“Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’ Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’”
Two men had an argument. To settle the matter, they went to a … judge for arbitration. The plaintiff made his case. He was very eloquent and persuasive in his reasoning. When he finished, the judge nodded in approval and said, "That’s right, that’s right."
On hearing this, the defendant jumped up and said, "Wait a second, judge, you haven’t even heard my side of the case yet." So the judge told the defendant to state his case. And he, too, was very persuasive and eloquent. When he finished, the judge said, "That’s right, that’s right."
When the clerk of court heard this, he jumped up and said, "Judge, they both can’t be right." The judge looked at the clerk of court and said, "That’s right, that’s right."
Roger von Oech, Ph.D., A Whack on the Side of the Head, Warner Books, 1983, p. 23.
During the decade of the ‘60s I was just coming to the age of observing world events and directions society was taking; looking outside of myself and making observations about what other people were all about.
I remember one trend that made me take pause to contemplate what I personally believed on the matter, was all the philosophizing about truth. Is there such thing as absolutes? Is truth relative? Can your truth be different than my truth on the same subject and still be valid?
These are not new questions.
Satan first cast doubts on the mind of mankind as to whether he was accountable to hold to any absolute truth, there in the garden with Adam and Eve. God said this, (twisting) but this other thing is really true.
The ancient Greeks debated it, philosophers of every culture and religion in the history of man have debated it. But it really all goes back to the Garden
What brought about the entrance of sin into the world and the very foundation of sin itself, is the question, ‘is God’s word true’?
Because if God’s word can not be believed upon and trusted as absolutely true, and always true; if there can be any valid doubt cast upon His word as to whether it is inerrant and infallible, then there is no absolute truth in the universe. It all hinges on that.
If God has said, “…for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die”, to doubt that word is to say that there is no dependable truth at all. Because if you cannot accept and believe the words of the Creator God, then where in all of creation will you go in search of truth?
This is why apart from Him truth cannot be known. It is why Jesus said to Pilate,
“Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’
Herod wanted a song and dance. Pilate wanted an excuse. But neither one heard His voice.
PILATE AND TRUTH
Now I have to be fair to Pilate. I don’t want to be; but I really should. He was the product of a culture from which came the philosophies and empty deceptions of men that Paul liked to write about.
The primary philosophy of the ancient Romans was Stoicism. The Stoics believed that an individual’s destiny was pretty much set by God, or the gods, and that if you just bucked up and lived the best way you could with the hand that was dealt you, then you were successful in life. If you fought it and tried to avoid your troubles or change your circumstances, you were a failure. For instance, if you were born into poverty, then the noble way to live was to do the best for yourself in that condition of poverty; not to try to raise yourself up by your bootstraps and become something you were not ’intended’ to be. Now this ‘way of things’, or ‘meaning of the universe’ that set the path for your life, was referred to as the ‘logos’.
Logos, in Greek philosophy, is not a personal being, but a sort of ‘controlling principle’, issuing forth from God to direct the circumstances of your life.
This is one of the misconceptions John was addressing in the first chapter of his gospel.
So I suppose, if this universal principle is the same for everyone, but it guides each life down a different path, then that would make it possible to believe that your truth is as good and valid as my truth.
No wonder Pilate was confused! What is truth?
When he asked this question of Jesus, it was not in frustration or despair, as though wondering if truth could be found; truth that would finally put his restless and weary heart to rest.
He was saying it in sarcasm! ‘You say banana, I say baa-naa-naa’. It was the attitude that might have been expressed by saying, “Truth! You’ve got your truth, and I’ve got mine! What does that have to do with anything?
He wasn’t searching for answers. He was searching for a politically correct way out of the problem, without having to commit to anything, believe anything, take a stand for anything.
As Dorothy Sayers observed, “In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair. The sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die.”
Against the Night, Charles Colson, p. 93
Listen, Pilate’s wife had come to him, begging him not to involve himself in any argument between Jesus and the Jews. She had been frightened by a dream in the wee hours of the morning. Some dream about Jesus. It apparently wasn’t a dream that led her to faith. But it scared her enough to drive her to her husband with a warning.
Pilate ignored that. He was too frightened of whatever Herod and the Jewish leaders might say in another letter to Caesar, than to let himself be persuaded by the words of his wife.
He talked to Jesus about the one and only charge that the Romans would be interested in; a claim to kingship, yet even though Jesus openly claimed to be a King, Pilate went out to the people and declared Him to be not guilty of any crime.
When they screamed out all the more for his death, Pilate finally gave them the choice between Jesus and Barabbas, so that in the end he could say, “Hey, they made the choice, not I. I offered them one life for another, and they made their choice”.
Pilate stood in the presence of Truth, and asked, “What is truth?” And he received no answer, because he wasn’t really looking.
TRUTH IN THE 21ST CENTURY
I don’t care much for quoting statistics. As I’ve said before, statistics can be debated, and sometimes they are skewed by the prejudice of the interviewer or the researcher, just in the way he asks his questions. But I ran across one in my research for this sermon that, even if it is not entirely accurate, was alarming.
In the survey taken in early 1991, interviewees were asked, "Do you agree strongly, agree somewhat, disagree somewhat, or disagree strongly with the following statement: There is no such thing as absolute truth; different people can define truth in conflicting ways and still be correct." Only 28% of the respondents expressed strong belief in "absolute truth," and more surprisingly, only 23 percent of born-again or evangelical Christians accepted this idea!
George Barna, What Americans Believe.
According to this survey, over 75% of professing Christians cannot accept the idea of absolute truth! Let’s say these are not accurate figures. Let’s just say that some factor jaded the responses, and it’s actually only 50%.
That would still be a figure that should cause great concern in the Christian community.
If people cannot accept the concept of absolute truth, then what do they believe?
What then happens to the infallibility of the written Word of God?
What happens with the claims of Christ, that He is the way the truth and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him?
What then happens to His claim to be the Son of God, and His promise to come back?
Some years ago when the Dick Cavett Show was popular, the Archbishop of Canterbury was speaking with actress Jane Fonda on that talk show. The Archbishop said, “Jesus is the Son of God, you know.” Fonda replied, “Maybe he is for you, but he’s not for me.” To which the Archbishop profoundly answered, “Well either he is or he isn’t.”
- Source unknown
In fairness to Ms Fonda, I want to add here that it has been confirmed that she has been a born again believer in Christ for the past couple of years, and has been attending Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta Georgia, being taught the scriptures and growing in her faith.
But in that conversation the Archbishop hit the nail on the head. Truth is truth, regardless of the individual’s approach to or acceptance of it.
Either Jesus is the Son of the Living God, or He is not. He is not Son of God for one person, and not for the other. He is who He is, and saying “He may be for you, but not for me”, is not enlightened, not modern, not open minded; it’s just stupid!
Now that was said by someone who at the time was not a believer in Christ. And she was expressing the common world view, that truth is relative.
Something can be true in your thinking, and not in mine, and that’s ok. We’ll just go our merry way and forget the whole thing, and live in peaceful cohabitation and not bring it up again.
It’s absurd!
And people will say, “Well, all religions really lead to the same God, and as long as each person is true to his or her own religion, we’ll all eventually be there together with Him”, or however else it might be said.
In fact, this mealy-mouthed generalizing about what truth is, is very simply an avoidance of facing and admitting the truth.
If someone knows that you believe the Bible to be true, and that you are firm in your Bible-based beliefs concerning God and Christ and Heaven and all the things that the Bible talks about, their strongest defense against you is not going to be ‘I don’t believe in that stuff’.
Because you can argue with that you see. You can say, ‘well, then let me show you the evidence and continue to persuade you so that you can believe’.
No sir, not in this day and age. The most effective way of putting you off anymore is, ‘I have my own belief system, and if you imply that my belief system is less valid than yours, then you are old fashioned, closed-minded, intolerant, short-sighted and ignorant of the way things really are.
And we upset them so much with our closed-mindedness, it makes them want to take all references to the Bible or any Christian thought out of schools and other public places, to stop us from declaring Christ openly; in some places, from wearing any jewelry or clothing that is religiously specific in public.
And they call US intolerant?
What right have we, in this age of political correctness and tolerance, to try to tell all the other religions of the world, and the non-religious people of the world, that they must come to God in the way we proclaim or they are destined to eternal punishment and separation from God?
Why that’s just mean-spirited, bigoted and utterly presumptuous!
Now I will admit that the church has been guilty off and on, of trying to present her message in mean-spirited and bigoted ways. That’s because those in the church and speaking for the church are themselves, not always of the church, or at least not going forth in the Spirit of the One who established the church.
But the truth does not change because the proclaimer does not, himself, understand the message.
And church, in every century, every decade, every given year month and day, it is the solemn, commissioned duty of those who carry the Spirit of Christ in them and know what the truth of God’s word is, to proclaim that simple truth and let God’s Word do God’s work, by the convincing, convicting and converting power of the Holy Spirit.
No matter what the heresies of the past may have been; no matter the injustices often perpetrated on society by the established church; no matter the heresies pouring over the pulpits of present day apostate churches; the truth remains the truth, and our society, those walking alive on the earth right now, need to be brought face to face with truth; and it is the responsibility of those who know the truth, to bring it.
Their response is on their shoulders. But we must not let peer pressure, or the overwhelming influences of a liberal and Godless media, or the threat of censure, or death itself, silence that message.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is Himself, Truth. And no one will come into the presence of the Father; no one will approach the throne of Heaven, apart from Him.
If your religion denies Him, your religion is dead. If your philosophy of life closes Him out, your philosophy is empty. If the world view you cling to excludes Him, it is deceptive and for your own safety you must abandon it.
Jesus said of Himself that it is only through Him that anyone will avoid Hell and gain Heaven.
That, is truth.
STARING TRUTH IN THE FACE
Annas, the High Priest emeritus, in his arrogance, wanted Jesus to defend His teachings. But he wasn’t looking for truth.
Pilate stood staring Truth in the face, and asked, “what is truth?” But he didn’t want to know.
Herod wanted Him to do a miracle for his entertainment. But he didn’t want to know the truth.
The thief on the cross reviled and chided Jesus, challenging Him, if He was the Messiah, to save them both. But he didn’t want to know the truth.
The angry crowd standing below the cross mocked and said, “He saved others, He cannot save Himself”. But they didn’t want to know the truth.
You see, truth calls for commitment. To know the truth about any given matter, requires a decision of some sort from the recipient of truth.
If it is true that gravity exists, then I have to take that truth into consideration when deciding whether or not to go hang gliding or bungee jumping. If I refuse to believe that gravity exists, then I may go bungee jumping with absolutely no fear.
Nevertheless, if the cord is longer than the jump, the truth is going to be around long after I’ve flattened myself on the dry river bed below.
Peter and the other disciples stood and were required to stare Truth in the face, in Luke chapter 9, near Caesarea Philippi.
Jesus asked them, “…who do you say that I am?” Peter, who was usually the group’s spokesman, answered, “The Christ of God”.
Now they went through some tough times after this day. They failed Him in the Garden and they ran away and let Him face the cross alone. They later hid in fear of the Jews. Some stumbled and went back to fishing. Some, in despair, mumbled their doubts to each other while walking along the road and grieving over the loss of their Rabbi.
But they had stood face to face with Truth, and because He was who He was, they were transformed.
Despite the weakness of their flesh and brief time of failure and defeat, in the end they stood face to face with enemies of the truth, and declared, “We must obey God, rather than men!”
They went where their risen Savior led and proclaimed that truth that made them willing to die. “You are the Christ of God”
They were whipped, put in chains, stoned, cut in two, crucified, run through with spears, exiled and abandoned, and they did it all for the sake of truth.
Folks, people don’t die for a nice idea. They don’t die for a philosophy of generalities and relativism. They don’t go to terrible deaths singing, for the memory of an inspiring teacher.
But when you know that you have met with and placed your faith and trust for your eternal future in the one who is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, then you are of the truth.
You are of the one who means regeneration. Resurrection. Life, abundant and free.
You are of the one who does not change, and you have set your hope like an anchor in Absolute Truth.
The story is told of a man who came to visit his old friend, a music teacher. As the man came in, he said, “What’s the good news today?” The old teacher was silent as he stood up and walked across the room. He picked up a small hammer and struck a tuning fork. As the note sounded throughout the room, he said, “That is ‘A.’ It is ‘A’ today; it was ‘A’ 5,000 years ago, and it will be ‘A’ 10,000 years from now. The soprano upstairs sings off-key, the tenor across the hall flats on his high notes, and the piano downstairs is out of tune.” He struck the note again and said, “That is ‘A,’ my friend, and that’s the good news for today!”
Dr. Clyde McDowell, Focal Point, Spring, 1997, p. 3
Christians, your courage and your confidence, in any circumstance, before any audience, is that your gospel does not change. Your good news does not change, and will not change tomorrow after you have proclaimed it.
It has been maligned, it has been mocked and whipped and pummeled, it has been spit upon and ridiculed and even called ‘untrue’. But it stands.
Beat up and unwanted, rejected and ignored, it stands. And it declares, “Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice”.
The only hope for a world out of tune is to know that Jesus is the truth.
The only hope for a dead and dying world around you, is to hear the true sound of the message of a risen and soon-coming King, ringing out sweet and clear.
In a day when we are surrounded and bombarded constantly by a jumbled, cacophony of useless and meaningless noise, let the one true sound go forth; the sound of Truth Himself, the King, bearing witness to the truth, and declaring,
“Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice”
How can they hear His voice in this day? Through His messengers. Through those who have heard His call and responded in faith.
We serve a living Savior! He’s in the world today. And His voice rings true and clear through His saints; His true church…
“Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice”
