What Is Truth?
Wisdom, Relationship, and the Kind of Truth That Actually Works
Introduction — Can Truth Really Be Known?
In a world filled with opinions and perspectives, many wonder if anything can truly be known. Philosophy reminds us that human understanding has limits. Our senses can mislead us. Our reasoning can fail. Even our best conclusions are incomplete.
So the real question becomes:
If human knowledge is limited, where does true wisdom come from?
The Bible agrees with this concern—but it does not leave us in uncertainty. Instead, it points us to a truth that is not merely discovered by the mind, but revealed through relationship with God.
Proverbs 3:5–6 — The Foundation of Knowable Truth
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct your paths.”
These verses do not reject knowledge—they redefine its source.
They teach us:
Human understanding has value, but not authority.
God’s wisdom is not merely superior—it is essential.
Truth is not only something we think about—it is something that guides our steps.
This is not abstract theology. This is usable truth—truth that works in real life.
Solomon: When Wisdom Becomes Detached from Relationship
Solomon is one of the greatest examples in Scripture of what happens when wisdom is misunderstood.
God gave Solomon wisdom beyond any man who lived before or after him. But Scripture suggests something deeper than intellectual brilliance: God intended wisdom to flow from relationship, not independence.
At the beginning of Solomon’s reign, his heart was humble. He walked closely with God. His wisdom was not merely sharp—it was submitted.
But later, as we read Ecclesiastes, we hear a different voice:
“I said in my heart, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure…’”
“I applied my heart to know wisdom…”
“All is vanity…”
Solomon did not lose intelligence.
He lost dependence.
Ecclesiastes is the testimony of a man who possessed extraordinary wisdom—but tried to use it apart from ongoing trust in God. The result was frustration, emptiness, and disillusionment.
This shows us something critical:
Wisdom separated from relationship with God eventually becomes powerless to give meaning.
Truth That Is Revealed, Not Manufactured
Jesus later confirmed what Solomon learned through experience:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” — John 14:6
Truth is not just a principle.
Truth is a Person.
And knowing truth is not merely understanding ideas—it is walking with God.
2 Chronicles 16:9 — The Heart God Responds To
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth,
to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is completely His.”
This verse reveals something extraordinary about how God works:
God is not searching for the smartest minds.
God is not searching for the most gifted leaders.
God is searching for hearts fully His.
Truth flows most powerfully not to the independent thinker—but to the dependent believer.
This is the same principle Solomon began with—and later drifted from.
What This Teaches Us About Truth
Truth is not:
esoteric knowledge for a few,
intellectual mastery for the elite,
or philosophical certainty for the confident.
Truth is:
revealed to the humble,
given to the dependent,
walked in by the willing.
This is why Proverbs 3:5–6 stands at the center of biblical wisdom:
Do not lean on your own understanding—lean on the Lord.
Why the Bible Is Reliable for Those Seeking Real Truth
For anyone seeking truth that actually works, the Bible stands on three solid foundations:
Historically reliable — preserved with unmatched care.
Spiritually coherent — telling one unified story of God restoring relationship with humanity.
Existentially proven — changing lives wherever its truth is trusted.
But more than all this, the Bible is reliable because it consistently leads people into relationship with the living God—not merely into better ideas.
Truth Is Not About Capacity — It Is About Willingness
Understanding biblical truth is not primarily about intelligence.
It is about willingness.
Willingness to trust.
Willingness to listen.
Willingness to surrender independence.
Solomon had wisdom.
But what sustained him at first was dependence.
Scripture shows us clearly:
When wisdom remains connected to relationship, it becomes life-giving.
When it becomes detached, it becomes empty.
Closing Thought
Truth is knowable.
Not because our minds are sufficient—
but because God is faithful.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart… and He shall direct your paths.”
That is not a call to ignorance.
It is a call to relational wisdom—
the kind of truth that does not merely inform us,
but forms us into the people God created us to be.
