Defending The Faith Series The Apologetics Pyramid GOSPEL RESURRECTION REVELATION THEISM WORLDVIEWS TRUTH

Defending The Faith: What is truth? The Goal Of Apologetics To establish the truthfulness of Christianity Why is truth important? Someone who doesn’t believe that truth exists will not believe us when we claim the Christianity is true A personal relationship with truth in Jesus Christ is impossible unless we believe that truth is real and discoverable (John 14:6) Unless truth is real, how are we going to tell “the truth” about Christianity, God, and His Son? The Goal Of Apologetics GOAL: To establish the truthfulness of Christianity. To achieve this goal the foundation of truth must be laid first! Thus tonight’s question … What is truth? … same question that Pilate asked … John 18:37-38 (NKJV) 37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. Why is truth important? 1. Someone who doesn’t believe that truth exists will not believe us when we claim the Christianity is true. Unless truth is real, it would make no sense to offer true answers about the Christian faith. 2. A personal relationship with truth in Jesus Christ is impossible unless we believe that truth is real and discoverable. John 14:6 (NKJV) 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 3. Unless truth is real, how are we going to tell “the truth” about Christianity, God, and His Son? If everyone has a different story about Jesus, how can we tell which story to believe? An unbeliever’s story about Jesus would have the same value or weight as a Christian’s story because there would be no way to discover which is true and which is false. Christianity would be likened to a myth or fable. Peter defends the truthfulness of Christianity when he says 2 Peter 1:16 (NKJV) 16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

Defending The Faith: What is truth? Truth is “telling it like it is” Truth matches reality (i.e. matches facts and evidence) CORRESPONDENCE VIEW = statements correspond to reality Biblical Examples Of The Correspondence View Genesis 42:16 Acts 5:1-4 Genesis 2:17 & 3:4 Exodus 20:16 1 Timothy 6:20-21 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Defending The Faith: What is truth? Is truth what works? Confuses what truth is with what truth does Is truth found in good intentions? Declares that truth is not what we actually say, but in what we intend to say Mistakenly focuses on what we intend to say rather than on what we actually say If true, there could never be a sincere, well-intending person who is wrong Lies can have good intentions, but this does not make a lie true

Defending The Faith: What is truth? Is truth a matter of perspective? The statement boomerangs and destroys itself because the statement would apply equally to everyone else on earth APOLOGETICS TIP: Develop an eye for statements that boomerang and destroy themselves! If something is true, it is true for all people at all times and in all places regardless of a person’s awareness or beliefs.

Defending The Faith: What is truth? What are the barriers to truth? Agnosticism: Nobody Can Discover Truth Claims that truth can’t be known … nor can anyone have knowledge of God Agnosticism self-destructs … boomerang principle The very assertion that “humans can’t know truth” is a truth statement in itself When the agnostic makes a negative statement asserting he “can’t know about truth or God,” he presupposes knowledge about truth and God

Defending The Faith: What is truth? 2. Skepticism: Doubt Everything That Claims To Be True This is the belief that we should doubt everything, including the truth about Christianity Skepticism self-destructs … boomerang principle To hold off on making a decision about the world is to make a decision about the world Jesus combated skepticism in His ministry Luke 24:38-39, 42

Defending The Faith: What is truth? 3. Relativism: Truth Is Different For Everyone This view makes truth a matter of one’s own perspective Three different kinds of relativism: Truth is relative to time Truth is relative to persons Truth is relative to location Relativism is self-destructive … boomerang principle If truth is relative to something, what is it relative to?

Defending The Faith: What is truth? 4. Subjectivism: Truth Is What Feels Right Belief that feelings, emotions and intuition are the keys to discovering what is true Feelings are a poor test for what is true because feelings and emotions change What if two people have different feelings about the same statement? It is obvious that bad news can be true

Defending The Faith: What is truth? Are those who believe in absolute truth intolerant and narrow-minded? Truth is narrow by definition The one making the statement that “absolute truth is too narrow” is in fact giving an absolute truth Those charging Christians with intolerance are confused about the meaning of intolerance To be labeled as intolerant simply because you disagree with someone is mistaken

Defending The Faith: What is truth? Questions To Ask Regarding Views Of Truth 1. Pragmatic: Truth is what works ASK: “Lying may work at times. Does your view make those lies true?” 2. Intention: Truth is found in good intentions ASK: “Could there ever be a well-intending person who is wrong?” ASK: “Liars can have good intentions. Do their good intentions make the lie true?” Pragmatic View: Truth is what works ASK: “Lying may work at times. Does your view make those lies true?” Intention View: Truth if found in good intentions ASK: “Could there ever be a well-intending person who is wrong?” ASK: “Liars can have good intentions. Do their good intentions make the lie true?”

Defending The Faith: What is truth? 3. Perspective: Truth is a matter of one’s perspective This view corresponds with relativism. Ask questions under relativism. 4. Correspondence: Truth is that which corresponds to reality Truth is discovered by asking if someone’s statements correspond with reality … if facts support statement, it should be considered truth. If something is true, it is true for all people at all times and in all places regardless of a person’s awareness or beliefs. Perspective View – Truth is a matter of one’s perspective This view corresponds with relativism. Ask questions under relativism. Correspondence View – Truth is that which corresponds to reality Truth is discovered by asking if someone’s statements correspond with reality … if facts support the statement, it would be considered truth. ILL: We declare “Jesus rose from the dead” … discover its truthfulness by searching out and investigating the facts and evidence surrounding Jesus’ resurrection. Eyewitness reports Archaeological findings Empty tomb? Reality should be the ground by which all truth claims are tested … whether Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Mormon, Christian, Atheist, etc. If something is true, it is true for all people at all times and in all places regardless of a person’s awareness or beliefs. ILL: If it is true that George Washington was the first president of the United States, then it would be true for everybody in all places and at all times. ILL: People in the world who do not understand that germs make them sick … think it is evil spirits or curses put on them … People we are witnessing to must first embrace the correspondence view of truth.

Defending The Faith: What is truth? Questions To Ask Regarding Barriers to Truth 1. Agnosticism: Nobody can discover truth ASK: “Are you certain? How can you be certain if you can’t know for sure that anything is true?” 2. Skepticism: Doubt everything that claims to be true CHALLENGE: “You must, therefore, be skeptical about your own skepticism.” ASK: “Do you doubt everything that claims to be true? If not, then why do you accept some things to be true?” 1. Agnosticism: Nobody Can Discover Truth ASK: “Are you certain? How can you be certain if you can’t know for sure that anything is true?” 2. Skepticism: Doubt Everything That Claims To Be True CHALLENGE: “You must, therefore, be skeptical about your own skepticism.” CHALENGE: “Do you doubt everything that claims to be true? If not, then why do you accept some things to be true?”

Defending The Faith: What is truth? 3. Relativism: Truth is different for everyone ASK: “What is truth relative to? Is it relative to time, persons or location?” ASK: “Why is truth relative? Why isn’t it the same for all people in all places at all times?” ASK: “Doesn’t truth need to correspond with reality? If not, why not?” ASK: “Would you say ‘there is no absolute truth’? How, then, can you make this absolute statement about truth?” ILL: Like saying “never say the word never” or “I can’t speak any English” or “language doesn’t have meaning” 3. Relativism: Truth Is Different For Everyone ASK: “What is truth relative to? Is it relative to time, persons or location?” ASK: “Why is truth relative time, persons or location? Why isn’t it the same for all people in all places at all times?” ASK: “Doesn’t truth need to correspond with reality? If not, why not?”

Defending The Faith: What is truth? 4. Subjectivism: Truth is what feels right ASK: “Since feelings and emotions change, does truth change along with our feelings?” ASK: “What if two people have different feelings about the same statements?” ASK: “Can bad news be true?” ASK: “If only what feels good is true, do you reject all news that makes you feel unpleasant?” 4. Subjectivism: Truth Is What Feels Right ASK: “Since feelings and emotions change, does truth change along with our feelings?” ASK: “What if two people have different feelings about the same statements?” ASK: “Can bad news be true?” ASK: “If only what feels good is true, do you reject all news that makes you feel unpleasant?” ILL: Dentist tells you that you need a root canal … teacher informs you of bad grade … if dismiss as lies, we put ourselves in jeopardy of loosing teeth or flunking the class.