hen he asked Jesus Christ, 'What is truth?' Jesus was on
trial before him, and He had just said, in reply to another question
of Pilate's, 'Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born,
and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness
unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice' (John
18:37). And then Pilate asked, 'What is truth?' but he did not stop to
get an answer.

"The 'truth' to which Jesus often referred means righteousness, true
religion, the genuine revelation of the true plan of salvation. This
is what the apostle John referred to when he said, 'For the truth's
sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever' (2 John 2).
The 'truth' in these texts is used in a broad sense to mean the
whole range of revealed religion, the whole system of New Testament
salvation.

"Vast importance is attached to this truth. Opposed to it are error,
heresy, damnable doctrines of devils, human theories and philosophies,
leading souls away from God and into perdition. The eternal destiny of
men depends upon their finding and embracing the truth.

"If so much depends upon our finding the truth and obeying it, the
important question arises--how and where are we to find the truth? And
another question follows: How are we to discern the truth when we see
it? It is a fact that most religious people believe that their system
of religion is right. They already think that it is the truth;
even the most destructive doctrines are received as truth, and some
scripture is misapplied or perverted to uphold them. By what means may
the false be determined and rejected, and the true be established and
accepted? These are very important questions.

"There must be a starting-point. In the first place, 'What is truth?'
as Pilate put it. 'Thy word is truth' (John 17:17) said Jesus. This
is basic. The Word of God is truth. 'All scripture is given by
inspiration of God' (2 Tim. 3:16). God, Jesus Christ, and the Bible
are truth. If we confirm to the divine will, we are bound to be right,
and elected to eternal glory in the heavens; if not, we are doomed to
eternal damnation.

"But, there is no more striking fact than this, that spiritual truths
require more than intellect in order to grasp and comprehend them.
'For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man
which is in him?' (1 Cor. 2:11). A man knows the things of a man
because he is a man. Common experiences join him to