Reflections on October 30th: “The Truth Sets You Free”

Just the other day I was reading the introduction to The New York Times Guide To Essential Knowledge (Third Edition, 2011) and the author of this introduction was waxing eloquently about his worldview and how all intelligent and up-to-date folks would agree with him: “Most of us, born in the 20th century and adjusting to the 21st, have learned to distrust monism, whether religious or secular, because it inclines toward absolutism. And the absolutist, we have also learned, is not content to accumulate inert facts (viii).” Excuse me?! But this position not only offers an absolutist argument, namely that his pluralism is true and that absolutism is false (he seemed absolutely sure about this), but what is this about not being content to accumulate inert facts? The last time I checked pluralism struggles with a few “inert facts” of its own. None of this, however, does away with that which is true. For example, eastern cultures may clash with western cultures on many fronts, but does this eliminate the actual atomic number of zinc? I may struggle with my own set of inert facts, but will my vacillations impact whether or not the combination of potassium and oxygen produces a chemical reaction? Is 2 + 2 = 4 as true on the surface of the moon as it is here in sunny Southern California (though it happens not to be sunny today…still the cloud cover has not eliminated mathematical truth)? The Angels did in fact not go to the World Series this year (unfortunately for us in South Orange County). But “inert facts” facts did not change this truth. But we want our cake and to eat it too in our culture. We want to pick and choose our custom made “truth,” while so often rejecting what is actually true. There are true things. This is true; this we know. Jesus did not merely claim to teach what is true (universally and axiomatically), but He revealed Himself as the Truth. This seems a little ethereal, so let me put it in more concrete terms: Truth has many real qualities. For example, it gives certainly and confidence, it provides reliability, it opposes falsehood, it is identifiable and knowable, and most importantly — in accord with biblical revelation — it is God. “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31-32).'” That is, true things can be experienced. In human history past, Christ came. In human history today, His Word comes which is to say Christ comes again to you and in you. To receive Him is to receive Truth: the truth that God loves you, the truth that God forgives you all of your sins. How do you know? Because truth corresponds to reality and this reality we know: Christ lived for you, Christ died for you, and Christ rose for you. This is the Gospel. This is true. In Christ, Dr. Espinosa

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