This week’s presentation continues our focus on the importance of truth, especially in the Biblical Christian Worldview. The Christian Worldview is the one view that corresponds to reality, and when we go outside of reality we eventually bump into the wall of truth, which can get us hurt. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Thus, following His teachings will always lead us to truth.
Watch this week’s presentation on this topic:
Overview Notes From the Presentation
Part 2 Focus on Truth conclusion
What is relativism, and how does it relate to truth?
“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.
Absolute truth vs. relativism
“To me, it was self-evident that truth exists. What’s the alternative? If truth doesn’t exist, then it would be true that truth doesn’t exist, and once again we arrive at truth. There is no alternative; truth must exist.”
-Nabeel Qureshi, “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus”
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?”
Is Truth Absolute or Relative?
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:
- 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?
False ideas about truth lead to false ideas about life
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: 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.
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.”
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.
Are we heading that direction again? (See Judges 17:6, 21:25)
“Today we’ve lost the confidence that statements of facts can ever be anything more than opinion. The word true now means “true for me” and nothing more. The death of truth in our society has created a moral decay. When we abandon the idea that one set of laws applies to every human being, all that remains is subjective, personal opinion.
–Greg Koukl, Christian Apologist and President of Stand to Reason Ministries
The Bible speaks about truth:
- (King David said…) “For your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.” Psalm 26:3
- (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
- (Paul said…) “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 tells us the truth:
- “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
- “And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32
God’s truth can be found through the Holy Spirit’s teaching:
- (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
God’s truth can be found in our conscious because God has placed a moral code and a sense of eternity in all humans:
- “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
- “Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know His law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thought either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.” Romans 2:14-15
Going Deeper on Worldview and Truth:
“Bringing truth to a new generation,” videos, articles, Christian Apologetics and more, by Dr. Sean McDowell
“Another Gospel, A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity,” videos, articles and Christian Apologetics with Alisa Childers
https://www.alisachilders.com/
“Is Truth Relative?” Videos, articles, Christian Apologetics and more with Greg Koukl, President of Stand to Reason Ministries
“The Truth Project,” small group curriculum with Dr. Del Tacket
https://store.focusonthefamily.com/the-truth-project/
Going Deeper on Worldview and Truth
“Proclaiming the evidence For Christianity and Cross-Examining Claims against it,” videos, articles, Christian Apologetics and more with Dr. Frank Turek
https://www.crossexamined.org/
“True for You but Not for Me,” videos, articles, Christian Apologetics and more with Brett Kunkle
https://maventruth.com/team/brett-kunkle/
“Total Truth,” and “Saving Leonardo,” books by Author and Professor of Christian Apologetics, Nancy Pearcey
Reflection
If you only had one minute for each question, to the best of your ability, give an answer in your own words: (Note – these are building from the notes each week)
- What makes the ”Christian Worldview” unique, and how do we know it is true?
- What are the differences between objective truth, subjective truth and relative truth?
Bible Study
Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.
NOTE: Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for “Discussion” or “Going Deeper” questions. Cite your sources to share with your group.
Daily Devotional:
Read one chapter a day from the book of Proverbs for five days and take two days off. This week do Proverbs chapters 16-20, note any questions you may have, or anything that stands out to you as a life application.
1. From your daily devotional reading in the book of Proverbs 16-20, discuss the following:
The words pride, strife and discipline come up quite often in the proverbs, so let’s do a word study:
a. What do these words mean?
b. How does the wise person handle these three things?
c. How does the fool handle these three things?
d. Share any other teachings you learned from your study of Proverbs this week, or discuss any questions that you might have?
Bible study:
Read Ephesians chapter 3, then to the best of your ability, answer these questions:
2. Re-read Ephesians chapter 3:1-21 with your table group. This chapter focuses on Paul’s call to ministry, specifically to the Gentiles.
a. In verses 1 and 13, why does Paul speak of being a prisoner and in tribulation, (what do we know about where Paul was when he wrote this, and some of his other letters)?
b. What is “the stewardship of God’s grace” that Paul had been given?
c. What is the “mystery” Paul is referring to? (Hint: it is not a magical or mystical secret as some cults have tried to turn it into by taking the word, or verse, out of context).
d. Application: What parts of Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians in verses 3:16-21 can we use in our own prayer life? Cross-reference by also reading Philippians 4:4-7.
- Going Deeper: Paul was an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is the difference between an apostle and a disciple?
Memory Verses: Recite with your table group 1 Peter 3:15; Ephesians 2:8-9; and Philippians 4:6-7
Join us next week as we continue our study in Christian Apologetics with a new topic on the existence of God!
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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.
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Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15