"Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" John 18:37-38 ESV
Explanation of John 18:38 from The MacArthur Study Bible, page 1580
"18:38 What is truth? In response to Jesus' mention of "truth" in v. 37, Pilate responded rhetorically with cynicism, convinced that no answer existed to the question. The retort proved that he was not among those whom the Father had given to the Son ("Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice"--v.37; see notes on 10:1-5). no guilt. Cf. 19:4. John made it clear that Jesus was not guilty of any sin or crime, thus exhibiting the severe injustice and guilt of both the Jews and Romans who executed him."
"For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." Jude 1:4 ESV
Explanation of Jude 1:4 from The MacArthur Study Bible, page 1934
"4 certain people have crept in unnoticed. These were infiltrating, false teachers pretending to be true, who on the surface looked like the real thing, but whose intentions were to lead God's people astray (cf. Matt. 7:15; Acts 20:29; Gal. 2:4-5; 1Tim. 4:1-2; 2Pet. 2:1, 20; 1 John 2:18-23). These apostates were Satan's counterfeits, most likely posing as itinerant teachers (cf. 2 Cor. 11:13-15; 2Pet. 2:1-2; 2John 7-11). Their stealth made them dangerous. They were characterized by three features: 1)they were ungodly; 2) they perverted grace; and 3) they denied Christ. long ago were designated. Apostasy and apostates in general were written about and condemned many centuries before, such as illustrated in Jude 5-7 and spoken of as Enoch did in vv. 14-16, Cf. Isa. 8:19-21; 47:9-15; Hos. 9:9; Zeph. 3:1-8. Their doom was "pre-written" in Scripture as a warning to all who would come later. Jesus had warned about them in Matt. 7:15-20 (cf. Acts 20:29). The most recent warning had been 2Pet. 2:3, 17; 3:7. this condemnation. This refers to the judgment spoken of by others "long ago." Jude's present expose of apostates placed them in the path of the very judgment of God, written of previously. ungodly people. Lit., "impious" or "without worship." Their lack of reverence for God was demonstrated by the fact that they infiltrated the church of God to corrupt it and gain riches from its people. Cf. vv 15-16, 18-19. sensuality. Lit., "unrestrained vice" or "gross immorality," which describes the shameless lifestyle of one who irreverently flaunts God's grace by indulging in unchecked and open immorality (cf. Rom. 6:15). deny. . . Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Two Greek words for Jesus are used here. The apostates disowned Christ as sovereign Lord (despotes) and disdained any recognition of Christ as honorable Lord (kurios) by their wicked behavior. The better NT manuscripts omit God in the text, placing the emphasis clearly on one person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and emphasizing that apostates deny him. See note on 2Pet. 2:1. Cf. Matt. 10:33; 2Tim. 2:12; Titus 1:16; 1John 2:22-23. It is always true of apostates, false teachers, and false religions that they pervert what Scripture declares is true about the Lord Jesus Christ."
There is absolute truth found in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ("In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:1-5 ESV) There is NO truth apart from Him. Do not be deceived. Read the Bible and ask God to reveal Himself to you and show you the truth.
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." Matthew 7:13-14 ESV
Explanation for Matthew 7:13-14 from The MacArthur Study Bible page 1371
"7:13-14 Both the narrow gate and the wide gate are assumed to provide the entrance into God's kingdom. Two ways are offered to people. The narrow gate is by faith, only through Christ, constricted and precise. It represents true salvation in God's way that leads to life eternal. The wide gate includes all religions of works and self-righteousness, with no single way (cf. Acts 4:12), but it leads to hell, not heaven."
"7:14 gate is narrow. Christ continually emphasized the difficulty of following him (10:38; 16:24-25; John 15:18-19; 16:1-3; cf. Acts 14:22). Salvation is by grace alone, but is not easy. It calls for knowledge of the truth, repentance, submission to Christ as Lord, and a willingness to obey his will and word. See notes on Matt. 19:16-28."
Let's pray: Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that Christian churches in America and all over the world will stand up and speak the truth. I pray that Christians will not be afraid to speak the truth found only in the Bible. I pray that you will take away the darkness and open the eyes of people so they will be know the truth and be set free from the bondage of sin and darkness and be saved by Christ the Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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