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Mathematical Truth←⤒🔗

During a radio talk with a mathematician, this statement was made: “The truth is compelling.” It is an expression that remained with me. The truth, as it is proven in mathematics and other exact sciences, is a compelling truth. It cannot be contradicted. The truth applies to every person, under all circumstances. That is the exciting and fascinating aspect of the mathematical and natural sciences, this scholar said. Discovering and understanding mathematical truth yields great spiritual satisfaction.

The truth of mathematics and the natural sciences, the truth that is applied in technical subjects, is an extremely useful truth. All of us are confronted by this truth on a daily basis, even without realizing it. Yet it is a partial truth. That is to say, this truth does not apply to the spiritual life of man. Does such a truth exist, which is truly compelling for all people under all circumstances, and which applies to human nature in its deepest meaning and essence? Is there truth that deals with human nature itself, or are we dependent for this on the different partial sciences that deal with what it means to be human? Are we dependent on the answers given by the humanities and put into practice in the medical sciences, in psychology and psychiatry, etc.?

The Unique Character of Biblical Truth←⤒🔗

What is the special nature of biblical truth, and can one call this truth “compelling,” or in other words, inescapable for all people? I am not concerned to get into a discussion about the various understandings of truth within the fields of theology and dogmatics. We know, for example, that a theologian such as H.M. Kuitert would say that truth has to be verified. Truth needs corroboration. That is, one must be able to determine the truth value of the contents of any assertion. If this cannot be done, then an assertion is of no practical significance for us.

Many people base the verification of truth on its practical applicability. Truth and praxis, truth and action belong together. We may and should determine the meaning of truth statements, and for Kuitert, one criterion here is whether truth opens up the future for the world and for humanity. The acceptance of what truth is, therefore, ultimately depends on how we can experience it, what we can do with it, and how we find meaning in it. This idea has also found a place among us, to a certain extent. You often hear the—well-intended—comment that a sermon should lead to action. One should be able to do something with the sermon during the week. In itself, such a statement is correct. However, there is a certain danger to it, which is often overlooked. Before we realize it, the truth of the Bible is narrowed down to that with which we can do something. But biblical truth is certainly much more than what we can do with it in practice. When Jesus says that he is the truth, it means so much more than what we can do with Jesus. True faith in Jesus Christ will certainly determine our actions, but the truth that is Jesus, as the Son of God and the Saviour of sinners, goes much deeper and reaches far beyond what we can do with it.

Biblical truth requires the choice of our heart. Jesus Christ is the truth. He is that in his person and in his work. He is the central content of the Word. In the high priestly prayer of John 17, Jesus prays to his Father for those who belong to him: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” It is about the truth of the Father! It is the truth about the true living God and Jesus Christ, as well as the truth about us. The Bible reveals the truth about us as human beings, namely the truth of our being sinners, of our total lostness, of the judgment over sin, of the necessity and the reality of reconciliation. This truth is universal and of social significance. It applies to all people without exception. It is an inescapable truth. It is compelling, in the sense that it remains true even when people reject and deny it, supplanting it with the lie.

We Can Brush the Truth Aside←⤒🔗

We can indeed rid ourselves of truth’s enormous persuasiveness. Such is the power of sin and of our natural aversion to the truth of God. We keep our hearts closed to the truth and shield ourselves from it. We give no place to it in our lives. Pilate spoke the well-known phrase, “What is truth?” (John 17:38a). With this he shook off the truth that Jesus has testified of before him. It is the inner attitude of many people. What is truth?

Many are searching for the truth. People crave for it. And yet they are annoyed when someone says, "This is the truth. Jesus Christ, true God and man, is the truth.”

People want to invent or discover truth for themselves. Revealed truth is rejected.

The Truth Sets Free←⤒🔗

The truth of the gospel contains 100 percent of its persuasive power in itself. A person needs to be born again to understand this truth as the living and liberating truth. The truth of the Father, in and through Jesus Christ, makes a sinner truly free. He who has not been set free by this truth will never find true freedom. Whoever is bound to Jesus Christ through faith, hope and love is set free. For the world this does not make sense. Yet it is the whole truth! It is the truth itself, which sets us free in this way. Free from guilt, free from death and from the wrath of God, free to serve and praise God for all eternity. We now begin to “do” the truth. There is walking in the truth. We come to love God’s commandments.

How powerful the devil is, as the opponent of truth. He is the great Liar. Everything he does is stamped by lies, deception and fraud. By untruth. How hard the human heart is, which prefers the lie about God and himself over the liberating truth of Jesus Christ.

Nowhere and at no time is there a reason to remain silent about the truth. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ has a powerful, liberating message for the whole world. A Christian has to be gripped by the truth himself, before he can be a witness of the truth. When our churches continue to powerfully preach and testify of this truth, they will discover that many other things will fall into place. The God and Father of truth will make sure of it.