| The statement by the Lord, "I am the way", John 6:4, | | | | of us must sincerely and thoughtfully address at some |
| and the theological framework it creates does not | | | | point in our lives. What is true? What is real? Is there a |
| suffice unless he can also declare that he is the Truth. | | | | standard that governs us all? Am I on the right track? |
| Therefore we must evaluate the second part of the | | | | Jesus concisely answers all these deep questions with |
| profound statement of John 6:4, "I am the Way, the | | | | one simple decisive statement, "I am the Truth!" |
| Truth and the Life". The second ingredient of this | | | | The problem for the world with this Christian |
| salvific formula is not that he is only one of many | | | | proposition is that it absolutely eliminated man's opinion |
| truths, but instead that he is the supreme and exclusive | | | | for the equation, it in fact denies man's right to even |
| possessor of truth, even more he is the embodiment | | | | negotiate the terms of the discussion or the method of |
| of truth itself; the source from which all truth flows | | | | its determination. Since the very beginning, man has |
| from and upon which all error is measured against. | | | | always wanted to be the standard of truth. It was |
| Jesus then is the standard by which everything else is | | | | Satan's appeal to this inherent pride that caused the |
| judged. By definition something is true to the extent | | | | Adam to fall. Instead of accepting the standard set by |
| that it conforms to reality. That which conforms to his | | | | God, Adam and Eve erected their own wisdom as the |
| standard is therefore true and that which deviated | | | | standard of truth and rebelled against the truth that |
| from it is comparatively false as Christ is the source of | | | | had been revealed by God. Since the beginning God |
| all reality. If he were not the truth, he could not declare | | | | has declared a truth that commands man to simple |
| that he is the way. | | | | obedience, however man since the beginning has been |
| Pondering this somewhat philosophical issue is | | | | unwilling to adhere to the Truth of God. God had given |
| important to us as Christians. We stand in rebellious | | | | them the entire world to enjoy, yet man was not |
| opposition to the world standard and boldly proclaim | | | | happy until they had acted on the desire to determine |
| that we alone possess absolute truth, divine wisdom | | | | what was right and wrong for them. By abandoning |
| and eternal life. In this statement of exclusivity we take | | | | the truth of God for a lie, seeking to obtain truth by |
| the position that there is no other way but the way of | | | | they own flawed insight, the set the course for their |
| cross, all others regardless of the sincerity of the | | | | progeny to seek the wisdom of man instead of the |
| adherent, lead to damnation. This uncompromising | | | | wisdom of God. A pattern that we continue to follow |
| standard in a modern culture of universalism and moral | | | | to this day. |
| relativism makes the Christian position disfavored. | | | | Man desires to set the rules, because if we can set |
| However, the true Christian must accept the truth of | | | | the rules, we can dictate and justify doing anything that |
| God no matter how such position is viewed by men. | | | | our flesh desires. But if we accept God and his |
| This idea has been a thorn for many; the idea of truth | | | | standard, then we are forced to recognize our own |
| is a concept that has bewildered men since the | | | | sinfulness and wickedness. God's standard is a mirror |
| beginning of time. All people in some form seeking it, | | | | upon which we would rather not look. Romans 3:23 |
| yet we claim as disciples of Christ to possess and | | | | states that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory |
| have access to that which man has always sought. | | | | of God". This is a blow to the ego of man. God's |
| So what does it really mean to be true? How can | | | | declaration that we are all sinners, all criminals who |
| finite man discover this infinite principle? Is it discernable | | | | have broken his law and therefore justly deserve |
| by deductive reasoning? Is it discernable by scientific | | | | punishment. Having nothing with which to cleanse our |
| methods? The search for truth has stumped | | | | guilt, all we can do is beg the mercy of God. As |
| philosophers and thinkers, theologians and scientists, but | | | | sinners we must admit that we have not and cannot |
| here in this simple verse, Jesus seems to address this | | | | live truly before God. The word "sin", harmatia in Greek, |
| infinitely complex question in startlingly simple terms. He | | | | literally means to miss the mark. God therefore |
| reveals the mystery that has eluded men for eons. | | | | declares that all have missed the holy mark of God's |
| "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? | | | | perfect truth. If left to our own truth, a truth rooted in |
| Jesus answered; Thou sayest that I am a King. To this | | | | our own sinfulness, we are fated for judgment. But by |
| end was I born, and for this cause came I into the | | | | accepting the way of Christ, believing it to be the truth |
| world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every | | | | of God, we place in the midst of his saving truth where |
| one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith | | | | we can be restored to God. Therefore it is essential |
| unto him, what is truth?" John 18:37-38. | | | | for each individual to address the question posed by |
| What is truth? We don't oft consider the depth of the | | | | Pontius Pilate. What is truth? Who determines what is |
| question posed by Pontus Pilate, "What is truth?" We | | | | true? God or man? Jesus or you? It is a question you |
| fail to consider the seriousness of the question, | | | | must answer because life and death hang in the |
| because we arrogantly assume that we instinctively | | | | balance. |
| know the answer. However, it is a question that each | | | | I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. |