1. What is truth? John 18:37-38; 8:31-32
John 18:37-38 – Pilate asks a universal question.
Christians have to walk in truth – Ephesians 4:17-24; 6:14
It is very important to know what truth is.

2. John 8:31-32
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

3. What is the truth? A. Christ’s word.
John 8:31-32; 1:14, 17; 14:6; 8:40, 17:17

4. John 8:31-32
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

5. John 1:14, 17
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

6. John 14:6
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

7. John 8:40, 17:17
8:40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

8. What is the truth? A. Christ’s word. B. Apostolic Doctrine.
John 8:31-32; 1:14, 17; 14:6; 8:40, 17:17
John 8:42-47
B. Apostolic Doctrine.
1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 10, 12-13; 15:1-4
1 Thessalonians 2:13

9. 1 Thessalonians 2:13
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

10. Truth is objective, not subjective.
Objective – not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts. Subjective – existing in the mind; belonging to the thinking subject rather than to the object of thought; placing excessive emphasis on one's own moods, attitudes, opinions, etc.
Objective
Podium is brown. It will continue to be brown no matter what we think.
Subjective
Veil the podium. Bring someone in who has not seen it already. Tell them it is red, they have the conviction that it is red.

11. Truth is objective, not subjective.
Truth – a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, or principle.
Objective – based on facts.
Subjective – based on moods, attitudes, opinions.
John 8:14-18 – God verifies Jesus’ word as fact.
Truth – a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, or principle.
Whatever Jesus tells us is indisputable fact.
There is no discussion. He said it and it is unable to change.
John 8:14-18 – God verifies Jesus’ word as fact.

12. Truth is objective, not subjective.
“Truth is subjective.”
Contradictory
No correct interpretation?
Who determines the correct interpretation?
2 Peter 1:20-21
To say truth is subjective would be a contradictory statement because the statement itself is objective. (What is being said is that truth is always subjective. Which means that statement is true and is objective.)
Denominations agree to disagree claiming there is no correct interpretation of the truth.
They say the Bible can be interpreted in various ways. Who gets to say what interpretation is correct? – 2 Peter 1:20-21
We can’t know exactly what Jesus means. In other words, we can’t know the truth. So we can’t be set free?! How absurd!

13. 2 Peter 1:20-21
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

14. Truth is objective, not subjective.
“Truth is subjective.”
Contradictory
No correct interpretation?
Who determines the correct interpretation?
2 Peter 1:20-21
We can’t know exactly what Jesus means?
That’s absurd!
To say truth is subjective would be a contradictory statement because the statement itself is objective. (What is being said is that truth is always subjective. Which means that statement is true and is objective.)
Denominations agree to disagree claiming there is no correct interpretation of the truth.
They say the Bible can be interpreted in various ways. Who gets to say what interpretation is correct? – 2 Peter 1:20-21
We can’t know exactly what Jesus means. In other words, we can’t know the truth. So we can’t be set free?! How absurd!

15. The truth does not change.
A. Biblical Examples
Pilate – John 18:37-38
Pilate – John 18:37-38
He wasn’t looking for an answer. He immediately went out after asking.
Pilate didn’t believe there was an answer to the question.
Jews who crucified Christ – John 19:13-16
They didn’t believe He was who He said He was.
This didn’t change that what He claimed was truth.
Peter brought this to their attention – Acts 2:36-37
Agrippa – Acts 26:24-29
Agrippa knew the truth but refused to follow it.
He chose a different path.
However, it does not change the truth.

16. John 18:37-38
Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all.”

17. The truth does not change.
A. Biblical Examples
Pilate – John 18:37-38
Wasn’t looking for an answer.
Believed there was no answer.
Jews who crucified Christ – John 19:13-16
Pilate – John 18:37-38
He wasn’t looking for an answer. He immediately went out after asking.
Pilate didn’t believe there was an answer to the question.
Jews who crucified Christ – John 19:13-16
They didn’t believe He was who He said He was.
This didn’t change that what He claimed was truth.
Peter brought this to their attention – Acts 2:36-37
Agrippa – Acts 26:24-29
Agrippa knew the truth but refused to follow it.
He chose a different path.
However, it does not change the truth.

18. John 19:13-16
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold your King!” 15 But they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar!” 16 Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away.

19. The truth does not change.
A. Biblical Examples
Pilate – John 18:37-38
Wasn’t looking for an answer.
Believed there was no answer.
Jews who crucified Christ – John 19:13-16
They didn’t believe He was who He said He was.
It was still the truth.
Peter brought this to their attention – Acts 2:36-37
Pilate – John 18:37-38
He wasn’t looking for an answer. He immediately went out after asking.
Pilate didn’t believe there was an answer to the question.
Jews who crucified Christ – John 19:13-16
They didn’t believe He was who He said He was.
This didn’t change that what He claimed was truth.
Peter brought this to their attention – Acts 2:36-37
Agrippa – Acts 26:24-29
Agrippa knew the truth but refused to follow it.
He chose a different path.
However, it does not change the truth.

20. Acts 2:36-37
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

21. The truth does not change.
A. Biblical Examples
Pilate – John 18:37-38
Wasn’t looking for an answer.
Believed there was no answer.
Jews who crucified Christ – John 19:13-16
They didn’t believe He was who He said He was.
It was still the truth.
Peter brought this to their attention – Acts 2:36-37
Agrippa – Acts 26:24-29
Agrippa knew the truth but refused to follow it.
However, it does not change the truth.
Pilate – John 18:37-38
He wasn’t looking for an answer. He immediately went out after asking.
Pilate didn’t believe there was an answer to the question.
Jews who crucified Christ – John 19:13-16
They didn’t believe He was who He said He was.
This didn’t change that what He claimed was truth.
Peter brought this to their attention – Acts 2:36-37
Agrippa – Acts 26:24-29
Agrippa knew the truth but refused to follow it.
He chose a different path.
However, it does not change the truth.

22. The truth does not change.
B. World Example
Law of Gravity.
What if that is not the truth to me?
Jump off the cliff.
According to the Law of Gravity, if you jump off of a cliff you will fall to the bottom.
To you (subjectively) that may not be true.
However, if you jump off the cliff you will find that, despite your subjective thought, gravity remains truth.

23. Conclusion Jesus says that “the truth shall make us free” (John 8:32).
Free from what?
John 8:33-36
We have to abide in His word to know the truth and be set free.
We can know for sure what the truth is.
Jesus says that “the truth shall make us free” (John 8:32).
Free from what?
John 8:33-36 – Free from sin.
We have to abide in His word to know the truth and be set free.
We can know for sure what to do to be set free from the bondage of sin.