FOR WRITERS

FOR READERS

FOR PUBLISHERS




FREE CHRISTIAN REPRINT ARTICLES

Christian Articles for All of your Publishing Needs!

LIKE US
Translate this Page Here

FOR WRITERS

FOR READERS

FOR PUBLISHERS




Word Count: 935

Send Article To Friend Print/Use Article

Contact William Ryzek


When Truths Collide-Part 1

by William Ryzek  
6/22/2009 / Christian Living


As I’ve indicated in previous articles, societies take on truth is this: there is no truth applicable to all people at all times under all circumstances, but only ‘truths’ individually decided and applied. This is a formula for disaster which we are already witnessing not only in the inexorable decline and decay of our own national moral sense, but the whole world’s. Countless ‘truth’s’ held by countless individuals, groups and nations are colliding with each other all over the place; it’s looking like a bad freeway accident in southern California with no CHP, ambulances or tow trucks in sight.

Before deciding what ‘the’ truth is when truths collide we have to consider how we can know it in the first place. We start with the observation that we cannot exist in and of ourselves; we require something ‘from the outside’ so to speak. In fact, when you think about it, this embraces everything, even our conception. Therefore, when we say we ‘create’ something, for example, what we really mean is we manipulate what is already there. An artist ‘creating’ a painting is really taking things like canvas, pigments etc and setting out to combine and rearrange them in a pleasing way(or not). We are clever creatures but not much more than inventors because we need raw material only the real creation ‘outside’ ourselves can provide.

Secondly, when we make something and decide to do use it a certain way, we discover not all applications are equally beneficial or ‘good’. The thing itself is neutral, it is merely an invention made by clever creatures that have a conscience guiding their moral choices even when they don’t want it too. It would appear, then, that the conscience, although on the ‘inside’ of our selves, so to speak, has an outside source. This explains why so many people from all races and walks of life have the same (or very similar) sense of right and wrong, justice and fair play. However, more often than not, they ignore it, abuse others and then turn around and condemn such acts as evil when the abuse is done to them.

So, if we are totally dependent on factors outside ourselves in order to survive and we have a conscience that insists we do the right thing and upbraids us when we don’t, then there must be an external cause for both the creation that sustains us and the conscience that guides us because we can’t make either one. If this seems reasonable we can take it a step further and claim that creation and conscience reveal this cause to be very powerful and very righteous. We Christians call this very powerful and very righteous source God and we know Him, among other things, as Creator, Sustainer and Lawgiver and that He expects certain things from us. We believe this is not only true, but the Truth behind the mystery of existence. We can know the truth of things, then, because we know the Source of all things. The task for us who believe is giving an account of why we think our view is the true one over and against other ‘truths’ offered as explanations for who we are, where we came from and where we are going.

This brings us to the issue at hand. Truths collide, at least for us, in two distinct arenas. The first is within the ranks of Christianity (I use this term to include all who describe themselves as ‘Christian’); i.e. how do we decide between the truth of group A and the truth of group B when the claims seem contradictory? The theological term for this sort of contention is polemics. The second arena is the point where Christianity intersects with the world. For example, scientists make all sorts of claims about creation and human beings that don’t require (at least in their minds) a Creator or Sustainer as an explanation. While we might be dismissive of their theories, we still have to contend with them, especially when they might raise doubts in our minds that we would never admit to our Christian friends. The theological term for this sort of contention is apologetics.

Now, you might be thinking that Christianity would be, or should be, unified in its teaching and preaching about what truth is but, it turns out, it is just as confused as worldly society (mostly because a great portion of it has become just like society). It’s gotten so bad that the foundational truths of Christianity like the virgin birth of Christ, His teachings, His death and resurrection and His return are colliding with heretical ‘truth’ that more than just a few are now preaching. This is similar to Jesus’ time when competing truths were everywhere, not the least of which concerned the coming Messiah and prompted Pontius Pilate to ask “what is truth?” It might be the case that your particular church group believes it has the truth down pat, and it might, but should you venture outside and encounter other church groups you’re likely to find they disagree with you and might even think your group is heretical.

So, truths collide, Christians collide, churches and denominations collide and the Enemy watches it all with a sense of satisfaction of a job well done.

I hasten to add, however, that there remains a relatively high level of unity concerning the truth of Christianity in spite of what I just described. It is that unity that gives as some clues on how to decide what the truth is when truths collide. This will be taken up in the next installment.

William Ryzek, PhD has been both a pastor and academic for several years. He has published articles in various magazines and newspapers. He can be reached at [email protected]

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be! Click here and TRUST JESUS NOW

Read more articles by William Ryzek

Like reading Christian Articles? Check out some more options. Read articles in Main Site Articles, Most Read Articles or our highly acclaimed Challenge Articles. Read Great New Release Christian Books for FREE in our Free Reads for Reviews Program. Or enter a keyword for a topic in the search box to search our articles.

User Comments

Enter comments below. Due to spam, all hyperlinks posted in the comments are now immediately disabled by our system.

Please type the following word below:


Not readable? Change text.



The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

Hire a Christian Writer, Christian Writer Wanted, Christian Writer Needed, Christian Content Needed, Find a Christian Editor, Hire a Christian Editor, Christian Editor, Find a Christian Writer


Main FaithWriters Site | Acceptable Use Policy

By using this site you agree to our Acceptable Use Policy .

© FaithWriters.com. All rights reserved.