What is Truth? Part 4

By Mark Molina

 

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free’.” (John 8:31-32 NASB)
“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” (John17:17 NASB)
“For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.” (John17:19 NASB)
The issue is truth. It’s the same question Pilate asked Jesus: “What is truth?” Jesus clearly established that the Word of God is truth. The only way to know truth is to know the Bible. It is Biblical truth that sanctifies us. As disciples of Christ when we sanctify our lives with Biblical truth then those we are in relationship with can also be sanctified. We teach the truth that we live with our lives more than the truth that we communicate with our mouths. Jesus told them, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.” Our relationship with Him is conditional; it’s an ongoing, active relationship with the Lord.
So then how can we know this truth? I want to introduce a term, “systematic theology.” Systematic theology is the way the Bible fits together. Remember, exegesis means “exposition or explanation.” Biblical exegesis involves the examination of a particular text of scripture in order to properly interpret it. Exegesis is a part of the process of hermeneutics, the science of interpretation. A person who practices exegesis is called an exegete.
What is systematic theology? “Systematic” refers to something being put into a system. Systematic theology is, therefore, the division of theology into systems that explain its various areas. For example, many books of the Bible give information about the angels. No one book gives all the information about the angels. (The Angel of The Lord, The Angel Gabriel The Messenger of The Lord, Michael the Arch Angel, the angel of light who is Satan.) Systematic theology takes all the information about angels from all the books of the Bible and organizes it into a system called angelology. That is what systematic theology is all about—organizing the teachings of the Bible into categorical systems. It is the full counsel and revelation of God from the first page of Genesis to the last page of Revelation. It is the RIGHT knowledge of the Word of God. It is being in RIGHT relationship with the Word of God. This is the LOGOS (The Word or written Word).
Biblical syntax – how words, clauses and sentences relate one to another is also correctly accounted for with systematic approach. Establishing the inerrancy of scripture cannot be done without the use of systematic theology and exegesis.
“And the tempter came and said to Him, ‘If You are God’s Son, command these stones to be made [loaves of] bread.’ But He replied, ‘It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:3-4AMP) Jesus correctly responded to satan by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3.
“And he said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, He will give His angels charge over you, and they will bear you up on their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Here the Devil misquoted Psalm 91:11-12.
“Jesus said to him, ‘On the other hand, it is written also, You shall not tempt, test thoroughly, or try exceedingly the Lord your God.’” (Matthew 4:6-7 AMP) Jesus responded by correctly quoting Deuteronomy 6:16.
“And he said to Him, ‘These things, all taken together, I will give You, if You will prostrate Yourself before me and do homage and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Begone, Satan! For it has been written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him alone shall you serve.” (Matthew4:9-10AMP) Here Jesus correctly applied Deuteronomy 6:13.
If Jesus’ defense against satan was to correctly apply the Biblical truth then it must also be our only defense. In order to use it as a defense, we must first know it!

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2015/05/01/what-is-truth-part-4/

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.