12/22/2019 Responding to the Relativist Culture

Good morning. So good to see all of you. Thank you for being here with us today and welcome again, dark ghastly are glad you're with us and looking forward to studying with you this morning. Are we just so blessed? It's a wonderful thing. I think just to start our week off this way and to be able to pause in our life and just focus on our God. focus on who he is how wonderful he is the gift he provided in Salvation and then they're providing us with a wonderful wonderful spiritual family with which to spend our life with and to gauge with we're so blessed and I hope that you are counting those many blessings this morning this week. We worship together. In the month of December, we have been talkin about objective truth and we have been talking about the basis for making statements. Like the one you see on the screen. Send is always saying is always send because God tells us it is according to Psalm 31 verse 5 God is the god of Truth. We know that there's no falsehood in him. He is the Ultimate Reality what he declares is the way that it is Jesus in the night before his crucifixion prayed sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth and we read back in the Book of Proverbs every word of God proves true. So the word of God is something that we can party on and this passage in Psalm 19 and verse 8 comes to mind and I just want you to read the first part of the Versa just focus on it and just let it speak to your heart right now Dupree. Steps of the Lord are right, just let that sink into your heart and mind the precepts of the Lord are right. The Commandment is pure enlightening the eyes. did you know everything and I've just said Beer from every word of God proves true your word is true be at what I sent here in Psalm 19. Your instruction is right, you know everything I just said it's being met with wholesale rejection. By our society at large today may be rejecting these things as well that we are being told that truth is not an objective thing. It is it is not outside. You were being told the truth is within you and that it is as unique as your own knowledge and experience of you.

And we have no right to judge each other's versions of the truth. It's over the last few weeks of the talking about how truth is is not a river that meanders and changes over time truth. It's a rock. It's steady. It's steadfast. It's in movable. It's unchanging it is right. Let you know when we think about our culture today. The truth is relative. The problem with that is that this line of reasoning is something that can't be followed consistently has work with me through this for just a few moments are philosophy of moral relativism is totally inconsistent. If I were to come up to you today and say all truth is relative and I were to make that statement with certainty that statement. I was just betrayed the very thing. I'm trying to prove. Because it's in an actual reality is relative. Philosophy is inconsistent with itself and by and by the way, the bottom line is nobody believes. this anyway you have a mortgage.

Is the amount of your payment and the length of your payments that is specified in the docks and the documents that you signed. Is that a fixed truth or is it relative?

What about it? If it's one thing to you and one thing to me like that term of 360.

I reject that that's not truth to me. I'm going to make it one month.

When you write down instructions or provide direction, do you expect other individuals to understand it in the same way that you do here? I found on the internet this week instructions for how to use Fix-A-Flat. Okay, I guess there's makers of Fix-A-Flat determined. There are people out there that need instructions on how to use it. So they made up this handy dance guides to tell you step-by-step what you do they expect you to be able to read those directions to follow them and carry through the proper usage of that project of that product. It's objective information. If Stitch truth, did you know that gravity works every time you fall down? It doesn't matter if you don't believe it or not. It is fixed truth. It is the way the news in every time that you fly you rely on six truth. It matters not only to you about her. So the pilot in the front of the plane and every time that you have an operation or every time you go to the pharmacy every time you are a defendant in a court case fixed truth matters.

In fact, we will do whatever necessary to protect ourselves from the certain if we violate those natural laws. I don't like falling down the stairs. So I use the rail a stair railing to help me get down the stairs. So on and so forth when you leave here today when you are going to be driving. Why are you going to wear your seatbelt?

Why are you going to wear your seatbelt when it's not only just because the government requires you to wear a seatbelt it is because you know the laws of physics work every single time.

But what about in matters of morality? What a matter what about matters of spirituality to make a distinction? Natural world and what happens in the spiritual world just as there are consequences for breaking the fixed laws of the universe in nature consequences for breaking. Establish laws in Morality and in spiritual things ended right living. It's just the fact that the most of the time though when it comes to the penalty for breaking the moral code God's moral law that those consequences.

I think that you could have practice and still be alive. Plenty of people out there doing that. Listen, if you walk out in the bigger Road here in just a minute and get hit by a trash truck speeding down the road and that laws going to happen. Every time of the consequences going to be immediate. You're going to be dead before you hit the ground. You see in the case of natural laws. Those things are obvious. They're visible their experience.

It's the same as a spiritual Realm. Thinking back to the spiritual. Where are the Physical Realm? Why will you not walk into your kitchen this afternoon and plant your hand on the burner I of your stove. Because you know what's going to happen. Why you going to protect your kids from getting anywhere near that so what we know the answer it without Mercy. It's impartial. It is something that brings mostly immediate consequences to its violators, but often because there is not so much the median see in the spiritual people lose their minds and tell themselves. I can do anything. I want I can live. However, I want it and then really this is nothing more than a lie.

In the majority of the culture has embraced what we read the Romans chapter 1 verse 28 to 32. Majority of culture said I understand there's fix truth out in the the scientific world or the natural world, but I did it for the spirit or the moral. In Romans, 1 28 to 32 details what happens to a culture that make this distinction? Paul says that there were many who did not see fit to acknowledge God and therefore he gave them over to a debased mind could be doing what ought not to be done. And he goes on to say they were filled with all men.

Disobedient to parents are foolish faithless heartless ruthless. I know the first 32 though. They know God's righteous to pray that those who practice such things deserve to die. They not only do them, but give approval to those who practice them. brothers and sisters there is no more apt description of the United States culture in 2019 going to the 2020 then this This is the world. We live in this is what's going on. So the question is, how do we go forward? How do we respond to this? What's the answer for us?

I think sometimes we look at the world inside there is just no way. And we almost throw up our hands before we even begin. What's an outline back their page for? And I told you to take that out. And you said if we follow together this morning for some points there some fill in the blank some passages. You'll kind of get a map of where we're going and you might even see how long I have to preach. Nobody would read the bulletin that way right. Let's talk about this. How do we respond to this culture? I think one of the first things to be pointed out, is that what we're dealing with a culture it is so easy for us just to get worn down. It really is. complete and total Onslaught that were facing about last week talks about us living in a post truth world who can you really trust? If you look out there across the Spectrum you say almost everybody lies that will tell you what you want to hear what you need to hear.

Promises and vows and nobody thinks anything other. Revolution trash in the institutions that we hold near and dear to our hearts like law enforcement and even in our churches.

To tell the truth. It's considered offensive. If you speak the truth on matters regard to emirati and homosexuality. You may be homophobic. You may be regarded in some quarters as racist or narrow-minded or ignorant or even just plain ol backward. So what happens if people are telling us all this that you are this you are that because they want to be left alone and be in their own select category of lies and deceit.

There was an article in a few weeks ago this statement made by a Russian chess champion who is also a leader of a pro-democracy Russian group and this guy is also an outspoken outspoken critic of the president as you read this statement. It's it's really intended to talk about the oppression of all who are conservative and how we be down the truth and everybody else has I am the validity of this statement because it will cuts on both sides of our political arguments.

agenda it is to exhaust your critical thinking so it's

that's what the world is doing with Christianity. overwhelmed because we're going to have to work were defeated before you begin. Or worn out we're tired. You know how many of you feel worn out and where? When it comes to this how many of us.

ephemerality in. That's permanent culture

you work for a corporation that has fully embraced the politically correct culture and Subway on the job somebody's doing

HR is going to get called in your going to be subjected to sensitivity training you're going to be name called and ostracized by your co-workers and maybe even fired they will stalk you on social media. If you post anything online, they're going to write it down and they're going to go call your employer.

That's where we're going.

Not too long ago. Somebody had posted a comment on the Dayton Daily News about a new stores. They have reported. I don't remember what the issue was now, but what I do remember is this person made a state.

Although I don't know what religion this person was. They made a statement. That was biblically-based. I have stopped you and found where you work and I will be reporting York.

So that I can fire you. It's right here in Dayton, Ohio. Just a matter of weeks ago.

Man, it just be better for me. If I keep my mouth shut.

Wyman Wyman did and look even churches or caving in to what the demand of the culture is until we think that there's no use in Romans chapter 1 verse 32 those who practice unrighteousness not only do them, but give approval poll says to those who practice it was so we are not imagining things. When we feel the increase pressure to conform.

And it's not just one victim group at the entire just one victim that's out there. It's an entire victim group. It's been victimized they figured out how to get in the media that media gives him a sympathetic ear. You got lawmakers legislating law to protect their sin. What's the progression? So no wonder it's intimidating for us to stand up for what is right, and it is gaining less and less traction. Our boys are sounding more and more faint and it feels impossible to convince people of the great deception.

You haven't walked down the same path that I've walked down. Who are you to judge? You are a personal privilege.

Maria Willis riding in the Elite Daily identify five such examples of privilege White Privilege, socioeconomic privilege Christian privilege gender privilege and heterosexual privilege

It's so if you are in any one of these soap quote on privilege groups. Then all conversation to shut down when you begin to criticize or object because you just don't understand. Because they try to eliminate certain views so that can live more effectively in the lies. They Embrace. Let me give you an example this. When it comes to homosexuality, and I'm not just picking on him on that one Center the whole lot of other examples of this but this was probably the easiest of the low-hanging fruit.

If you met at before have known a person that has been tempted and fall into the homosexual relations homosexual lifestyle. Did you know that in this country? You can't even bring up that it is possible to change and eggs at that lifestyle and and go back to something else.

And any mention of that? is off-limits and that there are whole segments of society affect the California legislature has outlawed even talkin about getting out of that lifestyle.

That's where we are. Did you know there's a person this week on the news on Friday? I don't agree with this man's actions that clearly a man burned in LGBT flag in Iowa. Again, I don't agree with his actions. He was probably drunk when he did if you read the whole new story. Burn out front of a bar. Only got 16 years. a present for that 16 years

as a person convicted of child rape

and abusing both of his children. He got three years. in the same state

what is wrong with this country? What is wrong? What is going on?

Or climate change because we're meddling with people in and by the way, we're being told by people at church. You can't talk politics.

By the way, everything is politics these days to be WatchESPN lately. corrupted Sports

play some over talk about here transcend politics. but we need to understand is each one of the things I just mentioned are things that

audiology

lyrics tended to emphasize the creation over the Creator and they need to be resisted because they are very much a part of speech.

intimidated if you think it's bad now in 2019, imagine being Christian in first-century Rome.

He says who is there to harm you if you are selling good? We need to hear that. We were speaking up. We need to remember. We're on God's side. We thought his truth. We thought weapons at our disposal who are you to suffer? I'm your not going to suffer harm.

I even if you should suffer for righteousness sake you will be blessed have no fear of them nor B travel but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord Is Holy always being prepared to make a defense for the reason of the hope that is in you at do it with gentleness and respect. We need to hear that.

I don't know how many view bread with the vision book. What we're trying to do this first quarter and even in the second quarter.

We're going to actually just 10 statements that we make and I think it's in the first quarter. 10 statements a lot of people would consider to be insensitive today. Just trying to be we're not trying to be insensitive just for the sake of being insensitive.

We're going to give you answer so that you can make a reasonable defense in these matters. We always do jentleson respect and then he goes on here at his concert so that when you're flattered those who revile your good behavior in Christ me to put the shank. I always I always I always practice good behavior myself. Others don't have anything to charge me with. That's how you live. That's how you respond. Don't be worn down. Body onslaught of everything going on around us. That's the first point now.

We've got to you understand that going in. Thomas train is riding a said where ignorance is bliss. It is folly to be wise.

in Revelation 22:15 John Is recording the words of Jesus who says everyone there is going to be a lot of people out there that love and practice lies.

And that's the world we live in. More and more people out. There are trapped in this disposition this deception they loved it. And so they looked at biblical truth and they

Robert Heinlein has said almost any sect. Kota religion will legislate its Creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so, what's he say?

We want to be free to do what we want to do and you don't have any right to tell us that we are wrong. That's the world. That's what the world is telling us. This is nothing you can go back to 300 years before Christ Sears Plato's has no one who is more hated than the one who speaks the truth.

And by the way, this is the way the world treated Jesus. I know we've all read this passage before John 15:25. John 15:25 here is Jesus the night before his death. Noticed what he says in regards to the world and how the world looked at him. He says they have hated me without a car.

They have hated me. without a car This is a quotation from the Old Testament. And I want to share with you some 69 verse for where this comes from. More in number than the hairs of my head. Are those who hate me without cause Mighty are those who would destroy me those who attacked me with lies What are these two passages telling a Psalm 69 for John 15:25, they are telling us that we need to understand that we're going to be hated. Just like Jesus was why? Last week I was born for this purpose. I have come into the world to Bear Witness.

So what does that mean for us as we mirror Jesus in our attitude and actions?

I got to thinking about this. It's sometimes hard for me personally.

because critics come hey by preaching. I've always had people were critical of me or my family or whatever and I guess it just goes with the job.

Robin and Becky and answer the question. What did I ever do to you?

Why I don't understand I don't get this right now zone out of that into just being a Christian and living how you're living. And and what's going on with your life. Just going to hate you.

I need a sandwich out of existence.

What is the second part of 37 everyone who is of the truth? Listen to my boy who got to embrace the truth of Jesus brought you got to share with others. This is our mission. This is reflecting Jesus.

foolishness Here's Paul's riding a 1st Corinthians 1:18. The word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing. Look at what he write to verse 23 and 24 the same passage. We preach Christ crucified a stumbling block to the Jews and the Gentiles but two of those of us who are called by Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. contrast for some foolishness

What would you do understand? This is by John MacArthur. I really like the comment. The gospel always opens they confronted or contented Center Center living in deception.

So we really shouldn't be surprised. Just our living. It's going to offend other people. He goes with the territory if you're not hated by the world. You're doing something wrong.

You're not hate about the world or doing something wrong. The world is not our friend anyway, brother.

and apologize for Who We Are

You know John chapter 8. relate Very real in this part of the lesson here is Jesus. I say to you every one who practices sin is a slave to sin. What is the truth that Jesus was communicating here?

What is he telling us? He's telling us the real slave is the one who commits sin seeing his bondage. That's the truth. That's what's right. That's what will never change. I will always be thankful for the real bond in the real person behind it is the one who was in.

The real truth is that Jesus provides freedom from that he provides a way out of that looking for 36 if the son sets you free, you will be free.

That's the message Jesus Broad. I want to hear that though the number 37. Look at the words down there at the Latin the bottom part of the verse my words find no place in, Utah.

The words that were speaking the words that were all about they find no place in our world today. What's a no one is more hated in society than the person who speaks truth. Why did they?

I'm speaking to you the truth that I heard from God. Jesus says if my own accord, but he sent me why do you say you don't understand what I say? It's because you cannot bear to hear my words. There are so many people cannot bear to hear the truth.

It's so then Jesus says. Where all this goes back to?

the origin of every lie is Satan

those who live at the domain of darkness and Brace and repeat life is what is the only hope for a person that finds him to come to all these lies and deceptions that are feeling the culture. The only answer is truth the truth found in God's word, and yes, it's going to be It is going to hurt some people. And again, let me throw out this disclaimer. I am not condoning are going out of being purposely offensive and trying to purposely stir up hatred. Doing such a violate the principles of Colossians 4 5 and 6 are we are to conduct ourselves with wisdom toward those who are outside. So I'm not condoning that. I am emphasizing the fat witch time person stand up. Never forget the very essence of our message is going to be offensive to those who love their sin. It's so for that we do not apologize for Understand you're going to be hating. But then finally use your weapon. Use your weapon. Chris I want to thank you for any kind of 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 a few moments ago. I want to go back there for the remainder of Our Last Summer and we're not warring according to the flash. This is a spiritual battle that we're facing.

I don't want you to look at because I still beat down.

Well, here's some encouragement verse for the weapons of our Warfare are not of the flesh, but they have divine power. To destroy, I like the wording of some of the newer versions. Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible demolish is the word they demolish strongholds polish.

You don't just pulverize is the word II.

Notice the word stronghold fortresses, right?

And I want you to see the imagery of a military Fortress.

Maybe you you see a prison.

And at that works apply there as well. Anything is strengthened to keep people in or out in fact in the Hebrew when this this word was translated out it does Septuagint the word goes back to the Hebrew word for Tomb. Or balls or burial Chambers, which is kind of interesting.

And it's a what are the strongholds? What are these fortresses that that he's talking about here? religion or complex of ideas that stand up against God

when Rider has said making the application today we can do these things is people in the world being ensconced inside their various identity groups their 425 their resistance may not realize it but their ideas have become as a prison and eventually it will lead to their Wish I had said that.

looking for 5 we're called to demolish or destroy these arguments. We're called to destroy or answer these ideologies. Anything Paul says that is raised up against the knowledge of God. We got to stand up against any idea any Theory any viewpoints that attacks Divine truth. We're told that people in prison themselves with did you hear me? We are to go on the offensive brothers and sisters. Not Tower back and fall back into the fence of position holding on hoping for the best but they go out and use the weapon. We've been given the holdup.

What's the goal? To take every thought captive to obey Christ.

It is a system of right and wrong given to us by God and this is why we got a grass that truth. Clearly. This is why we got to be able to use it with power and Effectiveness reasonably. And the promise is that when we do that the arguments the strongholds the fortresses will be demolished. I want you to sing the song. I want you to see the insurance. I want you to sing the promise. Give up before we even trying to say what's the use?

No. We use truth to defeat those who would stand against us. Because if we don't the ideology that people are subscribing to is going to wind up being their tomb we've got to show him the way out. We don't apologize for God's truth. We don't we're not ashamed of it. We don't ignore it. We live by it. We show other Fireheart and our actions how to live head. Yes summer going to be offended. And yes. Summer going to turn away.

But our true love for other people must follow through and win the day. So question is how well do I know the truth and how old am I?

I want to take you before we wrap up. looking for used

and I want you to look at verse 3.

this fits in well, because a young adult class on the book of gu This is kind of a pretext for that here in the next month or two. Share this with you. I want you to look at the first part of Earth's three, although I would really rather communicate with something and something that we can all agree on.

but then he says

I found it necessary. The right appealing to you to contend. for the face that was delivered once for all. The Descendants Listen, I know. I thought long about this. I really struggled it earlier in the week. It's the Sunday before Christmas. I'm going to have all these gas in the audience. Then this is not one of those warm fuzzy lessons if people are expecting and it should I really preach this or way or whatever. You know that that's a lot of your mind.

But this is important. This is a title. I wish we could ignore all this and pretend everything's well. I wish we could stick her head in the sand and

what is the second part of Jude 3 colleges to brothers sisters? It is calling upon us to stand up the direct end for the face to fight the fight for what? Z Cafe Notice how she uses that there he's talking about not something that's subjective. He's talking about something that subjective. It's been written down. It's been given to us once and for all its Divine truth its objective. It's unchanging. It's relevant for every generation writers always right and wrong. There's always wrong we stand for that we contend for the week for it.

That's why this is important. That's why we're talking about it. We may have lost some of that. You think about how we being erected the culture of the last few years time for us to get back to it? so the question before us this morning as we close is how would you resist? the relativist culture will you resist the efforts of the world to wear you down? What you get used to the idea being hated just because you're hated doesn't mean you done anything to him. They just don't like who you are and what you stand for and that's okay. We're not in this to win a popularity contest with the world use your weapon. Will you go on office? It take the battle to Satan. Why is it so important? Because Jesus said John 8:32, you shall know the truth and the truth will why?

Set you free.

don't listen to the lies of the world that say you people are bunch of narrow-minded people that just don't you're just all these Backwoods ways and that

the precepts the instructions of the Lord are right

We believe it. We accept it. We hope that Banner High. into our world That's the question.

Don't bow down don't give up. Keep doing what you're doing and trusting in the Lord. It wasn't this morning outside of Christ lesson is for you and want you to know that the truth is in Jesus and it's only in Jesus. I am the way I am the truth and I am the life and nothing more. comes to the father, but by

will you come to me?

you'll say if you hope for your life of peace and I'll get you home so we can help you get start on that road today December Tatian is for you you already Christian. Maybe you've just been beat down by the world you given in you've compromised, you know, you got to get back on track. No time like the present do at them right now. Whatever I can do to help you want to come.