John 18

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”  ‭‭John‬ ‭18:10-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Jesus does not want us to use force to protect Him.  Peter took matters into his own hands and tried to defend Jesus, but was reprimanded for his actions.  Jesus never asked us to use violence to fight for Him.  Instead, He said “A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34).  The best way to show love to others is to share the Good News of God’s mercy and grace, so that others can be saved.  When you encounter resistance and skepticism, should you defend God’s Word and try to prove that every word is true?  There is nothing wrong with studying apologetics, which is the attempt to present a rational basis for the Christian faith.  We should all know the history behind the Bible so we can be assured of its authenticity.  We should study God’s Word so that we can have intelligent conversations about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, creation, the resurrection, heaven and hell.  1 Peter 3:15 tells us to: “…Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”  The reality is that we will not be able to bring someone into the Kingdom of God by winning an argument.  More important than trying to “prove it” to someone is establishing a strong relationship with them, loving them, and letting God’s Word speak for itself.  The Bible and the actions of the Holy Spirit are the most powerful forces in the world.  “For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).  Apart from the Holy Spirit, no one will be brought to the point of having faith in Jesus and truly believing that the Bible is the Word of God.  God uses various means of bringing unbelievers to Him.  He may use severe trials for one person, a miracle for another person, and even reason and logic for another.  God knows the best way to our hearts and it is Him alone that can motivate someone to the point of becoming a believer and follower of Jesus Christ.  

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.”  ‭‭John‬ ‭18:38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬. “What is truth?”  This is a very profound question proposed by Pilate. In today’s society, many people deny the fact that truth even exists.  Some people believe that truth is relative to any given situation.  Some say that the truth is whatever feels good, whatever works best, or whatever the majority thinks.  Using these types of justifications leads us to a place where there are no standards, no morals, and no basis for right and wrong.  But God did give us clear guidelines for right and wrong regarding all aspects of life in the pages of our Bibles.  In addition, each of us has been given a conscience to guide us and be our moral compass.  Jesus was put on trial to supposedly uncover the truth.  The irony is that the Jewish leaders used everything but the truth in order to convince Pilate to crucify Him.  Pilate never found out the truth, but gave in to the pressure of the masses.  The bottom line is since Jesus is “…the way and the truth and the life…” (John 14:6), then all we have to do is follow Him to know what the truth looks like, sounds like, and acts like. 

It is through Jesus and His Word that we have a definitive standard for truth, which should be used to establish our morals and guide our behavior as we go through life.