1. The War on Truth

2. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:

3. The War on Truth I.What is Truth? II.How do we know there is a war on truth? III.What battles do we choose? IV.Living in truth V.Predictions and implications…

4. I. What is truth?

5. 37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” 38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. John 18 What is behind Pilate’s question? What else strikes you, here?

6. What is Truth?

7. Truth can be a know fact…

8. Truth can be a claim…

10. What is Truth? Truth can be a fact (e.g., mathematic, scientific). Truth can be a claim – but claims need support, testing, and verification. Truth may be an opinion – but this is squishy…

11. 37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” 38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. John 18 Jesus statement – fact? claim? or opinion? How do we know? What are the implications of his statement?

12. 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11 Jesus statement – fact? claim? or opinion? How do we know? What are the implications of his statement?

13. 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14 Jesus statement – fact? claim? or opinion? How do we know? What are the implications of his statement?

14. 12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 1 st Corinthians 15: What was the issue being debated?

15. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 1 st Corinthians 15: What is the implication of this Scripture?

16. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. … 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep!!! 1 st Corinthians 15: What is the implication of this Scripture?

17. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God [a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.a 2 Timothy 3:16

18. The Bible 1. We believe the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the Divine and final authority for Christian faith and life.

20. 9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17

21. Summary – What is truth? There is truth! Truth can be measured, discerned and determined. Fact? Claim? Or Opinion? Jesus backed his claims through miracles – and through the resurrection. Scripture is the barometer by which the believer can gauge and measure truth. We may not like what the Scripture tells us.

22. II. How do we know there is a war on truth?

25. "While painful, the events of the last week show exactly why we need the (Web). So all of us can engage freely in the tough conversations we need to make the world better." That moment of fantasy came courtesy of Mozilla Chairwoman Mitchell Baker as she announced last week that Mozilla's new CEO, Brendan Eich, had caved in to calls that he resign for the Silicon Valley sin of having donated $1,000 to Proposition 8, the California ballot measure to limit marriage to one man and one woman -- six years ago.

26. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6: What does this Scripture tell us? How does a struggle against the spiritual forces of evil translate to a war on truth?

27. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Romans 7: What does this Scripture tell us? How would you describe the 2 nd front of our battle? How does a war within ourselves translate to a war on truth?

28. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5: Why alert and sober? What are some general hunting tactics of a lion?

29. 13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love. 1 st Corinthians 16: Why must believers be on guard? Why the commands about standing firm, courageously?

30. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 1 2 Peter 3: How have we been forewarned? What is an error of the lawless – how can we be carried away?

31. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 1 Thessalonians 5: Why do we need a breastplate and helmet?

32. 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10 Why do we need weapons? Where is the battle-line drawn?

34. Gay rights trump religious rights. That’s the rule of law in New Mexico after the U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to consider whether a wedding photographer was within her rights when she refused to film a gay couple’s commitment ceremony.

36. Summary – How do we know there is a war on truth? Scripture tells us we are in a two-front war. o One front – the spiritual forces of evil o The other front – our own sin nature We have weapons and battle gear. We are told to be sober, and on guard. Gird up!