Of The Truth

John‬ ‭18‬:‭37‬b ‭ESV — “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.”

According to Jesus, why was He born into the world? To bear witness to the truth. He came to put truth on display. In fact, Jesus says in John 14:6 that He is the truth. He embodies the truth, He speaks the truth, His actions display the truth. If you want to know what the temperature is, you look to a thermometer. If you want to know what truth is, you look to Jesus.

Jesus is the truth, and the spirit of antichrist is anti-truth. In our modern culture, anti-truth has a name: relativism. What is relativism? It’s the belief that you and I each individually have the ability and right to create our own truth because there is no absolute truth. In other words, relativism says you and I each get be god because there is no god. It’s flat out hypocrisy because it continually promotes an absolute anti-absolute. It says there is absolutely no absolute. Our culture of “tolerance” is based on this philosophy, therefore it loudly proclaims, “We will not tolerate intolerance!” If you step back and logically exam this thinking, it’s foolishness, it’s anarchy, it’s satanic. The satanic Bible has one commandment: “Do as you will.” These four words sum up the devil’s heart of rebellion and the antichrist spirit at operation in the world. Relativism says, “Do as you will. Be what you want to be. Create your own truth. There is no god, you are god.”

Again, in John 18:37, Jesus says He was born to put truth on display, then He declares who will listen to Him: “Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” There are those in this world who (even in the midst of this confusing, deceptive, and rebellious culture) are “of the truth”. They BELONG to the truth. They are hungry and thirsty. They seek and they knock. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with your whole heart.” In Matthew 7:7, Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Immediately after Jesus says these words, Pilate says, “What is truth?”, and walks away. He isn’t asking because he’s seeking. His question is actually a rejection. Pilate was not “of the truth”. If he was “of the truth”, Jesus’ words would have come into agreement with the truth-seeking in his heart. He would have felt an internal resonance, like the disciples did.

John 6:68 ESV — Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Luke 24:32 ESV — They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

Why did their hearts burn? Because when Jesus spoke to them and opened the Scriptures, His words blew on the deposit of truth within them. They were “of the truth”, they belonged to the truth and were therefore driven toward the truth. And they knew they would find truth nowhere else.

Pilate’s heart was hard and cold. He had allowed the world to snuff out any ember of truth within him; and in the literal face of Truth, his heart spewed cynicism and disbelief. He tragically rejected the One who embodied truth, turned his back, and walked away. And if you reject truth, you become enslaved to deception.

How do you know if you are “of the truth”? The truth is like a guitar that goes unplayed until we encounter the Word of God. Suddenly His Word strums our hearts in a way that nothing else does. We can search for something that will skillfully create music within our souls, but we only find discord. Those who are “of the truth” are seekers, driven to find that which causes our hearts to come alive and burn.

When we gather on Sunday and study the Word together, does your heart burn? Do you feel ignited? Do you look forward to spending time in the Word personally and corporately? If you don’t, this should be a flag to you. Do not let your heart grow hard and cold like Pilate!

Jesus says, “Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” He prays in John 17:17 (ESV), “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” In John 8:31-32 (ESV) He says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Where you abide is your abode, your home. Jesus says His word is truth and we are to make His word our home. His word is our permanent dwelling place in which we find shelter, security, rest, comfort, safety, and belonging. When His word is our home, it forms the base of our thinking and our perspective. It is the walls and the windows —our boundaries and our perspective. How we view the world is through the windows of His word. These “truth windows” are like smart glasses that clearly identify falseness and deception.

Jesus says that His disciples make His word their home; and because His word is their home, they know truth and are free. What does knowing the truth set you free from? Abiding in lies. If His word is your home, you are liberated from the house of lies. We all belong to a house, the house of lies or the house of truth. Our house determines how we view ourselves and the world around us, and how we operate.

Hebrews 3:12-15 ESV — Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

There are those who are “of the truth” and there are those who are hard-hearted. Those who are “of the truth” are on fire for His Word and make it their home. Those who are hard-hearted grow in their unbelief and cynicism, falling further and further away from the living God.

Today is your heart burning with His Word like the disciples? Or do you feel a creeping, cold cynicism like Pilate? If you sense that Holy Spirit is identifying a hardening in your heart, praise the Lord! It’s not too late! As an antidote and vaccine against hardening, we’re told to exhort one another. Exhort is the Greek word “parakaleó”. It’s one of the names of Holy Spirit and means “called alongside”. Holy Spirit comes alongside us and then calls us to come alongside each other and encourage, strengthen, and guide each other back into the Word, the House of Truth.

“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened…” Today, how can we exhort one another and pray for one another? Let’s choose truth! Let’s repent from any cynicism, coldness, or hard-heartedness towards God’s Word. Let’s repent for not making His Word a priority in our lives and determine that as of today we will make His Word our permanent residence. Let’s pray with our fellow believers, that our hearts will be set on fire for His Word. Let’s determine together that you and I are “of the truth”.

Seeking His face!
Matt