Jesus is the truth
Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.
Our attitude toward the truth determines the outcome of our lives. If we don’t love the truth, if we resist it, we resist salvation. But if we do love the truth then we embrace salvation and we receive the reward: the crown of life.
But what did Jesus mean when He said that He is the truth? What is the truth?
The truth about who we are and about who Jesus is
God’s Word is true, and the Word became fleshSin is anything that goes against God’s will and His laws. To commit sin is to transgress or disobey these laws. The lust to sin dwells in human nature. In other words, it is contaminated and motivated by the sinful tendencies that dwell in all people as a result of the fall into sin and disobedience in the garden of Eden. This... More and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) So the truth is the life of Jesus – which is to be manifested in us. (2 Corinthians 4:10) When we compare His life to our own lives and see how enormously different the two are, then a light turns on for us. The truth is that light which shines into our lives and reveals what we are really like by nature. It reveals the way that we must walk on in order to be transformed into the image of Christ. (Romans 8:29)
The first step on the way of truth is taken when Jesus shines His light into our lives and we acknowledge that we are sinners in need of forgiveness, atonement, and justification. This causes us to repentRepentance is the act of regretting sincerely the sin in your past with the goal to never do it again. It is making a decision to turn away from evil and to serve God. Repentance is one of the requirements for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 2:17; Luke 15:10; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 3:19; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 2 Peter... More.
The next step is that He shows us that, even though we are forgiven, we still have sinSin is anything that goes against God’s will and His laws. To commit sin is to transgress or disobey these laws. The lust to sin dwells in human nature. In other words, it is contaminated and motivated by the sinful tendencies that dwell in all people as a result of the fall into sin and disobedience in the garden of Eden. This... Moresin in the fleshSin is anything that goes against God’s will and His laws. To commit sin is to transgress or disobey these laws. The lust to sin dwells in human nature. In other words, it is contaminated and motivated by the sinful tendencies that dwell in all people as a result of the fall into sin and disobedience in the garden of Eden. This... More, and we have to acknowledge that we ourselves are powerless to overcome when we are tempted to give in to the sinSin is anything that goes against God’s will and His laws. To commit sin is to transgress or disobey these laws. The lust to sin dwells in human nature. In other words, it is contaminated and motivated by the sinful tendencies that dwell in all people as a result of the fall into sin and disobedience in the garden of Eden. This... More that is so rooted in us as human beings. When we humble ourselves to acknowledge this truth about ourselves then the Holy Spirit can fill us, enlightening us, leading us, and giving us the strength and power that we lack in ourselves so that we can keep all that God commands us – we can give up our own will and do His will instead. In other words, we can get victory over the lusts of the fleshThe desires that we experience that go against God’s will. In other words, a desire for anything sinful. See James 1:14. Also called “sin in the flesh.” Although the expression “youthful lusts” is often thought of in connection with sinful sexual desires, lusts include anything that go against what is good and right in God’s eyes. (2 Timothy 2:22.; Galatians... More which lead to sinTo commit sin is to consciously do something that you know goes against God’s will. This can be in word, deed, or even thought. (James 1:14-15)... More.
“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20.
Further reading: How you can deceive yourself, and how to avoid it
Transformation – the whole point of the truth
“For I rejoiced greatly when brethrenThe “brothers” and “sisters” are those who are a part of the church of Christ. (Matthew 23:8; Matthew 12:50; Hebrews 2:10-18)... More came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 John 3-4.
There is no greater blessing, than to walk in the truth. This means to acknowledge it, to judge that which it shows us, to hate that which is found to be sin, and then to put sin to deathIs to overcome the temptations to sin that arise when our lusts and desires draw us to react in ways we know to be evil (i.e. pride, hatred, evil-speaking, envy etc.) It is the act of denying those thoughts and refusing to agree with them. The lust to sin is not only suppressed, but it actually dies. (Romans 8:13; Colossians... More by the power of the Spirit. Then we are in constant development, constant progress, continuous sanctificationSanctification is the process by which you are transformed to have divine nature by the act of consistently putting sin to death by resisting temptation. This is what it means to cleanse the inside of the cup. (Matthew 23:26) Your sinful nature is gradually replaced by virtues – the divine nature. Romans 12:2, 2 Peter 1:4.... More, and continuous transformationThis is the process of sanctification, in which we our sinful human nature is gradually exchanged for divine nature when we in obedience to God’s will deny and put to death the sinful lusts in our flesh. (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Peter 1:3-4)... More into the image of Christ.
It is possible for everyone to walk in this truth, so that it can set us free from sin – both the consequences of it and its power over us. (John 8:32) God loves all of us and is rich enough for everyone who calls on Him. The Holy Spirit — a.k.a. the Spirit of truth — will guide us in this ongoing process of being set free. The more willing, obedient, and quick to acknowledge the truth we are, the quicker our progress will be.
And what will the result of loving the truth be? That we are transformed from who we are by nature, and the life of Jesus will be manifested in us.
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18.
When we judge ourselves, and by faith we put to deathIs to overcome the temptations to sin that arise when our lusts and desires draw us to react in ways we know to be evil (i.e. pride, hatred, evil-speaking, envy etc.) It is the act of denying those thoughts and refusing to agree with them. The lust to sin is not only suppressed, but it actually dies. (Romans 8:13; Colossians... More whatever the truth has shown us about ourselves, then by faith we are transformed into the image of His glory.
Further reading: This is why transformation is the most glorious of God’s promises
The truth gives hope!
There is no reason to ever be discouraged when we see the truth about ourselves, no matter what we see. Instead we can be filled with hope, because we know that the Spirit of truth is also the Spirit of power, and through Him we are able to overcome all things that stand between us and our goal of being like Christ. And those things that the truth showed us about ourselves can be gone from our lives forever!
“And whoever has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:3.
We need to love and acknowledge the truth 100%. “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth.” Psalm 86:11. We can only be saved and sanctified to the same degree that we love the truth. So let’s welcome it with open hearts, even when it hurts to see and acknowledge what we are really like by nature. Without first seeing it, we cannot be purified from it.
The result will be glorious when the truth has liberated and saved us! Let’s have courage and look all divine truth straight in the eye, fully confident that He who, in His love, shows us the truth about ourselves, will also free us and save us from everything He shows us.
Let the truth be our best friend!
You may be interested in reading more on our topic page about transformation, or in our other two articles about John 14:6:
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
