1.5k

How to find truth in religious matters

Is truth relative?

I like Spaetzle, a Swabian speciality. My wife not so much. Is it true that Spaetzle are a delicacy? What is truth? It depends if you ask me or an Italien friend who prefers pasta. ‘Your truth doesn’t have to be mine’ is a given when it comes to food, but these days it’s also becoming more popular in religious matters. The idea of relative truth isn’t exactly new. To start with, here are two quotes with opposing views, separated by 200 years:

“Two truths can never contradict each other.”

Galileo Galilei (1564-1641), cited in German language in gutzitiert.de

“There is no true statement, because the position of man is the uncertainty of floating. Truth is not found, but produced. It is relative.”

Friedrich Schlegel (1772-1829), cited in German language in Wikipedia

By the way, also only one of these two statements can be true because they exclude each other :-).

Is truth absolute or relative?

It is understandable that in the religious sphere we increasingly encounter the position that there is no absolute truth. This is convenient, and it presupposes that religious ideas are arbitrary and spring from the human imagination. But if we assume that there is a God who stands above everything and embodies the truth, then we can deduce that this truth is absolute. And if we assume that this God is a loving and just God, then we can assume that he communicates this to us so that we have the opportunity to respond.

I offer you the following definition of truth:

Truth = The reality as God sees it.

Source unknown

I assume that God sees some things differently than I do. King David was also aware of this, which is why he said: ‘Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth’ (Psalm 86:11). However, in order to ‘walk’ in it (as Luther translated it), we must first know it. The first step towards this is to acknowledge that absolute truth exists.

A person introduces themselves

The term “truth” is most clearly illustrated in the case of Jesus. He stands before the governor Pilate and is questioned by him. Jesus’ last words in this conversation are:

I was born for this purpose and I came into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. Pilate replies: “What is truth?

from John 18, 28-40

Two worlds collide in this encounter. Pilate seems to have been a proponent of ‘relative truth.’ Jesus says quite clearly: ‘I am.’

Truth in threefold form

In the Bible, there are at least three sources that are all related to each other. Thus, we have three sources of truth:

• Jesus Christ is truth (acc. to John 14, 6)
• God’s word is truth (acc. to John 17, 17)
• the Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth (acc. to John 14, 17)

I have decided that when there are contradictions, I will not believe the church, but rather the original source, the Bible. God has made sure that He can be found, so the search for Him is not futile – if one sets out to find Him.

Search for truth

So do not be persuaded that there is no absolute truth in religious matters. And also do not believe that you cannot find it. Jesus said:

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Johannes 8:31-32 (NIV)

Where to find truth?

I recommend that you do not just ask Google or AI to find out what is truth, but open the Bible and study Jesus. There are only two possibilities: either he really is the truth incarnate, or he was a megalomaniac or a madman. But when I look at his life, I don’t believe the latter. A good place to start getting to know Jesus is the Gospel of John. It says there:

• Jesus spoke the truth he heard from God (John 8:40).
• With Jesus, word and deed were one (John 8:25) – he was what he said.
• He was completely one with God the Father: “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)
• Jesus was full of grace and truth (John 1, 14; 17, 18)

All his behavior, thinking, speaking and acting embodied the truth about God. We recognize in Jesus Christ God the Father with his divine qualities. Therefore he could say:

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus Christ in John 14: 6 (NIV)

Are you still searching? That’s wonderful! To find out what is truth, be aware: Truth is a person who rose from the dead and lives today, and can therefore be experienced. Would it be a goal for this year to read the Gospel of John, where this is written about? If you have read this article far and don’t have a Bible at home, then send me a message or write a comment, because I would be happy to help you. Of course, you can also read it online: Gospel of John in Biblegateway

More articles about the bible on my website you will find here: tag “Bible”