Truth is the first listed of God’s weapons of “mighty power” Ephesians 6:10 which are available to us: “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…” Ephesians 6:14 Truth is a powerful weapon because the primary tactic of Satan is lies and deceit. Secure truth tightly around you and it protect you and others physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually—in every way and in every circumstance. Truth will advance the kingdom of God.
“…Jesus answered, ‘You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’
‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked…” John 18:37-38
What is truth? Hopefully, we ask that question out of a sincere heart.
The answer is both simple and limitless because Jesus is the truth: “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 Knowing Him is knowing truth.
God the Father “…chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” James1:18
Jesus is the “word of truth": “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-14
The Holy Spirit is also truth, as is God the Father: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine…” John 16:13-15 God is truth, and He is always with those who believe. They can have and do the truth in each situation if they will ask God.
“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:4-5 Our hope should be in God “all day long” and we should ask Him to show us His way and guide us in His truth. He is our “Savior” in big ways (bringing us into His family and saving us from hell) and in smaller ways (saving us from the consequences of sin and stupidity) and in still smaller ways (making each detail of our lives run smoothly).
Our goal should be able to say as David did—that we “have led a blameless life” and “walk continually in your truth”: “Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.” Psalm 26:2-3 We should have such a relationship with Jesus that we do not feel condemned, but can ask Him to test us, try us, examine our hearts and minds. We can do this if we understand how much He loves us. He will vindicate us from the devil who is our real enemy: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12 He is on our side because we are on His side.
Speaking the truth in love is a basic principle that we should always keep in mind: “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” Epheisans 4:15 Speaking the truth in love (confronting when necessary) is the way we grow to be what Jesus wants us to be.
Paul, who wrote most of the books in the New Testament, is a good example of someone who wrote, spoke and lived the truth. His letters are filled with the deep truths of God: “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,” Titus 1:1-2 The knowledge of the truth (of Jesus) leads to godliness.
We should guard the truth in ourselves and in others: “My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.“ James 5:19-20 The wanderer can be a professing Christian who, when he hears the truth, comes to repent and believe in (trust and obey) Jesus or a sinning Christian, who when he hears the truth, will repent. To “cover over a multitude of sins” means that God will forgive his sins.
A person can know the truth and speak the truth, but not really believe the truth: “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart.” Psalm 15:1-2 The truthful person will have a place with God. We can know he “speaks the truth from his heart” because his “walk is blameless” and he “does what is righteous”.
Only Jesus is sinless, but if we believe in Him, the blood He shed on the cross pays the penalty for our sins: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 The person who knows Jesus will try to be sinless. We need to remain in His love: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” John 15:9-10 We remain in His love by obeying Him. Even in small matters we need to speak and do truth from the heart with love as our motive.
We are supposed to “pay no attention” to the lies and intimidation “of those who reject the truth”: “and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth.” Titus 1:14
The Bible tells us why they "reject the truth": “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:20-21 We who know Christ can almost always tell when something “has been done through God”.
Those who speak and live lies “bring the way of truth into disrepute”: “Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.” 2 Peter 2:2 Any sin (disobedience to God) will harm truth. David declared when he sinned: “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight…” Psalm 51:4
If a person does not live according to the commands of Jesus, even though he claims to believe in Him he is "a liar, and the truth (Jesus) is not in him” : “The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:4-6 Jesus gave the perfect example by doing all that God the Father told Him to do: “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent.” John 5:30 If a person obeys Jesus, “God’s love is made complete in Him”.
We can usually tell those who do not believe in Jesus because they “do not live by the truth”: “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.” 1 John 1:6
Sometimes it is difficult to tell, as in the case of Judas Iscariot. The other disciples did not know Jesus was talking about Judas when He said: "…’I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me." John 13:21 (Matthew 26 Mark 13, 14 Luke 22 John 6, 12, 13, 21) Jesus emphasized that He was telling the truth when He told His disciples (and us) that Judas would betray Him. It has had great significance that He knew this fact.
The basic understanding of God’s weapon of truth is to follow Jesus and to know Him: “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist–he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” 1 John 2:20-23
The truth “lives in us and will be with us forever”: “To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth–and not I only, but also all who know the truth–because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:” 2 John 1:1-2
We need to support those who work to work “for the truth”: “We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth.” 3 John 1:8 We “work together for the truth”. This gives God joy: “then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” Philippians 2:2
Truth covers everything that is true because truth comes from God. Notice how even the truth in small matter makes a huge difference. For instance, if the electricity in your home goes off and someone knows the truth about why (for example, faulty wiring) it can be fixed. Or if you have a cut finger that becomes infected, knowing the truth about what to do can even save your life. Or your reaction to a lie can affect your entire life. and the lives of others for years to come. Even in small instances: “…you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
Wisdom is truth knowing the truth. We can always ask for God’s wisdom to help know and speak and fight for truth: “if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5
Truth is something we need to continually search for, speak and do in order to win the battle of life:
“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand what is right and just and fair–every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” Proverbs 2:1-10
If we continually search for truth with a sincere heart, we will find it. Truth will be our joy: “…the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4