"Then said Jesus to those Jews that believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)
I loved the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where Indiana is teaching and tells his student that Archaeology is the search for fact... not truth. He tells them if they want truth, Doctor Tyree's philosophy class is down the hall.
Truth is a philosophical concept. It cannot be defined by a collection of scientifically verifiable facts. People that believe that they should only consider that which can be seen, heard, touched, smelt, or tasted place far too much value in senses that can easily be fooled.
Consider how small the range of visible light is considering the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Consider how many animals are capable of hearing very high frequency or very low frequency sounds that we are incapable of hearing. Animals in many cases possess olfactory senses superior to those of humans as well. Simply because we cannot currently detect it, does not mean it does not exist, or that it is unable to affect us. God has wisdom beyond our perception, and greater than our accumulation of commonly accepted scientific facts.
Sterilization was not always practiced for medical instruments until people like Louis Pasteur convinced the public with his experiments showing that fermentation was caused by the growth of micro-organisms. Far before the acceptance of scientific evidence of micro-organisms, God gave to Moses laws regarding cleanliness and hygiene that also prevented the spread of diseases (Leviticus 15).
Highlighting the differences between fact and truth, fact is specific and frequently conditional. The truth is universal and general.
It is a fact that the teachings of Jesus dramatically changed western civilization. The truth is that he is the Son of God, and his importance transcends that of civilization on Earth all together.
It is a fact that mankind is the dominant race on the planet. The truth is that God created the Earth so that men might reach their potential.
Birth and death are also facts of life: these events affect us all. The truth is that we lived before we were born, and that death is not the end. There is no shortage of people that get worked up over all the pain, the suffering, and the injustice that occurs in life.... but the truth is that after this life there is no wrong that will not be made right. There is no wound that will not be healed and every wrong will be atoned either by the wrongdoer, or by Christ himself. All the doubt, fear, pain, loss, or other problems in life are swallowed up by the greater truth that Jesus Christ has power to save us all.
