Authority for Truth

Introduction

Authority for truth is the right to determine what the truth is.

1.  WHAT IS TRUTH? (John 18:37-38)
1. An exact and faithful expression of the facts.  ILLUSTRATION: On the witness stand the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
2. The standard by which to judge all else; a final authority 
3. The real answers to the real questions; those thing that remain (Hebrews 12:26-28)
2. WHY DO WE NEED THE TRUTH?
1. Man is Unfulfilled Without the Truth He is to:
1. Seek the truth (Jeremiah 5:1)
2. Buy the truth (Proverbs 23:23)
3. Know the truth (John 8:31-32)  NOTE: knowledge of the truth must therefore be possible
4. Serve in truth (1 Samuel 12:24)
2. Truth is Often Disregarded by Man
1. Truth is fallen in the street (Isaiah 59:14-15)
2. Men are not valiant for the truth (Jeremiah 9:3,5)
3. There is no truth in the land (Hosea 4:1,6)
4. Men turn their ears away from the truth (2Timothy 4:4)
3. CAN WE KNOW THE TRUTH?
1. God is the Source of Truth
1. God the Father is truth (Psalm 31:5)
2. God the Son is truth (John 14:6)
3. God the Holy Ghost is truth (John 14:17)
2. God has Promised to Reveal the Truth His Truth is:
1. To endure to all generations (Psalm 100:5)
2.  To be known with certainty (Proverbs 22:21)
4. WHAT ARE THE ENEMIES OF TRUTH? (Genesis 3:1-5; Roman 1:25)
1. Philosophy: the authority of mans greatest wisdom (Colossians 2:8; Acts 17:18, with verses 16,22,23)
2.   Tradition:  the authority of mans long-time practice (Colossians 2:8; Matthew 15:1-9, esp.verses 3,6,9)
3. Science: the authority of observable facts and repeatable physical laws (1 Timothy 6:20)
4.  Scholarship: the authority of academic learning and agreed upon knowledge (2 Timothy 3:7; Isaiah 29:9-12)
5. Pragmatism: the authority of what brings the desired results (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)
6. Experience: the authority of personal experience (Romans 10:2-3)
5. WHAT IS THE AUTHORITY FOR TRUTH?
1. The word of God: the only God-given authority (John 8:31-32; John 17:17) 
2.  Called the word of truth (John 17:17; 1Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:15)
3.  The authority a person accepts when two authorities disagree becomes his supreme authority
1. Theistic evolution (Bible versus Science)
2. Praying through for salvation (Bible versus Tradition or Experience)
3. Concerts and Drama (Bible versus Pragmatism)
4. Only an absolute authority can give absolute truth; all other truth is relative and changeable (Psalm 119:128)