WHAT IS TRUTH?

A simple definition of Truth is: that which conforms to reality, fact or actuality. 

It could be stated that there are aspects of truth which are relative to a particular person or place, for example I could say that it is TRUE that I have blue eyes and that I am left-handed. It is also true that I am an Australian citizen by birth, and that I am a resident of the township of Sorell in Tasmania. It is also true that I am married and have two grown children - and two grandchildren. All these facts are true in relation to me, but most of these facts may not be true for you who are reading this.

When I was a student at Bible College in 1980, I remember being struck by the statement made by one of the college lecturers, that ALL TRUTH IS GOD'S TRUTH. Examples of this could be stated as the laws of nature, physics and mathematics which are always true and cannot be changed. Let me clarify this by suggesting that in mathematics 2+2=4 will always be an example of mathematical truth. Sir Isaac Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation is another example of God's truth in the natural world proving reliable one hundred percent of the time. Newton postulated that any two objects in the universe attract each other with a force which is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. HUH! The simplified version concerning Gravity is: What goes up must come down!
There are other reliable and consistent laws in nature which were designed by the Creator God of the universe. At this point, anyone reading this who believes the universe just came into being as a result of the Big Bang, and out of that, over time everything evolved over millions or billions of years without any intelligent design, may not like my conclusions - but I make no apologies in believing God is the Prime Mover for everything in this universe, including the complex life forms on our own planet Earth. As evangelist Ray Comfort so rightly says:"Every song has a composer, every book has an author, every car has a maker, every painting has a painter, and every building has a builder. So it isn't irrational to take this simple logic a little further and say that nature must have had a Maker. It would be irrational to believe that it made itself." So, looking at the Big Picture, ALL TRUTH IS GOD'S TRUTH.
As a committed Bible-believing Christian, I believe the Bible to be the written Holy-Spirit inspired Word of God. We are addressing the question: What Is Truth? in this blog.
Truth is personified in the eternal Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who in John 14:6 stated concerning Himself: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." What a remarkable statement Jesus made in response to a question from Thomas, one of his disciples. 
Earlier in this same Gospel of John, Jesus addressing some Jews who believed in Him, said: "If you continue in My Word, you are My disciples indeed.
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31,32
The unmistakable fact of history since the time of Christ's ministry on Earth and His subsequent death on the Cross of Calvary and His triumphant resurrection on that first Resurrection Sunday is that those who have embraced THE TRUTH in the person of Jesus Christ, and who have availed themselves of the reconciliation to God the Father offered by Christ's sacrifice on the Cross in our place, He who knew no sin, dying in our place -  if they give heed to the Word of God, find that Truth to be life-changing, in fact liberating from the bondages of sin and Satan, the Arch-Deceiver, whom the Bible calls the Father of Lies.
As I was contemplating what to write in this blog "What Is Truth?", I Googled this question on the internet. I discovered a lengthy Wikipedia article which outlined some of the philosophical theories concerning Truth, and what it means. These include: What are known as Substantive Theories, including Correspondence Theory
                                -Coherence Theory
                                -Constructivist Theory
                                -Concensus Theory
                                - Pragmatic Theory
Then there are Minimalist or Deflationary Theories. These include:
                                -Performative Theory Of Truth
                                -Redundancy and Related Theories
There are also what are known as Pluralist theories.
I discovered that of the above, the Correspondence Theory seems to have the highest percentage of support in relation to the definition of Truth - in philosophical terms.
I am reminded of the verse in 2 Timothy 3:7 where the apostle Paul speaking of the days in which we are living describes people who would be "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 
If you who are reading are on a quest to know ultimate Truth in all its dimensions, may I suggest you take a look in the Bible at the one who is TRUTH HIMSELF, the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus finished His earthly ministry, He told His disciples that He would send them a Helper, the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in John 16:13 that "....when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."
In John 18:36-38, as Jesus stood before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, who would decide whether He lived or would be condemned to be crucified, Jesus said: "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."
Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are you a king then?" Jesus answered: "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."
Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all."
Pilate asked Jesus one of the most important questions He could have asked of the Son of God: "What is truth?" and he didn't bother to wait for the answer. Like Pilate, many today are searching for the meaning of Truth in Philosophy, Religion, Science - even Politics and always coming up short.
The apostle Paul warns in Colossians 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
He goes on to say in verses 9 and 10 For in Him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Does it matter what we believe to be the Truth today? Isn't Truth relative to the circumstances, culture, socio-political setting in which we find ourselves today? Ah.........we shall have to leave the answers to these questions for another time in cyberspace in the not too far off future.
Thanks for taking the time to read this blog. If you have any comments, would love to receive feedback. Keep all comments civil. Thanks!

VISION

More Than The Eyes Can See

Part 3

Many examples could be cited from both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible of men and women who through their faith and obedience to the commission the Lord had called them to fulfill - were able to accomplish great exploits for God. They were not people who lived life without a clear sense of purpose and direction. They were people of great VISION, some having received literal visions and or dreams from the Lord. Many others knew from the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit the direction in which He was leading them in life, in order that they might fulfill their God-given destinies.
Since the time of Christ and the subsequent twenty centuries of the Christian Church, there have been many outstanding men and women in so many nations of the world who have been people of vision, who in their lifetimes have impacted their families, their local communities, their villages, towns, cities, and nations for the Kingdom of God. 
Probably the vast majority of these have been individual Christians who have devoted themselves wholly to following the Master, the Lord Jesus Christ wherever He would lead them and who have remained largely unknown to the world. They have been faithful servants of the Lord who knew their calling and commission from the Lord and followed that call with simple devotion to the Master. Sadly there have also been many Christians throughout the Christian era who, though having a commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, have never pushed through to discover and fulfil the vision that God has or had for their lives - that they might make an impact for the Kingdom of God in their lifetimes.
Many of you who are reading this blog would know that I have been involved in Christian radio broadcasting for some years in the past, in a full time capacity from 1981 to the early 90's, firstly with Radio Rhema in Christchurch, New Zealand, and then from 1988 at Launceston's WAY FM in Tasmania.
In relation to this blog theme of Vision, I would like to highlight one man whose tenacious dedication to follow the vision he received from the Lord resulted in a worldwide media ministry, starting from primitive beginnings in a makeshift studio in his garage at his Christchurch home. The man's name was Richard (Dick) Berry.
In 1961, at the age of 20, he was miraculously healed of a back injury. He was already a Christian, but this healing prompted Richard Berry to an even greater commitment to God and in gratitude to the Lord, he offered himself to serve the Lord in whatever way he could.
It was then that he received a clear direction (vision) from the Lord to establish Christian radio in New Zealand, dedicating his life to that one consuming goal.
In those days, there was no such thing as private radio. On the contrary, there was strict government restriction on any form of private broadcasting with no real possibility of private groups gaining broadcasting licences.
Although very few others were able to share his vision or enthusiasm and excitement for it, he began to seek the Lord for ways he could implement his plans, and that is when the first studio was built in his own garage. A foundation of prayer was laid during these early years, which has characterised the ministry throughout its history. This commitment to prayer carried the vision through many years of struggles,disappointments and heartaches......and was the key to ultimate victory.
In 1968, a church property was purchased in Mairehau, a suburb of Christchurch, from which the first one day broadcast was held on the 23rd November 1974 - a day which Richard Berry looked back on one of the most significant and memorable of his life.
On 11th November, 1978, an even greater event took place, as Radio Rhema began broadcasting on a full-time basis.
This was a milestone, not only for Christchurch and New Zealand, but also throughout the British Commonwealth.
It was a tribute to the extraordinary faith, determination and courage of one man, who dared to take God at His word, and who had fought almost single-handedly against incredible odds to pursue the mission and the vision to which God had called him.
In the 26 years since Radio Rhema commenced broadcasting permanently with the call sign 3XG, Christchurch, not only has the ministry expanded to cover all of New Zealand on three radio networks; the Rhema Broadcasting Group also have a television service called Shine TV, as well as proclaiming the Gospel message and teaching through the internet, smart phone apps and printed publications. Internationally, as the umbrella organisation, UCB (United Christian Broadcasters), they have, in Australia established an ever expanding radio network, called the Vision Radio Network with close to six hundred cities, towns and small communities in every state and territory of Australia being impacted with sound Biblical teaching, and Christian music programming 24/7 every day. AND THE END IS NOT YET! UCB Australia has plans to expand the radio network by as many towns and communities across the nation of Australia as local interest demands, and finances and personnel are provided.
UCB International is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, with broadcasting affiliates in 25 countries. It also publishes and distributes the popular daily devotional, "The Word For Today" with Bob Gass.
All this from one man who dared to believe the vision he had of establishing Christian radio in New Zealand was, against seeming insurmountable odds, with time and patient faith, divinely possible.
Did Richard Berry ever receive a supernatural vision from the Lord played out before his eyes like a video or movie presentation? Not that I know of, but he certainly had a clear vision inspired by the Holy Spirit of fighting the good fight of faith to see Christian media become a reality in New Zealand and beyond. Richard Berry, sadly succumbed to a very aggressive form of cancer at the age of just 47, in 1988 - but the ministry has grown exponentially since then, for many years under the leadership of Hal Short, who was a very close ministry executive associate of Richard Berry.
The above is but one example of many men and women whose lives have impacted many by their faith and unwavering commitment to see birthed fruitful endeavours for the Kingdom of God, touching many lives with the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Footnote: Much of the information concerning Richard Berry above was gleaned from a special tribute edition of Radio Rhema's "Frequency" magazine Issue No 153 (October 1988) following the death of Richard Berry.