Truth2Freedom's BlogThe mindset in postmodernism is that objective truth does not exist. But in post-truth, the person believes that objective truth exists, but they subordinate truth to their preferences, or their comfort. In other words, one doesn’t care that truth exists or what the truth is if it doesn’t line up with one’s preferences. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" - George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. Faith in Jesus Christ is our response to God's elective purpose in our life. These two truths--God's initiative and man's response--co-exist throughout the Bible. The gospel is "the message of truth" because truth is its predominant characteristic. Salvation was conceived by the God of truth (Ps. 31:5); purchased by the Son, who is the truth (John 14:6); and is applied by the Spirit of truth (John 16:13). To know it is to know the truth that sets men free (John 8:32). Believers are people of the truth (John 18:37), who worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), and who obey the Word of truth (John 17:17). People have rejected, neglected, redefined, and opposed God’s truth for centuries. Some cynically deny that truth even exists or that it can be known by men (John 18:38). Others foolishly think that denying truth will somehow make it go away. Truth determines the validity of one's belief. Believing a lie doesn't make it true. Conversely, failing to believe the truth doesn't make it a lie. The gospel is true because Jesus is true, not simply because Christians believe in Him. His resurrection proved the truth of His claims and constitutes the objective basis of our faith (Rom. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:3). Truth is our protection and strength (Eph. 6:14). Throughout history, people have tried everything imaginable to gain favor with God. Most turn to religion, but religion apart from Christ is merely a satanic counterfeit of the truth. At the heart of every false religion is the notion that man can come to God by any means he chooses--by meditating, doing good deeds, and so on. But Scripture says, "There is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). That name is Jesus Christ, and we come to Him by confessing and repenting of our sin, trusting in His atoning death on the cross, and affirming His bodily resurrection from the grave (cf. Rom. 10:9-10). There is no other way to God. False religious leaders and teachers talk much about God’s love, but not His wrath and holiness; much about how deprived of good things people are, but not about their depravity; much about God’s universal fatherhood toward everyone, but not much about his unique fatherhood toward all who believe in His Son; much about what God wants to give to us, but nothing about the necessity of obedience to Him; much about health and happiness, but nothing about holiness and sacrifice. Their message is full of gaps, the greatest of which leaves out a biblical worldview of the saving gospel and replaces it with the worldview of postmodernism with its dominant ethical system of relativism. The Bible describes mankind in the end times: “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7). Spiritual answers cannot be deduced by human reason alone (1 Cor. 2:14). It’s not that spiritual truth is irrational or illogical, but that human wisdom is defective, because it’s tainted by man’s sinfulness, and unable to perceive the things of God. That is why the Bible is so important. It gives us the answers we can’t find on our own. It is God’s Word to mankind. Scripture is divinely revealed truth that fills the vacuum of spiritual ignorance in all of us. Post-truth is the word of the year for 2016 and also the philosophy of the day, According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. In a “post-truth” world, people make choices based on emotion and experience rather than objective fact. So in a post-truth world, truth is irrelevant. What exactly is a post-truth culture? It’s a culture where truth is no longer an objective reality. It has become subjective. It’s what’s true for me—my beliefs, my opinions, determine my truth. So in our post-truth culture, man determines truth. Man makes himself the ultimate authority. This starting point, which rejects God’s Word and the idea of moral absolutes, makes truth subjective. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Christianity is grounded in objective truth. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Objective truth exists because we have God’s Word. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Thy word is truth” (John 17:17), and Paul and James describe the Bible as “the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:18). The Psalmist says, “The entirety of your word is truth” (Psalm 119:160). Jesus Himself said, “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37). When Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by me” (John 14:6), He wasn’t expressing His personal belief or opinion. He was speaking the truth, a fundamental reality that doesn’t change from person to person. It doesn’t matter if our culture thinks all roads lead to God. The truth of the matter is “no one comes to the Father but by [Jesus].” This blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." - George Orwell
Love this! Working on that whole acceptance thing more all the time. 🙂
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Really enjoyed your poem on the theme of acceptance…very nicely done indeed.
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Wow! There is a lot to consider there. I think I have known one or two of them there “wizards”…nasty lot.
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Leslie I agree with you. 🙂
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Such a powerful ending Leslie ❤
One should learn to accept others just the way they are 🙂
Beautifully executed 🙂
Lots of love,
Sanaa
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yes and we need to accept us as well. Thanks Sunny One xoxo
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Though I commented on the poem you shared last week at Midweek Motif and also the poem you shared in Poetry Pantry, you did not return visits to me. I (and others) appreciate visits as much as you do. Hope this week I will see that you are making the rounds.
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I am sooo sorry we have had several family “crises” in the last several weeks so am trying to hold things together.
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I am sorry about your crises, Leslie.
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I loved the last two lines “is it the rise of dawn that you see
or just the empty shackles???” We should accept ourselves and never try to change for the sake of others.
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Oh wowza, this is good. I was thinking of doing the prompt, but it looks like there’s an obligation involved to “make the rounds”….
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I think that ultimately we have to be who we are. If we go around changing ourselves to fit what everyone needs we live a life definitely in the shackles of others expectations. The greatest freedom we can give anyone, and even ourselves, it to be ourselves.
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I agree 110%
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Looking at you, kiddo, it’s the rise of dawn, for sure!!!!!!!
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Oh yes,I can relate to this! My own journey of attempting self acceptance began by borrowing the eyes of others to look at me, until I started to turn things around and began looking at myself from the inside instead… Great lines!
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yes it helps doesnt it – a part of life’s journey
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‘is it the rise of dawn that you see or just empty shackles’, loved these lines!! When we try to conform to one, there’s always another around the bend. Best to be ourselves and let the conformists deal with it!! Great writing 🙂
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I so agree and it fees great to be shackle free…
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How important it is to take “the path less travelled” and to be ourselves for we should never live our lives pretending to be what we are not.
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it’s better to accept as we are…we have choices to uplift ourselves in many ways…nicely thought provoking poem Leslie…
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I think to lead a happy and healthy life one would be advised to be the best person they can be.
Everyone needs work. There is far too much narcissism encouraged in our society . Oh and incidentally …thankfully I and others have never been so narcissistic and arrogant to expect a comment from anyone simply because I or we have given one. My ego does not need that kind of bolstering.
Hope things improve in your personal life. It is often in times of crisis that one needs to write poetry and receive a few words of encouragement rather than admonishments from misery merchants.. Take care !
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The valuable qualities of individualism are certainly not celebrated enough in this world – but stay round and true – the people that matter appreciate that!
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It is hard to stop being amenable to others wishes. Great poem.
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You make me think of the song, “Only You.” And it is, only you, you alone….the best you will ever be! Thank you for being you!
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How silly to think we can be a better “you.”
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Each person can only be who they are…square or round, we can’t try to fit into another person’s ideal of who we will be. Continue to embrace just who YOU are & celebrate that!
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Love your poem. I find with aging, self-acceptance occurs more easily, naturally, wisely. I no longer strive to live up to another’s vision of me.
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Beautiful! Accepting others in the way they are, without any pretension, is a great thing…
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Moonie,
An excellent poem, which should give encouragement, to those who continually doubt their individual value and worth..Their esteem must be accepted and honestly regarded…
Eileen
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Being connected to the acceptance feel is a great response. Well penned Moonie!
Hank
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__As we condemn our failures and ourselves on a daily basis , all we need to do is -look around-! _m
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Yes, trying to conform to be accepted by others is a dangerous game.
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