The Truth?????The Truth?????

John 14:6John 14:6

"I am the way, the "I am the way, the truthtruth, , and the life"and the life"

Psalm 119:160 Psalm 119:160  The very essence of your The very essence of your words is words is truthtruth; all your ; all your just regulations will stand just regulations will stand forever.forever.

Isaiah 11:4-6 Isaiah 11:4-6  He will give justice to the poor and He will give justice to the poor and

make fair decisions for the make fair decisions for the exploited.exploited.

The earth will shake at the force of The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.mouth will destroy the wicked.

He will wear righteousness like a He will wear righteousness like a belt and belt and truth truth like an like an undergarment.undergarment.

John 1John 1In the beginning the Word already existed.In the beginning the Word already existed.The Word was with God,The Word was with God,and the Word was Godand the Word was God

Colossians 1:15-19 Colossians 1:15-19 Christ is the visible image of the invisible Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.God.He existed before anything was created and He existed before anything was created and is is supreme over all creation,supreme over all creation,For God in all his fullness was pleased to live For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ,in Christ,

John 17:17 John 17:17 

Make them holy by your truth; teach Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. them your word, which is truth.

John 15:26 John 15:26 

““But I will send you the Advocate—But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify you from the Father and will testify all about me. all about me.

How important is truth?How important is truth?

WorldviewWorldview

Matthew 7:24-27 Matthew 7:24-27 

““Anyone who listens to my teaching Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.bedrock.

But anyone who hears my teaching But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Jesus as the foundation-Jesus as the foundation-ROCKROCK

Colossians 2:3 Colossians 2:3 

In him lie hidden all the treasures of In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge wisdom and knowledge

Materialism/Darwin as a Materialism/Darwin as a Foundation-SANDFoundation-SAND

John 18:37-38John 18:37-38Pilate said, “So you are a king?”Pilate said, “So you are a king?”Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”is true.”““What is What is truthtruth?” Pilate asked. Then he ?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. them, “He is not guilty of any crime.

      From the belief that a creator made From the belief that a creator made human life and that human life was made human life and that human life was made with design and purpose, proceeds the with design and purpose, proceeds the ancillary belief that human life is, ancillary belief that human life is, therefore, distinct. Consequently, not only therefore, distinct. Consequently, not only is all human life equal in value, but also, is all human life equal in value, but also, all human life is unique from and more all human life is unique from and more important than other life. Thus, man must important than other life. Thus, man must be a good steward of the world in which he be a good steward of the world in which he is placed. Therefore, more is expected is placed. Therefore, more is expected from man than from any other being in from man than from any other being in creation.creation.

Darwin changed that view, asserting Darwin changed that view, asserting that man actually was not very special that man actually was not very special after all. As he explained, “(m)an in his after all. As he explained, “(m)an in his arrogance thinks himself a great work, arrogance thinks himself a great work, worthy of the interposition of a deity. worthy of the interposition of a deity. More humble and, I believe, true, to More humble and, I believe, true, to consider him created from animalsconsider him created from animals

            Today, the belief that man is in any way Today, the belief that man is in any way different from, or superior to, other animal different from, or superior to, other animal species is known as “speciesism,”. Peter species is known as “speciesism,”. Peter Singer, a founder of PETA (People for the Singer, a founder of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) calls speciesism Ethical Treatment of Animals) calls speciesism “a form of prejudice, immoral and indefensible “a form of prejudice, immoral and indefensible in the same way that discrimination on the in the same way that discrimination on the basis of race is immoral and indefensible.” Just basis of race is immoral and indefensible.” Just as a racist considers those from another race as a racist considers those from another race as inferior, a speciesist considers those from as inferior, a speciesist considers those from another species as inferior. another species as inferior.

Man, considered as a creature, must Man, considered as a creature, must necessarily be subject to the laws of his necessarily be subject to the laws of his creator, for he is entirely a dependant creator, for he is entirely a dependant being. a state of dependance will inevitably being. a state of dependance will inevitably oblige the inferior to take the will of him on oblige the inferior to take the will of him on whom he depends, as the rule of his whom he depends, as the rule of his conduct . . . . And consequently, as man conduct . . . . And consequently, as man depends absolutely upon his maker for depends absolutely upon his maker for every thing, it is necessary that he should every thing, it is necessary that he should in all points conform to his Maker's will.in all points conform to his Maker's will.

This law of nature, being dictated by This law of nature, being dictated by God himself, is of course superior in God himself, is of course superior in obligation to any other. It is binding obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, and over all the globe, in all countries, and at all times: no human laws are of any at all times: no human laws are of any validity, if contrary to this; and such of validity, if contrary to this; and such of them as are valid derive all their force, them as are valid derive all their force, and all their authority, mediately or and all their authority, mediately or immediately, from this original. immediately, from this original.

            Leading legal theorists who acknowledged Leading legal theorists who acknowledged their debt to Darwin's ideas quickly interjected their debt to Darwin's ideas quickly interjected into the legal arena (and, therefore, throughout into the legal arena (and, therefore, throughout society and culture) a new approach that society and culture) a new approach that rejected transcendent values. For example, rejected transcendent values. For example, Justice Benjamin Cardozo (1870-1938) declared Justice Benjamin Cardozo (1870-1938) declared that law must no longer “work from pre-that law must no longer “work from pre-established truths of universal and inflexible established truths of universal and inflexible validity” because principles must “vary with validity” because principles must “vary with changing circumstances, (and) must be changing circumstances, (and) must be declared to be essentially relativistic.”declared to be essentially relativistic.”

Legal educator Roscoe Pound (1870-Legal educator Roscoe Pound (1870-1964) similarly advocated that legal 1964) similarly advocated that legal “principles are not absolute, but are “principles are not absolute, but are relative to time and place” because relative to time and place” because “‘nature’ did not mean to antiquity “‘nature’ did not mean to antiquity what it means to us who are under what it means to us who are under the influence of the idea of the influence of the idea of evolution.”evolution.”

Objective standards for morality Objective standards for morality were therefore replaced by new were therefore replaced by new values that, according to Justice values that, according to Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935), Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935), would now be based on “(t)he felt would now be based on “(t)he felt necessities of the time, the prevalent necessities of the time, the prevalent moral and political theories . . . (and) moral and political theories . . . (and) the prejudices which judges share the prejudices which judges share with their fellowmen.”with their fellowmen.”

Quite simply, under the non-theistic Quite simply, under the non-theistic paradigm, transcendent, immutable paradigm, transcendent, immutable values do not exist because, as values do not exist because, as explained by Singer, “they draw on explained by Singer, “they draw on presuppositions-religious, moral, presuppositions-religious, moral, metaphysical--that are now metaphysical--that are now obsolete.” obsolete.”

Very simply, the belief in a creator to Very simply, the belief in a creator to whom man was answerable produced whom man was answerable produced in man a self-restraint and instilled in in man a self-restraint and instilled in society an expectation of individual society an expectation of individual accountability. However, today it has accountability. However, today it has become an acceptable thesis in many become an acceptable thesis in many quarters that man is not accountable quarters that man is not accountable for his behavior and also that he is for his behavior and also that he is not even responsible for it. not even responsible for it.

Four CaveatsFour Caveats Man is finite, God is infiniteMan is finite, God is infinite Man is created in the image of God-Man is created in the image of God-

therefore even secular philosophers, therefore even secular philosophers, artists, novelists can perceive and reflect artists, novelists can perceive and reflect truthtruth

The image of God in man has been The image of God in man has been marred by sin therefore we are all marred by sin therefore we are all capable of being misled by our human capable of being misled by our human naturenature

Satan deliberately tries to mislead and Satan deliberately tries to mislead and distort-often very creativelydistort-often very creatively

Ephesians 4:15 Ephesians 4:15  Instead, we will speak the truth in love, Instead, we will speak the truth in love,

growing in every way more and more like growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. church.

1 Peter 3:15-16 1 Peter 3:15-16  Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord

of your life. And if someone asks about of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful wayrespectful way

Ephesians 4:14 Ephesians 4:14 

Then we will no longer be immature Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. the truth.

Which of these should characterize Which of these should characterize us?us?

arrogance feeble pride disdain arrogance feeble pride disdain indecisive contempt irresolute indecisive contempt irresolute derision vacillating condescension derision vacillating condescension ridicule mocking faltering ridicule mocking faltering contempt sarcasm bitingcontempt sarcasm biting

Courage Courage humility humility

The only way?The only way?

What about Islam, Buddhism, What about Islam, Buddhism, Mormonism, etc?Mormonism, etc?