I
think this picture is precious. Children view the world in its
simplest of ways. Since one of the primary methods of information for
children is the television set, its only natural for them to think of
the world in color or black and white (TV set).
Going
beyond this simple question, there is another one that is applicable
today. Can the world be seen in black and white (absolutes) or is the
world color (shades of absolute)? To put it another way; is there
truth or is everything just opinion? As is my custom, I think in
terms of what the Bible has to say about this. Since the topic is so
large, I thought to focus in on just on book, the Gospel according to
John.
Truth
is more than a concept
John
1:14 ( World English
Bible )
[14] The Word became flesh,
and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and
only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
[17] For the law was given
through Moses.
Grace and
truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
John
3 ( WEB )
[19]
This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men
loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
[20] For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come
to the light, lest his works would be exposed. [21] But he who
does the truth comes to the light, that his
works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”
God alone is perfect, we are
not. God had given us the truth in the form of the old testament, but
in Jesus he gave us the truth from our own human perspective. An
example of how to apply the old testament, in truth. Not as normal
human beings lived it, but as how GOD lived it. In Jesus, the truth
was a combination of understanding, attitude and doing. More than
this, he LIVED IT PERFECTLY. And by his teachings we can have his
understanding, today.
There
is ONE truth
John
14 ( WEB )
[1]
“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also
in me. [2] In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so,
I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. [3] If
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive
you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also. [4] Where I
go, you know, and you know the way.” [5] Thomas said to him, “Lord,
we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
[6] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No
one comes to the Father, except through me.
Truth: there is only ONE
truth. When Jesus said “I am.. the truth”, he was literally
saying in Greek: I, myself am the truth. His
resurrection from the dead and his ascension into heaven, PROVE
THIS. Therefore, what ANYONE else may say is truth, really
doesn’t matter. NOT Buddha, Mohammad, nor any other religious
teacher. ONLY the truth of Jesus will lead you to God and eternal
life with him.
The
effect of truth
John
8 ( WEB )
[31]
Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you
remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. [32] You will
know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”* Psalm 119:45
John
17 ( WEB )
[17] Sanctify them in your
truth. Your word is truth.
John
4 ( WEB )
“Woman,
believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in
Jerusalem, will you worship the Father. [22] You worship that which
you don’t know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is
from the Jews. [23] But the hour comes, and now is, when the true
worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the
Father seeks such to be his worshippers. [24] God is spirit, and
those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The words that Jesus spoke are
life and lively. Those words will lead to a person to salvation from
sin; to live a life that is separated from sin and one that will
worship him correctly. These things are not optional, they are
commanded. You can’t really know truth of you don’t obey it.
Truth
is a choice
John
18 ( WEB )
[37] Pilate therefore said to
him, “Are you a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say that I
am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I
have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
[38] Pilate said to him,
“What is truth?” When he had said this,
he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no basis
for a charge against him.
Truth
is a choice: You will either listen to the one and only truth or a
non-truth, there are no other options. If your heart is right you
will listen, if not, well you will be like Pilate and question its
very existence.
The
child in the picture asks if the world is color or black and white.
My answer would be- We all see the world in color, but...
the TRUTH is
always in black and white!