Absolute Truth
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
God is the ultimate reality, and that which He creates cannot exist apart from Him. Truth is how things really are as seen from God’s perspective. Christianity has always affirmed the concept of absolute truth because truth is rooted in the absolute nature of God. In other words, truth is absolute in that it has always been true and always will be true, regardless of whether we accept or reject it. Absolute truth is true whether or not we believe it. Truth is not conditional—it does not derive its validity from our perception. We cannot create truth, nor can we destroy it. We can only choose to believe it—and we must believe it if we want to remain mentally healthy people in touch with reality (God).
Various philosophies have tests to determine whether something is true or false. According to the coherence theory, something is true if it is logically self-consistent with its own philosophical base. A natural person with a scientific worldview will not likely believe the Bible to be true, because it does not fit his or her theory of evolution. Under this theory, a string of lies could be logically consistent with each other, but they would not be truthful. They would lack an eternal standard that is consistent with God’s nature. According to the pragmatic theory, something is true if it works. Demonic activities work, but they are rooted in the father of lies.
Many popular philosophies argue against the idea of absolute truth. Postmodernism is a movement that claims truth is relative; therefore, it can be whatever you choose it to be. What is true for you may not be true for another. At the heart of Postmodernism is the rejection of absolute moral truth as revealed by the nature of God and divine revelation. It is a philosophical rebellion against God. Postmodernists have depersonalized God because an impersonal God doesn’t have to be served. They prefer to decide for themselves what is true and what is false, thereby becoming their own moral standard.
The New Age movement twists reality in a different direction. The heart of New Age teaching is that we are gods. We don’t need a Savior to die for our sins; we just need to realize that we are divinity. Because each of us is our own god, we can create reality with our minds. Truth then becomes what we believe it to be, and if we believe hard enough, it will become true. Recall that Satan deceived Adam and Eve with the same lie in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 3:4-5).
Christians have chosen to follow the wisdom of Solomon, who wrote, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). We reject the notion that we are gods and instead humbly choose to submit to the One who is the Truth. We accept the fact that we have a personal relationship with the “author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2, NASB), and we choose to acknowledge Him in all our ways (see Proverbs 3:6). “For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. . . . For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations” (Psalms 33:4; 100:5, NKJV).
a few questions to ponder:
Why is Truth eternal and absolute?
According to the coherence theory, how is something considered to be true or false? How is something true under the pragmatic view?
In what ways do postmodernists reject absolute truth? How does the New Age movement twist absolute truth?
How have you understood truth in the past?
Do you personally believe that truth is rooted in the nature of God? Why or why not?
Neil T. Anderson is the founder of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He began the ministry in 1989 and continues to spread the message of freedom to this day.