Embraced  by  Truth . . .
                                    reflections on theology and life

THEOLOGY > Bible > Truth > Characteristics of Truth >  Truth is Unified


TRUTH IS UNIFIED

Because all of the Truth is consistent, then it must be unified. Consistency focuses upon Scripture’s truthfulness (a reliable message), whereas unity focuses upon Scripture’s oneness (a singular message). The Truth is interconnected, so intimately related that it is essentially one, with the recognizable diversity combining to create an undeniable uniformity. Many different topics are covered by the Truth, but there is only one message, one Bible. The many books read like one Book; the numerous voices sound like one voice. Christianity does not offer religious options but demands that a single Gospel be accepted. Oneness exists because of the interrelatedness of the texts, meaning a particular Truth is related to all other Truth, and each Truth is to be interpreted by the whole of the Truth.

The New Testament is hidden in the Old Testament, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament; the Old Testament anticipates the New Testament, and the New Testament explains the Old Testament. They cannot be studied separately; to do so is to have flawed hermeneutics. Law dominates in the Old Testament, but grace is present; grace dominates in the New Testament, but Law is present. And in both Testaments the message is the same. Romans five looks back to Genesis three; Hebrews is understood in light of the book of Leviticus; redemption cannot ignore God’s holiness nor man’s depravity. No Truth stands alone and none can be interpreted in isolation; all the individual topics of Truth hang together. There is great diversity but essential unity.

God is one and cannot deny Himself; Scripture is one and cannot deny itself. The more one studies the individual topics, the more one comprehends the one message. And the more the single message is comprehended the more the confidence increases. (For additional discussion on unity, see: Unity of Truth).

Increased confidence means that the believer understands that Christian Truth is the only position that adequately explains existence. Actually, there are only two foundational positions: Theism and humanism, Divine Sovereignty or individual autonomy. The universe is explained either in terms of God or man, creation or some form of evolution. For the unbeliever the starting point is always himself, his mind, his reason. All that exists is interpreted in terms of man; meaning, purpose, and value originate from man’s mind. Humanism says that reality is what man determines it to be. The final authority is an individualized opinion. Man explains man.

But man constantly changes his pronouncements; what was considered reliable yesterday is questioned today. So what is the standard by which anyone of man’s pronouncements is evaluated to determine if they are reliable? If man must explain man what or who will determine if man’s explanation is valid? Can man establish his own infallibility? Beginning with man means that there is no certitude in any assertion of man. Humanism ultimately cannot provide meaning for creation, cannot provide objective value or purpose for anything that is; beginning with chance, or with that which is relative, it has no basis to establish anything normative. Absolutes do not arise from mutability; possibility cannot produce dogmatic children.

Additionally, humanism raises questions that it cannot answer: If you begin with man how can even the concept of Truth be defended? How can order be derived from chance? With only chaos how do you create a cosmos? Can a state of flux bring to pass a state of stability? Can the irrational certify the rational? To begin with man is to begin at the end of a dead-end street. Humanism does not encourage confidence.

See: Two Options and Significance of Truth


Return to: Characteristics of Truth; Next Article: Truth is Adequate

For Scriptures related to Truth, see: Scriptures - Truth

For overview of THEOLOGY, see: Site Map - Theology
Copyright © Embraced by Truth
All rights reserved.
Materials may be freely copied for personal and academic use;
appropriate reference must be made to this site.
Links are invited.