“I am . . . the truth” (John 14: 6 KJV).
It is a fact that fact and truth are synonymous. Something can not be true if it is not supported by facts. Reality is said to be true to fact or correspond to true truth. It is also fact that a fact and a lie have never been synonymous but are antonyms. Reality can not be honestly explained with a lie. But a lie will be used to create an alternate but false reality.
The word “truth” in Greek means “the reality lying at the basis of an appearance; the real, the manifested, veritable essence of a matter.”
Truth comes in two versions; subjective truth and objective truth. Which truth a person follows will determine their eternal destiny.
Subjective truth is determined by oneself, “of, relating to, or arising from oneself or mind” and originates in the imagination. Subjective truth is not authentic because it contradicts itself and does not correspond with reality.
Objective truth is not determined by oneself, but “relating to what’s exterior to oneself or mind.” Objective truth is synonymous with what is real. Objective truth is genuine because it is true to itself and corresponds with reality.
Subjective truth denotes that which refers to the thinker while objective truth refers to something confirmed independently of a mind.
When subjective truth is followed, situational ethics is at work, where everyone does what’s right in their own eyes.
When objective truth, which is God’s Word, is followed, God decides what is right in every situation. This is called Christian ethics when one does that which is right in God’s sight.
Jesus called Himself and God’s Word “the truth” (John 14: 6; 17: 17). He called Himself “true” when declaring that He was the fulfillment of prophetic truth.
Had Jesus labeled Himself and the Bible as “true,” He would be saying they were less than some greater standard of truth that when judged by it, they would be found true.
Since Jesus’ claim that He and the Bible are “truth” is true, then truth originated with God, and men are not true until they’re using Him and the Bible as a reference point for all they say and do. Since Jesus’ claim that He and the Bible are “truth” is true then He and the Bible explain reality truthfully, and they are the standards by which we should judge all things today to see if they are true.
Subjective truth is truth that’s decided by a sinful heart. Objective truth is truth that’s decided by a thrice holy God and will always be the correct truth. Christians must follow the Truth to be true to Jesus.
God has given man the truth in His Word that confirms the reality of fallen man and the only solution for salvation. His Word reveals that men can know and receive by faith this truth into their heart and realize the reality that corresponds to this truth.
