…and their knowledge of the truth…
Summary: When Paul writes about the truth, he is pointing us to the source of all truth, God’s Word.
Paul’s first sentence in his letter to Titus is long. In English, in the NIV, ninety-two words are required to convey his thought. Today, we look at the part of this sentence that deals with the foundational issue for all humans: their knowledge of the truth.
“What is truth?” asks Pilate as he confronts Jesus (John 18:38).
Jesus had said, “In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37)
The knowledge of truth is important. But how do we know what is truth and what is not truth? How do we answer Pilate’s question?
Even though Jesus, the Creator of the world and Author of life (John 1: 1-4) stood before him, Pilate could not recognize truth. Pilate was not on the side of truth. The simple fact is that people who are on the side of truth will recognize it. Jesus says so. I think he knows what he is talking about. Plus, it makes sense.
Think about all the complicated calculations that occur in the human heart. Every decision is a mixture of motives and emotions. Want and need mingle with what is safe and smart. Political expediency is mixed in with a dollop of self-interest. Worry about future needs overshadows the present desire to help others.
Yet, if someone is on the side of truth, they will be looking for the truth. Even if it is hidden by a thousand conflicting needs and emotions.
If Pilate had been on the side of truth, no amount of false accusations would have mattered. The truth would have outweighed them all. Pilate, it appears, was on the side of Pilate. Truth, for him, was a luxury that he could not afford. For the person who is on the side of truth, everything Pilate wanted to preserve is a luxury. His power, position, reputation, control over the population… every one of these things is a luxury. The person on the side of truth knows that without the foundation that truth provides, nothing else lasts.
I suppose it is somewhat ironic that a world that claims to be hungry for truth is so blind to truth. Today we search for truth with particle beam colliders. People claim that there are different kinds of truth. You might have a “personal-truth” that is different than mine. “Political-truth” might be more important to some people than other truths. But is a hyphenated truth really truth? Only for people who are not on the side of truth. People on the side of truth know that you can’t hyphenate it.
Truth is truth. I have puzzled over this topic for years. How do you help someone see the truth if they don’t want to? I think the answer is that you can’t. A person is either on the side of truth, or they are not. Like so many things, it is a choice. A choice that each of us has to make deep inside of us. Nobody can make that choice for us.
When Paul writes that he intends to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, he is speaking to those who are on the side of the truth. Being on the side of truth is another way of saying “God’s elect,” isn’t it? If you are on the side of truth, Paul can help you know the truth better. If you are not on the side of truth, none of what he says will make sense.
And what is truth?
Jesus explains as he prays to his Father, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17) God’s word is truth.
Amen.
Application: Get to know the truth. Spend time in God’s Word every day.
Food for Thought: What does knowledge of the truth do for us?
Knowledge of the truth is knowledge of Christ. It is also more than head knowledge – it is a relational knowledge – to know Christ Himself (Matthew 7: 21 -23; John 14: 6; Philippians 3: 7 – 14).
Rich,
Thank you! You make a great point: relational knowledge is different than head knowledge. In the case of knowing Jesus, we are not limited to head knowledge. In fact, we need the relational knowledge, too. We need to know Jesus!
Knowledge of the truth does a number of things for me, and those people who know and embrace it.
First the truth is found in God’s word, in what is revealed by God, and especially in the person of Jesus Christ. God’s Word is true (Ps. 119:142,151; Eph. 1:13). It is completely trustworthy and reliable.(Ps. 119:86; I Kings 17:17-24) in itself, and as proclaimed and acted upon by God’s representatives. God’s creation reveals the truth of who He is, and His complete power, sovereignty, majesty, and greatness. (Ps 19:1-2).
God’s salvation is true (Ps. 69:13). Christ Jesus is the ultimate embodiment of God’s truth, and His words and deeds are always true and righteous (Matt 14:33, John 1:14,17;3:16-21;5:36-40;14:6;18:37).
Jesus is the Light of the World and His words and deeds testify to the truth that the Father sent Him into the world. He brings and is the only means of salvation (John 8:12-18; 14:6).
My favorite truth is that Knowing and practicing the truth sets us free (John 8:32). We are free from the slavery of the law, and free to love God and practice the royal law by loving our neighbors as ourselves (Rom. 6:12-14. Gal 4:26-28, 5:1, Matt. 12:30-33, Jam. 2:8).
Those who are true sons and daughters have a permanent place in God’s family (John 8:34-35). They make it a practice to to hear and obey what God says (John 8:47).
Those who consistently refuse to hear, follow, or obey Jesus their entire lives are not God’s children, and belong to their father, the devil (John 8:44).
Let us pray, we are praying and doing all we can to see that as many as possible are transferred from the kingdom of darkness to God’s Kingdom of light and become His children by coming into a relationship with Him and gain Eternal life and a place in heaven ( John 1:12-13, 5:24, 14:1-3).
Jeffrey,
I liked your favorite truth — being set free. That is an amazing aspect of knowing God’s Son, Jesus.
What does knowledge of the truth do for us?
Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the light, revealed to us by the Father. Believers in the truth are given life with new hearts which seek to live in Christ. We are set free from the power of sin, blessed with the Spirit of God, the desire and power to seek continued growth according to Gods truths as revealed in His written word. Truth gives strength, stability and clarity of thought allowing us to remain focused on Christ as we walk, standing firmly against the powers of evil in this world.
John 14:6, Matthew 16:17, John 8:32, Ezekiel 36:26, Matthew 5:8
Ron,
“strength, stability and clarity of thought”
What a great gift! What a wonderful benefit of knowing the truth!
Dare I say — So true! 🙂
I believe knowledge of the truth allows me to apply it to my life,..it’s been said that knowledge is useless unless it is applied. So I take the principles and the promises that have been written down for us and apply them to my life,..it certainly takes time to acquire all the little nuggets of gold that have been scattered for us throughout God’s word to us,..but I also believe that all the little nuggets of gold found can be refined to a brick of gold,…then it’s all about how I use this brick of gold to bring God glory in this life He has given me knowledge to live through His word here and in eternity,..
He knows our needs, wants and desires while we are living out the knowledge of His truth here on earth,..Jesus gave us many parables of truth for knowledge to live by,…and by gaining this knowledge we can live out this truth in our lives for others to see,..sure there will many that won’t believe,..but our job is to plant the seed,…so having knowledge of this truth I look for fertile ground to cast the seeds God has given me to cast,..He has said not to cast my pearls before the swine,..why,..because His word has already been trampled into the ground enough as it is,..it needs to be penetrated into the deep parts of the hearts of those that will recieve and believe,..the knowledge of this truth seems to just bounce off the unbelievers heart,..blessed are those that mourn,..there is a knowledge of truth right there,..I will be mourning all those that wouldn’t listen, didn’t listen and wouldn’t believe,..
That’s my answer for today,..thanks guys,..
John,
Thank you! You make a great point. We need to apply the knowledge and truth in God’s Word. Well said!
Wow, this thread lifts me up and helps me so much! thank you brothers!
Danny,
Thank you for stopping in! 🙂
👍🏻