The Barna Group recently published a report revealing that most Americans reject the idea of absolute moral truth.
A survey by The Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University released its results in their latest installment describing the world view of both Christians and non-Christians.
The data was collected from 2100 adults who were asked if they agreed with this statement. “A mature human accepts different truth views to be just as valid as their own views.” 67% answered affirmatively. In the group identifying as “born again Christians, 56% agreed.
Similarly, 58% of the respondents agreed that “there can be multiple, conflicting moral truth views in any given situation without anyone being wrong.”
Given the moral state of our nation and the absence of strong spiritual leadership in so many churches today, this ought not to be too surprising. Yet, it obviously contradicts the character of God, the affirmations of Jesus, and the moral teaching of the Bible.
Consider these facts.
#1 God is the ultimate source of all Truth.
The Psalmist affirmed, “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever” (Ps. 119:160).
In the shadow of the cross, Jesus echoed this sentiment when He prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (Jn. 17:17).
God’s moral laws reflect His character. His holiness. And His righteousness. They are not arbitrary, capricious, or unreasonable. They are consistent, unchanging, and reasonable based on God’s nature.
Thus, He calls us, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:18). If there is no absolute moral standard, how can we be holy?
#2 Jesus was the Divine Incarnation of Truth.
Jesus came to show us the way to the Father. When Thomas wondered how we could know “the way,” Jesus responded, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The unequivocal affirmation is a core belief to Christianity. He asserted His authority, declared His life-giving power, and pronounced the fact of absolute Truth embodied in Him.
#3 The Revealed Word Provides Concrete and Explicit Direction.
Jesus empowered the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles into all Truth (Jn 16:13). Paul confirmed that His writing was Divinely revealed and Spirit inspired (Eph.3:3-5). Thus, he could offer this exhortation regarding our confidence in the Word as the sole source of spiritual Truth.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
In short, the Word tells us what is right. What is wrong. How to get right. How to stay right. And equips you for every righteous work.
#4 Truth is Not Relative.
The philosophy of moral relativism is a lie of the Devil that appeases the conscience, removes guilt, and lowers the bar so I can feel good about myself. The prophet Isaiah’s condemnation of ancient Israel is still applicable today. “Woe unto those who call evil good, and good evil” (Isa. 5:20).
Like those of the pagan Gentile world who “exchanged the Truth about God for a lie,” they will suffer the same judgment, like all those who “twist the Scriptures to their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:16).
#5 Moral Truth Applies to all People.
None are exempt from God’s laws, God’s Word, and God’s Truth. Since all have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Rom. 3:23), everyone needs the same soul saving Truth. Indeed, as Paul penned, God desires that “all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).
The Barna report concludes by observing that absence of accepting absolute Truth leads to societal “chaos, confusion and helplessness.” The report called upon churches and religious leaders to speak the Truth on moral issues, and return to a Biblical centered message. Those who fail to do, Barna wrote have become “merely pawns of the culture.”
Barna added that “a Christian body that waffles on truth has no credibility and cannot bless the nation as it is called to do.”
What about you? Do you believe in absolute, moral Truth?
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
ThePreachersWord 
In John’s Gospel it is written that Pilate asks Jesus: What is Truth?
In Matthew’s Gospel the written word “When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. ‘You bear the responsibility.’”
Pilate gives us the responsibility to see, hear and testify to the Truth ourselves. This is difficult and some say that the Truth is like the wind…because…we need to see and feel the truth for ourselves.
So how can anyone realize the Truth of the Bible if worldly ways of seeing Truth stop up their ears and close their eyes to the words recorded in the Bible?
Bible Commentaries often employ the KISS method. This gives people the impression that the water in Matthew’s Gospel is ordinary everyday water–and that Pilate is an ordinary governor …with the power to nail Jesus to an ordinary wooden stake or branch with ordinary nails.
This KISS keeps things straight and gives you the water, and the Cross and the blood of Jesus to fulfill the promise of the 5th commandment.
Can you see yourself…standing on the Cross of Jesus or shall I say…standing upright, struggling to suck in and breathe in the word of God…believing the words of the the 5th commandment, the words of Jeremiah 1.11 and Isaiah 11:1, 6:5-11 and Psalm 90:3-4; Psalm 128:3?
God’s Moral Truth is absolute for those who believe the Apostle to the Apostle …who was the first witness …because for twenty centuries the Woman of Magdala..the Magdalene, was depicted and honoured as the bride of Christ–until Vatican 2 in 1970 …
This view also reflected her role as the first witness of the resurrected Christ [and] a close companion of Jesus the Rabboni, the Teacher who reminded her the Woman Jesus called the Magdalene…not to cling to him…and in doing so reminded her of the words of Joshua 23:8 “But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now”
In the words of the Apostle Paul who was crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20)…“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31-32)..
Yet now…just yesterday I had a conversation with people who told me that people are searching for meaning..and do not think the Bible is helpful. They too thought what Ken thepreachersword.com describes as “the philosophy of moral relativism.”
A growing number of people in Canada and the US believe moral truth is relative. It depends upon one’s own experience of Truth and…people do not have the right to claim their experience of Truth is somehow more moral–because the Bible says it is so.
Could it be that the reason a growing number of people do not value the Bible is because the Bible has been used and interpreted to impose morality violently and cruelly with actual sticks, stones and whips and nails?
Could these people eyes be blinded (with politics and chauvinist thinking) to the Photini of the Gospel (John 4: 10) who comes again to the rabble who first believed (John 7:49)…saying I am the Gate [called beautiful], and I am Light of the World (John 8:12)…I stand among you promising to go and sin no more…for I am the True Vine and the Father [of those who believe in me] is my husbandman (John 15:1: Psalm 128:3) not the man Jesus called the Teacher aka John aka Jesus Barabbas.
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