What is truth?
When I think and say that America is in a moral mess am I being intolerant, judgmental or pushing my opinions? Good question! My answer might turn you off or bore you but... I believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. That means I really believe that God through His Spirit moved in the hearts of men to record His Words. Yep, I really do believe this! I also believe that the inspired Word of God is the supreme and final authority for my faith and for my life. Bear with me one more second because I also believe that Jesus Christ is God who left His throne in Heaven, took on flesh and died for me and for you so we could have forgiveness of our sins and a relationship with Him now and for all of eternity. Oh and something else - I believe that the moment I acknowledged these truths and in my heart and declared Jesus as my Lord and Savior that God put His Holy Spirit within me to enable me to live as Christ lived while on earth - righteous and holy. Thank you for letting me share this.
So, what I believe does and should impact what I say, do and how I behave. Some might say, well that's fine for you but that's not what I believe and you shouldn't push your opinions on me. Okay - I understand it's just that I have to ask: What is truth? Is there absolute truth or do we all just do our own things based on whatever sounds right? I read a Barna report that observed: "people's willingness to draw from a variety of conflicting sources" when determining truth. "This is perhaps most clearly evident through the finding that a plurality of adults (44%) contends that, 'the Bible, the Koran and the Book of Mormon are all different expressions of the same spiritual truths.' Just 38% of Americans reject that idea."
Very revealing! Here are some more stats:
By a 3-to-1 margin (64% vs. 22%) adults said truth is always relative to the person and their situation. (Barna.org)
By far the most common basis for moral decision-making was doing whatever feels right or comfortable in a situation. Nearly four out of ten teens (38%) and three out of ten adults (31%) described that as their primary consideration. (Barna.org)
32% of those born again believe in moral absolutes, compared to just half as many (15%) among the non-born again. (Barna.org)
One-third of born again adults (33%) say that abortion is a morally acceptable behavior, compared with 45% of all adults.
The United States has one of the highest abortion rates among developed countries ... At current rates, an estimated 43 percent of American women will have at least one abortion by the age of 45." (Carrie Gordon Earll)
Divorce is more common among "born-again" Christians than in the general American population. (Ronald J. Sider, "The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience, Why don’t Christians live what they preach?"
30% of all adults consider having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex a morally acceptable behavior. (Barna.org)
14% of Elders, 32% of Boomers, 41% of Busters and 40% of Mosaics consider having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex a morally acceptable behavior. (Barna.org)
Though many believe pornography is a harmless pastime, it's estimated that more than 20 million Americans are addicted to it ..." (Bill Wilson, “Porn’s Effect Discussed in D.C.)
About half of all adults (49%) contend that homosexuality is due to non-genetic factors such as upbringing and environment, one-third say people are born gay (34%), and the remaining 17% are not sure. (Barna.org)
By a 2-to-1 margin (62% - 30%) adults disapprove of clergy marrying gay couples or blessing their marriage unions. (Barna.org)
Nearly half of the adult population felt that two other behaviors were morally acceptable: having an abortion (45%) and having a sexual relationship with someone of the opposite sex other than their spouse (42%). About one-third of the population gave the stamp of approval to pornography (38%), profanity (36%), drunkenness (35%) and homosexual sex (30%). The activity that garnered the least support was using non-prescription drugs (17%). (Barna.org)
More than half of all adults (54%) believe that if a person is generally good, or does enough good things for others during their life, they will earn a place in Heaven. (Barna.org)
What is truth? Well, I can say with absolute certainty that God's Word is truth and God, in His Word, speaks clearly about each of the above stats, thinking, and behaviors.
Did you know that God says in His Word that we suppress the truth. He goes on to say that He has made Himself evident - His invisible attributes, His eternal power, and divine nature have been clearly seen and understood by all. Now, that's an out there truth. God talks like that in His Word. God puts the truth about Himself and us out there and we have to deal with it. We can choose to accept it as truth or we suppress what He says we know or go and live based on what we think is right. This is a true statement because I experience it every day of my life and certainly every time I come face to face with God through His Word. So I ask myself - if I really believe there is a God and the Bible is His book, then why would I choose to suppress the truth and do my own thing? Or, why would I stop proclaiming truth?
I don't believe what I believe because someone told me to believe it or that was how I was raised or because I just determined it in my own mind. No, I've personally experienced the power of God through His Word. The truth has jumped off the page, gone straight to my heart and the Word of God together with the Spirit of God have changed my heart, my life, my attitudes, my thinking. I know by experience that God's Word is truth.
I say we all owe it to ourselves to makes absolute certain that what we believe is TRUTH. I say we owe it to ourselves to know if there really is absolute truth.
If you are reading this and don't believe the Word of God is truth or you've not yet come to know God through His Son Jesus Christ, then I beg you to ask yourself....what if I am right? What if God's Word really is absolute truth? Would you consider taking an hour of your life to sit down, ask God if He really is real and if His book the Bible really is truth? If you are willing, please go find a quiet place and pull out your Bible and read through the book of John. Or, go to http://www.esvbible.org/search/John/. As you read, ask God to make Himself real and His Word alive.
I thank God for you.