Discussing "True" in the Book of John

D. Liang

More than any other gospel, the gospel of John emphasizes the godly nature of Christ.  The word "true" is used repeatedly to describe those things that Jesus brought to the world.  "True" implies a lack of falsehood, an ability to withstand the tests of time and space.  Something "true" has eternal value and is worth pursuing.  Something "true" has spiritual perfection and is worth admiring.

1.  God is True (John 3:31-36)

In this world, people worship various gods.  These gods may be categorized in two ways--originating from heaven or originating from earth.  He that comes from heaven is Jesus Christ.  As God, He became a man and came into this earth.  Though He had form and body, in Him dwelt the fullness of God, for He was and is the true manifestation of God Himself.  When men see Him, they see God; when men know Him, they know God.  Thus, though He became a man, He was still above everything, because everything was made through Him and for Him.  By His power He sustains and governs all things.

Two things originate from the earth - man, whom God formed from the dust, and gods, formed by man, Thus, their thinking, beliefs, and goals are also of the earth.  Because they belong to the earth, their value and influence are limited; in the end, they will vanish together with it.  In the same way, though people admire men of great fame and wisdom, their value and scope are equally limited.

Jesus came from heaven to witness for the things of the heavenly kingdom, which are of God and are eternal.  He was sent by God to teach God's words.  The words of God are spirit and life, and the words of God's kingdom are that which Jesus witnessed to on earth-words of life, grace, salvation, and remission of sin.  They have immeasurable and eternal value.  While earthly things are accepted and understood through human wisdom and intelligence, heavenly things can be comprehended only by those with the Spirit and the wisdom of God (I Cor 2: 10-13).

God will give the promised Holy Spirit to those who know and accept the Son, and the Holy Spirit will prove that God is true, and that Jesus is God and gives eternal life.  Those who worship earthly things and refuse to believe in the Son will never receive eternal life.  They will live in God's wrath and become His enemies; their end is destruction.  Thus, the worship of different gods brings forth different outcomes; the most important and valuable decision that man can make is the choice to worship the True God.

II.  Thy Word is Truth (John 17:17)

When questioned by Pontius Pilate, Jesus proclaimed that He came to this world to witness for the truth.  Pilate's reply was to ask, "What is Truth?" (John 18:38).  Although , Pilate served as judge and governor, he himself did not know what truth was, making one wonder what standard he used to try and convict accused criminals.  It is man's nature to search for truth; many spend their entire lives in fruitless pursuit of it.  But, it is the word of God that is the truth.  His word is firmly fixed in the heavens (Ps II 9:89), and Jesus was sent from God to bring the truth to earth, so that man could be brought into its light.

            I am the way, and the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)

Jesus is the Word, which became flesh and came into the world; His word is truth, immutable and priceless.  Through its guidance, man can come to know God, and find their way to heaven, as the precious children of the heavenly Father.  By His word, even those in the valley of the shadow of death may obtain spiritual life in heaven.  However, those who reject the words and teaching of Christ will in the last days be judged by the very words they rejected (John 12:48).  Thus, one of the truths that Jesus brought is His word, which illuminates the way to heaven, and serves as the standard of judgment in the end time.

            Sanctify them in the truth, Thy word is truth. (John 17:17)

We are bought by the precious blood of Jesus.  He does not belong to this world, and neither do those who believe in Him.  He instructed all His believers to be as light and salt in this world, to glorify His name, for the world belongs to Satan, and is filled with the enticements and temptations of sin.  After baptism, believers are reckoned as righteous by God; therefore, living a holy life in this world is an important discipline.  The truth, the word of God, is the tool by which we may become righteous.  By molding our every thought and action upon its instruction, we become righteous and holy in the eyes of God (Deut 6:25).

            Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the word of eternal life. (John 6:68)

When Jesus preached, great crowds followed Him, often numbering upwards of five to seven thousand.  Each person who followed Jesus was motivated by something different.  Some wanted bread.  Some wished to see miracles.  Some wanted to satisfy their curiosity.  As the truths Jesus preached became more deep and obscure, many could not accept what He was saying, and left.  Ultimately, He was left with His twelve disciples.  These men followed Jesus for His words of eternal life.

God's grace and miracles are wondrous, and man's love and kindness is a blessing.  But, the true foundation of faith lies not in these things, but in God himself.  The incentives to faith are many.  But, after believing, one should continue to search for the truth, and advance in faith.  Only in this way can faith build a strong foundation, to be able to stand the rains and floods which beat upon it (Matt 7:25).  In the beginning, the word was with God, and the word was God (John 1:1).  Thus, those who know the word, know God, and those who know Jesus will be solidly grounded in faith, as Peter and Paul were through knowledge of Him.

Those who wish to understand God more must search for Him in His word, which is the truth.  This truth is the road to knowledge of God, and the foundation of faith.

            My Father gives you the true bread from heaven ... I am the bread of heaven. (John 6:32,35)

            Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. (Matt 4:4)

A balanced life satisfies both the body and the soul.  Material objects can gratify the body, but spiritual fulfillment depends upon the word of God, which brings spirit and life.  Amos prophesied that great famine would come to the world - not bodily famine, but a dearth of the word of God (Amos 8:11-14).  To fill the emptiness of the human heart, the purposelessness of human existence, we must return to the truth, which is the true bread from God.  Only then can man be satisfied, find abundance in his life, and bear fruit unto eternity (Ps 1: 2,3).

            The truth will make you free. (John 8:32)

Those of the world define freedom as the ability to do anything one wants.  This usually manifests itself in unrestricted behavior: drunkenness, drug use, and immoral sexual activities.  But, the root of this kind of "freedom" is sin.  True freedom is the ability to do right always, and keep oneself away from the wrong paths.  Before the apostle Paul was converted, he tried to do what was right, but the law of his flesh invariably overcame his desire to follow the law of righteousness.  This inability to do what he wished to do and knew to be right was the farthest thing from freedom: "Wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom 7:23-24).

After believing in the Lord and receiving the Holy Spirit, Paul was set free from the law of sin by the truth that he had found.  Through the truth and the Holy Spirit brought by Jesus Christ, believers today may turn to righteousness and be freed from evil, and thus, obtain true freedom.  It is a blessing that is priceless, and it comes from the grace and truth of Jesus (John 1:17).

III. The True Vine (John 15:1)

Amidst all other vines, Jesus stands out as the true vine, planted by the heavenly Father.  Believers are the branches of the vine, just as the true church is the body of Christ, and belongs to Him.  Where there is truth, the Holy Spirit and the miracles of God are present to give proof to it, and assert that it is different from all others.  As branches of the vine, those members of the true church who do not bear fruit will be cut off.  It is like the retrieval of the net when fishing; the good fish are collected, while the bad are discarded.  Likewise, in the harvest, the wheat is collected and stored in the barn, while the chaff is burned (Matt 13:30,48).  God will use His word and the baptism by fire to cleanse anyone who lives a renewed life, and they will be made more spiritual and Christ-like.  Believers should always communicate closely with God through His Word and His Spirit, as the branches always cling closely to the vine.  In this way, they may become true believers, bearing fruit abundantly, honoring God, and loving man.  This is the kind of believer whom God loves (11 Pet 3:18).

IV. "This Man is True" (John 7:18)

Men are motivated by different desires and purposes.  Those who are of the world enjoy giving praise to others, and receiving it themselves, yet few seek glory from God.  When Jesus was in the world, He did not seek glory or man's praise, because He had no pride.  "Men receive honor from one another, but don't seek the honor that comes from the only God." Therefore, it becomes difficult for them to accept and believe in Jesus (John 6:41).  This is why few people accepted Him as the Messiah; He was completely humble, and sought only the glory of God (John 17:4).  As a true servant of God, He wished only that God would be exalted through Him.  Therefore, what He did was not according to His own will, but according to the will of He who sent Him (John 6:38).  Although Jesus feared the bitter cup of crucifixion, He still desired to fulfill the will of His father, so that man might be saved through the sacrifice of His own life.  He is the model that all men should follow (Phil 3:14).

The disciple Nathanael's first words about Jesus, "What good could come from Nazareth", are more insulting than complimentary, yet Jesus praised him for being a true Israelite, without guile (John 1:7).  On the other hand, the Pharisees openly praised Jesus as an honest man, who preached the word of God truthfully, yet they were rebuked by Jesus.  He sensed the evil motivation and malice underlying their words, and named them hypocrites, "a brood of vipers" and "whitewashed tombs" (Matt 22:16-18).  These Pharisees claimed to worship the true God, yet were not in Him who was true (I John 5:20).  Thus, they have no part in heaven (Matt 23:13).  They serve as a warning to all believers, that those who are not true will be abandoned by God.

            My judgment is true (John 8:16)

Those who are of the world judge others by their outward looks and superficial qualities; they judged Jesus as the lowly son of a carpenter.  What they failed to see for more than three years was that He was indeed God and the Savior from heaven, filled with the goodness of the Spirit.  And so, they crucified Him upon the cross.  It was because they lacked God with them that they made such an erroneous judgment.  The judgment of Jesus is true and absolute, because He is true.  He has the truth within Him.  "But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one" (I Cor 2: 15).  A spiritual man has wisdom from God, and God abides in his heart to teach him, so that he may live according to God's will.  He will be able to assess the true value of all things, and see the true purpose of life.  Therefore, a spiritual man holds the truth with Him.

Jesus Christ is the true God from heaven, bringing the truth to the world, serving as the true vine; He is in fact the epitome of the truth.  Men can be united with Him through the true church; through worshipping Him and living in Him, all may be able to find the truth.