Post-modernist thinking goes something like this, "How come you claim to have a monopoly on Truth!? I don't see how anyone can know what's absolutely true at all. I think everyone can choose to believe in whatever truth they want to believe in." In statements such as these-- which students at a liberal university espouse all the time, there's underlying teaching and assumption in each question and assertion.
First question, "How can you claim to have a monopoly on Truth?"
The answer an honest and humble Christian can give at this point, "I don't claim to have a monopoly on the Truth. But I do claim to have the knowledge of it."
We do so because the question raised by the post-modernist puts the relativist at the offensive and Christian at an automatic defensive mode. Our desire is to show how Truth is not monopolized or manipulated by the Christian, but rather both the Christian and the non-Christian are under the physical and metaphysical laws that govern our everyday lives. First, the word "monopoly" has several meanings to it. It has both economic and political implications. Monopoly is economically defined as an "exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular market, or a control that makes possible the manipulation of prices" while politically it is in reference to "a company or group that has such control." But Scripture tells the Christian that we are not to monopolize or manipulate people but we are to offer it by "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) for the purposes of introducing people to the person, and not the proposition of Truth, in Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
Secondly, a post-modern argument is made, "I don't see how anyone can know what's absolutely true at all. I think that everyone can believe in any truth they want to."
This statement should cause us to grieve for our post-modern friend because it is a symptom of society's relativization of an Absolute and Unchanging God. But a simple, yet profound, way of addressing this is just humbly addressing that their assertion is a logical fallacy. A lyrical theologian who goes by the name LeCrae talks about this in a very accessible way,
"Man, It's just some folks say, "All truth is relative, it just depends on what you believe." You know, "hey man, ain't no way to know for sure who God is or what's really true." But that means you believe your own statement; that there's no way to know what's really true. You're saying that that statement is true. You're killing yourself. If what's true for you is true for you and what's true for me is true for me, what if my truth says your's is a lie? Is it still true?"
I write because it grieves me that as I cling to the God who is infinite, infallible, and unchanging in nature, so many around me turn to a god who is finite, fallible, and changing. I hope and pray that it grieves you as well. But there IS hope. It is in the person of Truth in Jesus Christ. Being in this class has been quite the ride and as a Christian who has just begin seeing our own doctrines as quintessential to the way we live, I fear that many churches have either a thin and prithee doctrine or don't combat the lies so many people espouse about the nature of a false god with the Truth of a One, True, Living God and Savior in Jesus Christ. It is our job as the Church to maintain the Truth of the Lord Jesus Christ in the doctrines we live and preach and the genuine love we have for Christ and His people-- all who are saved, who are being saved, and who will be saved. I pray that this burden our hearts as well especially this black Saturday-- when roughly 2011 years ago, the disciples who knew the Truth remained huddled in the corner of a house fearful from the spurn and scorn of society that brutally murdered their Savior on a cross. But the Good News is this: Sunday is coming and the Truth still lives.
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