Beliefs About Truth

January 10, 2009

Listen to the sermon

Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding. – Proverbs 23:23

1. What is the nature of truth?
   1. Two approaches to truth
      1. Absolute truth: Truth is defined by God and is absolute
         1. Rooted in God’s great knowledge – Isaiah 40:12-14
         2. Rooted in God’s nature – Colossians 1:15-17
      2. Relative truth: Truth is defined by the individual, it rests on personal opinion
         1. Relative truth is built on a lie – Romans 1:25
         2. Those who reject God’s truth, often reject it because of the moral requirements of the truth – John 3:19-21
2. How do we determine the truth?
   1. Truth is always consistent with reality
      1. Definition of truth: The true or actual state of a matter - conformity with fact or reality
   2. Our experience may not always give us the full picture – Proverbs 3:5-7
   3. We must have an objective source for measuring truth
   4. God Himself is the only true standard for truth – Proverbs 1:1-7
   5. God’s way is always truth – Psalm 25:4
   6. We must be committed to seeking God’s truth – Psalm 86:10-11
3. How does our belief about truth matter?
   1. If truth is relative, no standard exists for truth
      1. Decisions are based on opinions and not on reality
      2. Outcomes will reflect the disconnect with reality
   2. We must always ask ourselves, “If God were making this decision, what would He choose?”
      1. In Jesus, we have a human incarnation of God’s truth – John 14:6
      2. His teachings are truth – John 8:31-32
   3. Truth is truly the priceless commodity – Proverbs 23:23