“‘What is truth?’ retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, ‘I find no basis for a charge against him.’” John 18:38 (NIV).
In these verses, Jesus is before Pilate and Pilate asks him the question that matters, “What is truth?” The amazing thing about this question from Pilate is that standing before him was the embodiment of truth and yet Pilate missed it. Like Pilate every person is in search of the truth is asking the question: What is truth? The challenge we face is not people asking the question, but do they really want the answer. Truth seems to be getting more and more confusing and hard to define.
What is Truth?
A dictionary definition of truth is: In conformity with fact or reality, a verified or indisputable fact. When you look at the definition you see there's a specific nature to truth. The words in the definition are very decisive words. Truth is indisputable and factual. This is important because the truth remains true. It doesn't really matter what you think or feel about it.
Yet in our world today, there are so many different ways to understand truth. But the two big categories of truth today would be absolute truth and relative truth.
What is the difference between absolute truth and relative truth?
Absolute truth is true no matter how someone feels or thinks about it. Here is a biblical example of absolute truth. Jesus is the way. If that statement is absolutely true it doesn't matter how you feel about it. A lot of people could argue about the statement and try to debate it, but if it's true it's absolutely true.
Here's what Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except by Me.” John 14:6 (NIV).In this verse it talks about how Jesus is the way. If this statement is absolute truth, then opinions don't really matter.
Relative truth is to believe that truth changes based on a person's personal understanding of it. With relative truth there are no absolutes, and what may be true for you is just not true for me. A common statement that talks about relative truth is: You have your truth and I have mine. The problem with relative truth is that it actually contradicts itself. If truth is factual and cannot be disputed then, you can't have different truth for different people. Relative truth is a rejection of absolute truth.
One of the reasons people embrace the idea of relative truth is it allows them to create their own reality, which frees them up to do whatever they want. Honestly as Christians, we should not be surprised that this problem exists in our culture and even in the church. “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 (NIV). This is the age we are living in. People do surround themselves in the echo chamber with those who will tell them the “truth” they want to hear.
Characteristics of Truth
1. Truth is constant, it does not change. Circumstances can change but truth has to remain constant or you're not dealing with truth.
2. Truth plays no favorites. Basically, truth applies to everyone. If a standard for truth changes from personal to person, then there is no truth. The Bible tells us that all have sinned. For this to be an absolute truth it has to apply to everyone, which it does.
3. Truth will prevail. As Christians we have the responsibility to defend the truth, but at the end of the day, truth will defend itself. All lies will fall by the wayside and all that will be left is the truth.
The Trap of Relative Truth
How relative truth affects spiritual matters is the idea that it doesn't matter what road you choose to find salvation because all roads lead to the same place. This is a great trap of relative truth because this cannot be true. This is not true in the real world, and it's not true in a spiritual sense. If someone asked me how to get to Lubbock and I told them it doesn't matter what road you take, just pick one and you will get there. That is not going to work. The same is true when it comes to salvation. All roads do not lead to the same place. All faiths do not teach the same thing so how could they all lead to the same destination?
The Truth of Our Faith
The good news is our faith is built on truth that is absolute. When we consider how our faith is described we realize that our faith has a strong foundation that was built to last through all the shifting changes of time. It has stood the test of time.
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11 (NIV).
“Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.” Isaiah 26:4 (NLT).
Our confidence can be constant knowing that our faith is based on eternal truth. When we consider the answer to the question: What is truth? Know that Jesus is the truth. And beyond that He is eternal and unchanging and the rock upon which our salvation stands. Regardless of how anyone else feels at the end of day, He will be standing alone, the one who is our Rock and the one who is the truth.
Live today knowing you have the answers to the question: What is truth? The answer is found in Jesus Christ our Lord.
