Are you “of” the Truth?
Jesus clearly told Pilate that His kingdom was not “of” this world, that it was not “from” here. Pilate then proceeded to question Jesus – “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.’ 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.’ But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’ Then they all cried again, saying, ‘Not this Man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a robber.” (John 18: 37-40)
Jesus told Pilate that He had “come into” the world. We do not “come into” the world like Jesus did. Our existence begins at our physical birth, but He always existed. We know from John’s gospel account that Jesus was the Creator of the world – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1: 1-4)
The blessed reality is also that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world from eternal separation from God – “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3: 17) We all have a choice. When we hear the gospel, or good news about what Jesus has done for us, we can choose to believe in Him and surrender our lives to Him, or we can keep ourselves under eternal condemnation. John quoted Jesus as having said the following – “’For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come into the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.’” (John 3: 16-21) Jesus also said – “’Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.’” (John 5: 24)
Sometime around seven hundred years before Christ was born, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah prophesied about the suffering Servant, the One who would bear our griefs, carry our sorrows, be wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities (Isaiah 52: 13 – 53: 12). Pilate did not realize it, but he as well as the Jewish leaders were helping to fulfill prophecy. The Jews rejected their King and allowed Him to be crucified; which fulfilled the payment for all our sins. Isaiah’s prophetic words were completed – “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53: 5-6)
We live in a day when truth is considered completely relative; based upon each person’s own opinions. The idea of absolute truth is both religiously and politically incorrect. The testimony of the Bible; however, is one of absolute truth. It reveals God. It reveals Him as Creator of the world. It reveals man as fallen and rebellious. It reveals God’s plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14: 6).
Jesus came into the world as it was prophesied. He suffered and died as it was prophesied. He will one day return as King of Kings as it is prophesied. In the meantime, what will you do with Jesus? Will you believe He is who He says He is?
