What is truth? This would seem like a basic question. However today, this question can be hard to answer. For the very definition of truth has changed over the years. The modern worldview believes that truth is found through science. Through the age of enlightenment, man began to believe that truth is out there. Through an understanding of the world, man could come to understand truth. No place was given for faith. All was run through the filter of reason. The dominant artists, philosophers, and scientists of the day believed that a utopian society was possible if we could all come to find this truth through science. Alternate source theories came onto the scene, the foremost of which was presented by Charles Darwin. There is no God, so he cannot be the source of all things. We are all just happy accidents.
The 20th century brought about several circumstances which all but shattered the modern worldview. Several scientific discoveries (such as Einstein’s theory of relativity and black box radiation) reset much of the beliefs of the scientific community. They believed that they were close to this “theory of everything” when these discoveries caused them to realize they had nothing. Further, science was weaponized. The biological warfare in World War 1 and the nuclear warfare of World War 2 shattered this idea that scientific discovery would lead to utopia. However, the culture could not turn to God. Thanks to Darwin, they didn’t believe that God existed. Instead, they began to believe that truth is found in the individual. Each individual created truth for themselves so that they can best manage life. Truth is found inside people. Truth became relative. This became the philosophy of postmodernism.
This is the dominant philosophy of the day. Truth is what each determines it to be in order to best help themselves cope with life. Therefore, truth can change. This does not work very well in actual life. As a result, modern culture has altered the belief to be something like, “truth is determined by whoever yells the loudest.” The result is the chaos of today’s world.
The Christian worldview sees things very differently, however. Scripture clearly demonstrates that truth is up there. God does not just determine what is true. He is truth itself. In John 14:6, Jesus informs us that he is “the way, the TRUTH, and the life.” In John 17:3, Jesus prays that we would know the only TRUE God.” Truth finds its source in God. What God says is true because God is true. I don’t get to determine what is true. Society does not get to determine what is true. God alone determines what is true, because He is truth itself. We find truth through the revelation of God: The Bible.
This has several important ramifications. There are many places where Scripture contradicts my (or societies’) view of truth. We must anchor ourselves to the Word even (and especially) when it contradicts culture. For example, God states that the sexual union is to be between one man and one woman inside the confines of marriage alone (e.g. Hebrews 13:4). God informs us that gender is complimentary, not fluid or egalitarian (e.g. Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Timothy 2:11-15). God tells us that we are to submit to and honor authority even when they are wicked (e.g. Romans 13:1-7). In each instance of life, we must let the Word of God inform us of truth, not culture or our own feelings. Search God’s Word and discover truth. For God is truth.