What is Truth ?

Parker said:
There are a couple of stumbling blocks confronting Christians that are concerned with defining and promulgating biblical truth. The first is pugnaciousness. The line between contending for the faith and being contentious about the faith is extremely thin. A Christian can almost unknowingly develop a boisterous rhetoric and a caustic spirit, neither of which are helpful for the advance of the kingdom. The evangelical community suffers when its members lack humility and grace.

The second danger is less easy to recognize, but is not less insidious. It is a kind of arrogant apathy that bolsters a mindset less interested in the truth than in its pursuit. It involves a fine balancing of all opinions in such a way that a person is somehow impolite to insist that one opinion has the ring of truth, and, conversely, the others are to that degree false.

If you read the work of Luther You can easily become aware of the first error; to read many modern theologians makes one conscious of the second. The comparison is not wholly fair, because Luther must be read against the backdrop of his contemporaries’ intemperate speech, and modern Truth Seekers should be accorded a similar courtesy. I think gaining a historical perspective helps us discover how earlier culture reflects on how we view truth today. Despite large pockets of believers who apparently yield to the first error, it must be admitted that the contemporary tide is toward the second.
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And yet Truth remains as Truth despite our incongruous behavior at times.

Truth must be heralded as Truth when the words come from the Mouth of God = Matthew 4:1-11

Truth is how we discern and expose the lies of our adversary the devil = 1 John ch2
 
DavidTree said:
And yet Truth remains as Truth despite our incongruous behavior at times.

Truth must be heralded as Truth when the words come from the Mouth of God = Matthew 4:1-11

Truth is how we discern and expose the lies of our adversary the devil = 1 John ch2
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Amen! And many fail to see his devices, attacking God's Word Of Truth:

1) question It, 2) add to It, 3) subtract from It, 4) water It down, and 5) Deny It!

May God Help us better see His Truth!

Amen.
 
civic said:
Sworn Testimony.

Jesus and the Apostles Teaching on Truth without my commentary. Just the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God !

A walk through the N.T. on Truth !

Matthew 22:16
Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any.

John 1:14
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:17
grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

John 3:20-21
20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

John 4:23-26
23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." 25 The woman * said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." 26 Jesus * said to her, "I who speak to you am He."

John 5:33-34
33 "You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34 "But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.

John 8:31-32
"If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

John 8:39-47
39 They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham. 40 "But as it is,you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. 41 "You are doing the deeds of your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God." 42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me,for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43 "Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 " You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 "But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 "Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 "He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God."

John 14:6
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

John 14:17
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

John 15:26-27
26 "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

John 16:7-11
7 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

John 16:13-14
"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.

John 17:17-19
" Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 "For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

John 18:36-38
36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm." 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, " You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." 38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"

John 19:35
35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.

Romans 1:18-25
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Romans 2:5-9
But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

2 Corinthians 4:2-4
but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

2 Corinthians 13:8 -For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.

Galatians 4:16- So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Galatians 5:7-11
7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. 10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

Ephesians 1:13-14
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance,

Ephesians 4:20-25
20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the C lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which 2 in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.

Ephesians 5:6-11
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;

Ephesians 6:14-17
14 Stand firm therefore, A HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING B PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the B sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Colossians 1:4-8
since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation 2 through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

1 Timothy 2:3-7
3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle ( I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

1 Timothy 6:3-6
3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

2 Timothy 2:15-18
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some.

2 Timothy 2:24-26
24The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 3:1-9
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited,lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth,men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. 9 But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes's and Jambres's folly was also.

2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

Titus 1:1-2
for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,

Hebrews 10:26-27
26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.

James 1:18
In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

James 3:14-16
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

James 5:19-20
19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 1:22-23
22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

2 Peter 2:2-3
2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

1 John 1:6 -6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

1 John 1:8-10
8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and B to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

1 John 2:4-6
4 The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

1 John 2:21-23
21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.

1 John 3:18-19
18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him

1 John 4:1-6
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

1 John 5:6-12
it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are 2 in agreement. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

Revelation 3:7
To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and True, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.

Revelation 3:14
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and True witness, the ruler of God’s creation.


Revelation 19:11
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.


hope this helps !!!
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Jesus selected His twelve disciples, the group to whom He would make the case for three years, with care and precision, and all four authors of the Gospels captured this important selection process (see Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11; and John 1:35–51). Jesus was intentional about His choices. Even though many people became His followers in the early days of His ministry, Jesus thoughtfully (and prayerfully) picked twelve competent and capable men from a larger “pool”:

Luke 6:12–13
It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles.

Jesus chose the 12 apostles to share the truth about God's love. We are called to do the same.
 
civic said:
Jesus answered this question before the civic ruler of his day, Pontius Pilate. “Then Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.’” (John 18:37)

The problem in our world is it’s full of lies. Isaiah said, “Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter.” (Isaiah 59:14). Just as it was in ancient Israel, so also lies continue to confuse us – and keep us from the truth that Jesus presents.

Tackett affirms that Scripture showcases a very close link between truth and salvation. One of the texts he provides is in Paul’s first epistle to Timothy when he wrote, “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4, emphasis mine) In this text, we see people who are saved come to the truth as well. Truth and salvation are linked.

How We Respond to the Truth

In our fallen state we don’t respond well to truth. Paul even warned about people who would eventually turn away from the truth and turn aside to myths and false teachers (2 Timothy 4:3-4). This happens with unbelievers but it also happens to believers before conversion. There are other responses we have concerning the truth…
And yet, Jesus tells us “everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” (John 18:37). The Apostle John echoes his definitive claims to truth by aligning his teaching with Christ’s when he said, “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4:6). These are radical claims in Scripture. Jesus and the Apostle are on the side of truth and those who disagree are on the side of falsehood. These verses set up two sides of a battle between truth and error: the cosmic battle.

Antithesis
This system of truth and error sets up an antithesis. Wherever God’s truth is revealed, the Satanic lie militates against his truth with an opposite claim. In fact, whatever biblical claim God stakes in a particular area, the exact opposite is the false claim of the world, the flesh, and the devil. This is the antithesis between truth and error:

Every sin that besets us can be traced back to a lie- hackett
    • Unity vs. Division:
      For example, where God’s set up an order in marriage between one man and one woman for life in unity, the lie of the world is that divorce is the best answer when marriage is hard leading to division.

    • Diversity vs. Unification:
      For example, God shows a diversity and complimentarity between the sexes and therefore forbids homosexual relations. The lie aims to approve and celebrate homosexual relationships.

    • Roles vs. Jealousy:
      For example, God set up particular roles for people to exercise, but the lie bucks at the roles God set up and inserts jealousy between people because of those roles.

    • Responsibility vs. Blame:
      For example, God has given people responsibility to exercise responsibility in their roles, but the lie is that we should not take responsibility and instead blame others.

    • Authority vs. Rebellion:
      For example, God gave some people and leaders authority to rule in the state, the church, and the home. But the Satanic lie aims to rebel against God’s order in each sphere.

    • Delegation vs. Tyranny:
      For example, God has granted to leaders the grace of delegation and distribution of various powers among a people, but the opposing falsehood is tyrannical rule.

    • Freedom vs. Bondage:
      Finally, when the biblical mandate is for people to have freedom in Christ. The lie is that we don’t enjoy freedom with Christ – instead we are in bondage to sin.

What is Truth?

Tackett then moves to the question “what is truth?”. This question has challenged philosophers and theologians for millennia. The video offered a few definitions of truth, but RC Sproul’s definition seems to capture the nature of truth best: “Truth is defined as that which corresponds to reality as perceived by God.” RC Sproul

    • In other words, truth is reality as God sees it. As much as we perceive reality in the way God sees it, then we perceive reality correctly. That is truth.

Those who connect well with reality are connected to truth. On the other hand, insanity is a loss of connection to reality. Insanity can affect people severely like those who are committed to insane asylums. Most people recognize anyone claiming to be Napoleon as insane. But insanity can also affect us in a more common sort of way. This is the kind of “insanity” which is disconnected from the reality God explains in his word. Jesus addressed “common insanity” in Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

In this passage, Jesus was appealing to the reality of God’s care for his children and showing that we should therefore not worry. Since God cares for birds and flowers, we should trust God to care for us as his children. After all, we’re worth more than birds and flowers. Therefore, we shouldn’t be worried about everything non-believers worry about. To worry reflects a “common insanity” or disconnection from the knowledge that God cares for his children

Application: Faith Connecting Us to God

Finally, Tackett ended the first lesson on faith. Faith is our connection to God. Faith is the means by which we can escape “common insanity” or mistaken, worldly beliefs. Fundamentally, genuine faith is not a feeling. Instead, faith is the grip by which we hold onto God by believing his word. As a frightened young child jumps from a diving board into a pool for the first time to his mother, so also we jump into God’s endeavors knowing he will uphold us in his will. the truth project

hope this helps !!!
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This is excellent! I plan to spend some time with this. The truth will set you free.
 
To understand the truth and why it's so important I believe we need to understand the LIE and how devastating it can be. Since God in his infinite wisdom told us not to lie in the ten commandments lying must be bad for us.

Why do people lie to and about each other? Why, for that matter, did Satan “a liar and the father of lies” according to our Lord in John 8:44 lie to Eve in the garden? I think partly from malice, partly from pride.

When you lie to put someone down, it is malice; when you lie to impress and use them, and to keep them from seeing us in a bad light, it is pride. Satan lied and continues to lie because he hates God and godly folk, and wants to extend his anti-God revolt.

Men lie to shield themselves from exposure and to get what we want. Fear, contempt, and revenge, conceit, fraud, and the desire to shine by making ourselves look good are other reasons we lies.

So, lying in some shape or form, including “white lies,” which are rarely as white as we make out is so universal an activity that surround us daily. Take fake news for example. And then there's propaganda. And trying to convince people that what is bad is good.

The truth is definitely good. The truth will set you free. Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life. The words in the bible are truth.

But when we make it a habit to be truthful we will be walking in freedom.

Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. John 17:7

Knowing God means knowing the truth. Knowing God means knowing the way I’m to go. Knowing God means understanding how to apply wisdom to all of life’s choices.
 
There are a lot of very good answers to the question, What is Truth In this thread. I doubt that I could come up with anything that hasn't been already covered.
Diserner said:
One thing is for sure.

People will call you "mean" and "unkind" and "impolite" for pointing out the truth.

Even fellow Christians, sadly.
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That's usually because their truth is different than your truth. Or in some cases they have the truth and we don't have a clue.
 
civic said:
  • In other words, truth is reality as God sees it. As much as we perceive reality in the way God sees it, then we perceive reality correctly. That is truth.
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Thanks for the extremely interesting and thoughtful thread.

I agree with the proposition above ("Truth is reality as God sees it").
We are not God and therefore we cannot see reality as God sees it.
We can only approach to some few aspects of the truth, as through a haze, a mist.

That's why we should be always very humble and prudent when debating with others that we think are not "in the truth".
One thing is certain: if we are in the truth, we will live differently. "Truth will set you free" said Jesus.
If we are still slaves of our vices and fears, our flesh, then we don't know the truth, regardless of how orthodox and complete we deem our theology to be.
 
Pancho Frijoles said:
Thanks for the extremely interesting and thoughtful thread.

I agree with the proposition above ("Truth is reality as God sees it").
We are not God and therefore we cannot see reality as God sees it.
We can only approach to some few aspects of the truth, as through a haze, a mist.

That's why we should be always very humble and prudent when debating with others that we think are not "in the truth".
One thing is certain: if we are in the truth, we will live differently. "Truth will set you free" said Jesus.
If we are still slaves of our vices and fears, our flesh, then we don't know the truth, regardless of how orthodox and complete we deem our theology to be.
Click to expand...
"TRUTH / TRUE"

"Truth" (the concept) in John's writings
In a sense John combines the Hebrew background and Greek background of aletheia "truth" as he did logos (cf. John 1:1-14). The Hebrew (BDB 52, KB 63, see Special Topic: Believe, Trust, Faith, and Faithfulness in the OT, III, IV) denotes that which is true, or trustworthy (often associated in the Septuagint with pisteuo). In Greek it was associated with Plato's reality versus unreality; heavenly versus earthly. This fits the dualism of John. God has clearly revealed (the etymology of aletheia is to expose, unconceal, clearly manifest) Himself in His Son.
This is expressed in several ways.
NOUN, aletheia, truth
Jesus is full of grace and truth (cf. John 1:14,17 ‒ OT covenant terms)
Jesus is the focus of John the Baptist's witness (cf. John 1:32-34; 18:37 ‒ last OT prophet)
Jesus speaks the truth (cf. John 8:40,44,45,46 ‒ revelation is propositional and personal)
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (cf. John 14:6)
Jesus sanctifies them in truth (cf. John 17:17)
Jesus (the Logos, 1:1-3) is truth (cf. John 17:17)
ADJECTIVE, alethes, true, trustworthy
Jesus' witness (cf. John 5:31-32; 7:18; 8:13-14)
Jesus' judgment (cf. John 8:16)
ADJECTIVE, alethinus, real
Jesus is the true light (cf. John 1:9)
Jesus is the true bread (cf. John 6:32)
Jesus is the true vine (cf. John 15:1)
Jesus is the true witness (cf. John 19:35)
ADVERB, alethos, truly
Samaritan witness to Jesus as Savior of the world (cf. John 4:42)
Jesus is true food and drink, as opposed to the manna of Moses' day (cf. John 6:55)
The term "truth" and its derivatives also express others' testimony to Jesus, alethes
John the Baptist's testimony is true (cf. John 10:41)
John's (the author of the Gospel) testimony is true (cf. John 19:35; 21:24)
Jesus seen as true prophet (cf. John 6:14; 7:40)
For a good discussion of truth in the OT and NT see George E. Ladd's A Theology of the New Testament, pp. 263-269.

"True" (the term) in John's writings
God the Father
God is true/trustworthy (cf. John 3:33; 7:18,28; 8:26; 17:3; Rom. 3:4; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 John 5:20; Rev. 6:10)
God's ways are true (cf. Rev. 15:3)
God's judgments are true (cf. Rev. 16:7; 19:2)
God's sayings are true (cf. Rev. 19:11)
God the Son
the Son is true/truth
true light (cf. John 1:9; 1 John 2:8)
true vine (cf. John 15:1)
full of grace and truth (cf. John 1:14,17)
He is truth (cf. John 14:6; 8:32)
He is true (cf. Rev. 3:7,14; 19:11)
the Son's testimony/witness is true (cf. John 18:37)
It can have a comparative sense
the law of Moses versus Jesus' grace and truth (cf. John 1:17)
the tabernacle in the wilderness versus the heavenly tabernacle (cf. Heb. 8:2; 9:1)
As so often in John's writings, this word had several connotations (Hebraic and Greek). John uses them all to describe the Father and the Son, as persons, as speakers, and as their message which is to be passed on to their followers (cf. John 4:23; 19:35; Heb. 10:22; Rev. 22:6).
For John these two ADJECTIVES describe the Father as the one and only trustworthy Deity (cf. John 5:44; 1 John 5:20) and Jesus as His true and complete revelation for the purpose of redemptive, not just cognitive, facts!

"Truth" in Paul's writings
Paul's usage of this term and its related forms comes from its OT equivalent, emet, which means trustworthy or faithful (BDB 52, KB 63; see Special Topic: Believe, Trust, Faith, and Faithfulness in the OT). In interbiblical Jewish writings it was used of truth in contrast to falsehood. Maybe the closest parallel would be the Dead Sea Scrolls' "Thanksgiving Hymns," where it is used of revealed doctrines. The members of the Essene Community became "witnesses of truth."
Paul uses the term as a way of referring to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:18,25; 2:8,20; 3:7; 15:8
1 Corinthians 13:6
2 Corinthians 4:2; 6:7; 11:10; 13:8
Galatians 2:5,14; 5:7
Ephesians 1:13; 6:14
Colossians 1:5,6
2 Thessalonians 2:10,12,13
1 Timothy 2:4; 3:15; 4:3; 6:5
2 Timothy 2:15,18,25; 3:7,8; 4:4
Titus 1:1,14
Paul also uses the term as a way of expressing his speaking accurately/truthfully
Acts 26:25
Romans 9:1
2 Corinthians 7:14; 12:6
Ephesians 4:25
Philippians 1:18
1 Timothy 2:7
He also uses it to describe his motives in 1 Cor. 5:8 and lifestyle (also for all Christians, cf. 3 John 4) in Eph. 4:24; 5:9; Phil. 4:8.
He sometimes uses it for people.
God, Rom. 3:4 (cf. John 3:33; 17:17)
Jesus, Eph. 4:21 (similar to John 14:6)
Apostolic witnesses, Titus 1:13
Paul, 2 Cor. 6:8
Paul uses the VERB form (i.e., aletheuo) only in Gal. 4:16 and Eph. 4:15, where it refers to the gospel. For further study consult Colin Brown (ed.), The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, vol. 3, pp. 784-902.
Special Topic: Faith, Believe, or Trust

Special Topic: "Truth / True"

Truth / True, Special Topic by Dr. Bob Utley, professor of hermeneutics (retired).
www.freebiblecommentary.org

J.
 

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