ABSOLUTE TRUTH, AND THE ISMs THAT ARE DESTROYING AMERICA

The woman who supposedly tested out as having the highest IQ in the world was asked by a talk show host, “What is the most powerful concept in the universe?” Her answer, “Truth, because it’s the one thing you can’t argue with intelligently.” 

It’s getting harder and harder in our current culture to find people who believe in absolute truth. For many people, everything is relative. I asked a man one time if he believed in absolute truth. He gave me a classic 2020 answer, “Yes, I believe in truth—to a certain extent.” Go ahead, scratch your head on that one.

We live in a “whatever” society. The issue used to be, “What is right.” Now the issue is, “What is right for me.” And just because it’s right for me doesn’t mean it’s right for you. And how dare you imply that what I believe might be wrong or untrue.

There was a time when the great majority of Americans believed that God speaking through the Bible was the only legitimate source for truth. Then the Enlightenment came along in the 1800s and people began to believe that science and human philosophers were the main sources of truth. Humanism began to evolve, and everyone thought that man by himself could come up with all the answers to life’s questions. What a mess he has made.

In the post-modern era the majority of people have just given up on discovering absolute truth and say that there is simply no such thing as absolute truth. However, that very statement defeats itself, if in fact it is actually “true.”

The reason so many people have given up on their search for absolute truth is because they either don’t believe in God and the Bible as the ultimate source of truth, or they simply don’t care. We are currently living in a Laodicean society that thinks it doesn’t need God. You can read about it in Revelation 3:14-18.

Truth is powerful and regardless of whether or not you believe it, I believe it, or anybody believes it, the truth will always be true. None of us have to believe the truth for the truth to be true. Truth is harsh and intolerant because by default all else is false. The more you rub truth the more it shines. Fact is, absolute truth does exist, and since it exists all that is left is to discover its source.

I have always been a searcher of truth. You have to prove it to me before I will believe it. My mother used to tell me that I was born with a “built in baloney detector.” In fact, my insatiable thirst for truth was the main reason I decided to go to Bible college. My main goal was not to become a preacher, but to discover if the Bible truly is the source of all truth. I came out of Bible college thoroughly convinced that the Bible alone is the only absolute written truth source in the world. You might disagree with me, but I am thoroughly convinced of it. You’ll have to decide for yourself, and I will help you as much as I can.

Once I determined that the Bible is the only true source of truth, and that it is the final and complete inspired revelation from God to man, it changed the direction of my life. Instead of being a school teacher and coach, I decided to spend the rest of my life teaching and preaching the truths contained in the Bible. That happened 30-years ago, and I have not changed my mind about it for one second.

Once a person feels they have discovered the source of absolute truth, they never have to struggle again to determine what they believe is right or wrong concerning any subject for which that source of absolute truth addresses.

Let me conclude by listing four cultural “ISMs” that are destroying people’s concept of real truth today, and at the same time destroying American society. These four ISMs are behind every false idea we find in the world today. Allow me to list them and briefly describe each for you:

1.   RELATIVISM – Relativism says that there is no such thing as absolute truth. Everything is relative. Relativism ultimately leads to the second ISM.

2.   PLURALISM – Pluralism says that since there is no such thing as absolute truth (relativism), then we should just tolerate all ideas as being equally valid. What you believe might be true for you, but not for me, and vice versa. This belief leads to the third ISM.

3.   EMOTIONALISM – Emotionalism says that since there is no such thing as absolute truth, we must simply tolerate all beliefs as having equal value, so truth can only be determined by how I feel about a matter. This inevitably leads to the fourth ISM.

4.   INDIVIDUALISM – Individualism says that since there is no such thing as absolute truth (relativism), then I am my own source of truth, and no one should judge another person’s beliefs (pluralism), so the main thing to consider is how it makes me feel (emotionalism). Therefore, I am my own God (individualism).

Since you’ve read this much so far, I want to give you a bonus ISM. It’s called PRAGMATISM. This ISM might be the main driver of what the world calls “truth” today. The idea behind pragmatism is that if something works or gets a good result then it must surely be true. If what a preacher preaches produces a big church, then it must be right or true, and whatever all those small churches are teaching must not be true, or as true, because they’re not bringing in as many people. If a person is prosperous and comfortable, then what they believe must be true because obviously, they are enjoying God’s favor. This of course means that poor people have not really discovered the “real truth,” preached by health and wealth preachers, or they would be prosperous too. That’s pragmatISM. Solomon debunks this ISM in Proverbs 14:12 – There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

In God’s word, the only source of absolute truth, the psalmist wrote what might possibly be the most powerful section of Scripture on this topic: Psalm 19:7-9 – The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statues of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.”

The psalmist has also written, “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever” (Psalm 119:160). The truth of God does not change to accommodate the times.

Jesus once said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4).

So, since the Bible is the only source of absolute truth, then the ultimate question is this: What is the main truth the Bible teaches? Of all the truths contained in God’s word, what is the main truth He is trying to get across to the whole world? Jesus makes this perfectly clear in John 14:6 – I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Notice that Jesus didn’t say, ‘I “show” you the way to truth,’ or ‘I am “a” way.’ No, He said, “I am THE way. Jesus is Christianity.

I invite you to make Jesus not only your Lord and Savior, and to also make the Bible your only source of truth in all matters of life and eternity. I invite you to become a disciple or follower of Christ by simply making a public confession of your faith in Jesus as the Son of God (Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9-10), repent of your sins (Luke 13:3-5; Acts 2:38), and be baptized for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 22:16). If I can assist you, please let me know. -Steve