Dancing to Doctrine: Living in the Truth
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”—John 14:6
Jesus is “the truth” (John 8:32; 14:6) in the same manner that He is “the way.” But what does it mean that He is “the truth”? Truth, by definition, is a declarative statement or judgment concerning that which is right or in accordance with fact or reality. Jesus is called the “Word” of God. And as the Word, the very first spoken Word, He is the true declaration of what reality is, as John wrote, “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made”—John 1:1. He is not only the Creator of the world, but is also its sustainer, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power”—Hebrews 1:3.
Jesus, as the Word, “became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth”—John 1:14. By assuming flesh God made a threefold declaration to the world in and through Christ—that He loves man, that man is judged because of his sin, and that Jesus Christ is the means by which we can become participants in the life of God.
As truth personified, He also displays the only truly reliable way of living that incurs favor with God and enables satisfaction in man—because as the divine Son and embodied “way” of God He loves both God and man in the way God designed and requires.
Jesus’ presence on earth inaugurated the kingdom of God (see Luke 11:20) and we, by our faith in Him, show the reality of His kingdom to the world in our daily lives. Following the truth is living a life of obedience to Him, in the knowledge of who Jesus is according to His Word—which is, doctrine. Doctrine enables us to understand the proper steps to take in the dance with God.
Are we growing in our understanding of the truth of God? As we pursue truth, our joy will only increase, and we’ll stay in step with the One who has the ultimate purpose and plan for our lives. Amen.
Jesus is “the truth” (John 8:32; 14:6) in the same manner that He is “the way.” But what does it mean that He is “the truth”? Truth, by definition, is a declarative statement or judgment concerning that which is right or in accordance with fact or reality. Jesus is called the “Word” of God. And as the Word, the very first spoken Word, He is the true declaration of what reality is, as John wrote, “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made”—John 1:1. He is not only the Creator of the world, but is also its sustainer, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power”—Hebrews 1:3.
Jesus, as the Word, “became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth”—John 1:14. By assuming flesh God made a threefold declaration to the world in and through Christ—that He loves man, that man is judged because of his sin, and that Jesus Christ is the means by which we can become participants in the life of God.
As truth personified, He also displays the only truly reliable way of living that incurs favor with God and enables satisfaction in man—because as the divine Son and embodied “way” of God He loves both God and man in the way God designed and requires.
Jesus’ presence on earth inaugurated the kingdom of God (see Luke 11:20) and we, by our faith in Him, show the reality of His kingdom to the world in our daily lives. Following the truth is living a life of obedience to Him, in the knowledge of who Jesus is according to His Word—which is, doctrine. Doctrine enables us to understand the proper steps to take in the dance with God.
Are we growing in our understanding of the truth of God? As we pursue truth, our joy will only increase, and we’ll stay in step with the One who has the ultimate purpose and plan for our lives. Amen.
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