When people have bombarded me for years with this idea that truth is a concrete unchangeable concept, and my post modern edge wants to think it’s different for everyone, I’ve been unable to reconcile these two opposing factions in my mind. It always seemed like one had to be right and the other had to be wrong. I’m not so convinced anymore.
Truth is not personalized to us, it doesn’t try to make us happy or be what we want it to be. But truth is personal.
As I was thinking about truth, and what Jesus meant when He said “I am the way and the truth and the life.” So Jesus is truth. Truth is personal. Truth is personal to each person it meets because Jesus knows that no one person is the same. Jesus was always the same person on earth, but he acted and treated different people differently. Truth never changes, but is always personal to every single person on earth.
So maybe when two people argue about truth, maybe they are really arguing about how they know the person of Jesus. Maybe they had different encounters with the same person? Maybe we need to approach truth as a person with a personality, not a bunch of rules written in stone.
10 comments:
personalized truth isnt always the real personal truth.
a question: did jesus come to start a new religion?
Jeffro, huh? not sure what you are trying to say. In response to your question: Did Jesus come to start a religion at all? Maybe he came to kill man's religion?
Delbert,
I really like that way that you put it. Keep on seeking.
Delbert... I know for a long time I struggled with the thought. It seemed there was only one truth sort of like elementry math ( a+b=c ), there was always one answer which was calculated by one person. Sort of like the preacher reading a certain piece of scripture, coming up with two points and abracadabra, the answer.But truth on a personal level is 3D ( three dimensional ), God, Jesus and the Spirit. On a personal level we hold up God's word to the light like a precious gem, and we turn it...and to each of us a truth is revealed. Is the truth revealed to me more right, than the truth that is revealed to you. Heck No, in our personal relationship with Jesus, where we are, the circumstances, what's going on in our life...the truth is revealed...a life changing truth.
I think alot of times a subjective truth just provides and answer...where as a personalized truth transforms and changes. Anyways again, great thoughts that make us drink deep from the well of life. Pax...Ron+
i think a personalized truth is different from a personal truth. one is an object we dress up to suit us. one is a person that we get to know. you know?
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New Thought
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Was Jesus making a statement when he said " I am the way the truth and the life?" or was he laying out a roadmap or process for a journey. The Way leads to truth and truth leads to life?
I think Honesty might be more so somone's version of a personalized truth.
But Jesus -God- being the ultimate Truth when all else falls and turns to ash and dust, this I hold fast to. And that should make sence, since I find The Way and The Life so intermingled with this worldview of Truth.
I also think that Truth, while dynamic or prismatic in relation, is also ultimate and unmoveable.
just came across your blog. Interesting, but I confused? Sure truth is personal, but it is always absolute. If I stake in fridge, it is there no matter who says it isn't.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, but through me."
What jesus is saying is in order to get to the father, you much believe the Truth (that Jesus is the son of God). This seems absolute to me.
what is the truth about homosexuality? what is the truth about alcohol, and gambling? what is the truth about church and state being separate? what is the truth about slavery?
the truth that you are talking about is subjective truth. but how are we supposed to understand what Jesus means when he says that he IS truth? he doesn't say that the fact that he is God's son is truth. he is truth.
i'm just on a journey to figure that out. it's true that i can play poker with my friends every tuesday night and that's ok. for others gambling is not so ok, and that is equally as true.
My Question again...Is that what Jesus is saying? IS he making a carte blance [absolute] statements about himself...or is he saying something different?
Maybe hs is saying he envelopes the process that man walks to find God. Whichever way that is via personal or personalized.
In thinking about what "Delbert" said above. Good point on the gambling issue. Assuming you believe what the Bible says is truth there are absolute laws there, like do not get drunk, fornicate, no other gods before God. But what is personal is how we achieve these laws.
For example, some of us are alcoholics so we cannot have one drink without turning back into alcoholism again, while others can have a few drinks without a problem.
One thing missing in a lot of churches is that they say, "Do not do such and such," but they do not tell you to stay away from situations that tempt you to do "such and such."
as far was to what Jesus was saying, I will leave to the words of Billy Graham who says...
Jesus told his disciples, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). He did not merely point the way to God. He himself claimed to be the only way to the Father and the source of eternal truth and life.
The way to God is through personal faith in Jesus Christ. Intellectual acceptance of Christ is not enough. You must come to him determined to turn from what displeases him, with a total trust in Christ's saving power for you.
Christ promises those who turn to him: "Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed from death to life" (John 5:24).
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