And Ye Shall Know the Truth

“And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Many today are asking, as Pilate did, “What is truth? Is it possible to know the truth? Does truth really exist? If so what does it do?” Such questions are important to the thinking man, and questions for which he seeks answers. In the text cited (John 8:32) all of the previous questions are answered. Consider from John 8:32 the answers to the foregoing questions.

Does Truth Really Exist?

The fact that truth exists is self- evident! How can one know something that actually doesn’t exist? One many deny that truth exists, but, that doesn’t prove that truth doesn’t exist. There is a body of truth to which all men are subject, it is the Word of God. The apostle John stated, “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth” (John 17:17). The Psalmist declared, “For the word of the Lord is right; and all His works are done in truth” (Psalms 33:4). When one beholds Jesus he sees truth personified. “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). The Holy Spirit revealed the truth, “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come” (John 16:13). Our Bibles contain the body of truth that all men must accept and be submissive to in order to be acceptable to God.

Is It Possible To Know The Truth? 

John states, “Ye shall know the truth”. The Bible emphatically declares that truth can be attained and understood. “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:4). “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17). Since the body of truth to which all men are to submit is the word of God (i.e. the Bible), then, when one knows and understands the Bible, he knows and understands the truth.

What Does Truth Do?

“The truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). The freedom under consideration here is freedom from the bondage from the bondage of Satan. Only the truth can truly liberate us! The gospel (truth) frees us from: (A) Sin. “But God be thanked ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine delivered you, being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:17,18). To be made free, is to be forgiven for one’s past sins when he completes his obedience to the gospel in obedience to the gospel in being baptized (Romans 6:1-7; Acts 2:39; 22:16). The people on the day of Pentecost were freed by the truth when they gladly received the word and were baptized (Acts 2:41). (B) Condemnation “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ by being baptized (Romans 6:3, 4; Colossians 2:11, 12). Baptism is preceded by hearing, understanding and believing the gospel, which is the truth.

Truth does exist and is absolute, it can be known and when obeyed by believing it (Hebrews 11:6), repenting of our sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30), confessing with our mouth the Lord Jesus (Romans 10:9, 10), and being baptized (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16) will set us free. Let us all with one accord hold forth the word of life (Philippians 2:16) the truth of the gospel.

Bill Cantrell