Quid est veritas?Quid est veritas? What is Truth?What is Truth?

How to deal with “the How to deal with “the

Con of Man” or a Con-Man.Con of Man” or a Con-Man.

Definitions of TruthDefinitions of Truth• Accuracy: the quality of being Accuracy: the quality of being

near to the true value;near to the true value; wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwnwordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

• Propositions, statements, Propositions, statements, sentences, assertions and beliefs sentences, assertions and beliefs have been offered as appropriate have been offered as appropriate bearers of truth or falsity.bearers of truth or falsity. www.filosofia.net/materiales/rec/glosaen.htmwww.filosofia.net/materiales/rec/glosaen.htm

Definitions of TruthDefinitions of Truth

• State of being true or accurate State of being true or accurate or honest or sincere. Almost or honest or sincere. Almost completely unheard of in completely unheard of in politics, where it is used about politics, where it is used about as often as a pair of Imelda as often as a pair of Imelda Marcos's shoes.Marcos's shoes. www.razza.fsnet.co.uk/oyfordttwo.htmwww.razza.fsnet.co.uk/oyfordttwo.htm

Absolute Truth answers:Absolute Truth answers:

• Who are we?Who are we?

• Why are we here?Why are we here?

• What is our purpose?What is our purpose?

• Is there life after death?Is there life after death?

Eras of ThoughtEras of Thought• Pre-modernPre-modern – Mystical, – Mystical,

linked with creation.linked with creation.• ModernModern – Empirical, – Empirical,

scientific, linear. scientific, linear. Bastille Bastille to the Berlin Wall.to the Berlin Wall.

• PostmodernPostmodern – Not – Not universal, not objective, universal, not objective, not knowable. not knowable. Berlin Wall Berlin Wall to Present.to Present.

Why is this important?Why is this important?• Western Culture has moved away Western Culture has moved away

from absolutes.from absolutes.

• People make decisions based on People make decisions based on feelings and other things, and not feelings and other things, and not truth. truth.

• Much of the church has moved Much of the church has moved from absolutes.from absolutes.

Why is this important?Why is this important?• 3 For a time is coming when people 3 For a time is coming when people

will no longer listen to right teaching. will no longer listen to right teaching. They will follow their own desires and They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear. 4 them whatever they want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and follow They will reject the truth and follow strange myths.strange myths.

• 2 Timothy 4:1-4 NLT2 Timothy 4:1-4 NLT

• Judges 21:25Judges 21:25

T – True not falseT – True not falseNature of TruthNature of Truth• Four tests for truth: Consistency, Four tests for truth: Consistency,

Coherence, Completeness, & Coherence, Completeness, & Correspondence.Correspondence.

• It can be verified and validated It can be verified and validated against a standard. It can be against a standard. It can be evaluated. It can be tested evaluated. It can be tested philosophically, historically, philosophically, historically, scientifically, & practically. It matches scientifically, & practically. It matches up with real life. up with real life.

• Philosophically – Logically consistent.Philosophically – Logically consistent.

• Historically/ legally/ forensically – Historically/ legally/ forensically – Beyond a reasonable doubt, Beyond a reasonable doubt, testimony, evidence, affects over testimony, evidence, affects over time.time.

• Scientifically – Scientific method. Scientifically – Scientific method. Tests theories of things that can be Tests theories of things that can be repeated and have predictable repeated and have predictable results.results.

R – Revealed not just realizedR – Revealed not just realizedSource of Truth.Source of Truth.

• What is the basis of this information? What is the basis of this information? This cannot just come from my This cannot just come from my feelings. Feelings are important and feelings. Feelings are important and valid, but they cannot be the basis for valid, but they cannot be the basis for truth.truth.

• Truth must come from outside of Truth must come from outside of man. man.

• Psalm 19, Psalm 119Psalm 19, Psalm 119

U – Universal not just personalU – Universal not just personalScope of truth.Scope of truth.

• It applies to everyone. It is true It applies to everyone. It is true regardless of location, culture, time, regardless of location, culture, time, etc.etc.

T – Text not imagesT – Text not images

Medium of Truth.Medium of Truth.

• A picture is worth a thousand words, but it A picture is worth a thousand words, but it still takes words to set the scene for the still takes words to set the scene for the picture. picture.

• Propositional.Propositional.

• Watch a generation’s words, and you will Watch a generation’s words, and you will see what they are doing with reality.see what they are doing with reality.

• John 1:1 LogosJohn 1:1 Logos

H – Holistic not compartmentalizedH – Holistic not compartmentalizedApplication of Truth.Application of Truth.

• It applies to all areas. It is true at work, in It applies to all areas. It is true at work, in the White House, Court House, and at my the White House, Court House, and at my house.house.

Why learn about Truth?Why learn about Truth?• It points to a personIt points to a person

• It gives purposeIt gives purpose

• It sets standardsIt sets standards

• A life built on a lie leads to slavery and A life built on a lie leads to slavery and self-destruction. self-destruction.

• Don’t settle for answers, seek the truth.Don’t settle for answers, seek the truth.

• Absolute truth is found in God (objective)Absolute truth is found in God (objective)

• Truthfulness is found in the person Truthfulness is found in the person (subjective). (subjective).

• Psalm 119:160, John 17:17 Your word is Psalm 119:160, John 17:17 Your word is truth.truth.

• John 14:6John 14:6