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John 18:36: “Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?’”
“And he did not stay for an answer.” (Swinburne)
- How is truth found?
- Small groups. All views are equal and equally valid.
- Feelings are the key to truth. Mood rings (circa 1975). Mood watches today. Six feelings register in mood watches: Black for anxiousness or excitement, blue green for calmness, dark blue for happiness and love, green for sensitivity, amber green for uneasiness, and amber for nervousness.
- What are we comfortable with: God is nice. We are nice. Isn’t that nice?!
- Whatever. The question: What is truth? is an empty, useless question.
- Pope Benedict XVI: “The dictatorship of relativism” is the religion of our day. The more relativism becomes the accepted way of thinking the more it leads to intolerance.
- What is our lens?
- Galatians 1:6-8: “no other gospel” 2:5, 14 “the truth of the gospel”
- Paul jumps in immediately because he has been attacked. He’s not arguing about truth in an abstract way. Salvation is at stake. Gal 1:8: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.” Anathema, accursed. In Hebrew: You are outside of God forever. 2 Cor 11:14: “for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” .
- “Or an angel from heaven” What angel? Satan appears as an angel of light. Disguised deceivers. Some such are among you.
- What is truth?
- Gal. 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
- The ten words: God in Christ died and rose for you and me.
- What is truth? Pilate: Let’s just live.
- Truth is a person. John 14:6: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. Gal. 1:7-8: “not that there is another gospel, but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heave, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that we preached to you, let him be accursed.”
- John 14:6b “No one comes to the Father but by me.”
- Free indeed! (How does John take this on? Like Paul.)
- Compare Gal 1:7-8: “Not that there is another gospel…” with John 14:6b: “No one comes to the Father but by me….”
- John 8:31: “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 8:36: “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”
- Free from sin and death.