Living the Truth in 2026

“For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 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 guilt in Him” (John 13:37-38).  

Early on January 1st of this year, once I realized I was awake, the word truth was impressed upon my mind. I received it as if it were from God. I thought, “Truth is my word for this year.” Then I asked what Pilate asked: “What is truth?”

Immediately, I was reminded of a definition of truth that I have adopted and that has stood the test of over forty years of life: Truth is reality, and reality is what Jesus says, does, hears, and sees. If Jesus says it, it is reality. If He speaks, it happens. Sometimes this question guides to the truth: What did Jesus see or hear? If He hears something, it truly occurred. If He sees something, it happened. Reality is truth. Every aspect of this definition is affirmed in God’s Word.

Truth Is Reality

Twenty-five times Jesus said, “Truly, truly,” to underscore the reality of His most important teachings in John’s Gospel. To say something is true usually means that it corresponds exactly to reality. We might as well say, “Really, really!”

It is also necessary to clarify what truth is not. Truth is not simply what works (pragmatism), what is coherent or agreed upon (even false conspiracies can be internally consistent), what makes people feel good, or what the majority believes. Rather, truth stands independent of utility, consensus, or preference—it reflects objective reality itself. Jesus is the truth whether anyone believes it or not.

Jesus Is the Truth

Jesus said, “I am the truth” (John 14:6). There is nothing and no one more real, tangible, knowable, reliable, faithful, steadfast, enduring, and unchangeable than Jesus. What He says, does, hears, and sees is reality—whether anyone believes it, feels it, agrees with it, or likes it.

The apostle John wrote of Jesus: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), and “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Jesus is the truth.

Truth Is What Jesus Says

Jesus speaks the truth. Speaking of Himself, Jesus said, “And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe” (John 19:35). “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God” (John 3:34). After giving His disciples the words of God, He prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” Jesus always speaks the truth because He is truth—so truth is what Jesus says.

Truth Is What Jesus Does

Jesus informed His disciples about the source of His thoughts and words: “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.” Did you catch that? When Jesus speaks God’s words—which are truth—God works.

There is a direct correlation between Jesus’ words and His actions. In both heaven and the created realm, all of God’s actions occur through speaking. The writer of Hebrews wrote this about Jesus: “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). John introduced Jesus as the Word of God in his Gospel and then added, “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” Jesus speaks reality into existence. Truth is what Jesus does when He speaks.

Truth Is What Jesus Hears and Sees

Jesus must hear and see all things in order to be the judge of the world. Paul wrote that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” to give an account for every deed done in our bodies (2 Corinthians 5:10). Jesus Himself said, “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36).

Speaking of the Word of God, the writer of Hebrews exalted Jesus when he wrote, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). Jesus even hears what we think. For example, when Sarah laughed to herself upon hearing the Lord say that she would bear a child, the Lord heard her. When confronted, she denied it, but the Lord said the truth: “No, but you did laugh” (Genesis 18:15). Jesus heard it, so it was reality. It was the truth.

If ever a word is spoken, Jesus hears it. Everything that is done in heaven and on earth, Jesus sees it. Because Jesus hears and sees everything, we know His judgment is true. For instance, when someone lies, Jesus hears their words and judges if what they speak lines up with reality. When they stand before Him, the truth will be seen that He heard that person lie, and they will give an account. The truth is that He heard him speak falsely. Truth is what Jesus hears and sees.

Practice the Truth with Jesus

God intends and desires the truth to impact our lives. We are to obey the truth. Romans 2:5–8 clearly teaches that the final judgment will be according to truth:

“But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.”

The apostle Paul also wrote that those who perish do so “because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.” If we love the truth, it is a gift of God. If we have received the love of the truth, doesn’t it make sense that we will practice the truth?

Summary

• Truth is reality.
• Jesus is the truth.
• Truth is what Jesus says.
• Truth is what Jesus does.
• Truth is what Jesus hears and sees.

With these truths in mind, let’s ask ourselves some questions that help us practice the truth in our lives:

• Where might my beliefs, assumptions, or habits be out of sync with reality as Jesus defines it?
• What truths from Jesus have I struggled to accept because they conflict with my preferences or comfort?
• If Jesus truly defines reality, what area of my life needs to come under His authority more fully?
• When making decisions, do I prioritize what works, what feels right, or what Jesus says?
• What recent choice would look different if I filtered it through Jesus’ words instead of cultural wisdom or personal desire?
• Where am I tempted to redefine truth to fit my lifestyle rather than reshape my life to fit the truth?
• How does believing that Jesus is reality itself change how I respond to fear, anxiety, or suffering?
• When relationships are strained, do I lean more on feelings or on what is actually true according to Christ?
• If Jesus is the ultimate reality, how should that shape my prayer life, Bible reading, and obedience?
• What practices help me stay grounded in truth rather than drifting into cultural or emotional narratives?
• Am I more familiar with what Jesus says or with what social media, news, or friends say?
• What would it look like for my life to visibly point to Jesus as the ultimate reality?
• How can I help others see that truth is not just an idea but a person?

Living the Gospel Truth

God sent His Son, Jesus, to remove our sins and bring us to God, presenting us holy and blameless before Him. When He died, all of our sinful, natural life—with all its godless thoughts, words, and actions—died the death that sin deserves.

The first gospel truth is this: The old man who lives for this world and self is dead and powerless. To obey the truth is to live continually in repentance, putting away “old man” thinking, speaking, and acting.

The second gospel truth is this: When Jesus was raised to life, a new man was created. It is the life of Jesus dwelling in a new body with many members (1 Corinthians 12:12–14). He lives for God’s glory and is our life. He lives in all who believe in Him and trust in Him for forgiveness of sins and for new life in this world. To obey the truth is also to put on the new man, Jesus Christ, conforming our thinking, speaking, and acting to His.

My aim in this blog is to challenge you to live the gospel truth this year. The truth is what He thinks, speaks, and does in and through our lives. Everything else is a lie. To live the gospel truth, we must renew our minds, as Paul admonishes believers in Romans 12:2. This year, let us strive in the power of the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of truth—to conform and submit to the mind, words, and actions of Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

The first five chapters of Live to Love: Experience Freedom and Joy in Relationships can help you practice the truth. They clearly articulate Jesus’ purpose, worldview, love, view of relationships, and prayer. I invite you to visit livetolovewithjesus.com and get your free copy of my book in print, audio, or eBook formats. If you found this blog encouraging, please share it with your family and friends. I also hope you’ll like, follow, and share my daily 1–4 minute podcast, Live to Love Scripture Encouragements, this year.