My older brother and I used to argue over whether or not there exists such a thing as “truth.” He insisted that “truth” is entirely relative, having no reality of it’s own, but defined differently by different cultures. I refused to accept that, and our arguments were never resolved to our mutual agreement. In the Bible , Jesus spoke of “truth” as a powerful liberator for believers: To the Jews who had believed in him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32) On that occasion the the listening crowd rejected Jesus at the suggestion that they needed to be set free. Their misunderstanding of Jesus’ words made the encounter a hostile one, as each person believed his own understanding of the meaning of “truth.” If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. . . (John 8:46) The subject of “truth” becomes very personal, as in this exchange Jesus reveals his identity as one who “belongs to God,” the Messiah himself.

Truth is the only coherent reality. It ‘s existence holds the universe together, and, along with love, it is the very character of God Himself. When Jesus was preparing his disciples for his death and resurrection, he told them, “When he, the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” (John 17:17) It was the gift of the Holy Spirit that would be given to the disciples at Pentecost .

The spirit of truth lived in the prophets of the Old Testament as well. In Numbers 23:19, the prophet Balaam said, “God is not a man, that he should lie.” Lying is attributed to mankind, traceable to the first lie in the garden of Eden. Moses also wrote of God’s character: He is the rock. His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and right is He. (Deuteronomy 32:4)

The apostle John wrote, God is Love. (1 John 4:16) The Christian churches have embraced the loving character of our God. That God is truth, we sometimes suppress, in order not to offend other religions or atheists; but to Jesus , his very existence is rooted in his Father God of truth. On his last night before his death, Jesus prayed to his Father for his disciples: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17) That same night he had told them, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

(John 14:6) The person of God : Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is love and truth.

Love in Him,

Prue