Author's Note: All previous volumes of this series are here. The first 56 volumes are compiled into the book "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible." "Part Two," featuring volumes 57-113, was published in December 2022.
Thanks for joining our two-part study about truth — always a relevant and essential theological topic. This week, we discuss the Old Testament and, next week, the New.
I would wager that most people are unaware that Jesus spoke the commonly used phrase, “The truth will set you free.” His complete verse was, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). I am confident more American adults know the source of “You can’t handle the truth!” (If you don’t, it was a famous scene in the 1992 movie “A Few Good Men.”)
The unfortunate truth is that, these days, “truth” is relative and can be whatever someone thinks or wants it to be to justify whatever needs justification. After all, prevalent in modern thought is “Who are YOU to judge?” Long gone are moral guideposts and societal shame facilitated by the decline of biblical literacy, the weakening of Judeo-Christian tradition, and cultural change.
We begin with “What is truth?” For an overall definition, we turn to the “theological experts” at Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
“The body of real things, events, and facts, the state of being the case - often capitalized - a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality. A judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true, the body of true statements and propositions.”
Most relevant to this truth study is “a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality.” While researching, I found the following explanation from “Bible Study Tools,” a Salem Media site that I recommend to enhance your knowledge of The Word. (Salem Media owns Townhall, so we keep it in the family.) It reads:
“Truth is a universal topic that we all seek to know and understand. Whether it's knowing the truth or speaking the truth, both are found in a growing relationship with God. When we spend time in God's Word and in prayer, the truth is revealed to us. These Bible Verses show the significance of truth in biblical times and our modern-day lives.”
That said, let's dive into some Old Testament verses. Our first is number nine of the Ten Commandments, which declares that one shall not speak the opposite of the truth, in other words, “Do Not Lie”:
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” Exodus 20:16.
Such is a warning about the importance of truth in our relationships. Then there is “truth” about the nature of God — His identity and actions. Here is a basic two-verse truth about the Almighty from “The Song of Moses,” a 43-verse “sermon” Moses gave before “the whole assembly of Israel” shortly before his death, recorded in Deuteronomy 32:
“I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he” (Deuteronomy 32: 3-4).
Those two passages comprise the foundation of God’s truth. If you accept and integrate that message into your life, you can stop reading. (But there is more!) What follows is often a problematic “truth” for humankind to accept. However, always be mindful of what Moses preached about God, “his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.” Job said during his sufferings:
“It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice” (Job: 34-12).
As with all discussion topics, Psalms has much truth to offer about “truth”:
“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long” (Psalms 25:5).
“All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal” (Psalms 119:160).
“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalms 145:18).
As one would expect, several Proverbs speak about truth. The following four refer to the previously discussed Ninth Commandment: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
“The lips of the righteous know what finds favor, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse” (Proverbs 10:32).
“An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies” (Proverbs 12:17)
“Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment” (Proverbs 12:19).
“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy” (Proverbs 12:22).
Here is an example of “God’s truth” that is taped to my laptop for constant comfort:
“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).
Next is Daniel Chapter 9, subtitled “Daniel’s Prayer,” which is a confession on behalf of the people. He prayed and confessed for 27 verses. Show below are verses 13 and 14.
“Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him” (Daniel 9:13-14).
Our final verse is an excellent summary of human’s interaction with the truth:
“These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts” (Zechariah 8:16).
We conclude with the words of John MacArthur, a well-known author-pastor-teacher- from Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California:
“So, what is truth? Here’s a simple definition drawn from what the Bible teaches: Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. Even more to the point: Truth is the self-expression of God. That is the biblical meaning of truth. Because the definition of truth flows from God, truth is theological.”
See you next week when we discuss what Jesus and the New Testament writers said about truth. But I can’t resist ending with my favorite truth taught by Jesus:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Amen to that!
Myra Kahn Adams is a conservative political and religious writer with numerous national credits. Her book, "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible," reprints the first 56 volumes of this popular study. "Part 2,” with the same title, reprints Vols. 57-113. Order it here.
She is also the Executive Director of the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit, which is dedicated to building a future permanent Shroud of Turin exhibit in Washington, D.C. The National Shroud of Turin Exhibit recently hosted a four-day exhibit (with a VIP guest) at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, IN. Contact: MyraAdams01@gmail.com
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