The evening began innocently enough. After all this was the Passover they were celebrating just as they had done year after year in the past. They assembled in an upstairs room and everyone was present. Before long some unusual things began to occur. First came the argument about who was the greatest. Then came that disconcerting moment when Jesus washed all their feet. Then those two strange prophecies were made about Judas' betrayal and Peter's denial. Jesus had added an extra course to that meal of unleavened bread and grape juice while talking about a "new covenant." But, with these few exceptions, it was just another Passover meal.

After the farewell speech by the host and a closing prayer that emphasized unity, they went to an olive garden just outside of town. This was their favorite place of prayer any time they were in Jerusalem. Though Jesus' prayer seemed exceptionally earnest this night, the hour grew late, they were tired, and struggled to stay alert and interested.

But then they were wide awake! Judas had returned leading an armed mob of temple guards and Jewish officials. Before the disciples could realize what was happening, Jesus had been arrested and bound.

Then the so-called "trials" began. First, Jesus was taken to the head of the Sadducees, Annas. Next, He was taken to Caiaphas, the high priest by Roman political appointment. Here a fabricated charge of blasphemy was punctuated by spitting, beating, and ridicule. By now morning had come and Jewish council assembled (consisting of the chief priests, scribes, and elders) to conduct yet a third hearing. They quickly arrived at a sentence of death and sent Jesus on to Pilate. Pilate was required by law to approve any sentence of death the council had pronounced.

Strangely then, Pilate demanded a private interview with Jesus. He opened with a blunt question, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Pilate declared himself ignorant of the religious mysteries of the Jews. Jesus then talked about His spiritual kingdom and that He had come into the world to bear witness to the Truth.

Pilate's singular reply to this was, "What is truth?" This profound question needs to be asked and answered again today. In a world where truth is little more than soft plastic to be bent, molded, distorted, and altered, the need for solid, unchanging truth is critical. How does the Bible address the subject of truth?

Jesus declared himself to be the very essence of truth. Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me." (John 14:6) Those who are on God's side must be lovers and pursuers of truth. Truth is not an option for the Christian. Truth is not something we can "take or leave." Jesus said to her,

Truth is critical to our salvation! Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him. "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Truth, as found in the Word of God, is what sets us free from the captivity of sin. The doddering, uncertain steps of ignorance do not free from sin. Sincere but ignorant actions can never be a substitute for truth.

Truth sets us apart from the world. And for their sake I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth (John 17:19). Dr. Robert Richardson, son-in-law and biographer of Alexander Campbell summarized the implications of Thomas Campbell's Declaration and Address this way: "Never before had any reformer taken distinctly such ground as this. Never before had anyone presumed to pass over so lightly the authorities and usages and decision of so many intervening centuries. Here, indeed, was the startling proposition to begin anew--to begin at the beginning; to ascend at once to the pure fountain of truth, and to neglect and disregard, as though they had never been, the decrees of Popes, councils, synods, and assemblies, and all the traditions and corruption's of an apostate church. By coming at once to the primitive model and rejecting all human imitations, by submitting implicitly to the Divine authority as plainly expressed in the Scriptures, and by disregarding all the assumptions and dictation's of fallible men it was proposed to form a union upon a basis to which no valid objection could be offered. By this summary method, the church was to be at once released from the controversies of eighteen centuries, and from the conflicting claims of all pretenders to apostolic thrones, and the primitive gospel of salvation was to be disentangled and disembarrassed from all those corruption's and perversions which had heretofore delayed or arrested its progress."

Jesus' teaching set Him apart from the religious leaders of his day. Just as a servant is not greater than his master, our teaching should far distance us from the vain, error-ridden religious and theological speculations of our day. Our appeal in all areas of religion must be based upon, consistent with, and guided by this true Word alone! Many of our readers have heard the popular radio talk show host, Rush Limbaugh, who emphasized his "...daily, relentless, pursuit of the truth." If the righting of our country and American politics demands a "daily, relentless, pursuit of the truth," how can we as Christians ever be content to settle for anything less than truth in the spiritual realm?

We have only two choices in this area. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.

(2 Timothy 4:3,4) Paul warned of a time when people would reject the truth of sound doctrine. They reject truth because they cannot endure sound doctrine. In other words, "They can't stand it!"

Preach a sermon preacher, make it short and sweet,
Our stomachs strike at 12 o'clock a hungering to eat.
Preach a sermon preacher, with words both smooth and fair,
For psychology we are thirsting, for scripture we don't care.
Preach a sermon preacher, punctuate it with jokes,
Fill it with your yarns and tales and entertain us folks.
Preach a sermon preacher, we care not what you say;
As long as you leave us alone and fire the other way.
Preach a sermon preacher, but don't get too specific;
As long as you will generalize we think you are terrific.
Preach a sermon preacher, make it good and plain;
But don't you dare get close enough to call sin by its name.
Preach a sermon preacher, preach it round or flat;
We love to play at hide and seek and guess just where you're at.
Preach a sermon preacher, make it what we like to hear;
We'll pat you on your spineless back, while you scratch our itching ear.

--Author unknown, but often quoted by Ed Bousman

Not only do those who prefer error oppose truth, they attempt to suppress the Truth of God's Word. In Romans 1:18, Paul says those who suppress the truth are "ungodly and unrighteous." Literally they "hold down" the truth. Recently, at a friend's house for Bible study, I was asked to open a two liter bottle of root beer. As I twisted off the plastic cap root beer suddenly began spraying everywhere! I kept my hand on the cap but could not keep from spraying the walls, the curtains, and the sliding glass doors. I finally had the presence of mind to screw the cap back down tight, but this did not prevent the mess! God's wrath is revealed from heaven against those who suppress the Truth. That is Judgment!

We do have a choice. We can choose Truth and reject error. We do not have to parrot and sustain the errors of the status quo or the politically correct. We need Christians who have the creed of Superman. Remember? Superman waged "...a never ending fight for truth, justice, and the American way!" Where are the Christians who are dedicated to the Truth above all else? Aren't we, as Christians, after Truth? Isn't every Christian seeking Truth? Proverbs 23:23 tells us to invest in the Truth! How much have you invested in God's Word?

1. Fornication. This is the general word for any type of sexual sin. Today, sexual purity has become a dirty word. For many people their marriage vows were nothing but empty lies, hot air, and trite meaningless phrases they had no intentions of honoring. God's rules about marriage, divorce, and homosexuality are flouted, ignored, and ridiculed.

2. Unclean. This word is used of a dirty house. If your spiritual house is dirty, you are not in the light.

3. Greedy. This word is always used in a bad sense in the Bible. Those who always want more and more, and especially what belongs to others.

4. Idolater. This is one who is enslaved to anything other than the Lord. Why do we have slave-like devotion to sports, work, possessions, etc. and allow them to choke out the Lord and His Church?

If you cannot see the truth about these four types of sin you are not in the light! Truth is a fruit of being in the light.

Perhaps you, like Pilate, are stumped and confused about Truth. You may be tossed by conflicting ideas, pulled by competing philosophies, wavering in the twilight somewhere between light and darkness. Maybe you are calling out in anguish, "What is Truth?"

The ringing, concise, compelling answer from heaven is, "Thy Word is Truth!" (John 17:17)