What Is Truth?Намуна

How Do You Know?

Over the past few days, we have answered the question “What is truth?” At every turn, we found that truth is inseparably linked to the person of Jesus. The Original. And because He is the Truth, there are things we can be confident in. First, truth is relational. We can know Truth because we can know Jesus. Second, that truth is unchanging. Because Jesus never changes, truth doesn’t either. Third, truth is life-giving. Jesus is not only the source of truth as the Original, but the source of life as well. Both are attributes of His eternal nature. 

We also talked about a few things that truth is not. It’s not oppressive. Lies imprison us; truth frees us. Truth is not a tool for gaining power over others either. In fact, that is the antithesis of its purpose. Truth allows us to align our own lives with the very foundation of reality. 

So we know what truth is and is not, but you may still be asking how to discern if something is, in fact, true. And that’s a fair question. We know that the best lies are the ones that sound the most true. So how can you be sure?

When considering whether we have the correct answer, we compare it to an answer key. When you want to know if you have the right paint color, you hold it up to the sample you selected before slathering it all over the walls of your house (hopefully). The point is, you have something to compare it to. So when considering if something is true, the first thing we do is hold it up to the Original. Does it look like Jesus? Is it consistent with His character and nature? 

If it’s inconsistent with Jesus, it’s inconsistent with Truth, because they are one and the same. Still unsure? Think about the fruit of the idea you are wrestling with. Where does it lead? What are the results? Truth leads to freedom and life, not shame and imprisonment. Is there good fruit and life flourishing on the other side of what you are considering?

Finally, sometimes it’s our own desires that get in the way of our ability to discern truth. Simply put, we want some things to be true that really aren’t true at all. For example, many of us would like to believe that we make decisions in a vacuum and our choices only affect us, if anyone at all. We want that to be true because when we mess up and do something stupid, we don’t want to deal with the relational pain or guilt that comes from other people getting hurt. But the fact of the matter is that none of our decisions are completely independent. Even the “secret” ones create a lack of vulnerability between you and the people closest to you, robbing you both of intimacy in the relationship. 

Just because we want something to be true, doesn’t mean it is true. So, often, an easy way to discern truth is to learn to separate our own desires from the foundation of reality. We have to learn to look outside of us. And instead to look at Jesus—the author and perfecter of our faith. So how do we know if something is true or not? We compare it to the Original, we look at the fruit, and we seek the Source that is outside of our own desires. 

Challenge: Practice these tests today and get in the habit of running everything through the perfect truth filter, Jesus. What’s something you hear a lot or see being reposted on social media right now? Got something? Now, compare it to the Original. Consider where it leads. And check your source. Do you just want it to be true or is it really true? Journal this process and invite Jesus to speak into it.