Truth and Certainty

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." - John 14:6 (NASB)

When we talk about truth, we are speaking about propositions that we regard to be correct. For example, if I said that "The sky is blue". Most people would not argue with that statement because it seems to be verified regularly when we look outside. Yet, does a statement of truth necessitate that it is always true? And what does it take for me to "know" that something is true?

Many state or imply that to know something is true it must be 100% verifiable. In other words, I can't claim knowledge of truth until I have proven that all other possibilities are impossible. I can't say that "The sky is blue" if there could be a case in which it could be red. However, such circular arguments defy reason. I can know that something is true even if I can't prove it to be true 100% of the time.

I know that the Spurs just beat the Cavaliers in the NBA finals because I saw it on t.v. However, I wasn’t physically there. It is possible that what I saw was an illusion or something made up or that I dreamed the whole thing. Yet, the fact that I wasn’t there and cannot prove every conceivable way in which what I saw could be false doesn’t mean that I don’t "know" that the Spurs beat the Cavaliers.

The same is true with regard to Jesus. I was not there. I did not see Him walk on water. I did not see Him turn water into wine, heal the sick, blind, or demon possessed. Nor did I see Him physically die, watch Him get buried, or touch His side like Thomas after His resurrection.

This does not mean though that I live completely on faith or that my faith in the validity of the Gospels is rested on a shaky foundation. I do have historical accounts, archaeological facts, and many other evidences that justify belief in the claims of Christianity and of Jesus Christ Himself. More importantly, I have personal knowledge and experience with Him and have seen Him in others. Therefore, I can "know" this to be true. I am certain of its authenticity.

My faith is built not only upon my trust and confidence that the resurrection is true but upon the fact that arguments that falsify this claim are not enough to justify the disbelief of this account.

Therefore, knowledge of the truth in general, and of Jesus in particular, rests both upon the validity of its truthfulness and the lack of evidence to the contrary.

Of this I am 100% certain.