What is truth?

A simply dictionary definition, such as Webster’s New Dictionary of the English Language, states that truth is:  

► the real state of things; FACT

► the body of real events or facts; ACTUALITY

If truth is nothing more than in the eye of the beholder, then it is not the real state of things, nor is it the body of real events or facts. To regulate truth to the whims of the individual is to destroy the actual meaning of truth.  To ascribe another definition to the word truth defrauds the meaning, distorts the message and deceives the masses. 

 

Now that does not imply that our knowledge of truth is the real state of things or even the body of real events or facts. Simply because one cannot always comprehend the real state of things or the body of real events or facts, does not mean that the real state of things or the body or real events or facts does not, in actuality, exist. It simply means that our knowledge of truth is limited by our finite minds.  

One might say that measurements from yesterday and today reveal that truth has changed; implying that the measurement of, say, a farm two hundred years ago would be different from the measurement of the same farm today (given the advances in measurements). 

But one would not really have “two different truths.” One would have two different measurements that contradict one another, but it still has not changed the actual measurement. Whether or not one can actually measure the farm, by those two different measurement devices, it still would not change the specific size of the farm. Even though one has received two different measurements by two different devices does not change the fact that the farm is a specific size.  

If the first measurement measured your farm at a much higher value than it actually is, it does not change the reality that it is actually a specific size. By using a different measurement device, and receiving a different measurement again does not change the fact that the farm is still the same specific size it is, or was, regardless of both measurements declaring different sizes. All it means is that one’s devices to measure one’s farm are inaccurate. The farm did not change in its specific size because one used two different devices that produced two different measurements.  

In other words, one’s knowledge of the true size of the farm is relative, but the true size of the farm has not changed; (by simply using different measuring devices). There is a true size of the farm, whether or not one can actually know the true size by one’s limited measuring devices is another story.  

Truth does not become relative to the extent of our knowledge. Truth does not change. Our knowledge of the truth can and does change. Our abilities to ascertain the truth based upon our knowledge changes and could be considered relative; relative knowledge.  

Just because some people think or believe certain things does not make it truth.  If some people had believed the world was flat, it still did not change the truth that it is not flat. Their knowledge of the world was mistaken, but knowledge is not always truth.  If some people thought that mass “was a constant” or “time was truly a constant” or “that there is no way to avoid gravity” does not change the way things actually are; i.e. the truth. As some declare “over and over we find out we were wrong.” Truth is never wrong. Our knowledge of the truth, as one has correctly pointed out, is constantly wrong. It still does not change the truth of the universe. Even if we can never ascertain with a high degree of certainty the functioning of the universe does change the truth of its functioning.  

Truth is not made. It is the reality of the way things are. We may claim that our knowledge of certain things are truth and it may be wrong, but there still is truth.  The only thing we can do with truth is to discover it.  Our interpretations of the truth are subject to the limitations of our human mind. Truth is constant. It does not change. It is absolute.   

God is truth. He is absolute in truth. His word is truth.  Whether one accepts the truth of God, does not change the truth of God. He is truth whether one knows, or understands, that.  God does not become truth when one acknowledges Him. God does not become truth when one discovers Him. God does not become truth when one accepts Him. He is truth. He has always been truth. He will always be truth.  

One can certainly see that one’s understanding helps him/her to evaluate the evidences of truth. But our understanding is not necessarily truth. Truth is not determined by our understanding. It stands apart from man’s ability to reason, or to even rationalize.  If truth is determined by our reasoning abilities, then Descartes is right and there is no need for divine revelation because all truth can be determined by man’s reasoning abilities.  Whether or not one understands truth does not negate that truth. Otherwise there would be millions and millions of different “truths” out there, depending on the individual understanding of each and every person.) 

Simply because our understanding is limited does not mean that truth is relative. It simply means that our comprehension of truth is limited by our understanding. As our understanding increases so does our comprehension of truth. Truth has not changed. It has remained the same. The only change has been in our comprehension, or understanding, of it. 

Some people appear to believe that nothing can be known as truth, that the only way to know absolute truth is by faith; which appears to be affirming that truth is to be determined by each individual solely based upon his/her understanding.  If that is the case, then we are engaged in a war of faith; as opposed to a war of truth. One belief is as valid as another, because truth cannot be ascertained independent of faith. Each and every competing claim of truth is valid, so long as one has faith. This needlessly reduces the defense of the gospel to who has the greatest faith, (among all the competing truth claims). 

Also, if truth is simply regulated to faith, then the heavens do not declare the glory of God. The firmaments do not show His handiwork. The invisible things of the world do not reveal His power and godhead. There would be no reason to consider the heavens, the work of His fingers, the moon and the stars. There would be no reason to behold His work that men do see. There would be no reason to search the Scriptures. 

Now, if truth were independent of our understanding, then one could “learn” what the truth is. One could come to a greater “understanding” of truth. One could see the errors of his/her understanding by being “taught” the truth. In other words, there is hope that one could arrive at the truth by further “enlightenment.”