To be honest, truth has been a tricky concept for me. I don’t mean when it comes to the validity of the words that come out of my mouth, but in a broader concept. How do we know what is truth versus deception? So many things appear true at first; but upon further research, I have found many things I once thought were true, were not true.
Living in this world where we know the Father of lies exist, can make it tricky to discern truth over fiction. You see, in my heart I want nothing more than to know and adhere to truth. There are many obstacles to this path of truth. Ultimately it is the enemy’s goal to deceive us and lead us down the path of lies, which leads to destruction.
The other thing that often brings me confusion is how we all think and interpret things differently. We all really are the sum of our personal experiences. Our personal experiences help pave the way for the formation of our understanding. How many times have you run into a wall while discussing something with someone else? I believe in each of our own uniqueness, the same thing can be looked at in a myriad of ways.
Let’s take swimming in a river for an example. For some it would be delightful to swim in the crystal clear, fresh smelling river. For others they may think of it as a smelly polluted mess, and others may be worried about dangerous life-taking predators. There are so many variables that play in our minds and elicit an instinctual response.
For many who have experienced a trauma, something harmless to one person, may trigger stress or even worse with someone else. We as humans are quite diversified within our vast experiences. Keeping all of this in mind, one may ask how any one person could come to any absolute truth or have perfect understanding? The only thing I can see for sure is many disagreements happening repeatedly. Even if we agree to disagree over the non-pertinent things. What of the things that could affect our soul’s eternity or the health and well-being of our bodies?
It seems to me, in today’s world, there always seems to be an agenda. This agenda is not always, or should I say is rarely something that would have positive results for the rest of population. I see agenda’s as something that benefits those with the agenda and harmful to everyone else. I feel we are in a world exposed to multiple agendas. Those who have agenda’s I believe, do everything and anything to convince those non-beneficiaries that their agenda will benefit them. This is a big lie and a big problem. I’ve been seeing an increase of narcissistic tendencies and therefore an increase in self-seeking agendas these days.
This concept has been quite perplexing for me. As a result, I began to search the scriptures to see what kind of answers I could find. There is one thing for certain, truth is valuable, sought after and pertinent to our survival. Here is what I found.
Scripture has many things to say about truth. I will begin John. According to John, knowing truth gives us freedom.
John 8:32 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
<https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A32&version=NASB>
It also gives us guidance and has been referred to as a spirit. It is referred to as the “spirit of truth”.
John 16:13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
<https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16%3A13&version=NASB>
John 14:17 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
<https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A17&version=NASB>
1 John 4:6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
<https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A6&version=NASB>
The Old Testament suggests that we delight in truth. In Psalms 43:3 we are told that God’s light and truth if allowed, will lead us to His holy hill and to His dwelling place. Psalms 15:2-3 mentions that a blameless person will speak truth in his heart. We are also told to speak truth to one-another (Zech 8:16).
Psalm 51:6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
6 Behold, You desire truth in the [a]innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
<https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalms+51%3A6&version=NASB>
In Colossians 1:5 we are told that the word of truth is the gospel, and Ephesians tells us that truth is in Jesus.
Ephesians 4:21 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,
<https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A21&version=NASB>
I Peter 1:22-23 tells us that if we are obedient to truth that our souls will be purified.
1 Peter 1:22-23 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a [a]sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from [b]the heart, 23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
<https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+peter+1%3A22-23&version=NASB>
In 2 John 2:27 it tells us that the anointing we receive from Him abides in us and will teach us truth, we have no need for others to teach us.
2 John 2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
2 for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:
<https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+john+2%3A27&version=NASB>
These scriptures were enlightening, but I still struggle with questions and sometimes lack confidence in what I am hearing, as to whether it is the Holy Spirit or some other spirit. It also seems that words, prophecies, dreams and visions can have multiple applications as well as the free will of mankind. These all play a role when it comes to understanding truth.
Finally, I came across a passage from the Gospel of the Holy 12, a pseudepigraphal ancient writing. I was amazed at the wisdom found within this writing. In summary chapter 90 begins by acknowledging that the only absolute truth is in God alone. It also stated that truth is revealed to men according to their capacity to understand and receive the truths. It mentions how a crystal is one object with many faces. It discussed how light will reflect differently through each face. It will reflect one ray of light from each face, even though it is one crystal with one light source. It also says attaining truth is like climbing a mountain. Just when you think you are at the top; you see there is more to go. This can happen multiple times as you can’t always see the top until you get there.
I wanted to share A large part of this passage with you here.
THE GOSPEL OP THE HOLY TWELVE 90:6-10
6. So it is with Truth. I am the Truth and the Way and the Life, and have given to you the Truth I have received from above. And that which is seen and received by one, is not seen and received by another. That which appeareth true to some, seemeth not true to others. They who are in the valley see not as they who are on the hilltop. 7. But to each, it is the Truth as the one mind seeth it, and for that time, till a higher Truth shall be revealed unto the same: and to the soul which receiveth higher light, shall be given lighter. Wherefore condemn not others, that ye be not condemned. 8. As ye keep the holy Law of Love, which I have given urto you, so shall the Truth be revealed more and more unto you, and the Spirit of Truth which cometh from above shall guide you, albeit through many wanderings, into all Truth, even as the fiery cloud guided the children of Israel through the wilderness. 9. Be faithful to the light ye have, till a higherlight is given to you. Seek lighter, and ye shall have abundantly; rest not, till ye find. 10. God giveth ·you all Truth, as a ladder with many steps, for the salvation and perfection of the soul, and the truth which seemeth today, ye will abandon for the higher truth of the morrow. Press ye unto Perfection.
It ends with a reminder that without love, everything else is rendered dead. We must be responsible with the truth and understanding what we have been given. We must not judge those who have received less than us and we should not judge or condemn those who have received more than us.
Ultimately truth is only found in Father and given to us from Him according to what He sees as fit for each one of us. We are all unique and we are all given unique insights.
I see it like this, there is a massive puzzle being put together. Each of us are given a piece or even many pieces. We need to come together with others bringing our unique pieces and fitting them together to formulate an even bigger part of the puzzle. If we demand that all the pieces should look the same to be true, then we will never be able to work with others to complete more of the puzzle. I have never seen a puzzle in which all the pieces were the same shape and the same image. In my experience some puzzle pieces may have the same shape as a few others, but not all and they most often have different images on them. Sometimes you have the same color, but a different shape. I think it is cool how we are all given different bits that can be put together to form a bigger picture or a bigger understanding. If we could truly master this concept there would be a lot fewer conflicts. There would be however, a whole lot more powerfully informed people, as long as it was existing within the framework of love and kindness.
What a fantastic sketch of how life could be without distortion and deception. You see when love is the foundation, then there are no self-seeking agenda hungry people. There are only people who want to grasp the unique to other’s concepts and eager to share their own unique insights. Within this sort of mindset, peace would soar!! How amazing would that be?
http://www.iapsop.com/ssoc/1954__ouseley___the_gospel_of_the_holy_twelve.pdf