Have you ever talked with someone about something you strongly believe in only to be met with the reply: “Fine, I accept that’s true for you, but it isn’t true for me.” Is it the case that someone’s idea of what’s true about something is equally valid to another who holds a completely different opinion? We live in an age of “tolerance”, where we’re encouraged to respect one another’s views. But are all views equally right? Consider someone who believes that two plus two equals five. Could you say: “Well that may be true for you, but it’s not true for me?” What happens if you were a shopkeeper and someone asked you for two pounds of white flour and two pounds of wholemeal flour, and then complained after you served them that you sold them short because they only got four pounds of goods? We have to admit that there is truth which is objective as well as that which is purely subjective, such as one’s taste for lemons or a particular style of music. Absolute truth is the objective sort of truth that does not depend on opinion of the person who says it, but is true for all time and in all circumstances. Throughout the words of Jesus we find the repeated phrase “Verily, verily”. What that means in language we can understand is “I’m telling you the absolute truth about this matter” Here are just a few examples: “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” “I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.”