Whose Truth?

We live in a conflicted world. We both demand and deny truth. We are outraged when a company lies to us about their product but fully expect a politician to lie to us in their ads (especially if they're the opposition). We accept at face value science as truth admitting and citing the fact that science is full of errors. In America especially, we live in a pluralistic society, so we allow for all beliefs to be true and deny all beliefs but our own as true. Ultimately we argue that the truth is that truth is made, not discovered. What is true is defined as what works. We largely ignore the question of how to define "what works" and especially the corollary -- "Is that a good thing?" Oh, on the surface we can see this. Nerve gas is designed to kill everything with which it comes in contact, and it works ... but that's a bad thing. Church Growth principles are often effective at bringing in people by meeting their "felt needs" ("works") but fail to produce anything but the shallow, disconnected "Christian" (at least in name) who still desperately need a vital, life-changing relationship with the living God. Is that good?

Christianity today finds itself in an odd position. We believe that we know the truth. We believe, in fact, that the Truth is a person -- Jesus Christ -- and we can know Him. We believe that the Bible is true, actually God-breathed. We sit on genuine, universal truth. Still, we live in a pluralistic society and are told, "Whose truth is truth? Why do we have to accept your truth instead of other religions and values?" And we buy it. We back off. We step aside. We may still hold that when the Bible defines marriage, it is a definition for everyone, for instance, but we can't really impose that on anyone else, can we? We hold that sex outside of marriage is a sin, but "even you Christians are doing it", so we shut up about that ... as if it's not true that sex outside of marriage is still a sin. We believe that life is precious because humans are made in the image of God, but don't want to be too strident when we hold that abortion is wrong. After all, other people of other beliefs don't agree, and we live in a pluralistic society that holds that all beliefs are equally protected under the law (so all beliefs are equally valid).

Here's the problem. If we're right -- if Christianity is true ... really true -- are we doing any favors by deferring to others and their "truth" (which, if it stands in opposition to biblical truth is nothing of the sort)? We try to get along with everyone, but at some point you have to wonder if it's in their best interest to back off like we do. If it's true, it's important that we take our stand there. If it's true, it's important that we stand firm. It is, in fact, a mistake to make the logical leap that so many make that "all beliefs are equally protected under the law so all beliefs are equally valid". We allow people to be wrong, but that doesn't make them any less wrong. By the same token, just because everyone isn't convinced that we have the truth doesn't make it untrue. And if we hold to the command, "Love your neighbor as yourself", it isn't in their best interest to defer to a lie in order to keep the peace.

Paul wrote, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Rom 12:18). The author of Hebrews wrote, "Strive for peace with everyone", but followed that with "and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord" (Heb 12:14). It would appear, then, that this is what we should do. Both, however, indicate limits to pursuing peace with everyone. Paul said "so far as it depends on you". The Hebrews passage recognizes the importance of holiness over peace. We dare not surrender our stand for truth in favor of peace. It minimizes the Gospel, shortchanges those around us, and assaults the Truth, who is Jesus Christ. The world around us is not too keen on truth these days, but we cannot afford to be so loose with it. There are people around us that desperately need the truth ... even if it's not popular.