#42. Romans 2:2 – What is Truth? (Judgment Series, Part III)

 Part II: The Conduct of Humanity

Wherefore, defenseless are you, O man! everyone who is judging, for in what you are judging another, you are condemning yourself, for you who are judging are committing the same things. Now we are aware that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who are committing such things.

Pilate is saying to Him, “What is truth?” On its surface, this has become an impossible question to answer. However, with the concordant method on our side (covered in the Overview of Romans,) we have stumbled upon a treasure trove of answers!

Throughout this study, we have reached concrete definitions on difficult concepts, that have turned scripture into a pleasant read (I mean, we’re reading about the indignation of God, which isn’t the most “pleasant” topic, but at the very least, we can readily understand Him by considering His usage of a word first and foremost, and who would know better than He on which words to employ?)

Specifically, we have uncovered the true meaning of gospel (see article #1,) God (article #1,) Lord (article #5,) faith and prayer (articles #7-9,) some Greek prepositions (article #19,) indignation (article #21,) vain (article #25,) and many more!

Let us do the same thing with “truth,” then, that we may understand what the judgment of God is in accord with. The word “truth” is alaytheia, in the text. We see this word 110 times in the New Testament. As it would take hours to sift through each use here with you in this article, I will simply summarize my findings with some select verses, and then I will consider its use in Romans.

In regards to truth’s origin, we may look no further than the plain declarations of our apostle, per 2 Corinthians 5:18 – “All is of God” (cf Rom. 11:36.) Truth is, literally, that which is in accord with the facts. As we are becoming well aware, no human individual on the planet today can lay claim to knowing “all” the facts. We know a pitiful few facts, being on the lowest rung of “subjectors” in the universe.

However, it is not the number of facts we know, but their quality. To know what God thinks, we must be able to consider the facts from His own word, as opposed to our opinions or presumptions. This is the beauty of the concordant method; by forcefully removing our reasoning and opinion, the text is appreciated as is.

By considering this word, truth, we find ourselves face to face with the great, complex theological issues presented by mankind. What is real? What is false? How do we define truth? Is it measured by experience? If man can twist facts so impressively, then is truth subjective? Sure enough, these questions have afflicted us for generations. Thus far, we have seen the truth detained (Rom. 1:18) and altered (Rom. 1:25) by man. Yet we read, in the verse above, that God’s judgment accords with the truth… if this is the case, then we must ask two questions: Is the truth of God only truth because God Himself said it was so? And if the answer to the former is “no,” then how do we attain an understanding of such an abstract idea?

Where to Find Truth

We find “truth” appear most often in John’s account – twenty-seven times (3 cubed, like a rubik’s cube – truth is given shape in completion.) Its first occurrence is thus:

And the Word became flesh and tabernacles among us, and we gaze at His glory, a glory as of an only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The truth is immediately associated with grace. This is important, for, as we know, the evangel is unfolding grace (Rom. 1:11,) is sourced in grace (Rom. 3:24,) and imparts grace (Rom. 1:7, 3:21-23.) That the judgment of God is in accord with truth, it must also be noted, then, that the judgment of God is in accord with grace (Rom. 2:16.)

Thus, the book of John explicitly answers Pilate’s question: what is Truth? The Expression of God is full of grace and truth. The Expression of God is Jesus Christ (John 1:1-3, Heb. 4:12, Rev. 19:13.) John further expounds that grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17.) John is said to testify to the truth – Jesus Christ (John 5:32-33.)

The truth’s function is to set free – John 8:32-33. Set free from what? The lie. When we operate under falsehood, we are simply shortsighted. Jesus frees us from the lie – the sin, Rom. 14:23 – using truth which He hears from God (John 8:40.) Wherefore, we should believe Him (8:45-46.)

The answer to the abstract question is given explicit representation – Jesus Christ (John 14:6.) Do you know Him? Yes, Him. He is the Truth. If you know Him, you know the truth. We learn Who God is by witnessing the One closest to His heart (John 6:46,) the One Who unfolds the Father (John 1:18.)

Thus, we can begin to find an answer to the questions man has so desperately sought, by simply refusing to trust our own self, and instead taking a moment to trust One Who is trustworthy. God is said to be the ultimate “Reality,” the Real One (1 Tim. 1:17, 6:15-16.) We see that Christ represents the truth.

In our philosophies, we have been forced to believe the notion of “choosing” between “truth” and “love.” We see examples of this all of the time:

-       Aang in The Last Airbender had to choose between “cosmic energy” or the “Katara”

-       Anakin Skywalker had to choose between “The Force” or “Padme”

-       Harry Potter having to choose between “leading the charge against Voldemort” or “Ginny”

Indeed, many of these stories inevitably direct us toward the proper answer. Such a delineation between truth and love is ineffective. While the two are distinct concepts, they work in tandem in One Individual to draw you in to both. We are enabled, through faith, to stick to love, while standing on evidential facts. By way of answering the question, “what is truth,” the scriptures continually point at our Lord.

Truth Rightly Divides

Unlike the previous books, Romans stops telling you Who the truth is, as John did, and begins taking advantage of this knowledge. In John, we see the Truth, but veiled in flesh. In Paul, the Truth is comprehended. The goal is not to “reveal” truth to you, but is considered as a foundational building block to grasping the evangel of Paul (Eph. 1:13, 1 Tim. 2:4.)

The following chart to the left is a depiction of all eight appearances of the word “truth” in Romans. By observing each use of the term, we may be enlightened as to the careful and considerate relation of truth to the evangel of God.

When we first find the “truth” in Romans, it’s in a sorry state. It is being detained by man (we are poop heads for that.) The truth is methodically detained in injustice. We change the word of God – the Truth (John 1:1, 1:14, 1:17, 17:17.) We forgo His rationale in favor of our own, and then pass our own off as truth. This detains God’s Reality.

In consequence of this, we alter the truth of God into the lie – changing the Truth, Jesus Christ, into that of another Jesus. In this, divine service to God is perverted into a false devoutness toward a lesser image.

Such consideration is important, for we begin to realize that there is an objective Reality apart from our personal perspective, and the only reason we would want to adhere to our personal perspective over revealed truth is naturally because we would not like the revealed truth in question. This would leave us as confused and befuddled as Guy Ritchie in Memento, and I don’t exactly consider his character a “role model,” yeah?

Truth and Judgment

Truth is the invariable and impartial basis of judgment. It is not about personal feeling, but reality. All facts must be weighed in order to judge, and the only One able to weigh all facts is the all-knowing God. This makes His judgment most critical and decisive, for the judgment of God is according to truth. He alone knows “how much” truth one may have avoided, and thus only He can properly correct the individual avoiding it. And, since He is the One giving people over to the inevitable acts of the flesh (Rom. 1:28-31,) of course He would be the only One able to reverse such a process, and deliver an impartial judgment on the matter! He holds all the cards, and tips every scale! What alternative rational conclusion could be reached? The just God judges justly.

That all of this is against those who commit the acts of the previous chapter brings us to the crisis point where man and God most heavily diverge. We truly believe, because of our feelings about ourselves, that we are not perverse enough to be excluded from judging others with some form of credibility. That God disagrees triggers our fight or flight response, and many (most) perjure themselves at this junction by self-justifying. Yet to this very day, we all commit some kind of action presented in Rom. 1:29-31, and this, with our mortality (1:32) denounces any claim to “proper judgment” in us.

How great the reality! We do not need to seek right judgment now. The government cannot properly judge. The modern judge cannot properly judge. The preacher cannot properly judge. The family member cannot properly judge. We cannot properly judge. Yet God can. We have every reason to believe God’s pronouncement of a matter, then, instead of challenging Him apart from knowledge (and I don’t mean engaging in seeking truth, asking questions to reach a conclusion, but actively arguing against what the text says with an air to exonerate your own personal beliefs and opinions.)

Let us, then, believe God’s judgment is just. His warning is presented here in verse 2, is practically demonstrated in verse 20, and concluded in 3:9-20. When this consideration is consummated (with the barring of every mouth, Rom. 3:19,) the evangel, in all its glory, will finally be revealed.

- GerudoKing