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.
1 Timothy 2: 1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and "one mediator" between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and "lie not";) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
I would say that the "Truth" is what the Holy Scriptures teach. We know they are Inspired by the Holy Spirit, as "Truly" God is a Holy Spirit. We know that the Bible doesn't teach against itself, because the Spirit of God doesn't teach against the Spirit of God. We know the Christ doesn't teach against the teaching of God, because HE said HE came to do God's will, not His Own, and they were One, with no division between them.
When a person comes to the understanding of Scriptures, through study, where the Entire Bible agrees with itself, like Jesus and Paul understood, This would be coming to knowledge of Truth, in my view.
I believe that the Eve story shows us that we will never come to the knowledge of God's Truth, if we listen to "other voices" in the world God placed us in. Yes, these voices "profess to know God". Yes, these voices even quote some of God's Word to promote seductive religious Philosophies of this world. But according to Paul, God gave men everything they need through the Holy Scriptures, "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works". And Jesus told us very clearly whose Words to Live By in the New Testament.
So why a person would seek the advice, opinions or philosophies of someone other than the Known Spirit of God which has remained exactly the same for centuries, is beyond me. Especially given the Eve story, and all the warnings about men who profess to know God.
Why are you even interested in what Tackett or Sproul has to say? And who are you judge them as Holy, or Inspired by the Holy Spirit? According to Paul, we should stick with what we know is God Inspired Truth. And beware of philosophies and traditions of men.
How We Respond to the Truth
In our fallen state we don’t respond well to truth.
Eve had not fallen when God told her His Truth. Was she then created in a fallen state? What is God's truth about Eve? Shall I ask another voice in the garden God placed me in, like Sproul, or Tackett, or Copeland or White?
Or shall I place my trust in the Holy Scriptures, and the God who inspired them to reveal to me His Truths in His Good time?
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).
- We suppress the truth (Romans 1:18).
- We distort the truth (Acts 20:30).
- We reject the truth (Romans 2:8).
- We exchange the truth for a lie. (Romans 1:25).
Yes, and God also actually said, Gen. 2:16 "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat".
Is the Other Voice in the garden telling God's Truth by quoting Him?
Are these then God's Truths? Or is it necessary to consider more of God's Word in order to come to knowledge of God's Truth?
And when a man trusts God, and considers more of His Words, as Jesus and Paul instruct, what is revealed to them by God Word?
Gen. 2: 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 "But" of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
John 18: 37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth "heareth my voice".
Matt. 7: 26 And every one that "heareth these sayings of mine, and "doeth them not", shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
I don't want to rain on your parade and will not go point by point Civic. It is your tradition to advance and promote the opinions and philosophies of "Other Voices" that you have adopted, who come in Christ's Name. And are using their select Scriptures they use to support their specific religious opinions.
Wouldn't it be so great if we could just study the Scriptures apart from the Philosophies, doctrines and opinions of all those other popular religious voices in the garden God placed us in, and simply "DO" what the Christ instructs regardless of whether it aligns with this world's popular religious traditions or not?
Will this not lead us to God's Truth?