Truth & Reality

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth [aletheia - a reality that is firm, solid, binding, and hence true]. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'" For of His fullness, we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized [ginomai - came into being] through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.           John 1:14-18              

The Greek word for truth is aletheia, and Spiros Zodhiates defines it this way: Truth as evidenced in relation to facts; therefore, al¢theia denotes the reality clearly lying before our eyes as opposed to a mere appearance, without reality. Much spiritual warfare is centered on distorting what is real versus a mere appearance, apparition, or deception. Revelation 12:9 tells us that the devil’s intention is to deceive the whole world. He disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). 

In the above passage from John 1, Jesus came to reveal not only God’s grace but truth, namely that which is real. Grace and truth were realized [came into being] through Jesus Christ. Was John revealing that Jesus was the personification of truth, consistent with His statement in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life? Did he mean that Jesus was the light of the world, he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life (John 8:12)? 

Light and Darkness 

So, the Pharisees said to Him, "You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true." Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge [krino – express an opinion] according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. Even in your law, it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me."               John 8:13-18     

About the circumstances surrounding this passage, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary says, For, in "the treasury," where it was spoken, stood two colossal golden lampstands, on which hung a multitude of lamps, lighted after the evening sacrifice during the feast of Tabernacles, diffusing their brilliancy, it is said, over all the city. Around these, the people danced with great rejoicing. Light is a metaphor in the Bible for spiritual knowledge and understanding. Jesus came to be light in the midst of darkness. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (John 1:5). His people were not open to the light, so they remained in darkness. 

What is Truth?

The conclusion we must come to is that Jesus came to reveal the truth to anyone who would listen to him. John the Baptist preceded His public ministry to testify to the truth (John 5:33). In John 18:37-38 Therefore; Pilate 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 testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." Pilate said to Him, "What is truth? Pilate was not interested in the truth! When The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, comes [at Pentecost], He will guide you into all the truth (John 16:13). 

There is a story in Judaism’s oral tradition about a rabbi named Yehoshua who went on a journey with the prophet Elijah in hopes of understanding God’s mysterious ways. On the first night of the journey, the pair stayed at the rundown home of a kind elderly couple. To Yehoshua’s surprise, Elijah prayed that the couple’s cow would die immediately. The next day, the two men approached a wealthy man’s home and asked for food, but the man refused to give them even a morsel. Yehoshua was surprised again when Elijah prayed that the weak foundations of the man’s home never collapse. The rest of the journey was filled with more of the same; Elijah prayed for good things to happen to bad people and for bad things to happen to good people.

At the end of the journey, Elijah explained the purpose of his prayers to his very perplexed companion. At the home of the elderly couple, Elijah foresaw that the wife would die the next day. He prayed that the couple’s cow is taken instead. At the home of the miserly man, Elijah saw that there was a treasure buried under his home. He prayed that the foundation would stay intact so the man would never find it. Elijah explained all of his prayers similarly. On the surface, none of it made sense, but when Elijah explained the unseen context of each scenario, everything made perfect sense. Reality is not what it may appear from a human vantage point. 

The Futility of the Mind

There is much warfare surrounding the truth. Paul warns the believer in Colossians 2:8, See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. Man’s attempt to define reality apart from the knowledge of God is a work of deception. In Ephesians 4:17-18, So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart. The cause of these disorders is the hardness of the heart. The Greek word for “hardness” is poeroesis and can also mean “blindness.” The natural man cannot discern the things of the Spirit of God; he remains blind. 

I find then the principle [nomos – law] that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin, which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand, I, with my mind, am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh, the law of sin.         Romans 7:21-25 

Romans chapter 7 is a treatise on Paul’s attempt to explain the role of the sin nature, the law of sin and death in distorting his relationship with God. He refers to the principle or law of God residing in the inner man, the spirit of man, because of the new birth. This reality is referred to in Hebrews 8:10: "FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.” For new covenant believers, God has placed His law in our minds and written them on our hearts to equip us for the warfare we face. Paul’s conclusion in the next chapter is that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free [delivered you] from the law of sin and of death (Romans 8:2). The controlling influence of sin is defeated when the believer allows the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus to be the governing power of his life.

The Law’s Limited Ability 

For what the Law [of Moses] could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.             Romans 8:3-8 

The Law of Moses can only take one so far since its ability is restricted to that of the flesh. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ taps into the supernatural ability of God and takes the believer beyond his ability to keep the Law. Once sin was condemned by Christ on the cross, the Law of Moses was fulfilled in those who walk according to the Spirit. Walking by the Spirit is defined by a mindset (phroneoe – to be mindful of, to be devoted to). According to Zodhiates, the activity represented by this word involves the will, affections, and conscience. It is a complete devotion to a person or a cause. Proverbs 23:7 says, For as he thinks [saar – set a price on] within himself [nepes – the inner being, with its thoughts and emotions], so he is. The context here is that of misers who count the cost of everything their guests eat or drink. They find no enjoyment in their guests but only worry about the price. Placing great value on the Holy Spirit and spiritual matters is the avenue to life and peace since the believer has subjected himself to the law of God. 

Foolishness

Let no one continue to be deceiving himself. If, as is the case, anyone among you thinks himself to be wise in the sphere of the things of this age, let him become a fool [moeros – silly, stupid, morally worthless] in order that he may become wise, for the wisdom of this world system is foolishness as God looks at it. For it has been written and is at present on the record, He catches those who are wise in their false wisdom, and again, the Lord knows the reasonings [opinions] of those who are wise, that they are futile reasonings. Wherefore, let no one continue to be boasting in men, for all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the existing order of material things or life or death or present things or things about to come, all belong to you, and as for you, you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

1 Corinthians 3:18-23        Kenneth Wuest translation 

Since the world system (cosmos) is under the control of the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), he is blinding the minds of unbelievers so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. Wuest’s translation above defines that the believer’s value system should not be derived from the world since it is foolishness to God. Wisdom from the world is considered false wisdom since it is not subject to God’s wisdom, wisdom from above. We belong to Christ, and our only boasting should be in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14). The reprobate mind, as Paul discusses in the first chapter of Romans, creates immorality of all kinds when man relies on himself: 

For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Romans 1:21-23

Be Reconciled to God

The integration of God’s life into the believer’s mind and heart is God’s work when the work of Christ becomes his highest priority. In 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD." Christ is the one who became sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Be reconciled to God!