What is Truth?
Many are asking this question. Maybe you are asking this question. Many have given up on finding truth—they tell us, “We can’t know anything for sure,” which quickly leads to, “We can’t know right from wrong.”
What do you think? Are you an honest doubter—someone who is willing to listen to a different viewpoint? If so, keep reading.
“We can’t know anything for sure.”
“Humans are hopelessly limited,” many people are saying. “We cannot know something with omniscience (all knowledge) so we can’t be certain about anything.” This is the issue of epistemology (from the Greek word for knowledge; a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge)—how we know what we think we know. Many postmodern thinkers say everything is relative—that we are so impacted by our genetics, social background, education (every one of us had different teachers), culture, religious influences, historical time period—we can’t possibly put all those influences aside and then sort through the evidence and opinions and determine what is absolutely true.
…But, we can know with reasonable certainty.
If omniscience is the only standard, then they’re right—we can’t know anything with absolute certainty. But, omniscience is an unreasonable standard—too strict. We can investigate, we can accumulate data, we can talk with eyewitnesses and experts, we can take into consideration our genetic, social and historical influences, then know things with high levels of certainty. Just because it is difficult to determine truth does not mean it is impossible.
A few years ago, I read D-Day by Stephen Ambrose. Should I trash it as unreliable because the perspectives of all those people he interviewed are hopelessly influenced by their genetics, background and social perspective? No—it was well researched and documented. It was filled with eyewitness accounts which corresponded with other accounts of D-Day. Stephen Ambrose had no reason to write an enormous lie. We can trust it with reasonable certainty as accurate history.
This is true of the Bible as well. We can examine the ancient manuscripts, consider the case for their reliability and preservation, read eyewitness testimony, look at the uniqueness and geography and history and archeology of the Bible, research its long history of acceptance over many years and many cultures, talk to people whose lives have been transformed by it, etc. and determine with “reasonable certainty” that this book is exactly what it claims to be: God’s Word.
…But, we can know through divine revelation.
If one with omniscience (all knowledge) tells us what is true, then we can know with absolute certainty. The Bible certainly claims to be the divine revelation of the omniscient God. So, when His divine revelation tells us that there are absolute truths for all people, in all places of all times—we can know absolute truth. For example, God is so far beyond us, we can’t really know Him, right? Not if He tells us a few things about Himself. Psalm 11:7 tells us, “…the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness…” 1 John 4:8 tell us, “…God is love”. If the Bible is what it claims to be—the divine revelation of God—then we can know that the Lord is righteous and He loves righteousness and God is love. We can then read further to know what righteousness and love are exactly. We can read even further and discover more and more about God, about ourselves, about sin, about salvation, about Heaven—even the future.
“We can’t know right from wrong.”
“All systems of morality are social constructions,” we’re told, “differing from culture to culture. This culture says drinking is wrong, but that culture says it’s okay. That viewpoint says marriage should be between one man and one woman, but those people say it’s okay for two men or two women to get married. That religion says Jesus is the only way to know God, but that religion says there are many ways. All of us are products of our upbringing, influences, genetics and personal preferences, so right and wrong is a matter of personal perspective—morality is relative.”
…But, this is self-contradictory and therefore, impossible to live by.
The statement “We can’t know right from wrong” is an absolute statement about what is true. To say, you disagree is to be considered wrong. To say something is true for you, but not for me, is to say that my view of truth is right and yours is wrong. Relativism is self-contradictory.
For example, many postmoderns tend to be strong advocates for social justice—fighting against human trafficking, abuse of animals, destruction of environment, etc. They tell us these things are wrong. That’s an absolute truth which I happen to agree with. But it illustrates that whether or not we accept the Bible’s definition of right and wrong, we will accept some standard of right and wrong—we simply cannot live day-to-day without such standards.
…But, this is dangerous and therefore, unwise to live by.
If morality is a personal issue—a matter of personal perspective—anything can be justified. The environment will be polluted, animals will be destroyed for entertainment, unborn humans will be slaughtered and newly born babies will be discarded; the elderly and the handicapped will be euthanized, etc.
People who believe truth is personal will experiment with sexual lifestyles and life choices that usually result in disease, emotional devastation or death.
The Bible tells us the violation of God’s moral laws results in negative consequences. Romans 1:27, for example, tells us that when people reject God’s standard of sexuality for one man and one woman in a life-long marriage covenant, and choose homosexuality instead, they will receive “in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” But, if we discover right and wrong from our Designer, and live by those standards, we will remain under His umbrella of protection and avoid the heartaches and destruction of sin.
Can I tell you with omniscient certainty everything that is true and right and wrong? I cannot. But we don’t need to be absolutely certain. We can be reasonably certain. And, we can be reasonably certain that there is a God because the magnificence of what we see around us tells us this is so. And we can be reasonably certain—as we look at the Bible—that it is the revelation of God. Then, we can read it and know what the all-knowing God wants us to know.
Faith is often mocked in our time. But, “without faith it is impossible to please” God (Hebrews 11:6). God wants us to have faith. Not blind faith—He has given us plenty of evidence that points to His existence and the reliability of His revelation. But, He wants us to put our faith in Him—to trust Him.
Do you remember what the original postmodern thinker, Thomas the Apostle, said? “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). When Jesus gave him the absolute proof he asked for, Thomas fell on his face and said, “My Lord and my God.” Then Jesus said something that should shake those who believe faith is foolish and absolute proof is necessary. He said to Thomas, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
