from Israel My Glory, Vol. 62, No. 6
The Foundations of Faith:
God is True and Truth, Part 2
by Renald Showers
The previous article demonstrated
how the Scriptures associate what
is true and truth with God. Those
associations indicate several facts concerning
the God of the Bible. He is ultimate
reality. His revealed existence is a firm,
dependable fact.
He is the only God who
does exist; therefore, He is genuine, or real,
in contrast with all other gods. They are
nonexistent, not real.
Absolute truth is an essential aspect of
God’s nature, and He is the fountainhead
and ultimate source of truth. He will never
deviate from His truth. Every word, every
revelation that God has given to mankind
is true, reliable, and will endure forever.
God demonstrates this fact by keeping
promises He has made and fulfilling
prophecies of future events He has
revealed. The Bible is God’s trustworthy,
reliable book of truth to mankind. All of
God’s works and judgments are done in
accord with truth.
These concepts are emphasized even
more by the biblical associations of true
and/or truth with each of the three
Persons of the triune Godhead.
Associations
With the Father
Associations of true. Jesus called the
Father “the only true God” (Jn. 17:3; see v.
1). He thereby indicated that the Father is
the only “genuine” or “real” God “in contrast
to other gods, who are not real.”1
Jesus said, “There is another that
beareth witness of me; and I know that the
witness which he witnesseth of me is true”
(Jn. 5:32). He thereby asserted that this witness
concerning Him was “dependable.”2
Several New Testament scholars claim
that, in this context, Jesus was referring to
the Father’s witness concerning Him.3
Associations of truth. Jesus declar ed
that the Father shall be and must be worshiped
“in truth” (Jn. 4:23–24). Worship of
the Father must be genuine and must
ascribe to Him worth that corresponds
with the reality of His existence, nature,
character, authority, thoughts, and ways.
James asserted that the Father uses
“the word of truth” to produce regeneration
(the new birth) in people (Jas.
1:17–18). He thereby indicated that the
gospel message concerning the death,
burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ
is a declaration of reality—what actually
happened—not falsehood. Therefore,
the Father uses an absolutely reliable
message to change lives.
The Father commands believers to
walk in truth (2 Jn. 4). He requires
them to live their lives in light of the
reality of His existence and in conformity
with His revealed thoughts
and ways on a daily basis.
Associations
With Jesus Christ
Associations of true. In their attempt to
trap Jesus in His talk, disciples of the
Pharisees and Herodians deceitfully said,
“Master, we know that thou art true” (Mt.
22:16). They thereby claimed that He was a
“truthful” or “honest” person.4
The apostle John stated that Jesus “was
the true Light” (Jn. 1:9). John’s point was
that God’s Son came to the world and
became incarnated in human flesh in
order to be the ultimate revelation of
divine reality to all mankind.5
Jesus made the following claim concerning
Himself: As the one who seeks the
glory of the Father, He “is true, and no
unrighteousness is in him” (Jn. 7:18). He
thereby asserted that He is “truthful,
righteous,” and “honest.”6
The Pharisees asserted that Jesus’ witness
concerning who He was was false.
Jesus insisted that His witness was “true”
(Jn. 8:14). He meant that it was “dependable.”
7 He based that claim on the fact that
He possessed knowledge about Himself
that they did not have.
Jesus declared that His “judgment is
true” (Jn. 8:16), meaning it is “dependable.”
8 Because of His relationship
with the Father, His judgment is in
harmony with Him.9
Many people claimed that “all
things” John the Baptist spoke about
Jesus “were true” (Jn. 10:41).
Jesus said, “I am the true vine” (Jn.
15:1), the “genuine” or “real”10 source
of spiritual life and fruitful ministry in
contrast with false sources.
Jesus also claimed to be “the true
bread from heaven” that the Father
gave (Jn. 6:32). As such, He is the “genuine”
or “real”11 giver of spiritual “life
unto the world” (Jn. 6:33).
The Lord claimed that He “is true”
(Rev. 3:7) and “the Amen, the faithful
and true witness” (Rev. 3:14). He thereby
indicated that He is “dependable” as
a person and as a witness.12
The fact that Jesus is dependable will be
emphasized again at His Second Coming
out of heaven. At that time He will be
called “Faithful and True” (Rev. 19:11).13
Associations of truth. Disciples of the
Pharisees and Herodians deceitfully
said, “Master, we know that thou . . .
teachest the way of God in truth” (Mt.
22:16). They thereby claimed that Jesus
did “indeed” do this.14
A scribe claimed that Jesus made a
statement in accord with “the truth,” or
“reality” (Mk. 12:32).15
The apostle John stated that Jesus
Christ, the incarnated Son of God, was
“full of . . . truth” (Jn. 1:14). Since the
Son of God is absolute deity and since
absolute truth is an essential aspect
of deity, John asserted that Jesus was
the total embodiment of absolute
truth in human flesh. As such, He
could accurately reveal the reality
of God in a manner that mankind
could understand.
John also said, “truth came by Jesus
Christ” (Jn. 1:17). This did not mean
that God had given no truth to
mankind before Christ became incarnated.
God had revealed some truth
through such means as the created universe,
dreams, and prophesied statements
in Old Testament times. But not
until Christ’s incarnation had the total
embodiment of absolute truth been
given to the world.
Because Jesus was the total embodiment
of absolute truth in human
flesh, He could honestly say, “I am . . .
the truth” (Jn. 14:6) and make the following
claim: “To this end was I born,
and for this cause came I into the
world, that I should bear witness unto
the truth” (Jn. 18:37). That witness
involved the revelation of “divine
reality” to mankind.16
Because Jesus was the total embodiment
of absolute truth in human flesh,
Paul could state, “the truth is in Jesus”
(Eph. 4:21). Paul meant “the very truth of
God, truth itself resides in Him.”17
Jesus claimed He told “the truth,” what
corresponded to reality (Jn. 8:40, 45; 16:7).
Jesus indicated that John the Baptist’s
testimony concerning Him was a “witness
unto the truth” (Jn. 5:33). It substantiated
the truthfulness of Jesus’
claims about Himself.
Paul declared that Jesus “was a minister
of the circumcision for the truth of
God, to confirm the promises made
unto the fathers” (Rom. 15:8). Through
His ministry, Jesus confirmed the “reliability,”
or “trustworthiness,” of the
coven ant commitments that God made
to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.18
Many people claimed that Jesus truly
(“of a truth”) was “the Prophet” God
had promised (Dt. 18:15–19) to raise up
for Israel in the future (Jn. 6:14; 7:40).
Paul asserted that the gospel message
concerning the death, burial, and resurrection
of Jesus Christ is “the truth” (Gal.
2:5, 14; Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5).
Associations
With the Holy Spirit
Associations of truth. The apostle
John declared, “The Spirit is [the] truth”
(1 Jn. 5:6). (The Greek text contains the
definite article the before the word truth.)
John used the identical words regarding
the Spirit that Jesus used regarding
Himself in His claim, “I am . . . the
truth” (Jn. 14:6). W. E. Vine signified that
John thereby “conveys through this latter
statement the Deity of the Holy Spirit. . . .
He is one in Divine nature with the
Father and the Son.”19
Since the Spirit is absolute deity and
since absolute truth is an essential aspect
of deity, John asserted that the Holy
Spirit as a Person was also the total
embodiment of absolute truth. As such,
He, too, could accurately reveal the reality
of God to mankind.
Because the Spirit was also the total
embodiment of absolute truth, Jesus repeatedly
called Him “the Spirit of [the] truth.”
(The Greek text contains the definite article
the before the word truth [Jn. 14:17; 15:26;
16:13].) Jesus also indicated that, as the Spirit
of the truth, the Holy Spirit would bring to
the apostles’ remembrance all the truth that
Jesus had already taught them (Jn. 14:26),
would reveal to them all the additional
truth that Christ wanted taught after His
ascension (Jn. 14:26; 16:12–13), and would
glorify Jesus (Jn. 16:14–15) and testify concerning
Him (Jn. 15:26).
John indicated that, because the Spirit
is the truth, He does bear witness concerning
Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 5:6).
Conclusion
The triune God of the Bible, including
all three Persons of the Godhead, is the
only God who genuinely exists. God is
ultimate reality. Truth is an essential
aspect of God’s nature. Therefore, God is
the fountainhead, or ultimate source, of
truth. Each Person of the Godhead is the
full embodiment of absolute truth. God’s
revelation to mankind is truth.
These conclusions prompt an awesome
implication. All people who
reject the God of the Bible (including
Jesus Christ) and God’s revelation to
mankind thereby reject ultimate reality
and truth. They resort to a view of reality
and truth that is contrary to ultimate
reality and truth and, therefore, is
false. Though they may insist that they
are wise to do so (Rom. 1:18–25), in
reality they are blinded by God’s ultimate
enemy, Satan (2 Cor. 4:3–4), and
are subject to his power of spiritual
darkness (Col. 1:13). Satan also rejected
the ultimate reality and truth of
God. As a result, Jesus said that Satan
“abode not in the truth” and “there is
no truth in him” (Jn. 8:44).
E N D N O T E S
1 William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, “alethinos,”
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957), 36.
2 Ibid., “alethes,” 36.
3 C. K. Barrett, The Gospel According to St. John
(London: S.P.C.K., 1960), 220; also Leon Morris,
The Gospel According to John, New International
Commentary on the New Testament (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971), 324–325.
4 Arndt and Gingrich, “alethes,” 36.
5 Rudolf Bultmann, “alethinos,” Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1964), 1:250.
6 Arndt and Gingrich, “alethes,” 36.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 Morris, 441.
10 Arndt and Gingrich, “alethinos,” 36.
11 Ibid.
12 Ibid.
13 Ibid.
14 Ibid., “aletheia,” 35.
15 Ibid.
16 Bultmann, “aletheia,” 1:246.
17 Morris, 294.
18 Bultmann, “aletheia,” 242–243.
19 W. E. Vine, The Epistles of John (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1970), 98.
 Dr. Renald E. Showers is an author and an international conference speaker for the Friends of Israel.
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