“Your Truth,” Or “The Truth”?

“I’m just living my truth,” is a phrase we frequently hear in today’s culture.

Sometimes we hear it on TV shows, during interviews, and on so-called reality shows. I’ve had conversions with young people who inform me regarding a religious or spiritual issue what is “their truth.”

They say, “That’s your truth. This is my truth.”

A recent survey by Summit Ministries found “The number of Americans who say there is no absolute truth is alarmingly high. But among young adults, we have now officially passed the tipping point. The majority of youth now say that each person determines their own version of truth,” said Dr. Jeff Myers, President of Summit.org and the author of the new book Truth Changes Everything.

Myers further offered this sobering conclusion. “The loss of truth has grave consequences for community, justice, a sense of purpose, and mental health. I’m not aware of any civilization that has abandoned reality to this extent and survived.”

“Living my truth” is based on external circumstances, subjective experiences, and societal influences that may change over time. Thus, for such a person truth can never be absolute. This philosophy shapes one’s world view, their attitudes and actions, and certainly their religious beliefs.

Jesus offered quite a different view when he proclaimed, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8:32). Not “my truth.” Not “your truth.” But, “the truth.”

Often Jesus began His teaching with the affirmation, “I tell you the Truth.” The apostle John writes that “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1:17). He is the Divine expression of Truth. The incarnation of Truth. And the embodiment of Truth.

In the shadow of the cross, Jesus promised the apostles that He would send the Holy Spirit who would guide them “into all truth” (Jn. 16:13). The apostle Paul wrote that “the word of truth’ is “the gospel of your salvation” (Eph. 1:13). He further advised that it was indeed revealed via the Holy Spirit, and written down in concise, understandable language that we can comprehend (Eph. 3:3-5).

Too often in search of “their truth” people isolate one Bible passage to the exclusion of all others. This may lead us to a conclusion we desire, but it won’t lead us to God’s truth. King David reminds us that “The entirety of (God’s) word is truth (Ps. 119:160). This requires serious study, diligent examination and honest application on our part (2 Tim. 2:15).

“The truth of the gospel” (Col. 1:5) will reveal to us…

…who God is.
…why Jesus came to earth.
…what the Holy Spirit did and is doing for us.
…the seriousness of sin.
…the church Jesus promised to establish.
…what I must do to be saved.
…how to overcome temptation.
…our spiritual blessings in Christ.
…everything that pertains to life and godliness.
…the eternal destiny of all Believers.
…the unchanging nature of truth.

Writer and Life Coach, Erin Kerry, expressed the importance of “our truth” aligning with “the truth” this way. “While the truth of who we are is so often determined by the external influences in our lives, we must ensure that our external influences line up with the unshaken, unwavering truth found in Jesus Christ. When we place our foundation in the truth of his gospel and when we live our lives in light of the never-changing nature of God, then we are truly able to know and live our truth.”

May our prayer be the plea of the Psalmist, “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation” (Ps. 25:5).

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman