APOLOGETICSTRUTH

TRUTH

JOHN 18:37-38aWhat is TRUTH?

John 14:6Is there a difference between the WAY, TRUTH, LIFE

TRUTH

WHAT IS TRUTH

SIMPLE QUESTION TO ASK

HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER

TRUTH

Definition:The quality or state of being true.That which conforms to reality, fact, or actuality.

Do you think that is complete?

Why?

TRUTH

Definition leaves room for interpretation

What is realityWhat is factWhat is actualityHow does perception effect the truth

TRUTH

Paradox of the ball against the wall

Col. 2:8

In order for truth to be defined properly it would have to be factually and logically correct

In other words “TRUE”

TRUTH

WHAT IS TRUTH NOTErrorSelf – contradictoryDeception

It could be true that someone could be deceptive but the deception is not true

TRUTH

Publix Chocolate Moose Tracks Ice

Cream is DeliciousTrue or False?

SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHHow can a statement be both True and False?

I wasn’t talking about the object

what is the object?

I was talking about the subject (me)

SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHThis is a Subjective Claim

It is a claim about a Subject

SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH

Publix Chocolate Moose Tracks Ice

Cream is Medicine that Cures Diabetes.

True or False?

SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHThis is a Objective Claim

It is a claim about a Object

Objective TruthTrue for all people, in all places, at all times to whom the claim applies

SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH

OBJECTIVE

• Either True or False

• Can be wrong

• About Things

SUBJECTIVE

• NEITHER True or False

• Can’t be wrong

• About Feelings

SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHExamples of Subjective Truth

Hair ColorFood Choices (except Brussels Sprouts, (martian heads), those are just wrong)Media (Books, Movies, TV, etc…)

SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHExamples of Objective Truth

Historical EventsMath & Empirical SciencesEthics and MoralsReligionsHow can ethics and moral and religious truth be objective?

SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHLets look at Moral and Ethic

claims

Atheists Say that Moral/Ethical Claims are

All Relative

This is called RELATIVISM

RELATIVISM

In relativism, all points of view are equally valid and all truth is relative to the individual.

“Something can be true for you, but not necessarily for me.”

RELATIVISMLets look at claims and responses

“Something can be true for you, but not necessarily for me.”• This is an example of a

“Self-Defeating Fallacy”• It contradicts itself, so it

must be false• So “What if that isnt true

for me?”

RELATIVISM

Claim: You cant know truth.

Response: How do you know that?

RELATIVISM

Claim: There is no Truth.Response: Is that

True?

RELATIVISM

Claim: You shouldn’t judge.Response: That seems

like a judgement.

RELATIVISM

Claim: All truth is relative.Response: That’s not

true for me…

RELATIVISM

Claim: Only science can give us truth.

Response: Is that a scientific truth?

orResponse: What lab

experiment was done to conclude that?

RELATIVISM

Claim: You shouldn’t force your morality on people.

Response: Is that your moral view?(yes)Then, why are you forcing it on me?

RELATIVISM

Claim: God forgives those that obey their conscience.

RELATIVISM

Lets look at Religious Claims

All Religious/Moral claims are Relative to the SubjectChristianity is not based on my preferenceIt is based on Historical Fact

RELATIVISM

Either Jesus Lived a Perfect Life, Was Crucified, and Resurrected, Or He Wasnt

RELATIVISM

So what does that say about the Bible?

If There’s No Truth, Then No Book Written by an Atheist can be True Either

SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH

OBJECTIVE

• Either True or False

• Can be wrong

• About Things

SUBJECTIVE

• NEITHER True or False

• Can’t be wrong

• About Feelings

RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE

What is relative?If Truth is relative to you, then what causes you to change your opinions?Are there such things as absolute?

What would happen if everything were relative?

then that would be absolutely true

RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE

What would happen if everything were absolutely true?

Then we couldn’t have such things as personal preferences or things that change.

RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE

Examples:Positive 7 is always

greater than positive 5.absolute or relative?

Blue is a better color than green?

absolute or relative?can I change my

mind?

RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE

Unfortunately more and more people cannot distinguish between absolute truths and relative truths.

We put our feelings, preferences, etc.. above absolutes to make them more palatable.

RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE

Example:someone saying “it is

true for you that Jesus is the only way to God, but to a Muslim, Mohammad would be the only way.”

What is wrong with that statement?

RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE

Such statements ignore the logical possibility of having two “only-ways” to God.

We have to be able to distinguish between the two.

RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE

We cannot argue when absolutes and relatives are mixed up.

We have to be absolutely sure about what it is we know.

RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE

If there is such a thing as truth, then we should be able to find it.

If truth cannot be known, then it probably doesn’t exist.

But it does exist, because you are here I know that is true.

RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE

If we are to determine if there is such a thing as truth apart from cultural and personal preferences, we must acknowledge that we are then aiming to discover something greater that ourselves.

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

So where does this knowledge of truth come from?

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

TraditionThings that were taught to

youparents, school,

church, etc…You could also call this

“Authority” If you are raised in a

Hindu family, you’d most likely be a Hindu

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

ReasonWe have a logical mindThe Laws of logic

Specifically the Law of Non-Contradiction

Sometimes, we’re too emotionally attached to our views

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

ExperienceOur Events/HistoryPersonal Encounters

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

EmotionHow we feel

Stalin, Hitler, Suicide-bombers

Emotions can inform us about truth.

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

General RevelationWhat we observe in the

natural worldScience/5 SensesPsalm 19 and Romans 1

claim the natural world proclaims the glory of God

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

Special RevelationSpecific information

revealed by God in the Bible

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

What are your “Primary Sources of Knowledge?”TraditionReasonExperienceEmotionGeneral RevelationSpecial Revelation

which do you tend to rely on?

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

GeneraliztionCatholics – Tradition (church

doctrines)Philosphers – ReasonCharismatics – Emotion,

ExperienceScientist – General

Revelation (observation)

Postmodernists – Experience (“works for me”)

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

Which are Objective and which are Subjective?TraditionReasonExperienceEmotionGeneral RevelationSpecial Revelation

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

Which are Objective and which are Subjective?TraditionReasonExperienceEmotionGeneral RevelationSpecial Revelation

Subjective

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

Which are Objective and which are Subjective?TraditionReasonExperienceEmotionGeneral RevelationSpecial RevelationObjective

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

How Do We Determine If Something Is True?

Three Test:Test of ReasonTest of ExperienceTest of Practice

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

Test of ReasonThe Law of Non-

Contradiction is one of the main ways we know things.

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

Test of PracticeDoes it Work?Or do you have to borrow

from other Worldviews

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

Test of Experience.Does the Explanation match

the facts of our observation?

there aren’t many flat earth society members left… why?

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

Test of ExperienceCautions:

“God told me _______”Don’t reply on

experience when presenting the gospel.

Experience can help you know, but not show.

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

Test of ExperienceExperience and observation

can be helpful in pointing to an absolute, but we should not base beliefs solely on it.

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

So what does that say about faith?

Is it Faith vs Reason?

Should we have blind faith?

FAITH

Biblical Usage:Trust exhibited after becoming

convinced of the evidence.

Believing because of not in spite of

Faith and Facts are both necessary. If either are missing, it misses the Biblical mark

FAITH

Instead of the word “Faith” use:TrustConviction

Definition: “Active Trust is what you have good reason to believe is true.”

FAITH

Mark 2:9-11“Know”

Acts 2:36-28Know followed by Repent

BLIND FAITH

Some say the more we know the less we will have to take on faith…

Hopefully we find the bones of Jesus!

FAITH

So why do we fall into Relativism?Why is our culture bent on Relativism?

NO RESPONSIBILITY!

FAITH

Romans 1 says that people “exchange the truth of God for a lie.”

People want to live how they want to live, without an absolute authority.

FAITH

When your philosophical system does not have God as the starting point, the your philosophical system will fail to explain reality.

FAITHIf we ever hope to determine if there is such a thing as truth apart from cultural and personal preferences, we must acknowledge that we are then aiming to discover something greater than ourselves, something that transcends culture and individual inclinations.

FAITH

To do this is to look beyond ourselves and outside of ourselves. In essence, it means we are looking for God. God would be truth, the absolute and true essence of being and reality who is the author of all truth. If you are interested in truth beyond yourself, then you must look to God.

FAITHFor the Christian, the ultimate expression of truth is found in the Bible, in Jesus who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." (John 14:6). Of course, most philosophers and skeptics will dismiss His claim, but for the Christian, He is the mainstay of hope, security, and guidance. Jesus, who walked on water, claimed to be divine, rose from the dead, and said that He was the truth and the originator of truth.

FAITH If Jesus is wrong, then we should ignore Him. But, if He is right, then it is true that we should listen to Him.The eyewitnesses wrote what they saw. They were with Him. They watched Him perform many miracles, heal the sick, calm a storm with a command, and even rise from the dead. Either you believe or dismiss these claims.

FAITHTruth conforms to reality. Jesus performed many miracles and rose from the dead.

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