Would you know the truth if you heard it? In chapter 18 of the Book of John, Truth is revealed. When we understand that our emotions and what we see in this world can lie to us, then our minds can come to realize, just as the Apostle Paul did, that Jesus Christ carried the Word of God and revealed truth for us to receive it and come into agreement with it. His Living Word gives guidance, and through works of faith, we gain hope in Christ and life everlasting as it was from the beginning.
The first truth you must believe? God is Spirit, and He created us in His image. He is not found by any physical means. He is found by Spirit. And His creation, humans, carry His logos or image. For example, just as a car manufacturer creates a new vehicle, the company is not driving the car around, people are, and only their logo and style are visible. By watching your behavior, would others know what kind of “car” you drive?
The Spirit of Truth
This essay on Truth starts in John 18, where Judas arrives with a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees to take Jesus. He already knew they were coming for Him, and He spoke first. “Whom do you seek?” (Truth, the Spirit, always comes first.) They answered Jesus of Nazareth. He tells them, “I am He,” they went backward and fell to the ground. Showing them, in Spirit, through His command of the wind against them, who He was. But they did not understand the Truth. Again, He asks, “Whom do you seek?” And they reply again, Jesus of Nazareth. This time, He concluded, “I have told you that I am He: if therefore you seek me, let these go their way.” The first response to them was His divine Spirit revealed, and the second response was to their inability to discern it. They were only looking for the person of Jesus.
When Jesus arrived at the hall of justice, Pilate–whose name means armed with a spear–went out to them. Upon hearing the crowd’s demands, to be judged by Roman law, Pilate enters the judgment hall again, calling Jesus. He asks, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus questions Pilate whether he is saying the title on his own or because others have told him so. Pilate responds, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests brought you to me: what have you done?”
Here, the Truth is revealed again. Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Why? Because His kingdom is found in Spirit. Then He says, “If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews.” Read that again. You can discern here this Truth: Jesus does not require His servants to contend with adversaries in the world by physical means. He knew His assignment was to be delivered to the Jews. His rule at that present moment was not the world. (He had not given Himself on the cross yet.)
Pilate now asks, “Are you a king then?” Jesus remarks, “You say I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” Jesus tells us that He was sent into this world by the Father to affirm, testify and give the honorable testimony, revealing to the mind the certainty and truth of all things concerning God, the duties of man, and morality.
His following sentence reveals who knows Him and who does not. He says, “Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.” Breaking down the sentence, we can see that every being who came out of the Spirit of Truth can hear Jesus’ voice. The word for voice here is the Greek word phone. It is a noun (person, place, or thing) which means sound, cry, yell, language, speech, and discourse. His sound brings forth light into a dark world and appears to the mind in the midst of a person, so the truth can become clear and manifest in the lives of His people.
We are earthen vessels, cars if you will, with many parts working together. And these “cars” are filled with the Spirit. Parts need to be used and oiled, or they lock up and become sedentary, and no matter the type, they need an energy source. We may need to seek the manufacturer’s book to find out what part is acting up and how to replace it with a new one, or we may need a technician to work on it occasionally. And the older the “car” gets, the more you may need to work on it! Truth is, the Bible contains the Living Word of the Spirit, which guides us, gives us faith, and blessed assurance that Jesus, the Christ, gave us the only manual we will ever need in this life, and access to the Spirit of Truth, so that we may have everlasting life, in Him. Worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth. Blessing and Honor.
Feature Image: Bigstock.com | Scripture quotations are taken from the KING JAMES VERSION of the Bible.
