saw the crowd like “ sheep without a Shepherd” he was moved with compassion and
ministered to them (Matt.9:36).
c. God is actively engaged in the work of
providence.
An 18th century European philosophy saw
God as a “divine watchmaker” who does
not intervene in the world once it is “ticking
away”. This is contrary to the scriptural understanding of God. The God of the Bible is
also the God of providence. He sustains what
he has created. He provides for his creation.
He feeds the birds of the air ( Matt.6:26).
He provides for all that he has made- humans, beasts, fish, reptiles etc. (Ps.104: 1529). “And by him all things consist”(Col.1:17;
Acts 17:28).
The incarnate son of God kept himself busy
“ doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil...”(Acts 10:38).
When the Jewish leaders questioned him for
violating the Sabbath rules, Jesus answered
them: “My Father is always at work to this
very day, and I too am working” (Jn:5:17).
Through his love, compassion and active
involvement in the redemptive process, the
Son of God made his Father known to the
sons of men.
2. He came
(Jn.18:37).
to
testify
to
the
truth
When Pilate examined Jesus, as the Jews
brought Jesus before him, Jesus stated emphatically, “the reason I was born and came
into the world is to testify to the truth”
(Jn.18:37). In response to that Pilate asked:
“What is truth?”(v.38)
Truth has been an object of contemplation and search from ancient times. The sacred scriptures of Hinduism contain certain
thought provoking statements. “Satyamev
jayate” (truth will ultimately triumph) is one
such maxim.
Socrates and other Greek philosophers were
ardent seekers after truth. In the more recent times, Mahatma Gandhi, the father of
our nation spent all his life time searching
for truth. In his autobiography entitled “The
story of my Experiment with Truth” Gandhi
confessed that he got only some “fleeting
glimpses” of truth and that his understanding
of truth was still “imperfect and inadequate”.
The apostle John proclaims: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because
their deeds were evil ... But those who live
by the truth come into the light” (Jn.3:19,20).
The Son came to declare that he is the
“light of the world”(Jn.8:12) and that he is
the “way and the truth and the life”(Jn.14:6).
A careful examination of the Johannine writings shows that the apostle John uses “
light” and “truth” as synonymous. Therefore,
“to walk in the light”(1Jn.1:7) is “to walk in
the truth” (2 Jn 4). Knowledge of the truth
should lead to application of the truth in
a person’s day today living. Like Pilate, the
Roman official, many are asking, “What is
truth?” There are also those who pervert
the truth for personal g