Look at the world through Biblical Glasses (3)

This is part 3 of 3 of the introductory chapter of my book, Biblical Glasses.

Which of the following statements represents your feeling on belief and truth?

• I believe something, because it is true.
• Something is true, because I believe it.

While the former is clearly the logical choice, our post-modern culture chooses the latter, thinking the act of believing makes things true for the individual. Rather than remaining properly objective, truth becomes subjective, best represented by hyper-tolerance. The selfish mentality says, “So-and-so can believe or do whatever he/she wants to believe or do, as long as he/she doesn’t bother me!”

Defining tolerance can be a difficult task in our society today; I will offer two definitions: Tolerance is “sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one’s own.” Tolerance is also “the recognition of the rights of an individual to his own opinions and customs, as in religious worship.” When we respect the rights of others to have and express opinions differing from our own, we are being tolerant.

Certainly tolerance is an integral part of our country, but it can be excessively applied. Notice the mentality mentioned above. It says, “As long as he/she doesn’t bother me!” Should we be tolerant of something that causes pain? There is no doubt of the intense pain and suffering that comes with being criticized for holding viewpoints not matching the common perception of normal. (See the movie Angus.)

Tolerance means we do not harm or kill each other on account of our differences. We do not burn each other’s churches, temples, or mosques because of different religious beliefs. We should not treat people differently based on their opinions. At the same time, tolerance does not mean we should ignore our differences, nor does it mean we must refrain from harsh criticism of our opponents and their opinions. It is no crime to say publicly someone’s belief is wrong or sinful. Tolerance does not require acceptance! Tolerance has gotten out of hand to the point where criticism is considered intolerant. The line from true tolerance (recognition of the right to hold and attempt to spread opinions—even evil ones) to extreme tolerance (acceptance of evil behavior) is too often crossed.

Consider the many things in this world once considered intolerable: Abortion, adultery, fornication (consensual sex between non-married persons), cohabitation (living together before marriage), swearing, and dishonesty, to name just a few. These things have moved from intolerable to acceptable, even the expected norm in many cases. This is where tolerance has gone awry.

Diversity in this country can be taken to mean people are bothered by different things. Remember all laws impose one group’s behavioral conviction on all people. For example, the U.S. Government has made robbery illegal. This law compels everyone to avoid stealing, regardless of an individual’s opinion on the matter. Just because it is illegal does not mean it cannot be done; it simply means it will not be tolerated, and there may be consequences to pay if convicted. People get away with much more heinous acts than theft every day. Certainly most of us would agree it is wrong to steal, but I am sure some people in our country think stealing is acceptable. Our Government offends petty thieves and kleptomaniacs by setting a law to prohibit their activity.

On the flipside, abortion is currently a legal act. By law, a pregnant woman may have her unborn baby sucked out of her womb with a vacuum or cut into tiny, manageable pieces to abort the pregnancy. But many people consider abortion equivalent to, or even worse than, premeditated murder. Our Government likewise offends pro-lifers by setting a law that allows this activity. Where does the Federal Government draw the line at offending someone? Does it stop with murder? What about abortion? Does it stop with gay marriages? What about the recognition of same-sex unions? Does it stop with nudity or bad language on television? Not anymore. Ironically, about the only thing this society cannot tolerate is intolerance.

This country was undeniably founded on theistic principles, objective truth. It is absolutely true our founding fathers had the God of the Bible as their foundation. To quote the United States Declaration of Independence, “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” These rights do not come from society or human tradition, and they certainly do not come from evolution. Instead they come from our Creator, God! It is the Creator God Who has established justice and freedom for America, not because we deserve it, but because of His mercy and grace and for His glory. I would argue our nation has prospered throughout her short history because of her foundation on truth. That foundation has been chiseled away in the past forty years, and the corruption stems from lies—evolution and moral relativism. What we see is a lack of truth. Our society no longer recognizes the absolute foundation on which our nation was built.

As our Government determines which actions are beyond the limits of tolerance—that is to say, illegal—I think everyone would agree it is not always correct. Is the Government looking the other way when it comes to evil in our country? To ignore evil in the name of tolerance is to be an accomplice to the evildoer. The Government has certainly had its share of lies and deception. Lies are undoubtedly tolerated in all areas of our society. Dishonesty breeds skepticism about truth. We lose trust in our leaders, because they lie.

According to the Bible, Satan told the first lie when he tempted Eve to disobey God in the Garden of Eden; he said, “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4). Eve became skeptical of God when she believed Satan’s lie, and we do the same thing when we believe evolution and moral relativism. Lies make us become skeptical of people, and we begin to trust only ourselves. Many people only care about themselves. Should the individual set the limits on tolerance? Would that not provide for a chaotic anarchy? No universal laws, no universal truths? No justice, no mercy? It seems this is the direction we are headed. What we are forgetting is a foundation of truth, objective, absolute truth.

Perhaps a more obvious example of tolerance and intolerance lies in mathematics. Two plus two equals four. This equation is undeniably, universally, and absolutely true. Any answer other than four is not tolerated. By tolerating only the truthful answer, are we considered intolerant? No! We are correct not to tolerate an incorrect answer! Certainly you are free to disagree, but you would simply be wrong. This truth applies not only in mathematics, but also wherever absolute truth exists. Truth cannot tolerate error. Truth by definition is intolerant.

You might be skeptical on my views of tolerance. Skepticism is one reason our post-modern worldview is on the rise. Skepticism grows quickly with a diminishing ability to trust. As it continues growing more and more difficult to trust people, it may seem logical to turn to yourself. The Bible says: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25). There comes a point when we must realize we cannot even trust ourselves. We are not perfect, and deep down inside we all know it! The Bible says: “The requirements of the law are written on their hearts” (Romans 2:15). The Bible also says: “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). We have a built-in morality code we cannot keep. We are not strong enough to hold ourselves accountable for perfect ethical and moral behavior.

Rather than admit to their shortcomings and turn to God for help, post-modernists have said we can decide for ourselves what behavior is okay, despite the absolute truth laid in our hearts that says otherwise. The post-modern worldview teaches we can cover the truth with lies and suppress it long enough to make it go away. The theory of evolution, which attempts to eliminate God from existence, goes a long way in supporting post-modernism. Like Hitler’s Big Lie Technique, if a lie is big enough and repeated often enough, people believe it; it becomes an accepted part of the culture. The post-modern worldview and the theory of evolution are prime examples.

When we examine Biblical history, we will see it has always been difficult and often foolish to trust in mortal men for anything of true value. The Bible says: “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men who cannot save” (Psalm 146:3). Instead, the Bible says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). “Come near to God and He will come near to you” (James 4:8). We should not insist on learning through personal experience; rather we are to learn the lessons history has already taught. The Bible says: “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). Trust is a missing quality within the post-modern worldview.

By reviewing Biblical history, we can learn how trust began to gradually deteriorate when sin entered the world long ago. We will see God alone as completely faithful and worthy of our trust. I am so thankful I have learned what I know about the world and its Creator. I want everyone to know what I know and more! I hope it is clear after continued reading that the truth (faith, trust, belief, knowledge) of life after death (heaven or hell) is real for everyone. I hope it is clear that heaven is accessible by only one name—Jesus Christ. The Bible says: “Salvation is found in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). This viewpoint is considered intolerant today, so do not take my word for it. Jesus Himself said: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Hell is merited by all who do not trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. All people need to hear this so they can make an informed decision about the worldview to which they subscribe. They should see Christianity is not a blind faith, but “a faith that fits the facts.” The evidence supports the claims of the Bible!

As we embark on a brief overview of Biblical history, I hope to encourage a deeper examination of the overwhelming evidence showing the truth of the Bible. Based on the evidence, we can know it is true! Again, I am not asking you to take my word on the matter; I am asking you to take God’s Word. I am asking you to take some time to investigate the truth of the Bible for yourself. The evidence is really overwhelming! I want to simply give you a starting point. Read on to have a taste—just a taste—of the evidence for God. The Bible says: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him” (Psalm 34:8).