Tuesday Truth #1

“All truth is God’s truth” - John Calvin

Welcome to the first Tuesday Truth from Transformed Apologetics! What is Tuesday Truth? Tuesday Truth is a weekly post that involves information related to the subject of truth. So, what is this weeks Tuesday Truth?

Since its the first Tuesday Truth, I thought it would be good to start with the John Calvin quote on truth that states that “all truth is God’s truth.” I believe this quote provides a proper introduction to subject of truth in Christian apologetics and serves as a springboard for later Tuesday Truths down the road. The relationship between God and the concept of truth is critical in Christian apologetics because everything (whether it’s science, theology, morality, or anything else) hinges on this connection. Why is this the case?

Without God, truth would cease to exist and would have never existed in the first place. This is because without God there would be no absolute standard for truth to exist upon. Truth can only be absolute and truth must exist upon something that is absolute. Truth cannot exist unless it is in relation to something absolute, which can only be the absolute God of the universe. As the apostle Paul says in the letter Colossians, “For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together” (Colossians‬ ‭1:16-17‬, CSB‬). This means that everything exists because of God and nothing can exist apart from God, even truth. Therefore, the very nature of truth rests upon the nature God, for truth derives it’s existence from Him. The Bible makes this clear in the Gospel of John where Jesus says “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John‬ ‭14:6‬, ‭CSB). ‬‬God is the truth, which means that all things that are true derive from His nature and being. Hence, without God truth would be as C.S Lewis puts it, “a word without meaning.”

The early church father Augustine stated in his book entitled On Christian Teachings that “a person who is a good and true Christian should realize that truth belongs to His Lord, wherever it is found, gathering and acknowledging it even in pagan literature...” Augustines calls on us to recognize the doctrine of common truth, which is that truth can be know of, spoken about, and lived out by someone who does not know or believe in God. I should point out that although someone who does not know or believe in God can know of, speak about, or live out truth this does not save him from sin. Only by knowing (and by knowing I mean the deep, permeating knowledge that takes hold of every fiber of your being, also known as FAITH) the truth that God sent His Son to die for your sins and that by asking for His forgiveness in the name of Jesus you can be set free from the condemnation of sin and death and live forever in the all-satisfying presence of God. As the Bible says “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” and “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus”‭‭ ‭‭(John‬ ‭8:32‬, CSB; Romans‬ ‭8:1‬, CSB‬‬).

One final remark. I should clarify that just because something exists does not mean it’s true. As C.S Lewis said, “Everything is good when in looks God and bad when it turns from Him.” Since we live in a fallen world cursed by sin and death, the good things that God has created have been twisted by sin. Truth is no exception, and truth is the primary thing that the devil desires to twist. The twisting of the truth by the devil is what lead Adam and Eve to sin in the Garden of Eden and it has lead man to sin ever since. What shall we do about this dilemma?

It is here we recognize that we must turn to our source of truth, which is the Word of God brought forth in the Bible. In its two testaments and sixty-six books chronicling one story about God and His plan to save humanity is the truth we need in a world of lies. For as the book of Psalms says, “Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” (Psalms‬ ‭119:105‬, CSB‬‬). The Truth, which is God Himself, is recorded in the Bible and serves as light for our hearts and minds in a dark world. Therefore, we should continually draw upon His Word for guidance, so we can know the truth and live freely in the joy of the Lord.