Rediscovering Objective Truth in a Relativistic World

Devotional

Day 1: The Shift from Reality to Impressions

The transition from radio to television marked a significant cultural shift, where society began to prioritize impressions and images over objective reality. This change has led to a crisis in understanding truth, as many now view truth as relative, undermining critical thinking and scientific inquiry. The allure of visual media has often blurred the lines between reality and illusion, making it challenging to discern what is genuinely true. In a world where impressions can easily be manipulated, the pursuit of objective truth becomes even more crucial. [05:00]

Isaiah 44:20 (ESV): "He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'"

Reflection: Consider how media influences your perception of reality. What steps can you take today to ensure you are seeking truth rather than being swayed by mere impressions?

Day 2: The Relativity of Truth in Academia

Alan Bloom's observations highlight a cultural shift in academia, where the relativity of truth is often accepted without question. This mindset has closed many minds to the concept of objective truth, which is essential for critical thinking and scientific inquiry. From a Christian perspective, truth is not relative but corresponds to reality as perceived by God. This understanding challenges the prevailing academic notion and calls for a return to a more grounded view of truth. [08:23]

Colossians 2:8 (ESV): "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."

Reflection: Reflect on your educational experiences. How have they shaped your understanding of truth, and how can you align your perspective with the truth as perceived by God?

Day 3: Correspondence Theory of Truth

The correspondence theory of truth asserts that truth is what corresponds to reality. However, differing perceptions of reality pose a challenge. From a Christian viewpoint, truth is aligned with God's perfect perception of reality, which ultimately determines our eternal destinies. This perspective encourages believers to seek truth that aligns with God's view, rather than relying solely on human understanding. [14:34]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on your own understanding rather than seeking God's perspective? How can you begin to trust in His perception of reality today?

Day 4: Jesus' Trial and the Nature of Truth

In the trial of Jesus before Pilate, we witness a profound exploration of truth. Jesus declared His kingship and mission to bear witness to the truth, challenging the relativism of His time. Pilate's question, "What is truth?" reflects a world confused about reality, yet Jesus stood as the embodiment of truth. This moment invites us to consider the nature of truth and the importance of aligning ourselves with Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. [39:59]

John 18:37-38 (ESV): "Then Pilate said to him, 'So you are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.'"

Reflection: How do you respond to Pilate's question, "What is truth?" in your own life? What steps can you take to ensure you are listening to the voice of Jesus, the embodiment of truth?

Day 5: The Pursuit of Truth and Redemption

The pursuit of truth is not just an intellectual exercise but a spiritual journey that requires confronting the reality of who we are and who God is. By aligning ourselves with the truth, we hear the voice of Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, leading us to redemption. This journey involves laying aside our biases and preferences to embrace the truth that God reveals to us. [46:30]

Psalm 25:5 (ESV): "Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long."

Reflection: What biases or preferences might be hindering your pursuit of truth? How can you actively seek God's truth in your life today, allowing it to lead you to redemption?

Sermon Summary

In reflecting on the nature of truth, I shared a journey from my childhood experiences with radio to the profound shifts brought about by television. These changes in media have influenced how we perceive reality, often prioritizing impressions over objective truth. This shift has led to a cultural crisis where many, especially in academic settings, have embraced the idea that truth is relative. This relativism undermines the very foundation of critical thinking and scientific inquiry, as it dismisses the existence of objective reality.

I recounted the insights of Alan Bloom, who observed that most college freshmen arrive already convinced of truth's relativity, a belief that is often reinforced rather than challenged by higher education. This cultural shift has closed the American mind to the concept of objective truth, a notion that Francis Schaeffer tried to counter with his idea of "true truth," emphasizing the need for a return to the correspondence theory of truth—truth as that which corresponds to reality.

However, the challenge remains: whose perception of reality do we trust? From a Christian perspective, truth is that which corresponds to reality as perceived by God, who sees all things perfectly. Our eternal destinies hinge on God's perception of reality, not our own impressions or preferences.

In the trial of Jesus before Pilate, we see a profound exploration of truth. Jesus declared His kingship and His mission to bear witness to the truth. Pilate's question, "What is truth?" reflects the cynicism and confusion of a world that has lost its grip on objective reality. Yet, Jesus stood as the embodiment of truth, challenging us to seek truth sincerely.

Ultimately, the pursuit of truth is not just an intellectual exercise but a spiritual journey. It requires us to lay aside our biases and preferences and confront the reality of who we are and who God is. In doing so, we align ourselves with the truth and hear the voice of Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life.

Key Takeaways

1. The shift from radio to television marked a cultural transition from valuing objective reality to prioritizing impressions and images. This change has led to a crisis in understanding truth, where many now see truth as relative, undermining critical thinking and scientific inquiry. [05:00]
2. Alan Bloom's observations about the relativity of truth in academia highlight a cultural shift that has closed minds to objective truth. This relativism is challenged by the Christian perspective, which holds that truth corresponds to reality as perceived by God. [08:23]
3. The correspondence theory of truth asserts that truth is what corresponds to reality. However, differing perceptions of reality pose a challenge. From a Christian viewpoint, truth is aligned with God's perfect perception of reality, which determines our eternal destinies. [14:34]
4. Jesus' trial before Pilate reveals a profound exploration of truth. Jesus declared His kingship and mission to bear witness to the truth, challenging the relativism of His time. Pilate's question, "What is truth?" reflects a world confused about reality, yet Jesus stood as the embodiment of truth. [39:59]
5. The pursuit of truth is a spiritual journey that requires confronting the reality of who we are and who God is. By aligning ourselves with the truth, we hear the voice of Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, leading us to redemption. [46:30]
** [46:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Childhood Memories of Radio
[01:33] - Imagination and Audio Entertainment
[02:52] - The Advent of Television
[03:57] - The Illusion of Reality
[05:00] - Crisis of Truth in Modern Culture
[06:40] - Relativity of Truth in Academia
[09:07] - True Truth and Objective Reality
[11:13] - Correspondence Theory of Truth
[14:34] - God's Perception of Reality
[18:14] - The Reality of God's Existence
[20:00] - The Necessity of Objective Truth
[21:33] - Jesus' Trial and the Nature of Truth
[28:40] - Jesus' Declaration of Kingship
[35:03] - Bearing Witness to the Truth
[39:59] - Pilate's Question: What is Truth?
[46:30] - The Pursuit of Truth and Redemption

Sermon Clips

"People are now responding to impressions. And philosophers have said about this that we're now living in an age of impressions where accurate perception of reality is not what is important, it's the impression that is communicated. It is the image that is presented that matters. And what this has done, ladies and gentlemen, has provoked a crisis of unprecedented magnitude regarding probably the most fundamental of all human intellectual questions, the question of the nature of truth itself." [00:48:12]

"Ninety-some percent of students who graduate from high school, who enter the halls of learning come to the university already persuaded that truth is relative, that there is no such thing as objective reality. Now, I would've hoped that Dr. Bloom would've gone on from there to say that the task of higher education, critical thinking, equipping students with the tools of analysis, philosophical inquiry, scientific investigation, would have opened their minds and directed them apart from this relativism, which makes science ultimately impossible, which makes truth ultimately meaningless." [00:06:40]

"Instead, what Dr. Bloom announced was that four years of higher education today simply confirms in the minds of the freshmen that there's no such thing as objective truth, only impressions, only images, only preferences, no objective reality. And so then he articulates the meaning of the book, The Closing of the American Mind, that to which the American mind has become closed, ladies and gentlemen, is truth, truth in any objective sense." [00:07:50]

"The correspondence theory of truth, in its simplest expression, simply says this, and we can all understand it, that 'truth is that which corresponds to reality.' Therefore, to tell the truth would be to tell it like what? It is. That there is an isness, not just a seemness but an isness. And to tell it like it is, is to tell it as reality determines it. In the correspondence theory, truth is that which corresponds to reality." [00:10:53]

"Ultimately from a Christian perspective, the correspondence theory of truth was modified to say this. 'That truth is that which corresponds to reality as it is perceived by God because God sees reality in its fullest measure, from the perfect perspective, the depth dimension, as well as the surface. All things are known to Him.' But the point I come to is this. That from the perspective of one who is omniscient, there is such a thing as objective reality, and in fact our eternal destinies will be determined by God's perception of reality, the reality and the truth about me and the reality and the truth about you." [00:14:34]

"That's why Jesus warns that in the final analysis, all truth, reality, that which is hidden, that which is done in secret, that which is distorted, everything that is now hidden and concealed will be made manifest. That's frightening, isn't it? I talked to a student a few years ago on a college campus. We were speaking about the character of God and the student said to me, 'Well, I don't believe in the existence of God.'" [00:15:59]

"I'm talking about a God who exists objectively. I'm talking about a God who exists whether I believe in Him or not. I'm talking about a God who exists whether you believe in Him or not. Don't you see what I'm talking about? I'm trying to get at the question of reality. I'm not interested in impressions here. I'm not interested in preferences. I want to get to the truth. Is there a God or isn't there? God cannot be and not be at the same time and at the same relationship." [00:17:43]

"Jesus answered, 'You say correctly that I am a king.' Do you hear what Jesus is saying? Did you hear what Jesus is saying? Jesus is saying in this trial for His life, under oath, this man who would be the last person in human history to commit perjury, He is saying to Rome, 'I am a king.' That's the truth. 'I am a king.' That's the watershed truth of human history, ladies and gentlemen. That is the reality upon which the entire Christian faith is established." [00:28:40]

"He says, 'For this I have been born, and for this I have I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.' You know, have you ever been engaged in any activity and somebody comes up to you and taps you on the shoulder and says, 'What are you doing? What are you all about? What are you up to?' We can leave it to people to guess what we're all about. But if they really want to know what's motivating us and what's driving us, the best source that they can learn that from is ourselves." [00:30:17]

"Jesus said, 'I came to the world to bear witness to the truth. That's what I'm about.' And then He adds to that something unbelievable. Listen to what Jesus said, please listen to this. 'And everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.' If you don't believe in Jesus, if you don't follow Jesus, then according to Jesus, you are not of the truth. And you may say, 'Hey, wait a minute. Don't play games like that. I don't believe that Jesus is true. I don't believe that He is the truth.'" [00:34:45]

"Most people live their whole lives without spending five minutes in sincere pursuit of truth. And if I can plead with any human being I ever meet, I would plead with them for that one thing that they would just stop for five minutes and just lay aside the impressions, lay aside the images, lay aside the preferences and ask that question honestly, 'What is the truth?' What's the truth about you? What is the truth about you, and what is the truth about God?" [00:45:47]

"If you can handle either one of those or both of those, then you will be of the truth and you will hear His voice, and you will run to learn from Him who is the truth, who speaks the truth and who will redeem you." [00:46:30]

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