Tuesday, April 03, 2007

What is truth?

John 18:37-38 37 Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." 38 Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in him. (ESV)

What is truth and where is it found? How do we find that which is true? Is truth something that we discover on our own, by our own power and investigation? If we search hard enough, pray hard enough truth will reveal itself to us? Or is truth something that is revealed to us by He who is Truth?

Examine these words, from the September 1978 Ensign magazine (the official magazine of the mormon church) by then "Prophet" Spencer Kimball...

Again, I offer the assistance of the Church, but I will not push this matter upon you nor force it. You are mature, you have a good mind, you have a strong background, and the seeds of truth were sown in your life in your youth. All the powers of earth and heaven cannot bring this knowledge to you. It cannot be hoped for nor purchased. It must come by a careful, honest, and sincere investigation. The Church stands ready to furnish such assistance as you may require.

Note the focus here. You have to find truth. The mormon church can help. Truth comes by investigation. No power on earth or heaven can bring this knowledge to you. Think about the ramifications of that statement. Christ cannot reveal truth to you. You must discover it by your own investigation.

Now compare that to what the Bible says. Look at the experience of Paul. I would hazard to say that in his case, it WAS a power in heaven that revealed truth to him. Or later in Acts, Lydia. The Scripture tells us that "One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. " (Acts 16:14 ESV) Lydia heard what Paul was saying because the Lord opened her heart. Not because she sincerely investigated. Never, as far as I am aware, does anyone come to a knowledge of God by their own sincere investigation. The focus in mormonism is shown once again to be on the earthly church organization. The focus of the Christian is on Christ, revealed in His inerrant, infallible Living Word. We are His sheep, and His sheep hear His voice.

No comments: