Pilate then asked the big question: What is truth? [1]
What is truth?
Really, the question should be "from where or whom does truth emanate?"
Divine truth is absolute reality. Everything in this world that is true has a divine source. That source is Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me". [2]
Jesus Christ represents truth and is the embodiment of all truth. [3]
How do the scriptures define truth? I've been cross referencing Doctrine and Covenants 93:24 with Jacob 4:13 (in the Book of Mormon). Truth is the knowledge of things past, present, and future. Truth is that which endures.
Did you see the word really in Jacob 4:13?
"It is vital to know that there really is a God, that there really is a Savior, Jesus Christ, that there really is impending immortality for all men, that there really will be a judgment with genuine personal accountability, and that there really is purpose in life and a divine plan of happiness for man.
"When we know such basic truths as these, then we know what really matters, how to approach life and how to view man in the universe. There is great power in perspective. Therefore, the adverb 'really', as used by Jacob, is deeply significant." [4]
Do you know what the difference between absolute truth and relative truth is?
I found this profoundly interesting ...
"This true way of life [the gospel] is not a matter of opinion. There are absolute truths and relative truths. ... There are many ideas advanced to the world that have been changed to meet the needs of the truth as it has been discovered. There are relative truths, and there are also absolute truths which are the same yesterday, today, and forever - never changing. These absolute truths are not altered by the opinions of men. As science has expanded our understanding of the physical world, certain accepted ideas of science have had to be abandoned in the interest of truth. Some of these seeming truths were stoutly maintained for centuries. The sincere searching of science often rests only on the threshold of truth, whereas revealed facts give us certain absolute truths as a beginning point so we may come to understand the nature of man and the purpose of his life. ...
"We learn about these absolute truths be being taught by the Spirit. These truths are 'independent' in their spiritual sphere and are to be discovered spiritually, though they may be confirmed by experience and intellect. ...
"God, our Heavenly Father - Elohim - lives. That is an absolute truth. ... All the people on the earth might deny him and disbelieve, but he lives in spite of them. ... In short, opinion alone has no power in the matter of an absolute truth. He still lives. And Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Almighty, the Creator, the Master of the only true way of life - the gospel of Jesus Christ. The intellectual may rationalise him out of existence and the unbeliever may scoff, but Christ still lives and guides the destinies of his people. That is an absolute truth; there is no gainsaying. ...
"The Gods organised and gave life to man and placed him on the earth. This is absolute. It cannot be disproved. A million brilliant minds might conjecture otherwise, but it is still true." [5]
Absolute truths are those eternal and immovable truths that have been revealed by God.
Adherence to revealed truth brings great blessings and, ultimately, salvation.
My personal challenge is to make a quest for truth and knowledge a daily, lifelong activity.
Too many Latter-day Saints are satisfied with what they already know and fail to continue in their quest for life-giving truth and light. That is forfeiting a chance for eternal life. [6]
With all this in mind ... I'm going to start blogging my lessons from my Book of Mormon Institute class.
And yes, I'm aware I've been terribly slow on sharing my Old Testament lessons.
But hey, I can't overload everyone with religion at once!
(source)
[1] John 18:37-38
[2] John 14:6
[3] see 3 Nephi 15:9
[4] Neal A. Maxwell, Things As They Really Are, 4, bold added
[5] Spencer W. Kimball, "Absolute Truth", Ensign, Sept. 1978, 3-4, bold added
[6] see Spencer W. Kimball, "Seek Learning, Even by Study and Also by Faith", Ensign, Sept. 1983, 5-6
Thank you for this Freja. I have always thought of God's truth as being absolute. Man purports many things to be "truth" when they are really not and are subject to change as you described. This was a good blog, and may I say a timely one considering the US election and all the half-truths, even lies that have been bandied about for many months in order to gain an advantage.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work "Faithful Freja". You really have blossomed into a beautiful young lady.