What is truth? This is a foundational question that was actually raised in a conversation that Jesus had with Pontius Pilate when Pilate was trying to determine what to do with Jesus before He was crucified.

Here’s how the conversation unfolded.

“You are a king, then,” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37)

Jesus came into the world to testify to the truth. He said, “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” and then Pilate asked the question that has been discussed for centuries.

It is found in John 18:38. “What is truth?” The answer to that question is so very important because it determines so much about our lives.

That’s because what you believe determines how you behave.

What you believe determines how you behave relationally, morally, financially, spiritually and otherwise. What you believe will determine what happens to you after life on this earth is done. You can see why this is such a big deal. Consciously, and even subconsciously, your beliefs will have an impact on your behavior and your eternity.

We know that Jesus came to testify to the truth, but there is another who is totally opposed to the truth. His name is Satan. He is also referred to as Lucifer, the great deceiver or the father of lies. Jesus came to represent truth. But his/our enemy, Satan, came to twist and distort the truth.

Satan is not going to tell you a lie that is so outlandish that you won’t believe it. He knows better than that. You’re smarter than that. He will take his time to lure you in.

He is a counterfeiter, and like any good counterfeiter, he will do his best to give you something that looks and feels close to the truth but is anything but.

The counterfeit will contain elements of truth, but it is never completely true. The goal of a counterfeiter is to give you something that looks true, something that feels true, something that sounds true. The goal is not to get you to turn 180 degrees away from the truth. The goal is to move you just a few degrees, maybe as little as just one degree from the truth.

Join me next time as we find out just how serious one degree can be.

Steve Greene is the lead pastor at The Point in Seymour. Send comments to [email protected].