Verse 6)

Would you prefer an easier truth? One that makes no demands? You know that in the long run it will be much harder to find out that you have lived a lie all your life than to accept, right now, the simple demands that Jesus makes. Remember, He is compassionate. Patient. Willing to forgive. Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 11: Verses 28-30)

Submitting

If you have read through this teaching sheet, you have been introduced to the ultimate truth. He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the World. Will you take the next step now? Will you trust Him?

Put your life into His hands now. Do what He asks you to do. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He asks you to believe in Him. He asks you to honestly confess your sins to him and to receive His complete forgiveness. He asks you to relax in Him and to receive His love. He has a special gift that He wants to give you - eternal life.

If you want these things but you don't know how to ask for them - and if you really mean it, say this:

Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that you are the way, the truth, and the life. I confess that I am a sinner, that I have gone my own way and have often done wrong. Please forgive me for all my sins. Thank you, Lord. I ask you to come into my life and take control. I receive you now as my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Help me to follow you and to serve you all my life, until the day that I go to be with you forever. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, please send us an e-mail to let us know. Or you can call The 700 Club Prayer Counseling Center at (800) 759-0700. We would love to talk with you and send you some gifts to help you begin your walk with the Lord.

Living In The Truth

Now you know the truth and the truth has set you free. Now you are a son or daughter of God, part of his family. God is your Father now and Christians all over the world are your brothers and sisters.

Don't waste a minute getting to know your family, especially your Father. Talk to him constantly. To learn more about prayer, read the CBN Teaching Sheet entitled, Answered Prayer. You can also send us your prayer requests from our Prayer and Counseling page.

Read His Book. The Bible is the main way God has chosen to tell us about Himself. Learning what God says in the Bible is a very important part of your new life. As you read His Word, ask God to show you how various passages apply to your life. A good place to start your study is in the Gospel of John in the New Testament. Find an easy to read, modern translation like the New International Version, the New American Standard or The Book (click here to order The Book).

Become a regular member of a good church and join a Bible study or a Home Fellowship. Make friends with other Christians and spend time with them. As brothers and sisters in Christ you need their fellowship and they need yours. God will lead you to them and to a church that follows Him. For help in finding a church, read the CBN Teaching Sheet entitled, Choosing A Church.

Our hope for you is that you will grow in the Lord Jesus Christ in the same way the Apostle prayed that first century believers would grow:

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. (Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 1: Verses 17-19)

All this is possible for you; in fact, it's your Father's gift to you - now that you know and have believed the truth.

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