My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:18 (KJV).

REFLECT:
‘What is truth,’ this was a question Pontius Pilate asked Jesus in John 18:38. Obviously, he was confused and could not decipher that the truth he need to know and be acquainted with was standing right before him.

Many of us are like Pontius Pilate. We run around looking for the truth and never find it. The main reason for this is that we have failed to connect with the person called truth and what He stands for.

A lot of people who may have the same mentality as Pontius Pilate with a Greco- Roman ideology see truth as an idea, a philosophical state of mind. Something that could be switched on and off at will, whenever they want.

Their world of truth exists outside of their person and should never have anything to do with their emotions and consciences. Is this what life should be about? Truth without a purpose?

So what is truth, and how can we identify truth? As said earlier, truth is a person, and truth can be identified. Our identification of truth can be found in the purpose it has or it conveys to the world.

In John 14:6 Jesus makes this huge and bold headline statement “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” In this statement Jesus just introduced Himself as the truth, and mind you, He does not say, I am one of the truths, but rather He said— ‘the truth.’ Hence the person of truth as we see here has been presented.

So how do we know if this claim is for certain, and not an idea or perhaps false? This is where the identification part and the purpose comes to play.

All through His ministry as we find in the Bible and other reliable, and verifiable sources, Jesus was and is the truth in action. As truth like He rightly claims, we see Him producing results in accurate terms. His miraculous power, meeting people where they are at, transforming lives for good, satisfying the hungry soul, and bringing to life dead dreams and individuals. The truth never lies, is not late, and does not fail. Even at His death, the truth rose again from the grave after three days just like He said He would.

Another way to validate the authenticity of Jesus’ claim is to look at the driving purpose behind the truth. What was the driving purpose behind Jesus – the Truth? The driving purpose of truth is LOVE. Galatians 3:14 & 5: 6-7.

Therefore, the authenticity of truth is love. This means that for the truth to be seen as truth it must spring out of love, love is the foundation and basis for truth. Without love truth can never function or exist in true perfection. “And above all these things put on charity (Love), which is the bond of perfectness.” Colossians 3: 14(KJV).

Now that we know who the truth is and the driving purpose of His calling, how can we relate to this truth? Our Bible verse for today gives us a road to the answer to this question.

First and d foremost, we must accept the person of the truth-Jesus, into our lives. We have to make Him the Lord and Savior of our lives. This is the only way His truth can have a good hold on us.

Secondly, we must allow Jesus to work out His purpose(s) in our lives. Remember that His driving purpose is Love. It is His love that will enable us to express His truth in the ways He has ordained for it to be expressed. Not our way. Our ways are very partial and lopsided.

Our discussions above are just the synopsis of what our Bible verse for today in 1 John 3:18 is saying to us. We must employ the truth which we have in Christ Jesus to enable us to love the right way. Doing it on our terms will be very superficial. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1John 4:7-8. (KJV).

To express the love of God in truth and not superficially which, as we know, is in words and tongue can only be achieved if Jesus – the Truth is allowed to take full reign in our lives.

Ebimobo W. Obasi

PLEASE PRAY ALONG:

A Prayer to Love Others Through My Actions

FATHER GOD, please help me to love others through my actions. It’s because of Your love and the act of sending Jesus to us that I can love others. Please give me the Grace to connect with JESUS the Truth of GOD, so that I can also honor people in my life as He did through the words, deeds, and actions that He demonstrated. Please provide me with opportunities where I can serve others. In JESUS MIGHTY NAME.