Life's Inanities and Ironies

 In our last exploration we saw that Scripture defines truth as *emet* (faithfulness, certainty) in the Old Testament and *aletheia* (unconcealed reality) in the New—rooted entirely in the unchanging character of God. Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Truth is not abstract; it is personal, absolute, and divine. But what happens when we set this biblical view alongside the major philosophies of truth developed by human minds? The contrast is stark—and instructive—especially for conservative Christians who hold the Bible as the inerrant, sufficient Word of God. 1. Correspondence Theory (Aristotle, Aquinas, Modern Realism) This is the most intuitive philosophical view: a statement is true if it corresponds to reality—“The cat is on the mat” is true only if the cat really is on the mat. **Biblical alignment:** Scripture strongly affirms correspondence. God’s Word corresponds perfectly to reality because God Himself cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18)...

The Bible does not treat truth as a philosophical abstraction or personal preference. Instead, it presents **truth** as an unchanging, objective reality that flows directly from the character of God Himself. Truth is not something we invent; it is something we discover, obey, and embody because God *is* truth. Scripture uses two primary words for truth—one in the Old Testament and one in the New—that together paint a rich, multi-layered portrait.   1. Old Testament: *Emet* – Truth as Faithfulness and Certainty In Hebrew, the most common word translated “truth” is **emet** (אֱמֶת). It comes from the root *aman*, the same root as “amen” and “faith.” *Emet* carries the idea of firmness, reliability, trustworthiness, and what is solidly established. - ** God Himself is the source and standard of truth. **     “The LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King” (Jeremiah 10:10, ESV).     His word and His promises never fail: “Thy word ...

I woke up this morning with a burden on my heart for the politicians in this country. Now I know that may seem at cross purposes, so to speak, but as I was reading Proverbs 6:16–19, I realized it could be directed directly at the politicians of our day in this country. And the fact that, not once but twice, God mentions how much He hates a liar—I didn’t misspeak; the actual word used is “hate.” I know for many of us it’s hard to think that God hates anyone, especially some of you folks who think, “Oh, God is always love and He wouldn’t do anything to anyone.” This thought and fallacy has sent more people to hell than any other. God makes it very clear what is needed to enter heaven. These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren....

We live in Giant Country. The giants are bigger than ever — government overreach, cultural decay, moral confusion, family breakdown, and open defiance of the living God. They strut across the valley and shout their taunts just like Goliath of Gath. Most of God’s people stand on the hill, dismayed and greatly afraid. But the infallible, inerrant Word of God shows us exactly how one young man survived Giant Country — and how we can too. Turn with me to 1 Samuel 17:32-40. The armies are arrayed. Goliath has defied Israel for forty days. Then David steps forward. David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine” (v. 32). Saul protested: David was just a youth; Goliath was a man of war from his youth. But David answered with the testimony of a man who had already walked with God in the hidden places: “Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after hi...