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.
38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?
The answer to the first question is quite simple because it can be objectively determined: Truth is whatever harmonizes with the nature of God and His will as revealed in the Word of Truth.
The answer to the second question inherently involves a subjective perspective as it includes the word "you." However, the answer to this question lies in the words "harmonizes with" in the answer to the first quesiton, as any other conclusion would make God the author of confusion.
Therefore personal confirmation of truth is derived by whatever means (objective/subjective) that harmonizes personal beliefs with the nature and will of God as revealed in His Written Word.
What are some means provided for us to achieve a correct undertanding of truth in harmony with the Written Word of God?
1. The EXTERNAL evidential means
a. The "Pillar and ground of the truth" - the Church -1 Tim. 3;15
b. The manifest fruits - Mt. 7:15,20; Gal. 5:23
2. The INTERNAL evidential means
a. The Witness of the Indwelling Spirit with the Word - Rom. 8:14;Eph. 6:15
b. The Witness of regenerate nature with the Word - Rom. 7:23; 8:14
The key priinciple is "harmony" between the revealed will of God and all evidential means used to achieve understanding truth.
This is why error is immediatley suspect whenever a person attempts to defend or define truth by PITTING scripture against scripture or PITTING experience against scripture. Truth is not established by PITTING scripture against scripture or experience against scripture but by HARMONIZING scripture with scripture and experience with Scripture as God is not the author of confusion - Isa. 8:20/1 Cor. 14:30.
Ways truth cannot be known:
You cannot find the truth by searching within yourself! Without a knowledge of the Scriptures, much of the truth you know you know is simply not so. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12). Jude wrote: "These speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves" (Jude 10).
The truth cannot be found by delving into our own hearts. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9). How can the truth be found in a deceitful and wicked heart?
The nations "do not know the thoughts of the Lord, nor do they understand His counsel" (Micah 4:12). "There is none who understands" (Romans 3:11). "The way of peace they have not known" (Isaiah 59:8). "They do not know, nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness" (Psalm 82:5).
Without revelation from God, man wanders in the dark spiritually. To find his way he needs the light of God's word: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105).
38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?
The answer to the first question is quite simple because it can be objectively determined: Truth is whatever harmonizes with the nature of God and His will as revealed in the Word of Truth.
The answer to the second question inherently involves a subjective perspective as it includes the word "you." However, the answer to this question lies in the words "harmonizes with" in the answer to the first quesiton, as any other conclusion would make God the author of confusion.
Therefore personal confirmation of truth is derived by whatever means (objective/subjective) that harmonizes personal beliefs with the nature and will of God as revealed in His Written Word.
What are some means provided for us to achieve a correct undertanding of truth in harmony with the Written Word of God?
1. The EXTERNAL evidential means
a. The "Pillar and ground of the truth" - the Church -1 Tim. 3;15
b. The manifest fruits - Mt. 7:15,20; Gal. 5:23
2. The INTERNAL evidential means
a. The Witness of the Indwelling Spirit with the Word - Rom. 8:14;Eph. 6:15
b. The Witness of regenerate nature with the Word - Rom. 7:23; 8:14
The key priinciple is "harmony" between the revealed will of God and all evidential means used to achieve understanding truth.
This is why error is immediatley suspect whenever a person attempts to defend or define truth by PITTING scripture against scripture or PITTING experience against scripture. Truth is not established by PITTING scripture against scripture or experience against scripture but by HARMONIZING scripture with scripture and experience with Scripture as God is not the author of confusion - Isa. 8:20/1 Cor. 14:30.
Ways truth cannot be known:
You cannot find the truth by searching within yourself! Without a knowledge of the Scriptures, much of the truth you know you know is simply not so. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12). Jude wrote: "These speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves" (Jude 10).
The truth cannot be found by delving into our own hearts. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9). How can the truth be found in a deceitful and wicked heart?
The nations "do not know the thoughts of the Lord, nor do they understand His counsel" (Micah 4:12). "There is none who understands" (Romans 3:11). "The way of peace they have not known" (Isaiah 59:8). "They do not know, nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness" (Psalm 82:5).
Without revelation from God, man wanders in the dark spiritually. To find his way he needs the light of God's word: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105).
Last edited by a moderator:
