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WHAT IS TRUTH?

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 28, 1868

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 31, No. 20.

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WHAT IS TRUTH?

By Charles P. Whitford

As Jesus came into the world to “bear witness unto the truth,” we will hear his testimony on the point. In his prayer to his Father, in behalf of his disciples, he says, “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” John xvii, 17.
The word of God is truth; and nothing he has ever uttered through the agency of prophets or apostles can have a higher claim to be called his word, than the ten commandments which he spake, with his own voice, upon the top of Mount Sinai. Accordingly the Holy Spirit testifies by David, “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.” Ps. cxix, 142. “Thou art near, O Lord, and all thy commandments are truth.” Verse 151. David declares the ten commandments to be “the truth.” To abolish the law of God, would be to abolish the truth. To change any one of its precepts, would be to change the truth of God into a lie. But they have not been changed, if David told the truth, and he is said to have been a man who spake as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost. Hear him, “Thy word is true from the beginning; and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever.”
All these commandments are truth and righteousness; and God has declared that his righteousness shall not be abolished. How many of the commandments are righteous? “All thy commandments are righteousness.” Verse 172. Who are the righteous? “The people in whose heart is my law.” Isa. li, 6, 7. But what is righteousness? Why, we all know what unrighteousness is; for “all unrighteousness is sin.” 1 John v, 17. And what is sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John iii, 4. If unrighteousness, then, is transgression of the law, righteousness is obedience to the law, or right doing. The law of God is the truth; and Jesus says, “For this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” He testifies as follows: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” This is the law by which our actions are to be regulated, and characters formed. It is a moral law; for it is the standard of our righteousness. A rule of righteousness can only be fulfilled by obeying it; and obeying such rule does not abolish it.
The righteousness of a person consists in right doing, that is, in his obeying what is commonly called moral law. “He that doeth righteousness, is righteous.” 1 John iii, 7. And we have not forgotten what David said, “All thy commandments are righteousness.” Ps. cxix, 172. He does not say nine of the commandments are righteousness, but all of them; and it is clearly evident that Jesus ratified them all. Who are they, then, that fear God and work righteousness? “The people in whose heart is my law.” Then, they who obey unrighteousness transgress the law, while they that obey the truth do not transgress it; and the wrath of God will come upon every soul, Jew or Gentile, who does not obey the truth. And what is truth? “All thy commandments are truth.”
Dear reader, do you worship God in spirit and in truth? All admit that we must worship God in spirit, in order to our acceptance; but it is no less required of us that we should worship him in truth. If we have conclusively shown that the ten commandments are the truth, then it follows that such as are not obeying them, are not walking in the truth. Some avoid the truth as a yoke of bondage; but let him that would be free indeed, seek and obey the truth.
The law of God is the truth, and how beautifully does it harmonize with the last benediction of the coming One: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. xxii, 14. “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John ii, 3, 4.
How valuable is the truth! I thank God that I have ever been led to behold the truth, and had a heart given me to obey it. Such, if they continue therein, will soon hear their Master say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
A time of trouble and persecution is before us; but the saints of God will be delivered out of it. “Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.” Eph. vi, 14. The girdle, then, is the truth, and the truth is the law of God; therefore it follows that the breastplate of righteousness consists in living in obedience to the law of God, which is the truth. Dear reader, will you obey the truth? CHARLES P. WHITFORD.
Battle Creek, Mich., April 15, 1868.