The question of whether all truth is God’s truth is an important one for Christians to consider. At its core, this question gets to the heart of how we should think about knowledge, truth, and the relationship between faith and reason. There are several key biblical principles that can help shed light on this issue.
God is the Source of All Truth
The Bible teaches that God is the ultimate source and foundation of truth. Scripture says “the sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever” (Psalm 119:160). Because God is truth and the creator of all things, all truths have their source in God, even if they are discovered by human beings. As theologian Arthur Holmes said, “All truth is God’s truth.”
This does not mean that every claim or belief made by humans is automatically true. We know that humans are fallen and make mistakes. But any time truth is discovered or expressed, it reflects something of the mind and character of the God who made and sustains the universe.
All Truth is God’s Truth
Building on this idea that God is the source of truth, many Christian thinkers have gone further to say that all truth is indeed God’s truth. The basic argument is that if God made and sustains the entire universe, then any true fact we discover through science, philosophy, the arts, or personal experience ultimately comes from and reveals something about God. There are no “secular truths” that have nothing to do with God.
Augustine expressed this view saying, “All truth is God’s truth.” Abraham Kuyper similarly famously said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!'” All truths, whether discovered through special revelation (Scripture) or general revelation (God’s created world), are God’s truth.
Potential Limits and Cautions
While embracing the basic idea that God is the source of truth, and all truth is God’s truth, it’s important not to take this view too far. Here are a few potential limits and cautions:
- Not all human ideas and claims are true – We have to evaluate truth claims against biblical revelation and God’s natural world.
- Truths are often distorted by sin and human finitude – Our understanding of God’s truth is imperfect.
- Not all truth relates directly to God – Some facts may not reveal much about God.
- Truth can be pursued for the wrong reasons – Truth must be pursued to glorify God.
- Truth discovery is a human calling – Done in humility and faithfulness to God’s Word.
In other words, we should be careful not to claim that every human idea, scientific theory, or worldview accurately reflects God’s truth without careful evaluation. Our understanding of truth is partial and is distorted by sin. Truth discovery is a high human calling that must be done humbly, ethically, and completely submitted to God’s authority.
How Should Christians Relate to Secular Knowledge?
Recognizing that God is the ultimate source of truth, and all truth is God’s truth, provides a framework for how Christians should relate to knowledge discovered outside of Scripture and the church. Some principles include:
- Value all truth – We should enthusiastically study both Scripture and God’s world.
- Seek to integrate knowledge – Looking for coherence between disciplines.
- Critically evaluate secular knowledge – Discern according to biblical principles.
- Engage ideas with humility and wisdom – We have much to learn from non-Christians.
- Bring all thought under Christ’s lordship – Evaluating presuppositions and worldviews behind knowledge.
Christians throughout history have struggled with the question of how much to affirm or be wary of intellectual knowledge gained from non-Christian or secular sources. The “all truth is God’s truth” perspective suggests we should positively engage secular learning, critically evaluate ideas against God’s revelation, and seek to integrate all knowledge under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Five Key Biblical Principles
In summary, here are five key biblical principles to keep in mind regarding the question of whether all truth is God’s truth:
- God is the ultimate source and foundation of truth – Psalm 119:160
- All truth derives from and reveals God – John 1:3, Romans 1:20
- Not all human ideas are true – 1 Corinthians 3:19
- Our knowledge of truth is imperfect – 1 Corinthians 13:12
- Truth must be pursued ethically under God – Proverbs 1:7
With discernment and humility, Christians can confidently pursue all knowledge, evaluating truth claims against the standard of God’s Word and revelation. While not endorsing every human idea, we can affirm that all truth ultimately derives from, reveals, and belongs to God.
Practical Implications
Approaching all truth as God’s truth has many practical implications for how Christians should think about education, intellectual inquiry, and engaging culture:
- Motivates learning – All truth is worth studying to better understand God.
- Promotes intellectual virtue – Humility, faithfulness, self-control, perseverance.
- Affirms value across disciplines – The arts, humanities, sciences all reveal truth.
- Creates space for dialogue – We can learn truth from non-Christians.
- Provides perspective – Ultimate truth is in God and His Word.
- Instills confidence – All truth is God’s, so we pursue boldly.
- Fosters discernment – We evaluate ideas against God’s revelation.
- Reminds of human limits – Our grasp of truth is imperfect and partial.
- Shapes ethics – Pursue truth justly and for God’s glory.
Believing that all truth is God’s truth can give us purpose and perspective as lifelong learners seeking to serve Christ through our engagement with ideas and God’s world.
Objections and Counterarguments
Affirming that all truth is God’s truth is not without difficulties. Here are some potential objections or counterarguments to consider:
- Secular truths seem independent of God – Some factual truths don’t directly reveal theological truths about God.
- Our understanding of truth evolves – So can any truth claim be considered absolute and belonging to God?
- Truth is used to oppress – Appealing to “objective truth” has been used to justify injustice and marginalize people.
- Truth claims conflict – There are disagreements between science, religion, philosophy on certain truth issues.
- Postmodern objections – Postmodern thinkers reject universal metanarratives and question whether any absolute truths exist.
These issues should instill intellectual humility in us. While providing an important framework, we must avoid using “all truth is God’s truth” simply as an intellectual power play to insist all truth conforms to our view of God. We should remain open to tension, disagreement, and continually evaluating our understanding of truth in light of Scripture.
Applications to Ethics, Science, and Education
The perspective that all truth is God’s truth has many implications for how Christians engage questions of ethics, science, and education:
Ethics
- Moral truths reflect God’s perfection and laws.
- Our ethical knowledge is fallen, so Scripture vital.
- Absolutes exist, but our applications remain imperfect.
- Should seek ethical knowledge across disciplines – philosophy, science, etc.
Science
- Scientific truths reveal God’s creation.
- Scientific process uncovers truth, but is done by fallen humans.
- Hold scientific theories loosely, with humility.
- Seek coherence between science and biblical faith.
Education
- All academic disciplines worth pursuing to understand God’s world.
- Critically evaluate philosophical assumptions in any subject.
- Aim at holistic development – mind, spirit, virtues.
- Integrate faith and learning – explore connections between disciplines.
In all areas of life and academic pursuit, the perspective that all truth is God’s truth can help Christians engage humbly, wisely, and with a spirit of discernment. Absolutes exist, but our grasp is limited. Therefore, we must seek truth wherever it is found, under the authority of God’s Word.
Application to World Religions
Does the concept that all truth is God’s truth undermine the exclusive claims of Christianity? Not necessarily. We can make several distinctions when considering truth claims in various world religions and philosophies:
- Factual truths – We can acknowledge that factual truths about the world are reflected across religions and philosophies. All people bear God’s image and observe the same creation.
- Salvation truths – Religions make different claims about salvation and the nature of God. There can be only one truth about salvation in Jesus.
- Distorted truths – Due to human fallenness, elements of truth are often distorted or mixed with falsehoods.
- Incomplete truths – No one religion or philosophy grasps God’s truth completely or perfectly.
Saying all truth is God’s does not mean validating all assertions made by every religion or philosophy. Christianity makes exclusive salvation claims based on God’s revelation, while acknowledging common grace and shared human discovery of truth.
Conclusion
In summary, while the Bible clearly teaches that God is the author and source of all truth, the statement that “all truth is God’s truth” should not be used simplistically or as a blunt apologetic weapon. As the Architect and Sustainer of all creation, God is the ultimate foundation for every true thing. This gives us confidence in pursuing knowledge, but with discernment, recognizing that our grasp of truth is finite and fallen. At the heart of the question is what it means for God to be both Creator and Redeemer, how special and general revelation interact, and the essence of truth itself. As Christians, we can humbly and faithfully seek to understand reality under the authority of God’s Word revealed in Christ, believing that all truth originates in and will ultimately point to the glory of God.
