The Faith's Foundations - Part 1: Truth

Introduction

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Pisa got its name in 600 BC from a Greek word meaning “marshy land.”

Construction began in 1184; because the land had a lot of water, the foundations was laid only 10 feet into the ground.

14 tons of white marble

Over time, the tower began to lean. In fact, when only the first level was completed, the builders noticed the sound side of the tower was already leaning. They attempted to compensate for it by building columns and arches 1” taller on the south side.

By the time the fourth level was completed, they had to make the south side 2” taller than the north.

Over time, the tower kept leaning more and more, and more levels were added to make it look more straight. Eventually, the construction of the tower was discontinued in 1372 about 200 years after it’s initial construction.

As the Leaning Tower of Pisa illustrates, the foundations of a building are very important. If the foundation is not solid, the building is going to fall over. If not, you will be attempting to make compensations for it, adding on a little bit here and little bit there. Eventually, the building will fall down, prop it up superficially, or just not look right.

Similarly, we need to have a good foundation for our personal faith. The foundation of the Christian faith constitutes basic teachings that support the entire Christian view and life. This foundation must be a good one, not a marshy or wishy-washy one, or even an incorrect one. We want to avoid a faith that will fall, or one that is propped up superficially, or just isn’t right.

To have a good, solid faith, we need to make sure the foundations of that faith are solid.

New series on The Faith’s Foundations

This may be a review for some. For others, this may be your first time investigating this. Either way, it is good to learn or review the foundations of our Christian faith.

“The Faith”

Jude 3 (NASB95)

Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

Content of the Christian faith—beliefs, doctrines, teachings

“Foundations”

Hebrews 6:1–3 (NASB95)

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits.

Past: repentance and faith = conversion

Present: washings (baptismal instructions) and laying on of hands

Future: resurrection of the dead and judgement

Foundation One: Truth

This is the most foundational of all. It is like a foundation for the foundation.

If we do not get this right, all that follows does not matter.

Psalm 51:6 NASB95

Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.

1. Truth Is:

Objective

Isaiah 29:24 NASB95

“Those who err in mind will know the truth, And those who criticize will accept instruction.

Isaiah writing in a time when Israel was unfaithful to God. But God speaks through Isaiah to let Israel know that, at a point in the future, things will be the exact opposite. A time will come when those who have accepted error will come to know the truth, and those who did nothing but complain and criticize will accept instruction.

The point for us: if there is error, then that means that we can be wrong.

David Elton Trueblood (in General Philosophy): “We cannot be wrong unless there is something to be wrong about.” [quoted in Cottrell, Faith’s Fundamentals]

What does this mean for our understanding of truth? => that truth is something that we must conform to; truth is something outside of us.

Truth is what is independent of what we think, feel, believe, or perceive.

“Facts don’t care about your feelings.” Modified: “TRUTH doesn’t care about your feelings, thoughts, or perceptions.”

Our culture:

“Perception is reality.” Example (from “Hello Brain”): “Regardless of what actually happens in life, how we perceive things becomes our reality. . . . We see things, not as they are, but as WE are.”

“MY reality,” “MY truth”

Friedrich Nietzsche: “No, facts is precisely what there is not, only interpretations.”

In the Christian faith:

This amounts to idolatry. It is the epitome of pride and self-centeredness to think that WE create what is true and what is false. When we believe that WE get to make truth (that it is dependent upon us), it tips God off His throne and places us upon it.

The book of Judges:

Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

Truth from a Christian viewpoint is not something our beliefs form but what our beliefs ought to conform to. I.e., truth is objective: independent of what we perceive, think, believe, or feel.

Related to this, truth is reality.

Reality

Exodus 20:16 NASB95

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Proverbs 14:25 NASB95

A truthful witness saves lives, But he who utters lies is treacherous.

What is assumed here is that telling the truth is when we speak something that corresponds to reality—what really happened. That’s actually the definition of a truthful witness. A false witness says things that do not correspond to the way things really occurred.

Truth is what is REALLY real. I.e., truth is reality.

Francis Schaeffer: “True Truth” “Flaming Truth”

Bank illustration

Just because I think or believe something is reality does not mean that it is necessarily reality. What we believe and think do not form reality, they must conform to reality.

But truth is more than objective and reality. It is also about morality.

Morality

Proverbs 12:17 (NASB95)

He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit.

Moral element to it

Jesus’ coming about one’s morality:

John 3:21 (NASB95)

“But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Truth is what is morally right and morally wrong. Moral truth is objective and real. I.e., what is right and wrong apply to everyone, for all times, an in all places.

There are deeds and actions that the Bible calls “sin.” Sin is anything we do that does not conform to God’s laws.

If we steal, cheat, lie, or have sex outside of the covenant of marriage, then we have not conformed to the moral law of God, and therefore, we have sinned. We have committed a morally wrong action.

Our culture:

“My morality” “don’t judge”

Example: What do you think about the following statement: "My morality is mine and mine alone, and it is not my place to judge the morality of others"?

Answer: “So in life, and even in this class, we are taught things from many different people in our lives. Our parents, our teachers, our friends, our pastors, and we must discern what is our truth.”

In the Christian view, however, there is a definite right and wrong. We are even warned about getting the two mixed up:

Isaiah 5:20 NASB95

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Another way to say this: woe to those who make up their own morality and have their own moral truth so that what is wrong for one person may be right for another.

This is what Israel had done at the time Isaiah wrote these words . . .

In the Christian view, there is an absolute right and wrong to follow. There is moral truth, and it applies to everyone across cultures and time.

Truth is also God’s Word

God’s Word

John 17:17 NASB95

“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

This means all of God’s spoken words, whether commandments or otherwise.

Psalm 119:142 NASB95

Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.

Psalm 119:151 NASB95

You are near, O Lord, And all Your commandments are truth.

God’s Word also includes ALL of Scripture, not just commandments and direct messages of God.

Psalm 119:160 NASB95

The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.

2 Timothy 3:16 NASB95

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

More will be said on this in Part 3: Scripture.

A Person

John 3:33 NASB95

“He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.

Leon Morris: “Truth is rooted in the divine nature”

God is a vessel of truth.

Even the foundation of God’s throne is described as truth:

Psalm 89:14 NASB95

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You.

More precisely, truth is Jesus Christ:

John 14:6 NASB95

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

1 John 5:20 NASB95

And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

That God is truth is very much related to the idea of God being faithful:

Deuteronomy 7:9 NASB95

“Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

To say that God is faithful means that God is true to his promises and that he is committed to what he says.

In light of all this, what are we to do as Christians?

2. We Are To:

Seek Truth

(1) Seek what is objectively real and right

Socrates: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Aristotle: “All men by nature desire to know.”

It’s unclear if this is really the case, especially in our society today. The pursuit is often of “happiness” = void of any conflict or troubles, esp psychologically.

If our lives were a TV show, what would a person observe about us? What would someone say about what we are pursuing and our goal—happiness? Psychological soundness? Money? Good job? Health? Relaxation? Fun? Comfort? Or Truth?

CS Lewis: “If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.”

(2) Seek the one and only God and Lord Jesus Christ

=> His Person

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

=> His Word

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”

Seeking God is not a “one and done” type of thing. It is a continual process for all of life and eternity. We never reach the mountain top.

Stand for Truth

Like God, we are to be persons of truth. Just as the foundation of God’s throne is said to be truth, the foundation on which we stand ought to be truth.

(1) Stand for what is objectively real and right

“Stand” = do not waiver, do not be moved.

We have pressure from friends, family, and society to move from the Christian view of truth to their view of truth. To make truth fluid where there is no true reality and no true right and wrong. The pressure, especially today, can be strong and immense.

This past May, a main-line denomination finally gave in to the societal pressures. It took 50 years, but it finally gave up the biblical, Christian view of human sexuality. It removed the ban of any practicing LGBTQ person as a pastor or minister.

For 50 years, the unbelieving cultural waves kept crashing upon the bedrock of God’s Word, and this particular denomination finally dislodged itself from truth. Rather than standing for truth, it fell over and was swept away to sea like many other mainline denominations, flowing with the world’s fluid view of truth.

The pressure to give up truth is strong.

You could be ostracized and ridiculed for just being a person who stands for truth as objective, absolute, and real. But as Christians, we must stand.

1 Timothy 3:15 “. . . but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

But no worries: society and those who gave up truth have always persecuted those who stand for truth. The prophets were killed, the apostles were martyred. We stand in good company. I’ve got your back; the church has your back; more importantly, Jesus has your back.

(2) Stand for the one and only God and Lord Jesus Christ

In a society which is increasingly becoming more secular, this can also be difficult.

Standing, unwilling to move, that there is only one God and Lord Jesus Christ is viewed as intolerant, mean, bigoted.

Matthew 10:22 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”

Speak Truth

(1) Speak what is objectively real and right

This is definitely becoming more dangerous in our society, and not just truth about Christ and his word, but just reality itself.

We live in a time in which speaking about biological realities is a social crime. Reality itself is denied and rejected, and those who attempt to speak what is objectively real and right are viewed as evil.

Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”

Eric Metaxas in A Letter to the American Church: “Spiral of Silence” = “When people fail to speak, the price of speaking rises. As the price to speak rises, still fewer speak out, which further causes the price to rise, so that fewer people yet will speak out, until the whole culture or nation is silenced” (52).

Mark 8:36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”

But just as important, if not more important:

(2) Speak for the one and only God and Lord Jesus Christ

One of the American 10 Commandments: “Don’t talk about religion and politics.” Why?

This is the exact opposite of what Christ commanded us:

Matthew 28:19–20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 10:33 “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”

Sometimes silence is denial.

John Calvin: “A dog barks and stands at bay if he sees any one assault his master. I should be indeed remiss, if, seeing the truth of God thus attacked, I should remain dumb, without giving one note of warning.” [Letter 130 (to the Queen of Navarre), 28 April, 1545.]

We do all of this for the sake of Christ and his love:

Ephesians 4:15 “But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.”

1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”

“Nothing conquers but truth, and the victory of truth is love.” ~Augustine