what is truth? an intro to the quest for meaning and hope

This is a very challenging topic to tackle. Not because it’s impossible to find the answer – but because everyone has their own definition of truth. And by exploring this topic, there is a propensity for the discussions to get rather controversial.

I’ll take the risk though.

Because I feel that deep inside every person, there’s something that yearns to find meaning, direction, and purpose that can be obtained by knowing and understanding what “truth” ultimately stands for.

Since I’m not a Philosophy major, nor did I take formal studies in Theology, I’ll be seeking the help of one of the greatest apologist of all time, in my opinion…

His name is Ravi Zacharias, founder of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. You can check him out through the RZIM website. His story and his preaching give immense credibility to the way he explains issues that humanity face. You’ll find me quoting him a lot in my blogs.

Three-Part Series

There’s so much to discuss when it comes to seeking the truth. So I’ll be dividing this topic into three parts:

(1)  What is truth? An intro to the quest for meaning and hope

(2)  Is Christ the only way? Exploring absolute truth

(3)  If there is a God, why is there suffering?

These questions are not new. But I’d like to share how I relate to them based on my perspective as well.

So let’s get started…

Finding Ultimate Meaning and Hope

Christians claim that finding ULTIMATE meaning and hope can only be achieved by surrendering our lives completely to Jesus. And of course I agree. But let me explain this further…

Some say that faith is the product of mere emotions – of beliefs that stem from suffering or from specific needs. Many have died in the name of God. And in some beliefs, there have been those that even killed in “His” name.

And while faith is absolutely necessary to grow in our relationship with God (Hebrews 11:6), the Bible did say that we must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24).

 As mentioned by Mr. Zacharias, “Feelings follow our belief. We must then ensure that our beliefs follow the Truth” (paraphrased).

Therefore, we must be able to give a reason to the hope that we have in Christ. And by examining our own paradigm as well as that of others, we can best understand the worldview that would lead us to our quest of finding real meaning and hope.

A World Without God

 Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

When I was a kid there was a certain feeling of being indestructible. Like life can go on forever and ever and ever. And I had so many dreams that seemed limitless and completely attainable…

We all grow up though and we find that life is so much more than the dreams that we have for ourselves. And there’s a sort of void or emptiness that constantly needs to be filled.

So some of us turn to drugs, others to alcohol, and others to romance, and some bury themselves at work thinking that success would fill that void. But it doesn’t go away. Maybe for a while it does, but never permanently.

Why is that?

In a world without God or without a creator, life becomes one of the most random things that can ever happen. Then there really is no purpose and no meaning and no hope in our existence.

“The greatest disappointment (and resulting pain) you can feel is when you have just experienced that which you thought would bring you the ultimate in pleasure – and it has let you down. Pleasure without boundaries produces a life without purpose.” – Ravi Zacharias

There is a void in our hearts that only Jesus can fill. And hopefully in the succeeding blogs, we can explore this further.

Two Tests for Belief

 Mr. Blaise Pascal, a French Philosopher says that there are two tests for belief:

1. The empirical test, one that is based on investigation; and
2. The existential test, one that is based on personal experience.

To find the truth, we’ll need to have satisfied both tests for our beliefs. And this is something I pray we would seek to discover, regardless of what our worldview is and where our faith currently stands…(to be continued).