PART 2: A Lamp - Continued -If you're reading my blog for the first time or have never read my previous posts, I recommend starting at the beginning.

Now let us continue this quote from Boiling Point, by George Barna:


“At the start of the third millennium, America is a nation in which only one-fourth of all adults and just 1 out of every 10 teenagers believes that there is absolute moral truth. The majority of America, therefore, either believes or yields to the belief that all moral truth is relative to the individual and his/her circumstances.”

“Interestingly, Americans have chosen relativism without much enthusiasm or conviction for that position. Our research shows that even though one’s stand on this matter is one of the most important choices an individual will make in his/her life, very few adults and teens ponder the existence and nature of truth. Most of those who do think about it don’t make much headway: a majority of them remain confused, frustrated or undecided as to what they think. Consequently, most people revert to the default position of the prevailing culture: moral truth is relative. We found that even a majority of those who contend that moral truth is absolute are somewhat confused about their belief and are likely to contradict themselves when questions about truth are posed from different angles.”

“… Born-again Christians, who ought to be the most verbal and convincing defenders of absolute moral truth, are more likely than nonbelievers to support the absolute stand with certainty; but the ‘absolutist’ represent less than half of all born-again adults. While the Christians who back the absolutist view outnumber those who promote the relativist view by almost a 5 to 1 ratio, we also discovered that when Christians were asked about truth in different ways, their confusion and lack of conviction was overt. The reason you don’t hear many believers discoursing on the principle of truth is probably because so few of them, regardless of their leanings, have a well researched, clearly articulate and compelling perspective on the matter.”

“What happened? How did Christians, the very people to whom God entrusted the substance of truth and morality, arrive at this vapid posture? As best we can untangle it, the route was circuitous. The teaching that people receive from their churches – the place where, hopefully, the truths asserted by God are clearly, consistently and convincingly expounded – has generally been ineffective at helping them comprehend moral truth. Our studies show that few churches use their teaching ties – sermons, Sunday school, VBS, small groups, membership classes – to intentionally and relentlessly communicate a coherent and cohesive worldview in a systematic fashion. Church-based teaching is generally founded on Bible context and delivery. In addition, the role models who impact Christians have fared poorly at portraying absolute moral truth through their words and actions.”

“Certainly, if the public were willing, it could discern the contours of a truth-based worldview from Scripture. However, most people’s experience with God’s Word is irregular and superficial, at best. Few Americans read the Bible often enough, broadly enough and sufficiently circumspectly to enable them to develop a truth-based worldview. Add to that the fact that they are immersed in a culture that promotes relativism and that the Church rarely holds its adherents accountable for their values and beliefs, and the consequence is that moral truth is essentially reflected. The practical result is obvious: without a solid moral foundation, churches and church people are affected by the culture more than they are affecting the culture’s views and behavior.” Consider again that last statement: “The practical result is obvious: without a solid moral foundation, churches and church people are affected by the culture more than they are affecting the culture’s views and behavior.”

“Whether you realize it or not, your view of moral truth is at the core of your worldview. (In this text we are speaking of a worldview as a way of interpreting all aspects of reality.) Chuck Colson has argued that the dominant American worldview of young adults can be summed up in one word: ‘whatever.’ Without the clarity and consistency of absolute moral truth, we are reduced to doing what seems right, what feels good, what produces the least resistance and what provides the greatest personal fulfillment. Naturally, our unconscious dismissal of absolute morality and ethics has produced a plethora of attitudinal and behavioral changes, including the reforming of our values.”

“But if you thought the move toward moral relativism is alarming, realize that tens of millions of Americans have taken the next logical step beyond moral relativism. Cultural analysts argue that there are really three dominant strains of thought in America today. There is the traditional or pre-modern view that says absolute moral truth exists, it is knowable and it has consequences for people’s lives. The modern view maintains that all truth is relative to the person’s perspective. The newest iteration, which is increasingly popular, is known as postmodernism. This philosophy asserts that there is not truth at all: Efforts to discover absolutes, much less to live them, are fruitless. Postmodernism is based on existentialism, which claims there is no meaning or purpose to life; personal experience is all that a person can know and appreciate.”

“Did you ever wonder how so many people can own Bibles, perhaps even read the Bible, and yet so completely miss the mark in their attitudes, values and lifestyles? It is largely because of the worldview disconnect. To the postmodern person, the Bible is simply a collection of time-honored stories that amount to another self-help volume. It is to be read just like any other self-help book: with some skepticism and for personal gain. Post-moderns outright reject the idea of the Bible being an accurate guidebook for life, much less the literal Word of a holy, omnipotent and omniscient God. They do not memorize or apply Scripture because, in their worldview, the Bible has no greater power, virtue or value than books by Stephen King, Jerry Seinfeld or Dr. Seuss.”

“In fact, postmodernism renders Jesus; entire death and resurrection little more than an interesting but obscure story of one individual’s compassion, heroic effort and ultimate demise. Postmodern people view it as a story that offers insight into one person’s challenges and responses, but not as a standard by which our lives are to be shaped or judged. The life of Jesus, in other words, is just another story among the billions of human histories that we might reflect upon and is no more or less meaningful than the stories of James Cassidy, Sheilah Brown, Jose Rodriguez or Choi En Lie –whoever they are.”   Boiling Point, p.77-81.

PART 2: A Lamp - Continued -If you're reading my blog for the first time or have never read my previous posts, I recommend starting at the beginning.

Most of us would agree that, if followers of Christ would read and meditate on words like these on a regular basis, we Christians would live our daily lives as better examples of Christ. ["These" words I am referring to are from Proverbs 3: 7-35, quoted in my previous post.] Our value systems would reflect Christ and would result in a Christian world view rather than a secular world view. Christians would actually behave and love differently than non believers. This is talking about having and using wisdom and understanding that comes from God while, at the same time, acknowledging that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 1:7). Wisdom is knowing Truth and then using it appropriately in given situations. Understanding is knowing Truth and having proper insight that allows one to use it wisely. What a difference it would make in the world if all, or at least more, believers would heed these words in Proverbs! Can we imagine the benefits of diligently teaching God’s principles to our children, starting at the earliest possible age and living the life of faith and godly integrity before them in every arena of our lives? What a difference this would make in most households and the effects would flow as “rivers of living waters” out into the marketplace. Teaching the Word and the value of It, to children, should not be left to the Sunday School teacher alone, for approximately one hour per week. Certainly though, the formal training of Sunday School is of great benefit in reinforcing the teachings of the home. But the day to day teaching and living before them, of the parents especially, and also grandparents, older siblings, extended family and friends, is the way to get the Word and Its practical daily application into the hearts and minds of children. This is the best way to anchor them in Truth and set them up to come into their own faith in Christ that will not only get them to Heaven for eternity, but get them onto the path of God’s glorious plan for each child -- his or her own abundant life.

Speaking of Sunday School, how many Christian parents do not even bother with getting their children to Sunday School on a regular basis these days? There just does not seem to be a high value placed on this systematic exposure and study of God’s Word for the children in the Body of Christ. I am not saying that Sunday School is the only way to reach this goal. Call it what you will ---- any small group interactive, teaching/learning situation that instructs children consistently is what I am talking about. They need a firm foundation that will result from teaching ---- line upon line, precept upon precept ---- the glorious provision of Salvation, the principles of our God and the TRUTHS of God’s Word to will equip them to navigate through our complex world. We do not need to look far to see Satan’s evil devices, wanting to steal, kill and destroy our children and grandchildren.

As we consider the life guiding values gained from God’s Word and Christ’s example, let’s look at some comments regarding evolving Christian values in America, found in the book, Boiling Point, by George Barna and Mark Hatch: “Values are the concepts we embrace that define what is right, worthwhile or desirable in life – in other words, the principles and standards that we choose to live by. Traditionally, societies have stayed true to their values for prolonged periods of time. But these days everything is up for grabs; everything is susceptible to change. The age of unquestioned, predictable and enduring core values is history. Driven by our ongoing search for meaning and fulfillment without having to rely upon God, our core values have been changing with unusual rapidity in the last few decades.” Barna & Hatch, Boiling Point, p. 77.

Barna and Hatch discuss the differing levels of values. Secondary values, they say, we appreciate and would like to experience them, but “can get by without them.” Primary values, such as independence, belonging and happiness are “must have” values, which “describe what is most important to us in life. We will compromise, if need be, on integrating our secondary values into our life situations’ but we typically will go to the mat to defend or incorporate our core values into every last fiber of our life.” Barna & Hatch, Boiling Point, p. 77.

The authors move on to explain the “cornerstone value”: “There is one more level of values of importance to this discussion: the cornerstone value. Just as the Christian faith has a cornerstone belief (i.e., we exist to know, love and serve God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength), or professional sports are based on a cornerstone goal (i.e., winning or being the best), so do Americans develop their lives around a cornerstone value. That is a value on which most of our other values hinge; it is the nucleus that spawns other operational values within us. Perhaps the most fundamental value that drives our lifestyles and decision making is whether or not we believe that absolute moral truth exists. Few perspectives in life have a more significant impact on who we are, how we live and what we believe than our personal conviction about moral truth.”

“The constant retooling of our core values can be largely traced to a seminal shift in our thinking regarding our perspective on truth. In short, most Americans have chosen to reject absolute moral truth in favor of relativism. That single change has opened the door to a wholesale revision of our entire set of values – and the resulting behaviors.”

“This transformation has done more to undermine the health and stability of American society—and, perhaps, of the world – than anything else. It is not a change that happened overnight. The confluence of ‘new thinking’ that swept America in the late ‘60s and early ’70s became a staple of pop culture. The result has been a wholesale revision in people’s thought patterns and behaviors based on the notion that a person is the center of his/her universe and is, therefore, responsible for determining what is right and wrong, appropriate and inappropriate, useful and useless, significant and insignificant. In this system, without any grander vision of truth, meaning and value, each person thereby dictates the standards and principles that will rule his/her world, regardless of anyone else’s standards and principles.”
Before continuing this quote from George Barna’s book, I would like to interject a thought here. A phrase from the Bible continually stays in my mind as I read this. It refers to people “doing what is right in their own eyes,” and is found in Deuteronomy 12:8, Judges 21:25, Psalm 12:15 and Proverbs 21:2. A society that has no specific moral code will be made up of individuals who do just that -- “what is right in their own eyes,” resulting in a self focused, sin filled people comprising a culture that will eventually destroy itself from within. Think about that as you read his passages. Look again at Barna’s last two sentences: “The result has been a wholesale revision in people’s thought patterns and behaviors based on the notion that a person is the center of his/her universe and is, therefore, responsible for determining what is right and wrong, appropriate and inappropriate, useful and useless, significant and insignificant. In this system, without any grander vision of truth, meaning and value, each person thereby dictates the standards and principles that will rule his/her world, regardless of anyone else’s standards and principles.” In other words, this is an entire society of people who “do what is right in their own eyes.” We need to pray! ---Yes, right now!
[In my next post, I will continue quoting from Barna's book regarding the unfortunate shifting of our cultural value systems.]