A friend recently asked me for some thoughts about how we can know the truth.  With so many ideas, stories and opinions out there even within the church, it’s no small task to settle with reasonable confidence on what is TRULY true.  And yet I can think of nothing  so important in these turbulent days as having this north star to guide us.  

Jesus declares himself to be the truth, (John 14:6), and therefore every perception of reality must be filtered through his brilliant beauty and awesome, unchanging character.  When John Keats wrote “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that’s all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know” he captured something of Jesus, who is the perennial fountain of both:  Truth will be forever beautiful, and beauty will be eternally truthful. 

In the interest of not overburdening my friends with words, I’ll divide this post into several shorter entries.  For now, here’s something to consider: The Truth will always set you free:  That’s not my opinion but the promise of the One who  created and sustains all reality.  “If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you WILL know the truth, and the truth WILL make you free.”   (John 8:31-32)

As we wade through ideas and opinions it’s essential to examine them through the lens of Jesus’ character and his words, asking at every turn, “Does this idea impart freedom to my soul?”   I’m not talking about the artificial freedom of doing whatever you want, but rather the inner witness that “This beautiful idea causes my heart to leap  with expectancy of blessings, fulfillment, and freedom.” May you be guided into the ever-expanding truth that makes you free.

In the next post I’ll look at three additional ways of identifying Truth.