The Plain Things That Are So. They Can Help Us Know. Let's Wisely Apply What We Can Of What's So (I Mean True) And Grow.
The Plain Things Are Not The Lame things.
The sky asks no permission to be blue.
The grass does not debate its shade of green.
Morning arrives clothed in light,
and evening gently gathers the shadows.
The sun rises whether praised or ignored.
The moon keeps faithful watch through many nights.
The stars quietly testify
without raising their voices.
Seeds become harvest.
Rivers seek the sea.
Fire gives warmth,
yet warns the careless hand.
Every season keeps its appointed time.
So it is with truth.
Truth does not tremble because it is questioned.
It does not weaken because it is mocked.
It remains what it is,
steady as the mountains,
constant as the dawn.
Lies, however polished,
are only painted mist.
They promise freedom,
yet lead into confusion.
They glitter for a moment,
then vanish with the morning.
Do not chase deception
like a moth racing toward a consuming flame.
The light it loves
is not the light that gives life.
Rather, walk toward the Light
that exposes falsehood
without destroying the one who comes humbly.
Love what is true.
Welcome correction.
Follow reality wherever God has revealed it.
For every truth discovered
is another glimpse
of the wisdom
and faithfulness
of the God who made heaven and earth.
Man, what's not to love with this theme of what's so? It harmonizes with Psalm 19:1–4, Psalm 119:160, John 14:6, John 17:17, Romans 1:18–25, and Philippians 4:8, all of which call us to recognize reality as God has made it and to love the truth rather than exchange it for falsehood.
What's to prayerfully study in this respect?
Does absolute truth exist? Yes, and Jesus taught that he Himself is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father but through him.
Why truth matters is important.
The logical impossibility of denying absolute truth.
Biblical foundation for objective truth.
Jesus Christ personifies Truth (John 14:6), and he only taught was true.
From there we would continue through:
Absolute truth and logic. They go well together even with science. Real science agrees with the word of God.
Moral relativism and its consequences.
Scientific and conscience evidence for truth.
God's revelation in Scripture. We have old Revelation, we have a Bible. We don't need any new revelation. Illumination of old truth. Sure, that'd be great. New wise applications of old truth. Sure that's so needed.
False doctrine is for us to fully reject.
Essential Christian doctrines versus secondary issues.
How believers with a Bible can recognize and avoid false teachers.
Living as Bereans sold out to Jesus in this confused culture, that's what's more noble that all else. That's what we are to do, so come to Christ on his terms.. yes just as you are, but willing to be changed by Him. KnowGod.org
The Reality of Absolute Truth
"Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding." Proverbs 23:23
We live in a generation that is overflowing with information, yet starving for certainty. Opinions multiply by the second. Social media rewards whatever is popular, emotions are often elevated above facts, and many people have come to believe that truth is not something to discover, but something to invent. According to this way of thinking, what is "true" for one person may not be true for another.
That sounds tolerant on the surface, but it quickly falls apart when examined honestly.
Before we can discuss absolute truth, we must first ask a simple question.
What is truth?
Truth is that which corresponds with reality. It is what is actually so, whether we believe it or not. It is not created by our feelings, our preferences, public opinion, governments, universities, or culture. Truth exists independently of us.
The dictionary defines truth as conformity to fact or reality. Scripture goes even deeper. God's Word reveals that truth is not merely a collection of correct statements. Truth ultimately finds its source in God Himself.
"The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous rules endures forever" (Psalm 119:160, ESV).
"Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth" (John 17:17).
Truth is not something God occasionally speaks. Truth is woven into His very nature. Because God cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18), everything He declares is perfectly trustworthy. His character is the foundation upon which every other truth rests.
As the great theologian A. W. Tozer wisely observed,
"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."
That statement matters because if God is who He says He is, then reality must be understood through Him rather than apart from Him.
Truth Is Discovered, Not Invented
Human beings possess remarkable creativity, but we do not possess the ability to create truth.
A scientist may discover the law of gravity, but he did not invent gravity.
An astronomer may discover a distant galaxy, but she did not create it.
A mathematician does not vote on whether two plus two equals four. It simply does.
Reality exists independently of our opinions.
If every person on earth denied gravity tomorrow morning, gravity would continue working exactly as it always has. Likewise, denying moral truth does not erase moral truth.
The prophet Isaiah warned,
"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness" (Isaiah 5:20).
Notice that Isaiah did not suggest good and evil change according to public opinion. Rather, people deceive themselves when they reverse what God has already established.
As Francis Schaeffer famously wrote,
"If there is no absolute by which to judge society, society becomes absolute."
History repeatedly confirms the wisdom of those words.
Why Absolute Truth Matters
Some people wonder why the discussion matters at all. Can't everyone simply believe whatever they wish?
In matters of personal taste, certainly.
You may enjoy coffee while someone else prefers tea. One family may paint their house blue while another chooses white. Those are preferences.
Truth, however, is different.
If a bridge is unsafe, it remains unsafe whether engineers admit it or not.
If a medicine is poisonous, sincere belief cannot make it beneficial.
If a pilot ignores reality, passengers suffer.
Reality is wonderfully indifferent to human opinion.
The same principle applies morally and spiritually.
If there is objective truth, then there is objective right and wrong.
Justice becomes meaningful.
Human dignity has a foundation.
Goodness has a definition.
Evil can be identified.
Without objective truth, words like justice, oppression, fairness, evil, virtue, love, and human rights lose any stable meaning. They become personal preferences rather than enduring realities.
The Bible consistently teaches that God Himself is the standard.
"For the LORD is righteous; He loves righteous deeds" (Psalm 11:7).
"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before You" (Psalm 89:14).
God does not consult a standard outside Himself. His holy character is the standard.
The Empty Promise of Relativism
Modern culture often promotes the idea that truth is relative.
According to this philosophy, every person determines truth for himself or herself. What is right for one individual may not be right for another.
At first glance this appears humble and accepting.
In reality, it cannot survive logical examination.
Suppose someone confidently declares,
"There is no absolute truth."
A thoughtful question immediately follows:
"Are you absolutely certain?"
If the answer is yes, then an absolute statement has just been made.
If the answer is no, then the original claim cannot be trusted.
The statement defeats itself.
The problem extends beyond philosophy.
Imagine a society where every driver determines which side of the road feels right.
Imagine judges deciding guilt according to emotion instead of evidence.
Imagine banks allowing everyone to define ownership according to personal preference.
Civilization itself depends upon objective standards.
Relativism borrows from the very absolutes it attempts to deny.
Even those who reject objective morality expect honesty from their doctor, faithfulness from their spouse, fairness from the judge, accuracy from their accountant, and justice from the courts.
Deep down, we all live as though truth exists because it does.
A World Without Absolute Truth
If truth were merely personal opinion, there could be no ultimate basis for condemning genocide, slavery, terrorism, rape, child abuse, or murder.
One culture could simply say those things are good.
Another could disagree.
Neither could claim moral superiority.
Yet our hearts instinctively recoil against such reasoning.
We know some things are truly evil.
Not merely unpopular.
Not merely inconvenient.
Actually evil.
That moral awareness points beyond ourselves.
It points to a holy Lawgiver.
Romans 2:14-15 explains that God has written aspects of His moral law upon the human heart. Even people who have never opened a Bible possess a conscience that accuses or defends their actions.
The conscience is not perfect because sin has distorted it, but it still bears witness that human beings were created for moral accountability.
As C. S. Lewis observed in Mere Christianity,
"Quarrelling means trying to show that the other man is in the wrong."
Lewis pointed out that arguments themselves assume there is a real standard of right and wrong that both people recognize.
Our disagreements actually reveal our belief in objective morality.
Evidence for Absolute Truth
God has not left humanity without witness. The evidence for objective truth surrounds us every day.
1. The Character of God
The strongest evidence for absolute truth is God Himself.
His nature never changes.
"I the LORD do not change" (Malachi 3:6).
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).
Because God is unchanging, His truth is stable and trustworthy.
2. Jesus Christ
Truth is not merely an idea.
Truth became visible in the person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus did not simply teach truth.
He declared,
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).
This is one of the most astonishing claims ever spoken.
Jesus did not say He knew the truth.
He did not say He discovered the truth.
He did not say He explained the truth better than anyone else.
He identified Himself as the Truth.
Every promise of God finds its fulfillment in Him.
Every prophecy points toward Him.
Every page of Scripture ultimately leads to Him (Luke 24:27).
The Apostle John wrote,
"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us...full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
Later he added,
"Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).
Truth is therefore not cold information.
Truth has a face.
His name is Jesus Christ.
3. The Word of God
God has graciously revealed Himself through the Scriptures.
"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul" (Psalm 19:7).
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105).
"The entirety of Your word is truth" (Psalm 119:160).
Unlike human opinion, God's Word remains forever.
"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8).
4. The Human Conscience
Romans 2:14-16 teaches that God has written His moral law upon human hearts.
Across cultures and throughout history, people recognize concepts such as justice, honesty, courage, compassion, and guilt.
Though our consciences can be ignored or distorted, they still testify that morality is rooted in something greater than ourselves.
5. Creation Itself
The universe displays remarkable order, consistency, beauty, and design.
The laws of mathematics never fluctuate.
The laws of physics do not change according to public opinion.
Day follows night.
The seasons continue.
The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1).
Creation points beyond itself to the faithful Creator who established its order.
6. Human Reason
Reason itself assumes objective truth.
To say something is logical necessarily assumes that contradictions cannot both be true in the same sense at the same time.
The very act of reasoning depends upon truth existing independently of our preferences.
7. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
The resurrection is Christianity's central historical claim.
If Christ truly rose from the dead, then His teaching carries divine authority.
The apostles proclaimed the resurrection publicly, and Paul declared,
"If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17).
But Christ has indeed been raised (1 Corinthians 15:20), vindicating His claims and confirming Him as Lord.
Jesus Christ: Truth in Human Flesh
Everything ultimately comes back to Jesus.
Christianity is not primarily a philosophy.
It is not merely a moral system.
It is not simply a religion among many religions.
Christianity is centered on a Person.
Jesus Christ is God's final and fullest revelation of Himself (Hebrews 1:1-3).
He embodies truth because He is God incarnate.
He exposes our sin without crushing the repentant sinner.
He offers forgiveness without compromising holiness.
He extends grace without abandoning justice.
At the cross, truth and mercy met perfectly.
Sin was judged.
Love was displayed.
Justice was satisfied.
Grace was offered.
No other worldview presents such a glorious harmony.
As Charles Spurgeon said,
"Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right."
In an age where confusion often masquerades as wisdom, believers must lovingly hold fast to what God has revealed.
Standing Firm in the Truth
