Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola contend that “According to Scripture, Jesus Christ (and not a doctrine about Him) is the truth. In addition, Jesus Christ (and not an ethic derived from His teaching) is the way. In other words, both God’s truth and God’s way are embodied in a living, breathing person–Christ” (Jesus Manifesto, 80).

Here, Sweet and Viola make a marvelous point–Christianity is a relationship with Christ as opposed to a set impersonal guidelines. Even so, their approach to making this point is somewhat troublesome. Who is Jesus apart from the teachings found in Scripture about Him? Who is Jesus apart from the Person who was confined (in a temporal sense only since the Bible proclaims His divinity) to a particular point in history? 

Paul is clear that false doctrine exists and tells Timothy to watch his doctrine closely (cf. 1Tim 1:3,10). Jesus is the Truth, but so are doctrines about Him. If Sweet and Viola are not careful, their teaching on Jesus as Truth may open wide the door to all sorts of false doctrines. The true doctrines set forth in Scripture establish the guidelines for having a personal relationship with the Truth. Scripture teaches, for instance, the doctrine of Christ’s personhood. Therefore, we know He is personal and act accordingly (or at least we should).