Truth is the foundation for everything.
My seminary degree was in “moral development” and I discovered that every survey asking about ethical and moral issues puts “truth” at the top of the list. In fact, “philosophy” is the combination of two Greek words — “philo” meaning love and “sophia” meaning truth.
And there are people who capitalize the truth and worship “Sophia” as a goddess.
But history paints a different picture of philosophers and their love of the truth. Plato disagreed with Socrates, who was his teacher. Aristotle disagreed with Plato, who was his teacher.
Hegel disagreed with Aristotle and Nietzsche disagreed with Hegel, leaving the unanswered question, “What is truth?”
Until finally, Pilate asked Jesus in John 18: 38, “What is truth?” Then he walked out and told the Jews, “I find no guilt in him.”
Jesus had already answered Pilate’s question in John.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
— John 14: 6
So, we call the Bible the “written Word of God” and we call Jesus the “living Word of God” — the truth!
For 2,000-plus years, the church (the theme of Ephesians) has been seeking the truth, but like the ebb and flow of the tides, the church’s version of the truth has changed over time. Ephesians 4 in the early church was a blueprint for spiritual growth.
Later, in the medieval church it was used to establish a clerical hierarchy of apostles and bishops and priests. Then during the reformation it emphasized spiritual unity over institutional conformity.
Now it’s a guide to spiritual gifts and growth toward spiritual maturity. With the Bible as our guide, we’ll always come back to the truth!
“You are joined together with peace through the Spirit. Do all you can to continue as you are, letting peace hold you together. There is one body and one Spirit, and God chose you to have one hope. There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. There is one God and Father of us all, who rules over everyone. He works through all of us and in all of us.”
— Ephesians 4: 3-6
Maybe you remember the temple renovations in the 18th year of Josiah’s reign. Hilkiah, the high priest, discovered a scroll of the Law, likely a part of Deuteronomy, and read it to Josiah who was deeply convicted and tore his clothes as an act of personal and national repentance.
Maybe it’s time for all of us to “rediscover” the written Word of God, the truth, leading us to “re-discover” the living Word of God — Jesus who is himself the truth!
Charles “Buddy” Whatley is a retired United Methodist pastor serving Dawson Street Methodist Church in Thomasville, Ga. He and wife, Mary Ella, are missionaries to the Navajo Reservation.
