Although truth means everything that is true, and therefore not a lie, in the Holy Scriptures truth has a deeper meaning, which is revealed to us by God in his word. There are numerous biblical quotations on the subject. And although the word truth is often taken to mean what is generally true, truth means something more. In its narrow and particular sense, it is almost always mentioned together with justice. We'll talk about this later. Now let's talk about “God's Truth”.

Jesus said: "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Jn 8:32. Even though Jesus is “The Truth”, it is translated into something, just as Scripture says that God is love, and this love is also translated into something not material, but spiritual; not a feeling, but an attitude.

When Pilate questioned Jesus, he asked him: "What is truth?" Jesus didn't answer him in that particular. Pilate certainly wasn't in a position to understand that. So there was no point in casting pearls before swine.

But Jesus had already spoken about it when he said: "I am the way, the truth and the life." Jn 14:6.


Just as God is love, and God's love is the keeping of his commandments, so he is “The Truth”, which are his commandments. This is very evident in the Scriptures, which say: “All your commandments are truth...” Ps. 119:86, p.parte. And: “You are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are truth.” Ps. 119:151. Or: “God is truth and there is no unrighteousness in him.” Deut. 32:4. And again: “But the Lord God is truth.” Jer. 10:10.

Mathematically speaking, if “a” equals “b”, then ‘b’ equals “a”. So, if Scripture says that God's commandments are “the truth”, then “the truth” is “God's commandments”.

A Scripture says: "Your word is truth. Jesus is the word of God, the word of action. And therefore he is The Truth. And since he is the word of God, it is through him that the word has been proclaimed since ancient times. It was he who gave the commandments at Sinai, and the commandments are his. That's why he says: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Jn 14:15. And: “He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.” V. 2l, p.parte. And since God's commandments are “The Truth”, the Scriptures tell us about their duration, see:

“His truth extends from generation to generation.” Ps. 100:5, only part. And: “The truth of the Lord is forever.” Ps. 117:2, only part.

“Although the truth is the commandments of the Lord, the scripture is more emphatic when it calls it the truth of the Lord, distinguishing it from generic truth.”

Since the Lord's commandments are also called His Law, the psalmist says of it: “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth.” Ps. 119:142.

The definite article before the word truth gives it its own identity, to distinguish it from truth in the generic sense of not lying.

According to Portuguese grammar, the definite article serves to precisely determine the noun. Although the word truth is a noun, when it is used after the definite article, it becomes a qualifying adjective, serving to designate more than truthfulness, a quality of God, according to the case we are dealing with, and which it refers to and represents: his commandments.

When we say “John”, we're not talking about just any John, but someone we know who he is, regardless of whether our interlocutor knows him. But from the context or our previous quote, we can tell who we're talking about.

God's Law or Commandments represent God's integrity and his will for us. In other words, that we share in his righteous nature by practicing his righteousness. This is why the apostle John says: "Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous." I Jn 3:7.

Let's look at these quotes from Scripture:

God is truth. Jn 14:6.

God is light. 1 Jn 1:5.

God is the way. Jn 14:6.

God is life. Jn 14:6.

God is love. 1 Jn 4:8.

God is just. I Jn 3:7, only part.

So, since his commandments or Law are the truth, let's put the above quotes in comparative order, and then check them against the scriptures.

Truth equals light; it equals the way; it equals life; it equals love; it equals justice; it equals Jesus.

So whoever obeys the truth has the light and is in the light; he is on the path of life; he loves God, he practices justice; and therefore he is righteous; he is in Jesus (God), and God (Jesus) is in him. For Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Jn 14:6, p.parte.

“Whoever keeps his commandments is in God, and God is in him.” I Jn 3:24, p.parte. “Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 Jn 4:8. “And this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” 1 Jn 5:3. "Do you want to enter into life? Keep the commandments." Mt 19:17. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Jn 14:15. Jn 14:15. “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.” Jn 15:10. “He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.” Jn 14:21, p.parte.

According to Scripture, ungodliness is transgression of God's Law. See:

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. For what may be known of God is manifest in them, because God has manifested it to them. For his invisible things, since the creation of the world, both his eternal power and his divinity, are understood and clearly seen by the things that are created, so that they are without excuse; because, having known God, they did not glorify him as God, nor give thanks to him, but in their speeches they faded away, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Calling themselves wise, they became fools. And they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to the lusts of their hearts, to uncleanness, to dishonor their bodies among themselves; for they changed the truth of God into a lie, and honored and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." Romans 1:18-25.

Let's note that this wickedness mentioned there is practiced by men who have known God. These men have changed the “truth of God”, his commandments, into a lie, and have stopped the “truth” in unrighteousness. Rom. 1:18, part one and 25, part two. In this quotation, Scripture speaks of the worship of images of creatures: men, birds, quadrupeds and reptiles, verse 23, which is a transgression of the divine decalogue.

Such men have changed God's truth into a lie. And of this John says: “He who says I know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and he is not with the truth.” I Jn 2:4.

The word of the Lord, spoken by the prophet Hosea, says: "Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, no kindness, no knowledge of God in the land. Only perjury and murder and lying and theft and adultery prevail, and there is murder upon murder." Hos. 4:1 and 2.

There is no truth, no Law of God, and no knowledge of God, no keeping of his commandments, on earth.

And when the Lord speaks to the children of Israel, one should not think that he is referring to the nominal Israel of Palestine, but to Israel his people.  This is implicit in Psalm 50. Looking at it closely, we see that there the Lord speaks of an Israel from which he did not demand sacrifices. In that same psalm, where he speaks of judgment, he says that the heavens will announce his justice (his Law or Commandments).

These commandments, His Justice and Truth, will be the basis of the judgment of His people, for they are the belt of their kidneys. Is. 11:5. Justice and judgment are the basis of his throne. Ps. 97:2.

God, speaking through the prophet Malachi, gives a stern warning to the priests, saying: "And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. If you will not hear it, and if you will not lay it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; and I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your feasts, and you shall be taken away with it. Then you shall know that I have sent you this commandment, that my covenant may be with Levi, says the Lord of hosts. My covenant with him was life and peace, and I gave it to him that he might fear me, and he feared me, and was astonished at my name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips; he walked with me in peace and uprightness, and separated many from iniquity. For the priest's lips shall keep knowledge, and his mouth shall seek the law; for he is an angel of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way, you have caused many to stumble at the Law; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts. Therefore I also have made you contemptible and unworthy in the sight of all the people, because you have not kept my ways, but have been partial to people in the law." Mal. 2:1-9.

Let's look at the reason for this: you have caused many to stumble in the law, and you have shown respect for persons in the law. When does this happen? When the priests say that it is no longer necessary to keep the Law of Commandments; that it was only for the people of Israel, referring to the Israel of Palestine.

That's why the Lord speaks through the prophet: “Speak the truth every man to his companion.” Zech. 8:16.

This truth, constituted by the Son, the righteous judge, serves as protection, for it is a shield and a buckler. Psalm 91:4. This is why the Holy Spirit inspired the apostle to say: "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand fast therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness." Eph 6:13 and 14.

And this work of the Holy Spirit was foreshadowed by Jesus when he said: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. Jn 16:13, p.parte. For the Spirit is truth." 1 Jn 5:6.

So whoever does not have this truth does not have the Spirit of God, and therefore is not of Him. For Jesus said: “He who is of God hears the words of God.” Furthermore, the fruit of the Spirit is in all truth. Eph 5:9. That's why the apostle Peter says: “Be grounded in the truth.” II Pet. 1:2.

And this work has the objective of fulfilling what the apostle inspiringly recommends to us: “And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all, apt to teach, long-suffering; instructing with gentleness those who resist, to see if perhaps God will give them repentance to know the truth, and to awake again, loosed from the bonds of the devil, wherein they are held in his will.” II Tim. 2:24-26. For we are already living in the evil days of which the apostle speaks there, in which men will be contrary to sound doctrine, see:

"But know this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For there shall be men lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, irreconcilable, slanderers, proud, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Stay away from them. For of this sort are they that creep into houses, and lead captive foolish women laden with sins, carried away with divers lusts; which always learn, and never come to the knowledge of the truth." II Tim. 3:1-7.

As if that weren't enough, the apostle says: "That we be no more children, tossed to and fro by every windy doctrine, by the deceitfulness of men, who by craftiness deceive through deceit. But following the truth in charity, let us grow up in all things into Him who is the head, even Christ." Eph. 4:14 and 15.

Truth is the commandments of Jesus, our Savior, King and Lord, and love is the keeping of those commandments. For the apostle John tells us: "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome." 1 Jn 5:3.

The same apostle also says: "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." I Jn 3:18 and 19.

For those who want to know the truth, what we have said is enough, although there are many more proofs of its perenniality.

Oli Prestes
Missionary

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