All Truth is God's Truth ?
Sounds pretty good, right?
This statement is usually what you will hear from someone who is trying to find the good and nice things from other religions as an attempt to be tolerant and open minded, seeking common ground. After all, claiming to have "the Truth" wouldn't be very nice to those who disagree.
But whether the statement is true or not really depends on how you and I and we all define "truth".
To ponder this statement and apply it, the average person will activate his little mind and scan the millions and billions of claims of "truth" in the world we live in. Those he thinks (or feels) are "true" he will then claim as God's. Either way, whether really true or not, it is all called God's. But accepting the statement "All Truth is God's Truth" as true is very dangerous! Here's why:
First, today in our culture many deny any absolute truth. The popular thinking is that you have your truth and I have mine and what's true for you might not be true for me. So the idea of "All Truth" cannot even be agreed upon.
Secondly, the statement's first part, "All Truth" puts man first and God second, requiring us first to think of: what we say, what we teach, what we believe, what we think, what we've read, what we've heard, and so on. This is a man centered way of viewing truth. In God's eyes it doesn't matter what WE say, what WE teach, what WE believe, what WE think, what WE've read, what WE've heard. It very possibly could all be wrong, incorrect, and even foolish. Unless, what we say, what we teach, what we believe, etc. is from God's Word it has no value. This is where we should start, God's Word. How WE define Truth is irrelevant.
Thirdly, the question ought to be "How does God, and God alone, define Truth?" And how do we find that out? The answer is; from the Holy Scriptures, the Bible, God's Word by the acting of the Holy Spirit.
Lastly, What is "Truth"? Well, to put it simply, Jesus! He said that he is the way, the TRUTH and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him (John 14:6). Everything he said, taught, fulfilled, accomplished, promised is all truth. That's where we must always start, with Jesus–the TRUTH manifested–as clearly taught through no other source than His holy scriptures–the Word. He is the "WORD" of God become flesh. That is "God's Truth". Anything outside of that is a lie.
Instead of trying to figure out "All Truth" and force it into "God's Truth" like the statement tells us, I think it would be better to say "All God's Truth is True". This puts God first and man out of the picture. That's the way it ought to be!
1 Corinthians 1:20
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
-KCO
This statement is usually what you will hear from someone who is trying to find the good and nice things from other religions as an attempt to be tolerant and open minded, seeking common ground. After all, claiming to have "the Truth" wouldn't be very nice to those who disagree.
But whether the statement is true or not really depends on how you and I and we all define "truth".
To ponder this statement and apply it, the average person will activate his little mind and scan the millions and billions of claims of "truth" in the world we live in. Those he thinks (or feels) are "true" he will then claim as God's. Either way, whether really true or not, it is all called God's. But accepting the statement "All Truth is God's Truth" as true is very dangerous! Here's why:
First, today in our culture many deny any absolute truth. The popular thinking is that you have your truth and I have mine and what's true for you might not be true for me. So the idea of "All Truth" cannot even be agreed upon.
Secondly, the statement's first part, "All Truth" puts man first and God second, requiring us first to think of: what we say, what we teach, what we believe, what we think, what we've read, what we've heard, and so on. This is a man centered way of viewing truth. In God's eyes it doesn't matter what WE say, what WE teach, what WE believe, what WE think, what WE've read, what WE've heard. It very possibly could all be wrong, incorrect, and even foolish. Unless, what we say, what we teach, what we believe, etc. is from God's Word it has no value. This is where we should start, God's Word. How WE define Truth is irrelevant.
Thirdly, the question ought to be "How does God, and God alone, define Truth?" And how do we find that out? The answer is; from the Holy Scriptures, the Bible, God's Word by the acting of the Holy Spirit.
Lastly, What is "Truth"? Well, to put it simply, Jesus! He said that he is the way, the TRUTH and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him (John 14:6). Everything he said, taught, fulfilled, accomplished, promised is all truth. That's where we must always start, with Jesus–the TRUTH manifested–as clearly taught through no other source than His holy scriptures–the Word. He is the "WORD" of God become flesh. That is "God's Truth". Anything outside of that is a lie.
Instead of trying to figure out "All Truth" and force it into "God's Truth" like the statement tells us, I think it would be better to say "All God's Truth is True". This puts God first and man out of the picture. That's the way it ought to be!
1 Corinthians 1:20
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
-KCO
posted by kennyo at 7:54 AM
5 Comments:
I'm not sure I follow you here. The way I've always understood that statement was simply because and unredeemed person stumbled upon truth, didn't mean that it isn't truth. The Roman Soldier at the cross would come to mind. What he said was true. I would disagree with your statment that if we believe this statment to be true we try to "force it into God's truth." Instead, I would submit to you that when I hear something (such as this post) I ask myself, how does this measure up to Scripture? If it doesn't fit, then it's not truth. There are some areas where I have to look at that a little differently (For instance, is it a sin to use Aspirin?) but for the most part most people I know apply this method to this statement.
Sorry, I have another thought:
If this statement isn't true then the opposite would have to be true, right? So, then would you say there is truth that exists outside of being God's truth?
Hi KennyO,
According to scripture, Truth is in Jesus (Ephesians 4:21) and we Christians have a promise that The Spirit of Truth will guide us into all Truth (John 16:13).
There is also in Scripture a warning that those who have the "spirit of error" will not listen to the Apostles or their teaching, but are very popular with "the world". (1 John 4:5-6)
Please keep up the good work, The Scripture MUST be the filter through which we measure every teaching ! ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17 )
Reading these Scriptures I'm having a hard time understanding why we should need to search somewhere else, (other religions, or psychology for example), to find Truth.
What's an example of a "truth" that is NOT God's truth?
Is God's truth a subset of Truth?
Or is Truth a subset of God's truth?
Or are the two unrelated?
Dear Joe:
The context of "truth" in the article is spiritual truth. This should be understood while reading it.
Of course there is factual truth beyond the revelation of Scripture, i.e. math, physics, laws of nature, etc. None of which will conflict with the Biblical text.
But the only worthy starting place for spiritual truth is the Holy Scriptures, the Bible, the divine oracles of God. To start elsewhere will eventually lead to error, deception and confusion of what the "Truth" is.
-KCO
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