What is Right and True

The Way, The Truth, and The Life

In the early days of the United States a great man lived. His name was Davey Crockett. He explored the American frontier as well as served as an American Congressman. He lived by what he believed, and he died by what he believed, by defending freedom and dying for it at the Alamo. He once made a statement that stuck with me. He said, “Be sure you’re right, then do it.” 

It doesn’t matter whether it is popular or trending. It doesn’t matter whether it is what others want to hear or whether others will like you for saying it. What matters is whether something is right or correct. 

Unfortunately, not many people follow his example. Take something simple like the principles of a healthy body. There are 5 basic principles to ensure that you live a healthy life physically: The first is resistance training, then cardio, stretching, making sure the body is hydrated and most importantly, making sure the body receives proper nutrition.  

We know that following these principles will give us a healthy body, yet most of us do not follow these rules. Why is that? Even if some people follow them most of the time, they still break the rules from time to time. Why? Because it is easier to be bad for a moment of pleasure, then to follow what is right for them to do for their bodies.  

Why is it important to understand right and wrong these days? 

We live in a world so confused thinking that truth is relative. I have heard it said by some that the only absolute truth is that there are no absolutes. That is a lie. A simple study of physics will tell you that there are plenty of absolute truths. Just as there are absolutes in nature and mathematics, there are absolute truths in natural laws among people. People need this real truth more than ever to have a healthy, fulfilling life.  

Now if we know the things that are true are true because they are good for us, then why don’t we follow the truth. Part of the answer is because doing what is true is usually harder to do. For example, it is usually easier and more pleasurable to do what is not healthy, like eating a sugar laden donut instead of a salad for lunch.  

The easy way is often the way with more consequences in the future than the right way.   

Sometimes we may realize what is true and even affirm it as truth by what you say, but actions speak louder than words. The real truth you need to ask yourself is, “is what you believe to be real, really real to you.” You can say you believe in something all you want, but if your actions do not demonstrate that is what you believe, then do you really believe it? 

For example, if you truly believe that weightlifting will improve your health, yet you never exercise, then where is the proof of your belief? You are just lying to yourself and others to make claims that you yourself do not follow.  

Also, In the same way that there are truth principles that guides one’s physical life, there are also truth principles that guides one’s spiritual life. 

The book of Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books in the Bible. It was written by Solomon near the end of his life. Here is a man who had the ability to do basically anything he wanted to do with his life. He had riches, women, power, intelligence and wisdom. In his life he set about trying to figure out what the meaning of life was. First, he tried to find fulfillment in accomplishments. He built many buildings to make his name great. Then he sought pleasure as a means to find happiness. With every endeavor, his conclusion was the same. “Everything was vanity”. At the end of the book of Ecclesiastes, he summarizes his entire life by saying this. 

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. 

14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. 

What Solomon was saying is that all of a person’s life can be wrapped up into two things: fearing God and keeping God’s commandments.  

You can either fear God, have an awesome respect for the Creator of the universe and all other universes or you can choose not to.  

You can keep the commandments that God decreed, including those in the natural law that is observable and the laws in God’s Word which are not always observable, or you can thumb your nose and decide you know better than God does. Unfortunately, God doesn’t make mistakes, which people often claim He does. For them, they will learn too late that they are mistaken.  

Ecclesiastes is not the only book in the Bible that promotes this twofold set of life guidelines.  

Deuteronomy 6:2 says,  

“That you may fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.” 

Again, in Deuteronomy 10:12, it says "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” 

In Psalm 111:10, the psalmist said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” 

What is the result when you fear God and keep his commandments? When you are faithful to God, He proves Himself to be faithful, and He will teach you all truth. 

That is the whole reason Jesus came to earth according to John 18:37-38. In this passage Jesus has be brought before Pontus Pilate. The passage says, 18:37 “Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice. 

18:38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all.” 

Pilate stepped out saying he found no fault in Jesus, but he didn’t wait to hear Jesus’ response to Pilate’s question, “What is truth?” Maybe Pilate didn’t think there was an answer, but Jesus had told his disciples what truth was, just the night before.  

In John 14:6, Jesus said to His disciples, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 

Jesus Himself is the truth, because his is part of the Trinity of God. God is the Creator of all things and as such everything exists because of Him. There can be no better objective truth than God.  

On the same night that Jesus declared that He was truth, He also declared that the third person in the Trinity, the Holy Spirit was also truth.  

We see that in John 16:13, "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 

Lastly Jesus spoke about one instrument from God that instructs mankind in the ways of truth: the Word of God. 

Jesus speaking to God the Father in John 17:17, says, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 

The Apostle Paul explains the role to the Bible for us.  

2 Timothy 3:16-17 

16 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 

17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 

The Bible is inspired by God, not only inspired in the sense we normally view it, but it is also literally God breathed, that is the meaning of the word inspired in the original Greek here. Because of this, I am confident that an all-powerful God who took the time to reveal Himself to mankind through this book, is also capable of preserving what is written in the book so that we have an accurate account and trust what it says.  

We have the truth in our hands and if we put our faith in what Jesus has done for us, we can also have the truth in our hearts, guiding us every day. That is something for us to really show our awe and respect to the Creator of our souls.