Relativism and absolutes

Last night I listened to an educated doctor say that drinking coffee was good for people. I chuckled, because drinking coffee would throw my heart into A-fib, and while that might not kill me, it certainly would not be good for me. That said, the idea that things can be true for one person and not another often needs qualification.

Coffee being good for some people but not for others supports this idea, but many other examples do not. For instance, breathing is necessary for everyone. So is drinking water, but not trying to walk on it. All people benefit from food also, and from protection from the elements.

Beyond these universals, personal preference makes things fuzzy. I like chocolate; my husband does not. I would say it was good for me and he would not agree that it was good for him. This is a minor thing, but human preference can go to astonishing extremes.

For instance, last night on the news, one lead story was about an obese woman whose doctor told her that losing weight would solve her three major health problems. She interpreted his wisdom and authority as “discrimination” and was crying for laws to protect her from such treatment. In her mind, a preference for too much food gave her the right to eat the way she wanted and the doctor could not infringe upon that. She just wanted him to fix her medical issues or in other words, treat the symptoms and not the cause.

This is where I struggle with those who reject absolute truth and any kind of authority, particularly that of our Creator. Even if they acknowledge that God actually exists, they insist what He says is not about them, and what He demands is only for those who accept it. When God says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” His words are taken as somebody’s opinion. Personal preference says this can be ignored because “it does not apply to me.”

I’m more black and white concerning truth. Besides believing that if God says it, it must be true, I try to base most of my ideas on the source of information rather than my own reasoning about it. That is, if the town’s biggest liar told me my car was stolen, I’d check the garage first. If a website tells me I should not eat popcorn, I will seek other sources. However, if God tells me that my life needs a fix, I try to find my mirror so I could see what He is talking about and fix it.

All that said, faith is not only believing what God says, but ‘acting as if God is telling the truth.’ With all belief systems, anyone who ignores their own ideas of truth really doesn’t believe them at all.

Faith that acts includes the negatives, like ‘all have sinned’ but it also covers the good news . . . “Christ redeemed . . . .” (Galatians 3:13)

The Word of God would be a horror and a total candidate for relativity if all that it said was that I am a lost and hopeless sinner. Who wants to hear that? Instead of saying stuff like “this might be true for you but not for me” is not balanced unless they read all of what God says, not just the bad stuff.

God provides a way out for our sin. We fall short, but He loves us too much to leave us with just that. The Old Testament sacrifices were a “shadow of the good things to come” and even though those sacrifices were continually offered every year” they could “not make perfect those who draw near.” Instead, they were a “reminder of sins” and their seriousness.

Those offerings also demonstrated the faith of those who offered them. Clearly, God was looking for faith, not for the “blood of bulls and goats” that could not take away sins.

While these were important for after the fact of sin, what God really wants is obedience. The Bible says, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.”

In speaking of Christ, this is the good news; Jesus came to do what all of humanity fails to do. He “offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins . . . sat down at the right hand of God . . . . and by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:1–14)

By Jesus becoming sin for us, God offers good news. Jesus said, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37) All who believe and receive Jesus will experience forgiveness of sin and eternal life!

Those who reject the “all are sinners” part also miss out on the “all who believe” part and the experience of redemption. All who say, “That is fine for you but not for me” miss out because of two little words that offend them: all and sin. Instead, they figuratively sue God for discrimination and miss out on the total well-being that He offers.

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Jesus, I feel like weeping. Accepting the reality of what I am and what I have done is no fun, but knowing You and knowing that I have eternal life because of You goes beyond fun into a deep joy — a joy that I know will only intensify and eventually turn into eternal bliss that cannot ever be lost or destroyed. Thank You for helping me see how much I need You rather than dismissing You.

Jesus must be both Savior and Lord

Religion is thinking our good deeds will please God and He will reward us for doing them. Relativism is thinking Christ died for our sins, we are saved and that is all that is necessary. The former could be seen as a focus on Jesus as Lord; the latter as a focus on Jesus as Savior.

However, when Peter preached to his people, he said, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36)

He is Lord because He conquered sin and death. He is Lord because He created all things and all things belong to Him. He rules the universe. Whether now or eventually, everyone will bow the knee to Him. We don’t make Him Lord; He is Lord.

He is also Savior because He left His throne to rescue sinners. He died in our place, forgiving sin and granting eternal life to those who believe in Him. We don’t make Him Savior either, for whether people have faith or not, that is who He is.

If I profess faith in Christ, but live as I please, then my god is not the Lord but myself. If I profess faith in Christ, but try to save myself or earn God’s favor by what I do, I am also making a god of myself. Both are putting me over and above what the Gospel says and what Jesus did. I cannot save myself. It is impossible. I cannot live as I please, for if I know Jesus and He lives in me (Gospel), then I must respond in grateful obedience. Faith in Jesus as Savior must include submission to His Lordship.

Even before Jesus came, the nation of Israel struggled with this duel idea of their dependence upon God and their obedience to God. They tried law-keeping but could not keep it up. They lived as they pleased and that didn’t work either. Their error was leaving faith and love for God out of their response to His grace.

When Jesus came and his disciples shared the Gospel with them, “testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets,” some were convinced, but many did not believe.

As they disagreed among themselves, Paul said, “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:  ‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”

After that, he “proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:23–31) taking the message to the Gentiles who were not so hung up on their religious legalism and lackadaisical relativism.

Perhaps it was this pattern in their history that pushed the early church to focus on the Lordship of Christ. Never again did God want His people to neglect His rule. He had made a promise to them about the coming Messiah saying He would be their King and Lord . . .  

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:6–7)

Yet they didn’t expect a Savior from sin, or a Lord of their lives. They wanted a political ruler who would give them freedom from oppression and allow them comfort and freedom.

As I consider that kind of governing, I cannot think of any king who did that. No leader can rule his subjects without giving them direction, correction, or consequences from their actions. Logic says that before very long, those who lived in that kind of kingdom would soon destroy each other.

Besides logic, the Bible is clear; the kingdom of God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ is totally incompatible with the kingdom of self under the ‘lordship of me.’ Jesus must be (and is) both Savior and Lord. 

Not like fiction

Only fiction writers can get away with starting a story near the ending and making readers wait for enough background to understand what is happening and why. The rest of us, in conversation, have to fill in the history of our story; otherwise our listeners will interrupt us and ask questions until we do.
 

Whenever a devotional reading takes me to just one verse, it is rare that the verse stands alone. If it begins with “therefore” I want to know what the “therefore” is there for. Today’s reading from 2 Timothy 2:12 made me back up to find that out more, but also go forward to finish the thought. The verse is “…if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us…” The idea behind this encompasses at least five more verses.

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:8–13)

Paul is writing to Timothy, a young pastor, but the letter has good instruction for all Christians. He tells me to remember Jesus Christ, and His resurrection (it proves His deity) and His lineage (it testifies to His humanity). Paul preached about Him -- not about social issues or human interest stories as is so common for many pastors today. Paul affirms that he suffered persecution for his preaching; he had been chained in prison -- as if telling people about Jesus was a crime.

However, Paul knew that God’s Word could not be bound with chains like he was. The Word has the power to change lives and because of that, he endured all that happened to him. He was more concerned about the eternal destiny of others than he was for his own comfort and freedom. I need his powerful example!

Paul knew that those willing to give their lives to Jesus would live forever. He also knew that endurance of any persecution was the mark of someone who eventually would experience victory over all things. While it was true that denying Jesus meant Jesus would deny us, Paul pointed out that our faith does not make Jesus true – He is true regardless whether we believe or we doubt. He is who He is.

This last few phrases kick relativism in the face. Those who suppose that whatever a person believes makes that “true” for them, cannot say that to Paul. This philosophy should not convince me either. Jesus is faithful, regardless of what I think of Him. Those who think He does not exist cannot make Him go away, and those who believe He does exist did not create Him by their faith. He is objectively true.

Jesus Christ rises above the philosophies of men. He created human beings, and knows us intimately, not just because He is God and omniscient, but because He became one of us and experienced life with its trials and temptations just as we do. He is our Advocate, our Redeemer, our Savior and Friend. He cares about us and walks with us. Many push the thought of Him aside, but their pushing cannot erase His reality.

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Lord, on this Sunday morning I woke up with worship music in my heart. You put it there because You are there. I may falter and bounce all over the place in my faithfulness, but that does not change You. You are my rock and my anchor, my solid place, the One in whom I rely on and can trust because You are You, the changeless and eternal God. Praise Your name!