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EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 180+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).
John 18:38 Updated American Standard Version (UASV) 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
The Greek noun (ἀλήθεια alētheia) rendered truth, is that which is in accord with what really happens, facts that correspond to reality, whether historical (in the time/space continuum) (Luke 4:25; Ac 4:27), or an eternal reality not limited to historical fact. The question that Palate asked Jesus is one that every genuine Christian should ask themselves and then search for the answer to it.
This question is one that every sincere Christian should ask and seek to answer. We should learn to love and value truth for our welfare and esteem and honor it above all else by proclaiming and admitting the existence or truth of _____________ wherever it may be found and regardless of whoever stated it. If Satan made a truth claim that was actually true, it would be just as accurate if God had made the same truth claim. The truth is the truth, regardless of who presents it.
Generally speaking, Christians of all people are the biggest violators of this fact. How frequently do they, in disagreement, dismiss and discount the truth presented by their antagonists? One thing an apologetic evangelistic Christian (1 Pet. 3:15) should do is acknowledge when the other person says something that is true. This shows the unbeliever or Bible critic that we are about the truth, regardless of who shares it. Just because an unbeliever or critic is questioning a Christian, he should not feel as though he has to clash over everything the questioner says in religious or biblical subjects. This is not the wisest course of action and is actually contrary to Scripture. Many honest unbelievers are seeking the truth, just as Christians are. Therefore, if we are dismissive of the truths they present in the exchange of information, they will never accept the truths that we put forth, and our hope of reasoning with their hearts and minds will be dashed. We cannot reach receptive hearts this way. Because we have failed to acknowledge or accept a plain truth the questioner has presented, there will be contempt for us because we were so petty that we could not see how that truth is reconciled to other truths. While the Agnostic New Testament textual scholar Bart D. Ehrman is a dispenser of half-truth and, in some cases, outright misinformation, he also tells the truth. He states that Jesus Christ was a real historical person that lived, had a ministry, and was executed by the Roman government. However, Ehrman rejects that Jesus was resurrected and was the divine Son of God. So, accept the truth regardless of where it comes from and what it seems to contradict and rely on God that in time you will be able to harmonize it.
The truth is like a grand building in a once beautiful city that is now surrounded by smog and graffiti of errors. Like looking for beauty in Satan’s fallen world, we should always be seeking the truth, even if we must walk through the fog of error and graffiti misinformation to get there. If you are to find the truths that are out there, you will have to traipse through the dishonesty, the unsureness, the uncertainty, the skepticism, the misinformation, and those twisting the truth.
Maybe we have a handful of truths that we have happened upon through school, family, the church, and friends, but let’s not be content with incidental truths. Let’s seek out the deeper truths that exist. We need to spend a lifetime seeking and searching for the truth, wherever it may be. Proverbs 3:3 tells us, “May loyal love and truth not forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them upon your heart.” In conclusion, if you have discovered that a truth that you have possessed, your family, or the church has possessed for decades or even centuries is not true, it needs to be abandoned.
Remember Saul before he became Paul the Apostle, he was a persecutor of the Christians, whom he thought to be a cult that was stealing his Jewish brothers. So, as a Pharisee, Saul went about locking Christians up and even co-signed the execution of Stephen. For him, he knew that Deuteronomy said anyone hung upon a tree was accursed, and Jesus was hung and executed as a blasphemer. He knew in the prophetic book of Daniel that the coming Messiah would set up a kingdom that would destroy all other kingdoms and never be brought to ruin. Jesus did none of those things. Moreover, the Israelite nation has been the way to God for over 1,500 years. But when the resurrected Jesus, who was now back in heaven, came to meet Paul on the road to Damascus, Paul was given the truth. And Paul abandoned what was formerly the way for what was now the way, Christ and Christianity.
Proverbs 12:19 Updated American Standard Version (UASV) 19 The lip of truth is established forever, but only for the wink of an eye is a lying tongue.
The lip of truth is established forever: Here lip (שָׂפָה saphah) of truth (אֱמֶת emeth) again represents words spoken and, in this case, in order to communicate what is true, certain, and sure, so certain not to be false. The truthful lips here, what will be said by this kind of person, are established (כּוּן kun) forever in that they will be reliable forever. That is, this person can always be trusted in what he says; his words are dependable. This is in contrast with the person who has a lying tongue, meaning he can only be trusted but for a moment.
but only for the wink of an eye is a lying tongue: Here the figurative expression wink of an eye, that is, but for a moment, is contrasted with forever in line 1. The lying tongue belongs to one who continuously deceives others with his misleading utterly false information, which causes others to arrive at a mistaken belief. This is a person that could care less about the destruction of his lies in the wake of his deception. The distortion of the truth is this one’s means of making the world mold to his perception of things. He could never accept the moral values of right and wrong set out in Scripture because he has distorted the truth so much that his moral compass is unable to point toward truth.
Yes, truthful speech is obvious by reliability and endurance. Any human relationship is more stable and fulfilling when we are determined to speak the truth and act in harmony with it. Being known as a person of truth will bring us immediate rewards. These include such things as a clean conscience before God, a good reputation with others, and a much stronger relationship in marriage, as well as the family, our friends, and even our co-workers.
A person known to lie cannot even be trusted for a moment. He is doubted the moment the words leave his lips. Those who do not know him may believe his falsehoods for a mere moment, but untruth does not stand the test of time. Moreover, the God of truth has a timeline for those who live a life of lies, and he is not going to tolerate it forever. The Bible promises, “But as for … all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” – Revelation 21:8
evangelistic Christian (1 Pet. 3:15) should do is acknowledge when the other person says something that is true. This shows the unbeliever or Bible critic that we are about the truth, regardless of who shares it. Just because an unbeliever or critic is questioning a Christian, he should not feel as though he has to clash over everything the questioner says in religious or biblical subjects. This is not the wisest course of action and is actually contrary to Scripture. Many honest unbelievers are seeking the truth, just as Christians are. Therefore, if we are dismissive of the truths they present in the exchange of information, they will never accept the truths that we put forth, and our hope of reasoning with their hearts and minds will be dashed. We cannot reach receptive hearts this way. Because we have failed to acknowledge or accept a plain truth the questioner has presented, there will be contempt for us because we were so petty that we could not see how that truth is reconciled to other truths. While the Agnostic New Testament textual scholar Bart D. Ehrman is a dispenser of half-truth and, in some cases, outright misinformation, he also tells the truth. He states that Jesus Christ was a real historical person that lived, had a ministry, and was executed by the Roman government. However, Ehrman rejects that Jesus was resurrected and was the divine Son of God. So, accept the truth regardless of where it comes from and what it seems to contradict and rely on God that in time you will be able to harmonize it.
but only for the wink of an eye is a lying tongue: Here the figurative expression wink of an eye, that is, but for a moment, is contrasted with forever in line 1. The lying tongue belongs to one who continuously deceives others with his misleading utterly false information, which causes others to arrive at a mistaken belief. This is a person that could care less about the destruction of his lies in the wake of his deception. The distortion of the truth is this one’s means of making the world mold to his perception of things. He could never accept the moral values of right and wrong set out in Scripture because he has distorted the truth so much that his moral compass is unable to point toward truth. 
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