“Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’ Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’ And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, ‘I find no fault in Him at all’” (John 18:37-38).

The editors of the Oxford Dictionaries chose “post-truth” as the word of the year in 2016. Post-truth suggests facts are less influential in shaping opinion than emotion and personal belief. Yet, by definition, truth is not relative. It is fixed, constant, absolute. The fact that we may not know or perceive truth does not make it any less the truth. For example, 12 inches equals one foot (30.48 cm, or 304.80 mm) regardless of how we feel about it. This was true before we understood it. You see, we learn truth, we are not the source of truth. When Pilate asked, “What is truth?” Jesus bore witness to the truth that He was born to be king. Those who are “of the truth” hear His voice (accept His word of truth, v. 37). Jesus identified God’s word as truth, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). God’s word is truth – not my feelings, and not yours. Not my reasoning power, and not yours. Not my perceptions, and not yours (Prov. 14:12). Truth is fixed, constant, absolute. Truth has been revealed, and we cannot be saved without it. Jesus said His word is truth (John 8:31-32). Indeed, He is “the Truth” (John 14:6). The gospel calls us to conform ourselves to the truth, not try to change the truth into what we want it to be.