'I am the Truth'

The Gospel of John contains seven statements where Jesus proclaims, “I am.” By describing Himself as the “I am” he was proclaiming Himself to be God in human form. “I am” first appears in the Bible in Exodus 3:14. God tells Moses, “say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.” Each of the seven “I am” statements provides insights into the character of our God and Savior.

In John 14:6 Jesus states, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” When Jesus was on trial He stated, “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?” (John 18:37-38) The “truth” that Jesus testified to was twofold. Truth was expressed through the words His Father gave Him to speak (John 7:16) and the actions His father directed Him to do (John 5:19).

The words of God are truth. Jesus is the truth of God in human form. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … 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 1:1, 14).

Jesus is the Word; therefore, he is the embodiment of truth just as He is the embodiment of God. John describes Him as being “full of grace and truth.” The Greek word for full is plérés. It can refer to an empty vessel into which something is placed – my thermos is full of coffee. But it also is used, as it is here, to indicate something is “complete; lacking nothing, perfect.”

The truth of Jesus is complete, lacking nothing. Everything about God’s character, everything that is God is demonstrated to us through Him. He is the perfect expression of God. He lead a perfect, sinless less life (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15) which He laid down for us and the atonement of our sins.

“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free… So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:31, 32).” We are set free from the slavery of sin (John 8:34) by the truth. The truth of God’s words (His plan of salvation) and the truth in action – the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:3).

Salvation is the beginning and sanctification is the life-long process of the Christian life. Jesus prayed for all believers “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17), and Jesus directed us to “be sanctified in truth” (John 17:19).

I pray you will know the truth, be saved by the truth and be sanctified through the truth.