During high school back in the 1970s, I remember discussions about an emerging philosophy that was expected to eventually take over. That is, “there is no such thing as ‘absolute truth.’ Something is only true if you believe it’s true. Truth is relative.”
I disagreed. There was no way that sane, thinking people would deny the truth of something that is obviously true. That is never going to happen. Crazy.
But here we are 50 years later, and you’re a minority if you think there’s absolute truth! You have to consciously keep your mouth shut on someone else’s crazy lest you offend them.
In today’s climate, the popular truth is “my truth.” To the point that some corporations ask their employees to declare their personal pronouns. A she isn’t necessarily a she unless he/she picks “she.” This kind of insanity is creeping down into grade school. Just a decade ago, it would have been unfathomable and laughable to let people decide for themselves if they are male or female.
What does God think about this shift in thinking away from absolute truth? Several things:
- First, God embodies absolute truth. It’s who and what He is. (Deut. 32:4). Same with Jesus. (John 14:6, Rev. 19:11) Same with the Holy Spirit. (John 16:13) Same with the Word of God. (John 17:17) These all bear record in heaven. (1 John 5:7)
- God already knew it would get like this. It’s a sign of the last days. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come…. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Tim. 3:1,7) The fundamental truths encased in God-declared knowledge and wisdom take a back seat to personal views.
- God gives us a choice to believe whatever we want to believe. But we suffer the consequences of rejecting the true knowledge and wisdom of God. Proverbs 1:20-33 is crystal clear on that.
- God goes further than allowing us to reject the absolute truth if we want to. He actively gives non-believers of His truth over to their delusions. He absolutely releases them to their own misguided thinking. (2 Thes. 2:9-12) It is a last-days thing, and it’s here.
Thanks to the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2), the closer we get to the very end of the age, the more that lies and deception spread—even within churches. Rather than preach “thus saith the Lord,” many pastors use the pulpit as a platform to tell folks what their ears itch to hear. (2 Tim. 4:3)
But this subtle "truth famine" is even worse than that. We talked about the truth of God’s word. Which version? After the KJV was published in 1611, the Revised Version popped up in 1885. Since then, more than 100 other English versions have been published. And they don’t all say the same thing. In order to acquire a trademark on a new version, a significant number of changes have to be made. It’s a “derivative work” requirement. New versions must include enough changes to be distinct from previous versions. We explain this away with the logic that it’s only the ideas expressed in the Bible that are true. The actual words don’t matter so much. Click here for more on that discussion.
In these last days, be a stickler for absolute truth above your own personal preferred truth, especially when it comes to eternal salvation, because There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Prov. 16:25) Click here to learn the absolute truth of eternal salvation.
R&J Shee