As Western society grows further and further away from the knowledge of God’s Word, it makes the truth God has revealed in His Word even sweeter to His believers and those that are searching for the truth.

While others are looking inside themselves for guidance, believers can stand firm in the truth that God’s Word never changes. The associations of the words true and truth with God have significant implications for mankind.

Divine revelation to mankind is the source of knowledge concerning ultimate truth and, therefore, ultimate reality. God’s Word, the Bible, is God’s most significant means of revealing truth to mankind. Thus Jesus, who is “the truth” (Jn. 14:6), told His believers they would “know the truth” if they continued in His Word (Jn. 8:31–32). It is the Bible that presents the significant implications for mankind of the associations of true and truth with God.

It is the Bible that presents the significant implications for mankind of the associations of true and truth with God.

People of the Truth
The Bible refers to “men of truth” (Ex. 18:21) and people “of God” (Jn. 8:47; 1 Jn. 4:6). They are people who have the following characteristics: They fear God, meaning, they acknowledge God’s existence and awesomeness, have a reverential respect for Him, and concern themselves with what concerns Him (Ex. 18:21). They know God, meaning, they know and accept the truth concerning Him and have a personal relationship with Him through the new birth (1 Jn. 4:6). They hear “God’s words” that He delivered to mankind through Jesus Christ, His prophets, and apostles; meaning, they accept those words as coming from God, regard them as having divine authority over them, and submit to them in a life-changing way (Jn. 8:47; 18:37; 1 Jn. 4:6). For example, they hate covetousness (Ex. 18:21).

Understand, Choose, and be Established in the Truth
Daniel expressed the need for people to understand God’s truth (Dan. 9:13). The psalmist chose “the way of truth”; therefore, he laid God’s revealed words before him and clung to them (Ps. 119:30–31). A son is to choose permanent commitment to truth: “let not . . . truth forsake you” (Prov. 3:3). “Buy the truth, and do not sell it” (Prov. 23:23). The apostle Peter referred to people established in the truth (2 Pet. 1:12).  

Petition and Praise God for the Truth
“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him . . . in truth” (Ps. 145:18). David petitioned God to lead him in His truth (Ps. 25:5) and let His truth continually preserve him (Ps. 40:11). In Psalm 43:3 the writer petitioned God to send His truth to lead him. The psalmist claimed that he would praise God’s truth (Ps. 71:22), and David stated that he would praise God’s name for His truth (Ps. 138:2).

Walk in the Truth  
To walk in the truth means to obey God’s revealed truth by bringing one’s life and practice into conformity with it. God declared that, for David’s descendants to continue ruling Israel, they must “take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul” (1 Ki. 2:4). God showed great mercy to David because David walked before Him in truth (1 Ki. 3:6). David promised to walk in God’s truth (Ps. 86:11) and claimed that he did so (Ps. 26:3). King Hezekiah declared that he had walked before God in truth (2 Ki. 20:3). The person who practices the truth does so in relationship to God (Jn. 3:21). The apostle John rejoiced greatly when he found or heard about believers walking in truth (2 Jn. 4; 3 Jn. 3).

Speak the truth.  
A person who truly maintains fellowship with God honestly speaks what is in his heart. He doesn’t mislead people with speech that gives the opposite impression of what he harbors in his heart (Ps. 15:2). David did not conceal God’s truth from the people of Israel. He declared it to them (Ps. 40:9–10). The psalmist asked God not to take “the word of truth” totally out of his mouth (Ps. 119:43). A person who speaks truth shows forth righteousness (Prov. 12:17).  

A father is to make known God’s truth to his children (Isa. 38:19). God stated that every person is to speak the truth to his neighbor (Zech. 8:16). “The law of truth” was in Levi’s mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips (Mal. 2:6). The apostle Paul spoke “the words of truth” to King Agrippa and Festus (Acts 26:25) and spoke all things to the Corinthians in truth (2 Cor. 7:14). The truth is to be spoken in love (Eph. 4:15), and every person is to stop lying and speak truth with his neighbor (Eph. 4:25). At times, speaking the truth may create enemies (Gal. 4:16). To avoid mixing error with the truth. God hates a lying tongue (Prov. 6:16–17).

May we as believers in Jesus be people of the truth in this dark culture!

Parts of this article were taken from Israel My Glory magazine January/February 2005

Written by Renald Showers and Sarah Fern