Devotional: What is Truth?

Read 1 John 4:1-6 “For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” Pilate said to Him, “what is truth?” (John 18:37b-38, NASB). In the world in which we live in many people believe that there is more than one truth. Truth is relative and individualistic. People say, “This is my truth.” “That’s your truth, but it’s not my truth.” In the writings of John, the apostle, truth is absolute. Only God knows truth, and Jesus makes the truth of God known to people. As such, Jesus is absolutely the one and only truth. So, how can we know the truth when we live in a world that has many voices claiming to be the truth? In his first epistle, 1 John, John tells his audience that there are many (spirits) who claim to know the truth. It is a world much like the world we live in today. The voices tell us that not only is truth relative, but there are many paths to God. All religions worship the same God. John gives his audience a litmus test to help them to know which voices speak the truth of God. They can distinguish those who know the truth of God from those who proclaim another philosophy or religion, including false prophets within the church; the body of Christ (v.1). The one who knows God confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (v.2). John gives us the name “Jesus Christ” to say that the person Jesus is the Messiah sent from God to the earth to make atonement for sin. He alone makes fellowship with God possible, and He alone gives eternal life. Those who deny this truth are not from God, but they are antichrist (v.3). Prayer: Lord God we thank you for using your servant John to tell us how we can know the difference between your messengers from the messengers of false religions and philosophies. The messengers of God proclaim that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins so that we might have fellowship with the Father. Amen.