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APOLOGETICSTRUTH
TRUTH
JOHN 18:37-38aWhat is TRUTH?
John 14:6Is there a difference between the WAY, TRUTH, LIFE
TRUTH
WHAT IS TRUTH
SIMPLE QUESTION TO ASK
HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER
TRUTH
Definition:The quality or state of being true.That which conforms to reality, fact, or actuality.
Do you think that is complete?
Why?
TRUTH
Definition leaves room for interpretation
What is realityWhat is factWhat is actualityHow does perception effect the truth
TRUTH
Paradox of the ball against the wall
Col. 2:8
In order for truth to be defined properly it would have to be factually and logically correct
In other words “TRUE”
TRUTH
WHAT IS TRUTH NOTErrorSelf – contradictoryDeception
It could be true that someone could be deceptive but the deception is not true
TRUTH
Publix Chocolate Moose Tracks Ice
Cream is DeliciousTrue or False?
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHHow can a statement be both True and False?
I wasn’t talking about the object
what is the object?
I was talking about the subject (me)
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHThis is a Subjective Claim
It is a claim about a Subject
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH
Publix Chocolate Moose Tracks Ice
Cream is Medicine that Cures Diabetes.
True or False?
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHThis is a Objective Claim
It is a claim about a Object
Objective TruthTrue for all people, in all places, at all times to whom the claim applies
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH
OBJECTIVE
• Either True or False
• Can be wrong
• About Things
SUBJECTIVE
• NEITHER True or False
• Can’t be wrong
• About Feelings
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHExamples of Subjective Truth
Hair ColorFood Choices (except Brussels Sprouts, (martian heads), those are just wrong)Media (Books, Movies, TV, etc…)
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHExamples of Objective Truth
Historical EventsMath & Empirical SciencesEthics and MoralsReligionsHow can ethics and moral and religious truth be objective?
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTHLets look at Moral and Ethic
claims
Atheists Say that Moral/Ethical Claims are
All Relative
This is called RELATIVISM
RELATIVISM
In relativism, all points of view are equally valid and all truth is relative to the individual.
“Something can be true for you, but not necessarily for me.”
RELATIVISMLets look at claims and responses
“Something can be true for you, but not necessarily for me.”• This is an example of a
“Self-Defeating Fallacy”• It contradicts itself, so it
must be false• So “What if that isnt true
for me?”
RELATIVISM
Claim: You cant know truth.
Response: How do you know that?
RELATIVISM
Claim: There is no Truth.Response: Is that
True?
RELATIVISM
Claim: You shouldn’t judge.Response: That seems
like a judgement.
RELATIVISM
Claim: All truth is relative.Response: That’s not
true for me…
RELATIVISM
Claim: Only science can give us truth.
Response: Is that a scientific truth?
orResponse: What lab
experiment was done to conclude that?
RELATIVISM
Claim: You shouldn’t force your morality on people.
Response: Is that your moral view?(yes)Then, why are you forcing it on me?
RELATIVISM
Claim: God forgives those that obey their conscience.
RELATIVISM
Lets look at Religious Claims
All Religious/Moral claims are Relative to the SubjectChristianity is not based on my preferenceIt is based on Historical Fact
RELATIVISM
Either Jesus Lived a Perfect Life, Was Crucified, and Resurrected, Or He Wasnt
RELATIVISM
So what does that say about the Bible?
If There’s No Truth, Then No Book Written by an Atheist can be True Either
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH
OBJECTIVE
• Either True or False
• Can be wrong
• About Things
SUBJECTIVE
• NEITHER True or False
• Can’t be wrong
• About Feelings
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE
What is relative?If Truth is relative to you, then what causes you to change your opinions?Are there such things as absolute?
What would happen if everything were relative?
then that would be absolutely true
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE
What would happen if everything were absolutely true?
Then we couldn’t have such things as personal preferences or things that change.
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE
Examples:Positive 7 is always
greater than positive 5.absolute or relative?
Blue is a better color than green?
absolute or relative?can I change my
mind?
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE
Unfortunately more and more people cannot distinguish between absolute truths and relative truths.
We put our feelings, preferences, etc.. above absolutes to make them more palatable.
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE
Example:someone saying “it is
true for you that Jesus is the only way to God, but to a Muslim, Mohammad would be the only way.”
What is wrong with that statement?
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE
Such statements ignore the logical possibility of having two “only-ways” to God.
We have to be able to distinguish between the two.
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE
We cannot argue when absolutes and relatives are mixed up.
We have to be absolutely sure about what it is we know.
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE
If there is such a thing as truth, then we should be able to find it.
If truth cannot be known, then it probably doesn’t exist.
But it does exist, because you are here I know that is true.
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE
If we are to determine if there is such a thing as truth apart from cultural and personal preferences, we must acknowledge that we are then aiming to discover something greater that ourselves.
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
So where does this knowledge of truth come from?
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
TraditionThings that were taught to
youparents, school,
church, etc…You could also call this
“Authority” If you are raised in a
Hindu family, you’d most likely be a Hindu
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
ReasonWe have a logical mindThe Laws of logic
Specifically the Law of Non-Contradiction
Sometimes, we’re too emotionally attached to our views
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
ExperienceOur Events/HistoryPersonal Encounters
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
EmotionHow we feel
Stalin, Hitler, Suicide-bombers
Emotions can inform us about truth.
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
General RevelationWhat we observe in the
natural worldScience/5 SensesPsalm 19 and Romans 1
claim the natural world proclaims the glory of God
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
Special RevelationSpecific information
revealed by God in the Bible
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
What are your “Primary Sources of Knowledge?”TraditionReasonExperienceEmotionGeneral RevelationSpecial Revelation
which do you tend to rely on?
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
GeneraliztionCatholics – Tradition (church
doctrines)Philosphers – ReasonCharismatics – Emotion,
ExperienceScientist – General
Revelation (observation)
Postmodernists – Experience (“works for me”)
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
Which are Objective and which are Subjective?TraditionReasonExperienceEmotionGeneral RevelationSpecial Revelation
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
Which are Objective and which are Subjective?TraditionReasonExperienceEmotionGeneral RevelationSpecial Revelation
Subjective
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
Which are Objective and which are Subjective?TraditionReasonExperienceEmotionGeneral RevelationSpecial RevelationObjective
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
How Do We Determine If Something Is True?
Three Test:Test of ReasonTest of ExperienceTest of Practice
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
Test of ReasonThe Law of Non-
Contradiction is one of the main ways we know things.
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
Test of PracticeDoes it Work?Or do you have to borrow
from other Worldviews
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
Test of Experience.Does the Explanation match
the facts of our observation?
there aren’t many flat earth society members left… why?
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
Test of ExperienceCautions:
“God told me _______”Don’t reply on
experience when presenting the gospel.
Experience can help you know, but not show.
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
Test of ExperienceExperience and observation
can be helpful in pointing to an absolute, but we should not base beliefs solely on it.
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
So what does that say about faith?
Is it Faith vs Reason?
Should we have blind faith?
FAITH
Biblical Usage:Trust exhibited after becoming
convinced of the evidence.
Believing because of not in spite of
Faith and Facts are both necessary. If either are missing, it misses the Biblical mark
FAITH
Instead of the word “Faith” use:TrustConviction
Definition: “Active Trust is what you have good reason to believe is true.”
FAITH
Mark 2:9-11“Know”
Acts 2:36-28Know followed by Repent
BLIND FAITH
Some say the more we know the less we will have to take on faith…
Hopefully we find the bones of Jesus!
FAITH
So why do we fall into Relativism?Why is our culture bent on Relativism?
NO RESPONSIBILITY!
FAITH
Romans 1 says that people “exchange the truth of God for a lie.”
People want to live how they want to live, without an absolute authority.
FAITH
When your philosophical system does not have God as the starting point, the your philosophical system will fail to explain reality.
FAITHIf we ever hope to determine if there is such a thing as truth apart from cultural and personal preferences, we must acknowledge that we are then aiming to discover something greater than ourselves, something that transcends culture and individual inclinations.
FAITH
To do this is to look beyond ourselves and outside of ourselves. In essence, it means we are looking for God. God would be truth, the absolute and true essence of being and reality who is the author of all truth. If you are interested in truth beyond yourself, then you must look to God.
FAITHFor the Christian, the ultimate expression of truth is found in the Bible, in Jesus who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." (John 14:6). Of course, most philosophers and skeptics will dismiss His claim, but for the Christian, He is the mainstay of hope, security, and guidance. Jesus, who walked on water, claimed to be divine, rose from the dead, and said that He was the truth and the originator of truth.
FAITH If Jesus is wrong, then we should ignore Him. But, if He is right, then it is true that we should listen to Him.The eyewitnesses wrote what they saw. They were with Him. They watched Him perform many miracles, heal the sick, calm a storm with a command, and even rise from the dead. Either you believe or dismiss these claims.
FAITHTruth conforms to reality. Jesus performed many miracles and rose from the dead.
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