This week we are looking at the importance of Truth in a Christian Worldview. This class will help us understand the importance of knowing what we believe as Christians and why we believe it. We can then be motivated to go out and share our faith with others, having confidence that what we believe is really true, and the ability to articulate that truth!

Defending our faith and developing a Biblical worldview based on our understanding of God’s Word takes time and practice, and must be part of a lifetime commitment we make to the LORD. It should form our purpose and identity in everyday life as we grow closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, modeling Him to our family, friends and neighbors. As Christians, it is more important than ever to know what we believe, and why we believe it, and then apply that to who we are on a consistent basis, and this can only be done if we know Jesus and what His Word teaches.

All class sessions include a time for prayer and reflection, a presentation, and a Bible study section. You will find the presentation overview and Bible study questions at the truthfaithandreason.com website, with basic answers for your review and, or to use as a leader’s guide.

Presentation Notes

Belief Blueprint
An Introduction to Christianity and the Defense of the Faith

Session Three: The Importance of Truth in Your Christian Worldview

Prayer Cards:

Do you have anyone that you are hoping to share what you are learning with? Write your name and that person(s) name down on your prayer card along with any other prayer request you might have, and exchange with your table group at the end of the evening.

Reflection from Session Two:

What are some things you learned last week about Christian Apologetics that you didn’t know before?

Focus verse

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

APOLOGETIC TOPIC:

THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING TRUTH IN YOUR WORLDVIEW

What is a Worldview, and why is having a Christian worldview important?

Worldview: A set of beliefs and presuppositions used to define a position, or stance, on various situations and subjects of life.

A worldview is the lens through which we view the world and important issues.
A worldview is based on the ideology and principles that guide our thoughts, actions, and reactions to various circumstances we experience in life.
A worldview is based on the things we believe to be true (thus the importance of truth).
A worldview is the tool of thought we use to address the most important issues of life, for example…

Five of life’s most important questions for a worldview to answer:

1) God: Does God exist, and if so, who is He?

2) Origin and identity: Where did we come from, and who are we?

3) Purpose: Why are we here, and what are we supposed to be doing?

4) Evil: What is wrong with the world, and what can be done to solve it?

5) Destiny: Where are we going/what happens after we die?

A Christian worldview, based on Biblical truths, offers the best answers to these kinds of questions!

Summary of Religious Worldviews on God

Theism: Belief in a personal God who created the universe but is not the universe.

Example: The Painter and his painting

Christianity
Judaism
Islam

Pantheism: Belief in an impersonal God that literally is the universe.

Example: The Painter is the painting

Most Eastern varieties of Hinduism (which also includes forms of polytheism=many gods)
Some forms of Buddhism (which can also be atheistic)
Many forms of ‘New Age’ beliefs

Atheism: No belief in any form of God.

Example: the painting has always existed, no one painted it

Secularism
Humanism
Naturalism/Materialism
Evolutionism
Physicalism

Agnosticism: Unsure about the question of God; a decision to be empty minded on the subject of God

Example: Can’t know, or don’t want to know anything about the Painter

Postmodernism/Relativism
Progressivism
Deconstructionism

This is where we get “Nones” (no religious affiliation)

Summary of Religious Worldviews on God:

God made all///God is all///no God at all

(Theism) (Pantheism) (Atheism)

No decision is a decision against God

(Agnosticism)

CAN’T ALL FAITHS LEAD US TO GOD AND HEAVEN? NO!

It’s like Cyanide vs. Salt:

The differences matter more than the similarities!

Different religions and worldviews do not agree on the most important questions of life
THEY ARE FUNDAMENTALLY, FOUNDATIONALLY AND SALVATIONALlY DIFFERENT

The world’s religions are fundamentally different, and these differences are logically irreconcilable on vital questions such as:

What is my origin?
Who is God?
Who is Jesus?
What is sin?
What is my purpose?
What constitutes salvation?
Where do we go after we die?

The world’s religions are foundationally different:

Each has a different historical beginning.
Each has a different, or many different holy books.
Each one looks to a founder or leader who taught very different concepts about this life and the afterlife, none of whom claimed to be the Son of God, except one.
Each leader or founder’s essential views are in opposition and contradictory at best.

The world’s religions are salvationallydifferent, teaching very different pathways about very different eternal destinations:

Heaven/hell (Christianity)
Paradise/eternal damnation (Islam)
Brahman (Hinduism)
Nirvana (Buddhism)
The Bridge (Zoroastrianism)
Jiva/Ajiva (Jainism)
Utopian afterlife (New Ageism)
Nothingness (Secular Naturalism/Atheism)

Only Christianity offers…

Intimacy: I am a child of God, I can have a relationship with Jesus
A Savior: Jesus died for me and my sins
Grace: Forgiveness with a gift, not just mercy
Acceptance: We can come just as we are, we don’t have to do anything first
A God who loves us and would die for us: Not a god that we have to die for

The difference is clear

The Christian Worldview claim is exclusive, but the invitation in inclusive

Exclusive

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5

Inclusive

“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”” Acts 13:47
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” Titus 2:11
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Christianity has to be exclusive because…

Jesus is the only one who claimed to be the Son of God and proved it through his ministry, miracles and resurrection.
Jesus is the only one who took our place on that cross and then rose in defeat of death and Satan, fulfilling Genesis 3:15.
Jesus is the only one who fulfilled all of the prophecies given hundreds of years before his time.
Jesus is the only one who brought not just mercy (forgiveness of debt), but grace (a gift of eternal life).
Jesus is the only one who said it is done so that we do not have to do anything to earn salvation and entrance into Heaven.

Christianity is inclusive because…

Jesus said to the thief on the cross: “Today, you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

(The thief could do nothing to earn salvation, yet Jesus knew his repented heart)

A Comparison of Secular vs. Christian Worldviews…

VIEW ON…	SECULAR WORLDVIEW. VS.	CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW
God	No god, or we cannot know anything for sure about god – The supernatural cannot be measured through secular scientific methods	As our Creator we can know the one true God through His Word; He is a personal God, and we can further know Him through His Son Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit
Origin	Random evolutionary processes	God’s Creation-Intelligent Design
Purpose	To do whatever helps us survive and continue as a species; just be a “good person” (humanism); take care of self first, then others	To pursue God’s plan in Scripture; imitate the person of Jesus; follow the Great Commission: Love God first, then fellow humans, self last
Evil	Humans not innately responsible but can regulate, or fix it	Satan; The Fall; Human freewill
Destiny	Dust, no one knows	Heaven—eternity with God through Jesus Christ
Truth	Relative; based on cultural norms	Absolute-based on reality and God’s Word
Culture	Whatever society accepts-changes with time	Biblical—God centered, never changes
Politics	Culture shapes the vote	Biblical values shape the vote
Education	Humanism—man centered	Biblical—God centered
The Sciences	What we can test and observe; human discoveries; no god or supernatural allowed	God created with intelligent design – discovery flows from there; science is the pursuit of God
The Arts	Representative of a feeling/moment in time	Beauty based on God’s design, beauty and purpose
Humanity	Evolved from lower life forms – all are not equal	Made in the image of God – all are equal

Reflect and Discuss

Why is it important to understanding the differences in a Christian worldview versus other religious or philosophical worldviews?

The Importance of Truth in our Worldview

Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

John 18:37-38

Winston Churchill:

“Men stumble over the truth from time to time, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened.”

What is truth?

Truth is that which corresponds to reality

The Correspondence Theory of Truth…

truth corresponds to its object
truth is an actual state of affairs
truth is the way things really are

Truth is objective and absolute, not relative

truth is not a subjective preference
truth is true for all people, at all times, in all places
truth is transcultural
truth is absolute, narrow, and exclusive (by definition)

Truth is discovered, not invented
- truth exists independent of anyone’s knowledge of it – it’s always there
- truth is unchanging even though our beliefs or attitudes about it might change
- truth matches reality

What truth is not

Truth is not defined by how you feel, what you like, or how sincere you are:
- Feelings change
- People have different feelings and differing opinions at different times about everything, likes and dislikes change
- People can be sincerely wrong

THIS IS PREFERENCE, NOT TRUTH

Truth is not determined by what works:
- Just because you can get away with it does not make it true
- Just because it produces results that you want does not make it true
- Lies can be very useful (Satan is the father of lies—Genesis 3; John 8:44)

THIS IS MAKING A CHOICE, NOT MAKING YOUR OWN TRUTH

Truth is not regulated to popular vote:
- Truth cannot be determined in the polls or voting booths
- Truth cannot be set by cultural norms
- Truth cannot change over time

THIS IS CULTURE SHIFTING, NOT TRUTH SHIFTING

The Bible teaches us truth… GOD’S TRUTH!

(King David said…) “For your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.” Psalm 26:3
Do not let kindness and truthleave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3
By lovingkindness and truth, iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil. Proverbs 16:6
“You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?” Galatians 5:7
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Jesus teaches truth, and He is the truth:

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

The Holy Spirit’s teaches us truth:

(Jesus said…) ”And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-16
(Jesus said…) ”But when he, the spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13
”…and it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.” 1 John 5:6

What is relativism?

“There are no hard distinctions between what is real and unreal, nor between what is true and what is false. A thing is not necessarily either true or false; it can be both true and false.”

-Harold Pinter, Nobel Prize Winner for Literature

Two simple questions for Mr. Pinter:

Mr. Pinter,

Are you making a hard distinction with that statement?
Is your statement true?

If he answers yes, then he admits that hard distinctions can be made and that truth can be known, therefore his statement is false.
If he answers no, then he becomes irrelevant to the conversation because his statement is illogical.

Relativism and the Road Runner Tactic

Relativism = the claim that, “there is no truth, and truth cannot be known.”

Road Runner = Questions relativism’s claim with a focus on reality, by asking these questions:

“Is that a truth claim?

Is the worldview of relativism the only view that’s true?”

Relativist: “It’s true for you, but not for me!”

Christian Realist: “Is that just true for you, but not for me?”

Relativists make self-defeating statements:
(False ideas about truth lead to false ideas about life)

What’s true for you is not true for me.

Are you making a truth claim?

There are no absolutes.

Are you absolutely sure?

There’s no such thing as right or wrong.

Is that a right or a wrong statement?

You ought not judge.

Is that a judgment?

Christians are so intolerant.

Are you being intolerant of the Christian view?

Relativists who deny that there is such a thing as objective truth are like Winnie the Pooh…

—they answer a knock at the door

by saying, “no one is home.”

Five reasons relativism fails:

Relativism is self-refuting: Just use the “Roadrunner Tactic” to reveal the inconsistency.
Relativism eliminates the possibility of moral reform: What is right for you may not be right for someone else—therefore there could have never been reforms such as those Martin Luther King Jr., Gandi, or Mother Teresa implemented.
Relativism eliminates the possibility of moral progress: If slavery is acceptable in one culture who are we to change their truth? In a relativist’s view this would be unwarranted judgment.
Relativism removes our ability to praise good and condemn evil: How one culture views evil (Nazi’s for example) may be viewed as good in another culture—who are we to condemn them? We could change a truth, but not for the better, according to relativism.
Relativism is unlivable: Taken to its logical conclusion relativism leads to chaos, anarchy or worse, (like murder and genocide). In a worldview of relativism there would be no difference between the beliefs and actions of Hitler and that of Mother Theresa.

Relativism is nothing new. In the Old Testament, within one generation after the Conquest of the Promised Land, the Israelite Nation fell into a relativistic worldview as “everyone did what was right in their own eyes” and the results were devastating see Judges 17:6, 21:25).
Are we heading that direction again?

Reflect and Discuss

1. How would you respond to someone who says…

You can’t know absolute truth
It’s true for you but not for me
Christians are intolerant and judgmental

2. Why do you think it is important to understand what truth really is as you develop your worldview?

HOMEWORK REVIEW

Using a study Bible, practice the following hermeneutical method for Mark chapter one:

1. Author-Audience-Dating: Who wrote it, to whom and when?

2. Purpose: Why was it written?

3. Context/Flow of Thought: What does it say?

Read Mark chapter 1

4. Interpretation/Summary: What does it mean? Based on the reading…

a. What did you learn about Jesus’ baptism, and John the Baptist?

b. What did you learn about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry?

5. Personal/Cultural Application: How do I use what I learned?

a. What are some important things you learned that you can share about Jesus with others?

b. What else do we learn from these passages?

HOMEWORK

Using a study Bible, practice the following hermeneutical method for Acts chapter one:

1. Author-Audience-Dating: Who wrote it, to whom and when?

2. Purpose: Why was it written?

3. Context/Flow of Thought: What does it say?

Read Acts chapter 1

4. Interpretation/Summary: What does it mean? Based on the reading…

a. What did Jesus tell His Disciples before His Ascension?

b. What did Peter say to the other disciples, why, and what did they then do?

5. Personal/Cultural Application: How do I use what I learned?

a. Can we apply what Jesus said to His Disciples in verse 8, and is it anywhere else in the Bible?

b. What else do we learn from these passages?

Please continue to join us each week for more classes!

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15