One of the world’s all-time greatest mysteries: What is truth and where does it come from?

Reasonable thinkers recognize the existence of truth, and some even embrace the concept that there is absolute truth. But many highly educated thinkers maintain that there is no objective truth, that all we see, hear, feel and live is imaginary.

Truth does exist

You are living proof that truth exists. Life on earth makes that clear. You are conscious, can perceive that humanity is the peak of physical existence on this very physical planet that rotates in a precise, life-sustaining orbit around the sun. The water you drink, the food you eat, the home you live in, the vast extent of human civilization around the earth are ample evidence of the truth of existence—as is the immense universe visible to us in the night sky.

Man can discover scientific truth

Human beings have been endowed with five, physical senses and a remarkable human mind (vastly more powerful and complex than animal brains) to analyze and process the knowledge it gathers. The word “science” come from the Latin word for “knowledge.”

Mankind has always been searching for the truth of the natural world and the meaning of life. Great scientists and thinkers have accumulated and discovered a considerable understanding of our physical existence. Building on their study of Mathematics, educators learn and teach three key sciences: Physical Science (physics, chemistry and astronomy), Earth Science (geology, oceanography, paleontology and meteorology) and finally Life Science (botany, zoology, genetics and medicine).

Absolutely unique, man is the only creature on earth that seeks to understand his role in the universe. The fundamental knowledge distilled from those core sciences is understood as truth. It’s viewed as truth, to which—when discovered—more truth can be added.

Man lives historical truth

From Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden people have lived, recorded and then studied their own history. That history—provided it’s accurate—is truth.

In order to exalt their own reputations some Pharaohs of ancient Egypt tried to revise history by chiseling the names of previous pharaohs out of the hieroglyphics. In spite of that, over time more honest scholars, taking the selfish motivations of human nature into account, have sought to discern the true record of history. Once scrutinized and carefully vetted, the story of man is historical truth.

The ethics of truth—rejected!

Scientific and historical truth do exist. God created scientific fact/truth (Psalm 31:5, 1 Timothy 2:4), and He has overseen and intervened in the history of man. Despite all that, in the last two centuries, highly educated minds have defied the laws of science and history itself to embrace the theory of evolution which claims that life has evolved on its own and has no great purpose. Worst of all, they have defied the very idea that God exists!

That lack of truthful purpose has sent humanity hurtling into two terrible world wars and countless smaller ones. It has driven the so-called science and technology to make weapons now capable of destroying all life on earth! Man has learned certain truths, but it has been deceived and has further deceived itself of the true meaning of human life (2 Timothy 3:7).

The source of truth

Nothing comes from nothing—and never did! But the truth does exist as certainly as life and the laws of science exist. God has invested a great meaning in and purpose for His creation, especially in His human children and their incredible future (John 4:23, Psalm 145:18)! He has inspired the foundational book—the Bible—to reveal His truth to all humanity (John 17:17).

Our calling is to examine those sixty-six books of the Bible, and, through the indwelling of God’s Spirit in our minds, to adopt the way of life described there as our way of living (John 14:6, 2 Timothy 2:15), guiding our conduct through obedience to God’s law. The reward of total commitment is the gift of eternal life. And that is a plain truth we must never take lightly!

— Randy Stiver