Chris Knight
The phrase “my truth” has become common in our culture. Usually, people mean, “This is how I experienced it,” or, “This is what feels true to me.” Our experiences matter, but they are not always reliable guides to ultimate truth. I have sincerely believed things that turned out to be sincerely wrong. Confidence is not the same thing as correctness. Anyone who has ever confidently walked into the wrong restroom understands this. I confess that I am guilty of this!
God’s truth does not originate in our feelings, preferences, politics, traditions or personal experiences. Jesus prayed to the Father, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth” (John 17:17, NLT). God’s truth is revealed most clearly through Scripture and ultimately through Jesus, who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6, NLT).
The difficult part is that Christians who read the same Bible sometimes reach different conclusions. That does not mean truth changes. It means our understanding can be limited. We bring different backgrounds, assumptions, wounds, teachers and church traditions to the text. Sometimes we interpret Scripture carefully. Other times we unknowingly recruit Scripture to support what we already wanted to believe.
So, how can we know whether we are following God’s truth instead of our own? We begin by asking whether our belief is clearly supported by the whole teaching of Scripture, not merely one isolated verse. We should also examine whether our interpretation reflects the character and teaching of Jesus. We pray for the Holy Spirit to correct us, not merely confirm us. We listen humbly to mature believers, including those who may disagree with us. We also examine the fruit our belief produces. God’s truth should lead toward holiness, humility, love, justice, grace and obedience, not arrogance, cruelty or a constant need to win arguments.
Christians should also distinguish between essential beliefs and secondary disagreements. The resurrection of Jesus is not a minor preference. The color of the church carpet is not a test of core Christian belief, although some church meetings have suggested otherwise. Faithful Christians may disagree about baptism, spiritual gifts, church government or end-times details while still sharing the same Savior and the same gospel.
People outside the church often notice our contradictions, especially when Christians speak with absolute certainty about matters Scripture does not address with equal clarity. Humility strengthens our witness. We can say, “This is how I understand Scripture, but I am still willing to learn.” That is not weakness. It is spiritual maturity.
The goal is not to make God agree with us. The goal is to surrender ourselves to Him. Open God’s Word with a teachable heart. Ask the Spirit to expose your preferences, correct your assumptions and lead you into truth. God’s truth will not always make us comfortable, but it will always make us more like Jesus.