Human progress and the advancement of civilisation are dependent on individual action and joint or corporate action.

The Bible presents a God who gave men and women free will. He rules in those who accept Him as Lord and Saviour. He fashions people who permit Him to rule in their lives as individuals with God given character. God asks His people to live together in love. Therefore individuals must cooperate with others in working out God's larger purposes. There are areas of individual action and also areas of joint or corporate action.

The Bible in the Old Testament expounds the rules of morality, rooted in the Commandments. But the New Testament of the Bible shows how humans can move in the righteousness of God through a personal relationship with God. The latter dimension is being slowly and gradually understood by sections of the Christian church. Notable advances have been made in the twentieth century.

Beneficial changes take place, not through HUMAN effort, but through humans in obedience to the Spirit of God, "So he answered and said to me: 'This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by human might nor by human power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts". THE BIBLE, Zechariah 4:6-7.

Humans acting righteously, individually and in concert with others, establish institutions which if rooted in the leading of God will lead to progress and advancement of civilisation. There is no great civilisation which has flourished without the existence of basic moral values. The decline of civilisations are linked to declining moral values. But the New Testament of the Bible provides the basis for humans to establish a personal relationship with God and be led by him. Rules of morality are then an aid to and not the source of righteousness.


Partial truth
Modernism seeks realism and with Pilate asks cynically "What is truth?". The Bible dimension is "The entirety of My Word is truth". THE BIBLE, Psalm 119:60. The Bible also says "...no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end ". THE BIBLE Ecclesiastes 3:11.

This means there is an entirety of truth - and also partial truth. Partial truth is truth, so long as it is seen to be partial. When partial truth, is given greater weight than it really has or is extended too far, then it becomes untruth. Partial truth, expanded beyond its true extent, becomes untruth. This is a root cause of disputation among peoples and nations. Partial truth, given greater weight than it really has or is extended too far, giving rise to untruth is the root cause of human disagreements, conflicts - and wars. Disagreement is a mild area of disunity. Conflict is a major area of disagreement. There are many intermediate zones between disagreement and conflict. War involves physical confrontation in the context of conflict.

What is truth? Is it possible to discover the whole truth? There is no definite and dogmatic answer to both these questions. This writing seeks to confront these issues and suggest ways to reach out towards truth. The words "suggest ways to reach out towards truth" in the previous sentence are important. We reach out to the truth, recognising that the whole truth is outside the grasp of any human being. Each human being must aim to do the best in his circumstances. How can this be done? How can mankind and global civilisation, realistically and spiritually, move forwards to a better future. This is what the writing seeks to address.

The Biblical answer is that God gives to people, who call out to Him truth (THE BIBLE, Jeremiah 33:3; John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7-13), sufficient for them to receive salvation through Jesus and to live their lives in relationships with others. God alone knows all truth because "God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth".

The Bible contains all truth
The Bible contains the entirety of truth.( THE BIBLE Psalm 119:60). The Bible contains all the keys and everything for a human to lead a righteous life. The words of the Bible contain the answer to every human problem and situation. The Bible shows the WAY. "I am the way, the truth and the life". John 14:6. The Bible shows the way. This means that the way to the solution of every problem is in the words of the Bible. Jesus is the WAY.

All answers to human problems are found in the Bible for those who diligently search for the God of truth with all their heart and mind. BIBLE Jeremiah 29:12-13; John 14:16,26; 15:7-8,26; John 16:7-13. Sometimes the answer to a problem may be found in one text. Sometimes the answer may be found in different parts of the Bible read together. "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned". 1 Corinthians 2:14. The "natural man" in this text is the one who thinks and uses the mind, independently of the Spirit of God. This means that the Holy Spirit of God must illuminate the reading of the Bible. Attempts to read the Bible with the mind, WITHOUT the Spirit of God brings limited benefits, even for a person who believes in God.


The goodness of God and the severity of God
The Bible refers to the goodness of God and the severity of God. (THE BIBLE Romans 11:22). God is a God of GOODNESS (love and mercy) and also a God of SEVERITY (truth and judgement). His goodness (love and mercy) cannot be understood except in the context of his severity (truth and judgement). His severity (truth and judgement) cannot be understood except in the context of his goodness (love and mercy). Love includes truth. There are two Greek words used in the New Testament which mean love - agape and philadelphia. Agape is the word used for love as a part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in THE BIBLE Galatians 5:22. Agape in Strong's Concordance means "to love in a social or a moral sense".

There is a further dimension. In ancient Greek the love in agape contains the idea of 'to lead into the light' and to help enlighten someone concerning the truth of the whole situation - including the truth about character faults. In this sense, love is to help a person understand the cause and the solution of their predicament, to give consul as well as practical assistance. It does not mean, as many Christians, secular workers and experts now propose, to merely have kindly, warm and affectionate feelings towards people - and the avoidance of causing hurt to people by speaking the truth.

Truth includes love. Truth in a narrower sense means the truth about particular human situations and relationships. Truth in a wider sense includes everything in the Bible. Psalm 119:60 says "The entirety of My word is truth". Love is included in the wider meaning of truth.