This
is not an article on the philosophy of truth, but some things the
Bible teaches about truth.
The
Bible assumes truth to be reality, factual, and accurate.
The
Hebrew word for truth is אֶמֶת
ʼemeth
(H571).
It means truth, reliability, stability, faithfulness, etc.
B1
Exodus 34:6 WEB Yahweh
passed by before him, and proclaimed, “Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful
and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and
truth. (Many
translations have faithfulness instead of truth. This is correct as
far as translation, but the Septuagint has truth (ἀληθινός
alēthinos G228)).
B2
1 Kings 22:16 NLT But
the king replied sharply, "How many times must I demand that you
speak only the truth to me when you speak for the LORD?"
B1
1 John 2:27 MKJV But
the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you do
not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you
concerning all things, and is true and no lie, and as He has taught
you, abide in Him.
B2
John 4:18 NLT For
you have had five husbands, and you aren't even married to the man
you're living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!
The
God of the Bible, Yahweh, cannot lie. He is the nonlying god.
B1
Titus 1:2 MKJV On
hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the
eternal times.
B2
Hebrews 6:17-18 MKJV In
this way desiring to declare more fully to the heirs of promise the
immutability of His counsel, God interposed by an oath, (18) so
that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to
lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to
lay hold upon the hope set before us.
He
expects us to tell the truth also. It is a Kingdom rule.
B1
Matthew 5:37 CSB But
let your 'yes' mean 'yes,' and your 'no' mean 'no.' Anything more
than this is from the evil one.
B2
Ephesians 4:25 CSB Therefore,
putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor,
because we are members of one another.
We
need to speak the truth to ourselves, too. We have to admit what we
are. If we sin, we must tell the truth. If we are addicted to
something, we first must tell the truth. Telling the truth is the
first step in agreeing with God, after the Holy Spirit has opened our
eyes, minds, and hearts that we are sinners.
B1
Abraham believed that God was telling the truth: Genesis 15:3-6 NRSV
And Abram said, "You
have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be
my heir." (4) But the word of the LORD came to him, "This
man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be
your heir." (5) He brought him outside and said, "Look
toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them."
Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." (6)
And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as
righteousness.
B2
Telling the truth when convicted by the Holy Spirit concerning sin:
C1
Proverbs 28:13 NRSV No
one who conceals transgressions will prosper, but one who confesses
and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
C2
1 John 1:9 NKJV If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We
are to tell each other the truth as a ministry:
B1
2 Timothy 2:25 NRSV correcting
opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will
repent and come to know the truth.
B2
Galatians 4:16 NRSV Have
I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Truth
separates from what is false, what is lies, about God and us: John
17:17 BSB Sanctify
them by the truth; Your word is truth.
What
we say, and what we do must match. This is both in private and in
public:
B1
1 John 3:18 NIV Dear
children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and
in truth.
B2
3 John 1:4 NRSV I
have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking
in the truth.
We
need to interpret the Bible in its plain, normal sense. Too often,
the Scriptures are distorted by novel methods of interpretation. God
is omniscient and omnisapient and knows how to perfectly communicate.
Abraham believed God. David believed God. Those who believed Jesus
Christ were redeemed. God’s yes is yes and His no is no.
B1
2 Corinthians 4:2 NLT We
reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don't try to
trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before
God, and all who are honest know this.
B2
2 Peter 3:15-16 NLT And
remember, our Lord's patience gives people time to be saved. This is
what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God
gave him-- speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of
his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and
unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different,
just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result
in their destruction.
Believing
God sanctifies and results in a changed life: 1 Peter 1:22 PickNT
Since you have
purified your souls by obeying the truth through the Spirit,
resulting in sincere brotherly love, you must love one another
fervently from a pure heart.
God’s
judgment is in truth and justice: Psalm 96:13 NLT Before
the LORD, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will
judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.
God
knows our heart. We cannot fake it. He wants truth, so do we. We want
true love from our friends, family, children, parents, and spouse.
Acts 15:8 NRSV And
God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the
Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.
We
need to love the truth: John 18:37 NLT Pilate
said, "So you are a king?" Jesus responded, "You say I
am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to
the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true."
God
loves those who tell and live the truth: Proverbs 12:22 NLT The
LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.
Of
Messiah (Jesus) it is written: Isaiah 11:5 NLT He
will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.
John
1:17 NIV For the law
was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
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