In John 18:38, Pilate asked Jesus Christ, “What is the truth?”
Consider the awesome significance of that moment. Pilate, a mere mortal, was given the opportunity to ask Almighty God, face to face, a most significant question. Sadly, and much to our dismay, Pilate didn’t bother to wait for the answer.
The question, “What is the truth?” has plagued humanity ever since the devil-serpent asked Adam and Eve, “Did God really say?” See Genesis 3:1.
Truth is a most fascinating and deeply humbling subject. Ask any two people to give you the truth on any topic, and you will likely get two less-than-perfectly-aligned answers.
As a spiritual leader, I claim to deal in the truth. All spiritual leaders believe they are doing the same, but I discovered a long time ago that getting spiritual leaders to fully agree on truth is nearly impossible.
I remember well a meeting I attended several years ago. It was a pow-wow between eight local protestant pastors. We were wrestling with a particular issue, and we just could not come to full agreement on what was true according to the Word of God. It got pretty intense. We gave it a valiant effort but to no avail. For the sake of unity, we had to agree to disagree agreeably.
Can you imagine that? Eight protestant pastors, all following Jesus, all living and serving in the same community, and we couldn’t nail down the truth on a fairly basic topic. Paul the Apostle referred to such difficulties as “disputable matters.” Paul’s conclusion: what is true for one person may not be true for another. If you don’t believe me, read Romans 14. Some truth is relative.
Wait. Isn’t all truth transcendent and absolute? Doesn’t all truth rise above human experience, personality and story? No, my friends, it doesn’t – and that’s where tension enters the truth equation. There are truths we must hold in tension.
“What is the truth?” Yeah, we sure wish Pilate had waited for the answer. It could have saved all of us a lot of trouble.
Truth is a vast and fascinating topic, so I’ve decided to do a series of sermons and articles on it. I’m calling it “Truth in Tension.” First, we’ll focus on the nature of truth. Then we’ll jump into some disputable matters to see how much tension our truth can handle.
I understand that doing so is risky. Christians are very serious about the truth, and when truth is questioned, we get tense. Very tense. For that reason, I’m abbreviating the Truth in Tension series title as TNT. We all know what TNT does – it explodes. That’s what many Christians do when their beliefs about the truth are challenged.
It’s understandable, but it really shouldn’t be that way. As Christians, we should welcome scrutiny and challenge. Why? Because we are confident that what we believe is true. If something is true, then it should be able to withstand the pressure of critical examination. Right? So let me ask — Do you know why you believe what you believe?
Can you clearly articulate the basis for your beliefs?
Are you able to consider the difference between absolute truth and relative truth?
Are you able to respect and love a fellow believer or a fellow human who believes differently than you?
Are you able to grow in your understanding of the truth when you discover that what you believe to be absolutely true may actually be relatively true?
Are you starting to tense up as you read this article? It’s okay. The tension is good.
Jesus prayed fervently that His followers would be one, yet His Church is constantly being ripped apart by division. How can that be? How can the followers of Jesus Christ claim to have clear knowledge of Biblical truth and yet live in division with each other? It’s not possible. Read John 17.
The problem is in our desire to live in truth without tension. Let me explain:
Into the cold, binary, and rigid system of the Law, Jesus introduced the warm, complex, and flexible heart of grace. So much of what He taught us to be true is found somewhere in the midst of the tension that exists between the two. It incensed the Pharisees, it confused the disciples, and it divided us. We want either Law or grace, but not both. Living with both creates more tension than we can handle.
To relieve the tension, we choose to live in division. We hunker down in our belief-camps where we can isolate ourselves from people who believe differently than we do. Surrounded by people who think and believe just like we do, we find resolution. It’s why birds of a feather flock together.
Division is an option – but it’s not the option Jesus chose for His Church. He is calling us to live in unity, even as we live in the tension. Why? Because truth abides in the tension – and we must love each other enough to live in that tension. Maybe that’s the point Peter was making when he wrote, “Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins.” I Peter 4:8. Amen.
There’s much more to say – so be watching for future articles.
