Enemies of Truth

Introduction

Read Isaiah 44:12-21

Initial Reaction?

  • A bit harsh, insensitive
  • Narrow minded
  • Judgmental / Arrogant
  • You can’t say that
  • Politically incorrect
  • Etc. etc.

What about TRUTH?

We live in an age where we are increasingly being seduced into throwing our brains away for the sake of political correctness.

Truth has been made subject to people feelings. (The 2 Danny’s)

Result of an outwardly humanistic (but inwardly demonic) attack on the Judeo Christian culture of our nation (and many others).

Sadly the church relinquished the high ground of historical truth & logical consistency too easily and has found herself on the back foot (e.g. Darwinian evolution). Christians and Christianity have become fair game in the media, politics, education etc. etc. while other religions have become seemingly untouchable and unaccountable.

Sadly not only has (much of) “the church” adopted a defensive position in society, many Christians have developed a spiritual inferiority complex.

But the time has come to stand up and take back the ground that is rightly ours. As we refocus on being a Missional church I want to help equip you to confidently take a stand on and for the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In Australia the issue is not the type of idols that Isaiah wrote about, but rather the idols that are erected in people’s minds in the forms of false religions / philosophies.

An IDOL is basically anything that people substituted and submitted themselves to other than the true God.

Tonight...

ENEMIES OF TRUTH

The essence of what is said in Isaiah 44 is you want to make idols fine, let’s see what they have to offer

The result of a society not being help together by a strong Christian witness has been a massive increase in depression (purposelessness), relational breakdown, violence, crime, addiction, immorality etc.

So what are the enemies of truth, the things that are robbing people of their God purpose and destiny?

Enemy 1: PREFERENCE

In itself not bad, but not suitable as a guide for all of life’s decisions

Example – Ice Cream treats vs Going to the doctor

Enemy 2: PRESUMPTION

Assuming that you can reduce all religions to their lowest common denominator – say they’re basically the same and therefore equally valid!

You can only adopt an “equally valid” stance through being:

a) Ignorant of the differences
E.g. To argue that all cars are basically the same is to miss the point. When we shop for cars we do not compare similarities, but differences. We are willing to pay more for the Mercedes not because it is similar to all other cars, but rather because it’s different. It’s the difference that makes the difference – How much more is this true when evaluating religions.

b) Irrational
ie. departing from reason by ignoring or minimizing key differences
eg. You can’t have a square circle & you can’t have God & Not God. - Mutually exclusive.

Enemy 3: PARTIAL TRUTH

Assuming that because a religion or philosophy contains truth that it is entirely true

Example - Buying a used car

“Will it get me to Sydney?”
“You know what they say mate, Red ones go faster!”
“But will it get me to Sydney?”
“This one has leather seats – really comfy! Etc. etc”.

Consider our friend making his idol – he might be a moral person, he may adopt some practices which look legitimate when compared with other religions, but it doesn’t negate the fact he is making an idol – something which God has expressly forbidden

Col 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Freeing People From The Enemies Of Truth

The next time someone has a go at you / challenges your faith / or claims to be more enlightened put the onus back on them to defend their beliefs.

Some challenges to bring:

  • What is your worldview? (how and why are we here, where are we headed)
  • Why do you believe what you believe?
    • A good worldview with have multiple levels of evidence, that will not just support its own claims, but will at the same time refute the validity of contrary worldviews. E.g. the case for Christ simultaneously undermines the claims of Islam
  • How reliable is the evidence that you are relying upon?
    • Are its origins credible?
    • Are you able to live consistently with what you say you believe?
    • What are the outcomes of your worldview if lived consistently? (and are they desirable – eg. Meaninglessness, family breakdown, terrorism?)

So we need to ask: “Which religious worldview is most worthy of belief?”

Two months before [Russian Orthodox priest] Aleksandr Menn was killed with an axe, he was asked in a radio interview broadcast across Russia, "Does one need to be a Christian, and if one does, then why?"

"I think there is only one answer, and it as follows," he said: "Man always seeks God. The normal state of man is, to some extent, to be connected with a higher power, even when the higher power in the human mind is distorted, and turned into something secular. Eras of Stalinism ... and all other isms seek some false god even if God is taken away. This turns to idol worship, but still the inner instinct of seeking God is there...

"The question is totally different when it is put this way: Why Christianity? Is it because of the sacred scriptures? No, every religion has sacred scriptures, and sometimes with a very high quality of spiritual content.

"Then why Christianity? Morality? Certainly. I am happy that in our society the high moral values of Christianity are accepted, but it would be totally erroneous to maintain that there are no moral values outside Christianity...

"Then why Christianity? Jesus Christ Himself."

  • His claims,
  • His deeds,
  • His teaching & prophetic insight,
  • His sacrificial death, His resurrection & Ascension,
  • The credibility of the witnesses and their testimonies about Him,
  • The impact on the world over the past 2000 years –

These all set Jesus apart from any other teacher, prophet, philosopher or guru in history – BY A MILE

Conclusion

According to an old legend, a man became lost in his travels and wandered into a bed of quicksand. Confucius saw the man's predicament and said, "It is evident that men should stay out of places such as this." Next, Buddha observed the situation and said, "Let that man's plight be a lesson to the rest of the world." Then Muhammad came by and said to the sinking man, "Alas, it is the will of God." Finally, Jesus appeared. "Take my hand, brother," he said, "and I will save you."

If you are drowning and call for help – you don’t want advice, you don’t want a bowling ball you want someone to throw you a life line.

Not all religions are the same. They differ at key points and are therefore not equally valid.