Is There Any Absolute Truth? Pt. 1 Truth Begins With God

We spent time looking at the Romans 1 world and along the way in our studies, we noticed that another prevalent trait of this culture is a rejection of truth. Indeed, many people today disdain the idea of absolute truth. Yet, God is the author of eternal, unchangeable truth and He holds all mankind accountable for their sins because of the truth that He has given to us. 

Why is truth important and what happens to the society that rejects absolute truth? The current cancel culture irrationally rejects absolute truth because of their sick and twisted logic. 

Proponents of this sham declare that 2 + 2 = 4 is racist because it is a product of Western Culture and Western values. If a student sums the numbers and comes up with 5 instead of 4, they may be "right" according to their own, individual math truth. Insisting that the correct answer is "4" instead of "5" is racist. Never mind that modern mathematics uses Arabic numbers and concepts from the Babylonians. 

For example, algebra is cited as being racist because certain ethnic groups tend to fail this class at much higher rates. I am not a math whiz by any means and yet I did very well in college algebra as an adult. Algebra is logical and when you learn the particular formula and follow the order of operations you will solve the equations.  You will find learning algebra is actually fun. 

If a certain group of students are struggling in math, then we should provide resources to help them, regardless of any socio-economic factors. No one in their right mind should ever say "We will count a wrong answer correct because that student thought it was the right answer." 

Yet, this is what radicals are pushing right now. Parents, please be aware of what some schools  and educators are doing and hold them accountable. Also be aware that this is happening in all of the core subjects, not just mathematics.

Why is math being attacked? For two reasons: It leads to logical thinking and it promotes absolute truth (2+2=4). 

Rather than devote space to this issue here, I have included a link to an article that shows how cancel culture is causing mathematicians to give up on absolute truth. The article is titled "Yes, There Really is a War on Mathematics" by Denyse O'Leary, published this year.

https://mindmatters.ai/2021/02/yes-there-really-is-a-war-on-math-in-our-schools/

What about absolute moral truth? The Barna Research Group is a very well respected polling organization who specialize in taking the pulse of Christianity and the impact of religion in America. Recent studies they have conducted have some startling results we must pay attention to.

64% of adults say that truth is relative to each person and their unique situation. This rises to 83% of teens who believe that moral truth depends upon the circumstances. 

The false belief that there is no absolute truth has been propagated by some educators for more than 30 years. This is why I emphasize that all parents must learn what the schools are teaching to their children, from Kindergarten through college. 

Why? Because often you will discover that the education establishment may be undermining the character and values you are attempting to build into your children, with regard to God and the Bible. You may find that educators are telling your children to question everything that their parents have taught them and to discard that which they do not agree with. 

Do not let leftists educators corrupt or pollute the minds of your children. This is a vital part of training them up in the way that they should go, the way that leads to God's truth and salvation through Christ. Parents must find out what is being taught and what credentials or philosophies the teachers & professors have. If you discover that in your school, some educators are teaching leftist trash, then find another school for your kids, home school them, or seek out a Christian school. 

Truth Begins With God.

Titus 1:1-3 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2) In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; 3) But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

Notice how Paul began his letter to Titus. He established his credentials as an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the calling of God upon his life. He is contending for the truth that God gave, powerful, life changing truth connected to our hope of eternal life through the saving work of Jesus Christ, that God promised before the world was created. 

Then Paul tells us that God cannot lie. Why? Because He is the LORD God of truth. The writer of Hebrews tells us most emphatically that "it is impossible for God to lie" (Hebrews 6:18). Think about this for a moment. God cannot lie because it is impossible for Him to lie. God is truth. Truth is an inseparable part of His being. 

Anchored to the LORD God of truth.

Psalm 31:5-8   Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. 6) I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD. ⁷⁾ I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities; ⁸⁾ And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room. 

David used a name of God found only once in the entire Bible. It is the name "Jehovah El Emeth" and it is translated "LORD God of Truth." This Divine Name reminds us that truth is woven into who God is at His core being. Thus, when He speaks, it is authoritative because He speaks  only truth.

David reflected on the goodness of God in saving him from destruction. He looked back to the time he committed himself to the Lord and thought about the grace of God that redeemed him. He remembered when he made his commitment to God. He remembered the saving work of God on his behalf and how he was transformed from the inside out.

 David's soul became anchored to God and I think this is why the name Jehovah El Emeth is used in this text. 

God is the source of absolute truth.

Recall that the name Jehovah teaches us that God is the self existent God; the unchanging God; the covenant and promise keeping God; the God of lovingkindness; the God who will always keep His Word. This wonderful name of Jehovah is resplendent in all its glorious meaning and it reminds us that He is the God of truth.

Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

This Psalm teaches us that there is only one source of absolute truth and that source is Jehovah El Emeth. This means that all of His wonderful word is perfectly true and accurate. It means that when Jehovah says He will do something for us, He will do what He said He would do. David is fully trusting in this wonderful God, Jehovah El Emeth, who is the source of all truth and the standard of truth. 

Jehovah El Emeth is a name that means God has spelled out what is true and what is false. He established an unchanging standard of truth and morality as revealed in His word. It cannot be changed because God decreed it. It can be ignored for a while as we pass through this life, but when we pass away, we will be judged by this perfect, eternal standard of truth.

It is also interesting to note that the word "emeth" is also a word connected with the lovingkindness of God toward man. It is an act of immense grace and mercy that God gave us His word, so we might learn of Him, and be prepared to meet Him when we die.

Because David is anchored to the LORD God of truth, Jehovah El Emeth and His word, David's thinking has been renewed by His truth. Paul also teaches us that we need to have our minds renewed and our thinking brought into alignment with God's Word (Romans 12:1-2; Colossians 3:16).

God hates lying vanities. Vanities are those empty, foolish things that consume our time & resources. Lying vanities include things like the cancel culture, critical race theory, rejection of absolute truth and other cancerous philosophizing that threatens to destroy our nation.

Our culture relentlessly pursues them. It seems people are bent on sampling as many different immoral sensual experiences as they can. Yet, when the latest experience is over, each person still has an empty feeling inside.

Eminent mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, was a contemporary of Descartes, Hobbes and Galileo. He left us a very insightful observation of the state of our souls. He shows us why doing every possible thing that this life offers, still leaves our soul parched and empty.

Pascal said that “There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing, but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.”

True joy, true happiness, true purpose and true love is realized only when we experience Jehovah El Emeth, the LORD God of truth.

God's Truth will impact our lives.

John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

A right view about absolute truth must begin with God. He is the sole source of truth. This is important because it is how God described Himself. He is the LORD God of Truth. When Christ speaks, He speaks as God with authority and power. God's truth will set us free from the mental enslavement of things like the cancel culture. His truth shows us the way of salvation and the path to eternal life. 

The Certainty of God's Truth

Psalms 119:89 "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."     

The Hebrew word translated “settled” means to be stationed in a firm, upright position like being at attention. It carries the idea of being erect, fixed, and resolute much like an essential massive support beam.  This is how God’s word is described by the Psalmist. Scripture is immovable and securely planted by God in heaven. 

What God said will not change and His Word cannot be voided about throughout eternity. Man may attempt to change or distort what God says but what God says will always stand true and unaltered. His decrees will come to pass as recorded. This is the simple message from the longest Psalm that focuses exclusively on the sufficiency of the scriptures.

God gave us His Word to reveal Himself to man. He desires to have a personal, dynamic relationship with each of us, through repentance and faith in Christ. 

Proverbs 22:20-21  Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 21)  That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee? 

King Solomon tells us the importance of God communicating His truth to us. Divine truth is full of excellent knowledge for us to learn, to apply and to be shaped by. It is full of counsel from God that will always guide us into the right path and the right direction. 

Truth from God is so good that King Solomon diligently attempted to teach it to his sons so that they could live a full life made better by the  blessing of God for living right. This truth is certain which means it is as secure and authoritative as God is.

The Eternality of God's Truth

Matthew 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 

The Lord Jesus Christ used a simple but profound illustration to illustrate the eternal nature of scripture when He stressed that not even a jot or a tittle could pass away. The miniscule “jot” pictured within this bracket [י] is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, and the “tittle” is that tiny point or spur on the upper left part of the jot. 

The idiomatic expression of crossing our “t”s and dotting our “i”s, springs directly from this illustration of the Hebrew jot and tittle. The idiom speaks of someone who pays attention to all of the details so that a task is properly completed.  Christ used a small Hebrew letter and a minuscule punctuation mark to emphatically illustrate His point, which is if even a jot or tittle cannot pass away then the entirety of scripture is eternally secure.

Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.   

Our Lord Jesus echoed what the Psalmist said about the eternal nature of God's truth. Heaven and earth will pass away at the conclusion of the End Times, as we previously studied. However, the Word of God will abide forever. 

The Standard of God's Truth.

Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. 

John 12:48  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 

We are accountable to God for His Word. The  gospel of Jesus Christ has been preached in the world for almost 2,000 years and many Christians have been faithful witnesses, telling others about sin and their need to be born again. Jesus brings the divine nature of scripture into sharp focus. If anyone is ashamed of His Word, then Christ will be ashamed of them in the day of judgment and that person will be condemned at judgment day.

Thoughts to Ponder...

The battle over absolute truth has always been about God's truth and what God says in his Word. This battle began in Genesis 3 when Satan, the father of lies, attacked what God said to Adam and Eve. 

The battle will continue until the End Times and the great and terrible Day of the LORD. 

The question is, where will we stand when our culture threatens to destroy civilization as we know it? The Reformers show us a way forward. The word "alone" in the reformation principles does not mean by ourselves. It means we live depending upon God alone, and not dependent upon self will or self efforts. 

We live by faith alone. 

We live by scripture alone.

We live by grace alone.

We live for Christ alone.

We live for the glory of God alone.   

We must gird our loins with God's truth so we can be used by God to serve Him during this dark day of cultural implosion. 

Praise God that He gave us His truth to carry us through the storms of life.

Bob