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John 18:28-38

John 18:28-38. “What is truth?”. Pilate was in a delicate position as Rome’s agent:. He needed information about the accused [29-32]. Death sentence without proper accusation could get him in trouble with Rome [cp. Acts 25:24-27].

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John 18:28-38

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  1. John 18:28-38

  2. “What is truth?” Pilate was in a delicate position as Rome’s agent: • He needed information about the accused [29-32] • Death sentence without proper accusation could • get him in trouble with Rome [cp. Acts 25:24-27] • His only knowledge came from the accusers [33-35] • Jesus sought to help him focus on the truth [36-37] • The real objective of knowledge is finding thetruth, • not just knowing some truths • 2+2 = ? (need 1 true answer, not all wrong ones) • lost keys (need 1 true location, not all wrong ones) • in court (need 1 true answer, not all wrong ones) • John 8:13-14, 19, 31-32 (knowing truth liberates)

  3. “What is truth?” Pilate was in a delicate position as Rome’s agent: • He needed information about the accused [29-32] • Death sentence without proper accusation could • get him in trouble with Rome [cp. Acts 25:24-27] • His only knowledge came from the accusers [33-35] • Jesus sought to help him focus on the truth [36-37] • The real objective of knowledge is finding thetruth • Once thetruth is found, all other answers are error • Pilate didn’t really want the truth, just “an out” [38] • His attitude same as post-modernist: “there is no • absolute truth” – what you know is “your truth” • This attitude has affected the “religious” as well!

  4. “What is truth?” Pilate was in a delicate position as Rome’s agent: • He needed information about the accused [29-32] • Death sentence without proper accusation could • get him in trouble with Rome [cp. Acts 25:24-27] • His only knowledge came from the accusers [33-35] • Jesus sought to help him focus on the truth [36-37] • The real objective of knowledge is finding thetruth • Once thetruth is found, all other answers are error • Pilate didn’t really want the truth, just “an out” [38] • If we cannot recognize truth – like Pilate and post- • modernists – we will not know when we find it!! • If asked honestly, Pilate’s question needs an answer

  5. “What is truth?” The VALUE of truth • Proverb 23:23 • Highest treasure; worth every effort required to • obtain and keep it [cp. Mt. 13:45-46; 2 Tim. 2:15] • Through our knowledge of truth we have: • 2 Peter 1:2-4 • the key to life and godliness • the way to escape corruption, partake of Divinity • John 8:31-32 and Rom. 6:20-23 • the way to be free from bonds of sin and death • Knowing, understanding the truth is the difference • between life and death [cp. John 8:21-24]

  6. “What is truth?” The VALUE of truth The DEFINITION of truth • NOT a mystery that’s impossible to determine • “TRUTH” is the same as any other word: defined by • how it is used and its characteristics

  7. “What is truth?” How “truth” is used • Three basic uses: • as a character trait: genuine, dependable • “…a true friend”; “true to his word” • as an absolute: pure, complete, uncontaminated • “…the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the • truth”; “I got the whole story” • to describe reality: as opposed to shadow, copy, • counterfeit, etc. • Heb. 10:1-4; Col. 2:16-17: “shadow” vs. “reality” • shadows point to that which is true [1 Pet. 3:21] • counterfeits deceive, claim to be true [Jn. 8:43-45]

  8. “What is truth?” The VALUE of truth The DEFINITION of truth • NOT a mystery that’s impossible to determine • “TRUTH” is the same as any other word: defined by • how it is used and its characteristics • Basic uses of “truth”: character, absolute, reality

  9. “What is truth?” Characteristics of truth • Truth is always consistent with other truth: • apparent contradiction = wholetruth unknown • to determine validity of any statement, compare its • harmony with other known simple truths • in Bible study, our conclusions must be consistent • with all Scripture, or we are in error [Mk. 12:24] • in legal proceedings, consistency of testimony is • necessary for establishing truth of what occurred • [cp. Dt. 17:6; Mk. 14:53-59] • where genuinevariance exists, both can’t be true; • often both are wrong! Truth = harmony w/truth!

  10. “What is truth?” Characteristics of truth • Truth is always consistent with other truth • Truth is always narrow: • post-modern catch-phrase is “broad-mindedness”; • this is inconsistent with the nature of truth

  11. “What is truth?” Characteristics of truth • Truth is always consistent with other truth • Truth is always narrow: • in mathematics: • 2+2=4; not “narrow-minded”, but true; cannot get • “right answer” with any other number! • what if stores, banks, etc. took a “broad-minded” • approach when counting our money? No WAY! • we inherently understand that mathematical • truth is narrow, so we object!

  12. “What is truth?” Characteristics of truth • Truth is always consistent with other truth • Truth is always narrow: • in mathematics: • in science: • pure H2O freezes at 32F, boils at 212F at sea-level; • not “narrow-minded”, but true • unless we alter the water or the conditions, there • is no “broad-minded” approach we can take! • we inherently understand that scientific truth is • narrow, so we prepare!

  13. “What is truth?” Characteristics of truth • Truth is always consistent with other truth • Truth is always narrow: • in mathematics: • in science: • in history: • a given event has only happened in one particular • way; not “narrow-minded”, but true • that is the reason our justice system seeks “truth, • whole truth, nothing but…” to reconstruct events • the “broad-minded” who claims that one event • took place in several different ways is insane!

  14. “What is truth?” Characteristics of truth • Truth is always consistent with other truth • Truth is always narrow: • in mathematics: • in science: • in history: • in geography: • places are only where they are, not elsewhere • NY only exists in one place; not “narrow”, but true • I cannot leave Charleston driving south and truly • hope to arrive in NY, no matter how sincerely I • “believe” NY is south! Is that “broad-minded”?

  15. “What is truth?” Characteristics of truth • Truth is always consistent with other truth • Truth is always narrow: • in mathematics: • in science: • in history: • in geography: • in religion: • truth is still narrow when applied to God! • the truth of God does not change based on what • we “feel” to be true or on our manner of thinking • emotion nor “faith” will change FACTS!

  16. “What is truth?” Characteristics of truth • Truth is always consistent with other truth • Truth is always narrow • Truth must be determined by a standard • all truth is narrow, but not all that is narrow is true! • many false doctrines verynarrow [cp. Mk. 7:1-5] • then how can we determine what is true or not? • there is a need for a provenstandard: a ruler for • truth in measurement, the Bible for truth of God • God’s word has consistently made claims, then • proved them; is the proven standard of truth • cp. Mark 1:21-28; John 17:17; 12:44-50

  17. “What is truth?” The VALUE of truth The DEFINITION of truth • NOT a mystery that’s impossible to determine • “TRUTH” is the same as any other word: defined by • how it is used and its characteristics • Basic uses of “truth”: character, absolute, reality • Characteristics of “truth”: consistent with other • truth, narrow, determined by a standard

  18. “What is truth?” The VALUE of truth The DEFINITION of truth Our OBLIGATION to the truth • KNOW the truth • with no knowledge of the truth, no way to benefit • from it or fulfill any obligation to it • Paul tells how to know it: read! [Eph. 3:4-6] • Paul tells why to know it: salvation! [Rom. 1:15-17] • Knowledge of truth is necessarybefore there can • be faith or properaction [Rom. 10:1-3; Mk. 16:16] • cp. Prov. 19:2; “Look before you leap!”

  19. “What is truth?” The VALUE of truth The DEFINITION of truth Our OBLIGATION to the truth • KNOW the truth • BELIEVE the truth • Knowledge must lead to faith if it is to be useful • intellectual “collecting” of knowledge is no good • unless it is used; “book-smart” v. “common sense”

  20. “What is truth?” The VALUE of truth The DEFINITION of truth Our OBLIGATION to the truth • KNOW the truth • BELIEVE the truth • Knowledge must lead to faith if it is to be useful • Faith a product of hearing and receiving as Word of • God and not of men [cp. 1 Thess. 2:13; Rom. 10:17] • cp. Heb. 4:2; 11:6

  21. “What is truth?” The VALUE of truth The DEFINITION of truth Our OBLIGATION to the truth • KNOW the truth • BELIEVE the truth • Knowledge must lead to faith if it is to be useful • Faith a product of hearing and receiving as Word of • God and not of men [cp. 1 Thess. 2:13; Rom. 10:17] • Faith in the truth is necessary; does no good at all • to believe and live a lie! “But I am sincere, honest” • truth is basis, not sincerity! [Prov. 14:12; 3:5-6]

  22. “What is truth?” The VALUE of truth The DEFINITION of truth Our OBLIGATION to the truth • KNOW the truth • BELIEVE the truth • RESPOND to the truth • Knowledge + faith + action is the key to results in • any form of truth; how much more with God! • if no action follows faith, faith dies! [Jm. 2:19-22]

  23. “What is truth?” The VALUE of truth The DEFINITION of truth Our OBLIGATION to the truth • KNOW the truth • BELIEVE the truth • RESPOND to the truth • Knowledge + faith + action is the key to results in • any form of truth; how much more with God! • simply, we are known by what we do [Pr. 20:11] • knowledge without belief = no action • belief without knowledge = wrong action

  24. “What is truth?” The VALUE of truth The DEFINITION of truth Our OBLIGATION to the truth • KNOW the truth • BELIEVE the truth • RESPOND to the truth • Matthew 7:21 – the response is doing!

  25. “What is truth?” Do YOU value the truth? Do YOU recognize the truth by its character? Are YOU fulfilling your obligation to know, believe, and respond to the truth? Won’t YOU respond today?

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