Defining truth, you would think, would be pretty straightforward. I mean, a thing is either true or false, right? And it is that simple in elementary level terms, but when it comes to things like philosophy, art, theology, law, and science, it can become very confusing. Truth, to me, is a divine concept. Truth is what God the Creator says it is. But even then, humans over time have even twisted that by creating this god and that god and then using these ‘gods’ to give validity to a ‘truth’ that basically is self-serving.
Jesus Definition of Truth
When Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate, he said, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.” Pilate saith unto him, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38). Pilate was born and raised in Rome, a melting pot of Greek, Roman and many other cultures’ philosophies and theologies. To him, it was a relevant question. Before Jesus appeared before Pilate, he had also made a public statement that HE was the way, the TRUTH and the life (John 14:6). Jesus spoke this confidently as a fact. There was no variability and it was stated by him as a fact. Indeed, he was one of a kind. He was, after all, the first-begotten and one and only son of God. Jesus came into the world of Roman civilization, where you were reminded everywhere and on every street corner by temples and shrines to just about every god that man could conceive. The Romans and Greeks of this time considered themselves to be very open-minded and had no problem with another god in town, but when Jesus and the apostles came on the scene, saying their way was the only way and their truth was the only truth, well, that just didn’t sit well with them, not to mention it was bad for business.
Religion is big business but that is not always the case when confronted with truth
Religion was big business in the Roman Empire. They were selling silver idols, talismans, and other religious objects. In Acts 19, we read about a silversmith named Demetrius in the city of Ephesus who complained to the authorities that the apostle’s preaching was hurting his business as people converted to Christ and away from worship of Diana (Greek)/Artemis (Roman). He sold silver images of these gods. Sorcerers were burning their scrolls upon turning to Christ. The gospel’s impact in Ephesus serves as an illustration of what Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesus was a confrontation and a tangible manifestation of the spiritual warfare Paul was speaking of when he wrote these scriptures. The proclamation of the Gospel was confronting and challenging the bondage and powers of idolatry and superstition. The gospel of Christ and the apostles was not just another religion; it was a confrontation with all that was evil. It spoke boldly against the idolatry of the time.
The truth often divides society, people and governments.
Jesus was very clear about the cost to follow him as illustrated in scriptures like, Luke 14:27, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” He wasn’t literally saying that it was a requirement to be a Christian to hate father, mother, wife, etc. He was just making it known that if it came down to choosing even family over the truth of the gospel, then one must choose Christ when confronted with ‘it is either us or Christ’. A modern day example would be the Muslim that converts to Christ. They quite literally have to choose between their family in Christ for they are rejected by their families if they convert to Christ. It goes against the grain when confronted with a gospel that demands to abandon false gods and turn to the one and only living and true God. The gospel is still the same today and challenges modern-day believers to consider the idols in their own lives and the radical nature of the call to follow Christ, even when it conflicts with deeply held cultural and economic practices. Yes, it is worth it to leave idolatrous practices behind. Yes, the gospel received does not leave us empty but gives peace and fulfillment like nothing else can. But it cannot be denied that it also divides the darkness from the light and defines sin from holiness, like only Christ can do. And it often divides society, people and governments. When people who have lived comfortably with their comfortable self-serving doctrines are confronted with the challenge that just maybe what they believe and worship are wrong it not only causes a conflict in their souls but also causes a conflict that carries over into entire societies. It is like a cancer when it is discovered. A person with cancer may not even have any symptoms in the early stages of cancer. When cancer has been exposed, one can no longer deny the proof before them that tests have discovered and a decision has to be made to ignore the cancer and die a possible slow and painful death, or receive treatment that will hopefully cure the disease. When people have become so intertwined with their lifestyles that they wrap their very identity up in it, it is not easy when confronted with how they are living is possibly wrong. The Bible calls this the ‘flesh’. The flesh is not just our physical body, it is the all-encompassing everything that brings us pleasure and instant gratification. It is not pleasant to have surgery. It is often painful and recovery is not overnight. It may even require we live completely different due to the damage a disease has caused. It may require rehab, which basically forces our bodies to resist what we feel and not just give in to the disability. The fact of the matter, though, is you will never be the same, for better or worse. The Holy Spirit reveals sin to us as only he can. He works from the inside and things that were right to us before are suddenly now wrong. The flesh will resist and fight and want to return to its old nature, but hopefully when confronted with truth, it will also awaken a desire to be free.
Throughout Scripture, the divisive nature of truth is evident in its ability to separate, challenge, and transform.
What comfort we find in scriptures like John 8:36 “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” But truth as described in the Bible can be both profound and complex. It is a dividing line between belief and unbelief, righteousness and unrighteousness. Throughout Scripture, the divisive nature of truth is evident in its ability to separate, challenge, and transform. It demands a response, and this response often leads to division, both temporally and eternally. When Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This was intentionally divisive, for Jesus wants us to know the truth and separate ourselves from false doctrine. And if that isn’t clear enough, he makes it perfectly clear when he says in Matthew 10:34-36 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.” He is in no way condoning or calling anyone to violence; he is just trying to make the point that the gospel sets up a conflict in our soul that wasn’t there before. It shines a light on darkness we didn’t even know was there and if we resist what it is showing us, a conflict happens with our old nature. We are then faced with a decision to turn away from the old nature and receive the new nature being offered to us, or return like a pig to their wallow. What these people often find, though, is it isn’t that easy to return to the old nature once it has been exposed and introduced to a new life that is possible. To deny what has been revealed to you will chase you all the days of your life. Unfortunately, though, just like an abused wife returns to her abusive husband, people often return to sin because it is more familiar rather than accept the challenge and the rehab offered to them by the Holy Spirit.
In many ways, this is what we are seeing in America in 2025.
The gospel has always been a part of our culture, but through the years, it has been compromised to the point that anything goes. What we are seeing now, though, is the gospel presenting itself once again and just like darkness cannot resist light, no matter how it is closed out, it is arising once again. The evil one has elicited help from people for a long time to hold back the gospel, to ignore the light and call to holiness, but like someone trying to hold a beachball under water, it just can’t be done for long. As a result of this, many people are responding violently when confronted with what is right and what is wrong. Matthew 11:12 states, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” This verse suggests that the kingdom of heaven has faced challenges and aggressive attempts to claim it since the time of John the Baptist. This verse suggests that since the time of John the Baptist, the kingdom of heaven has faced challenges and opposition. The term “suffereth violence” indicates that the gospel is under attack or experiencing turmoil. The latter part, “the violent take it by force,” implies that those who are aggressive or determined are trying to seize the kingdom. This verse reflects the intense spiritual and social upheaval during the time of John the Baptist and Jesus, but it also applies to today. It can be understood as a call to be fervent and committed in pursuing spiritual truths and the kingdom of God, emphasizing the need for determination in faith. Again, this is in no way a call to physical violence. It is the goodness of God that draws people to repentance (Romans 2:4). It is the force of our prayers that becomes violence against the devil as we pray with authority for him to set people free so their eyes will be opened to a loving God and truth. We are called to spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18), not warfare against those whose eyes have not yet been opened. But, unfortunately, many who have not yet believed take it as a personal threat to them and respond violently, like we are seeing in America today, as they riot in the streets and harm those trying to protect them.
Isaiah 5:20 warned us long ago, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
Romans 1:18-32 reads like a commentary on modern times, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
And like a scathing testimony against our modern times, 1 Timothy 4:1-2 warns, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.”
And finally 2 Timothy 3:1-7 speaks of this time, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
We are in the throes of a cultural revolution in America and even the world.
I think that the last few years we have seen the result of leaders that have allowed ungodliness and promoted it to the point that we have seen just how evil and destructive living ungodly and giving in to the flesh can be. Darkness has become exceedingly dark and now a light is being turned on and like roaches in a dark room scatter when the light is turned on so the wicked and selfish attributes of our modern-day society are being exposed. Sometimes it takes things getting bad and uncomfortable before we are forced to do something about it. It is a shame that a free country founded on biblical principles had to get to the point where
- Millions Of Babies Are Killed In Abortions,
- Transgender Activists Twerk Their Rear Ends In Our Kindergartens,
- Children Are Getting Sex Change Operations Without Parental Consent,
- Fentanyl And Other Drugs Have Killed Thousands,
- Criminals From Other Countries Commit Their Crimes Freely With No Consequences,
- Christians And Patriots Are Jailed For Daring To Speak The Truth
- Charlie Kirk was assassinated for speaking the truth
….and the list goes on. But a light is beginning to shine as we see the evidence of thousands being baptized, corrupt laws are being changed, and criminals are being brought to justice. There will be division in this country as people insist on holding on to their ungodly ways but the light is once again beginning to shine.
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