This entry will list down briefly the key teachings about truth and knowledge, including
- God’s relationship with truth and knowledge
- God’s command for us pertaining to truth and knowledge
- Core teachings on truth and knowledge
Each teaching will be explored in greater detail in separate entries, which will be linked once completed.
Definitions
Truth is that which is in accordance with fact or reality (See What is Truth).
Knowledge roughly refers to true propositions, that is statements that accurately describes reality.
God’s relationship with truth and knowledge
God keeps promises, doesn’t lie and won’t change his mind
See Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; 2 Samuel 7:28; Psalm 33:4, 105:8-11, 119:140, 119:160, 145:13; Isaiah 31:2, 46:11; Ezekiel 12:25, 12:28; John 1:14, 17:17; Titus 1:2; 1 John 5:6-11
Examples: Deuteronomy 18:20-22; 2 Chronicles 6:14-15; Isaiah 45:19;
Related entries
God has complete power over truth / reality
See Ecclesiastes 7:13-14; Isaiah 44:24-28, 46:8-11
God knows everything
See Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:13-14; Daniel 2:22
God has control over human knowledge
See Proverbs 2:6, 22:12; Daniel 2:21
Examples: Genesis 11:5-7; Exodus 31:1-3, 35:30-35; 1 Kings 4:29-34; 2 Chronicles 1:9-12;
God reveals spiritual knowledge to us through the Holy Spirit
See John 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
God has reasons to hide knowledge
See Proverbs 25:2
Examples: Matthew 13:10-15, 13:34-35; Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10; John 12:37-40
God hates (dishonest) people who lie
See Deuteronomy 25:16; Proverbs 6:16-19, 11:1, 12:22, 20:23; Ecclesiastes 5:4; Ezekiel 13:8-9; Zechariah 8:16-17
Related entries: Does God hate lying lips?
God will rebuke those who add to his words
See Proverbs 30:6
Examples: Jeremiah 23:16-21, 23:30-32, 29:8-9
God’s command for us pertaining to truth and knowledge
Seek evidence for your beliefs
See 1 Corinthians 2:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21; Titus 2:1; 1 Peter 3:15; 1 John 4:1
Example: Luke 1:3-4; John 10:37-38, 14:9-11, 14:17, 20:24-31; Acts 17:10-12;
Seek knowledge
See Proverbs 23:12, 23:23
Do not give false testimony, do not spread false things
See Exodus 20:16, 23:1-3, 23:6-8; Leviticus 5:1, 19:11-12; Deuteronomy 5:20; Zechariah 8:16-17; Mark 10:19; 1 Timothy 1:3
Do not lie, steal, deceive
See Leviticus 6:1-5, 19:11-13, 19:35-36; Deuteronomy 25:13-16; Zechariah 8:16-17; Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9-10; 1 Peter 2:1;
Consequences: Psalm 63:11, Psalm 120:3-4
Do not swear an oath by anything (NT)
See Matthew 5:33-37; James 5:12
Fulfill your vows and promises
See Numbers 30:1-2; Ecclesiastes 5:4-6; Matthew 5:33
Women’s vows can be confirmed and nullified by a father or wife*
*Applies only to young woman living in her father’s household or woman living with her husband
See Numbers 30:1-16
Core teachings on truth and knowledge
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure
See Jeremiah 17:9
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge
See Proverbs 1:7
Gain knowledge by seeking it, listening to instruction from one with more
See Proverbs 2:1-8, 19:27, 21:11
Spiritual knowledge can only be discerned through words taught by the Holy Spirit
See 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
Fatal consequences for rejecting knowledge
See Proverbs 1:20-33
Knowledge without love is nothing
See 1 Corinthians 13:2
False witness and liars will be punished
See Deuteronomy 19:16-21; Proverbs 19:5, 19:9, 21:28; Jeremiah 23:33-40; Ezekiel 13:8-9
The devil is a liar
See John 8:42-47
All that is hidden will be made known
See Luke 12:1-3