Pastor's Corner
April, 2002
During the long drive from the Bay Area to Los Angeles, I had a lot of time to listen to the tape recording I brought along on various subjects by Dr. R. Evans, an expert on Moral Philosophy and Ethics, and also to reflect on other matters. Being able to use my “Frontal Lobe” of the brain helped me be alert.
As I was listening to some of the tapes, I realized we are all affected by the culture we are in. Not only are we affected by the fashion and style of living, but more importantly, our thought process and decision-making are affected by the philosophy of the time. We are in what is normally labeled as the “Postmodern Era.” For some, this may not be a familiar term, but its philosophy has permeated our minds. Without going into too much detail, Postmodernism may be characterized as open-ended attitudes, in which there is no absolute; everything is relative. Since there is no absolute, my opinion is just as valid as yours; my view maybe different from yours, but it holds the same weight. There is little wonder as to why people are having a difficult time in accepting authority. When Christians bring this worldview to Bible studies, it backfires. How often have we seen in Bible study groups that the participants seek sharing their experiences instead of seeking the Truth! The end result is devastating—a shallow understanding of the Scripture based on “experience” instead of doctrinal truth. We must be on our guard to fend off this worldview from permeating into the church. We need to seek the doctrinal truth, and be submissive under its authority. In any passage of the Scripture, there is only one interpretation, yet it has unlimited applications.
Another by-product of Postmodernism is that since there is no absolute, there is no Truth. Stemming from this worldview, we often hear people say, “That maybe the Truth to you, but it is not the Truth to me.” This statement itself posts a fundamental problem, because the Truth is the Truth, regardless of one’s subjective opinion. Truth doesn’t become truth based on a popularity vote. Postmodernism itself creates an unanswerable question in its philosophy: If there is no absolute, what makes this statement absolutely correct? You see, there must be Absolute Truth, and we must submit under its authority. The Bible tells us that Jesus claimed to be the Truth. He made such a claim based on His resurrection.
Before I sign off, on behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ, I would like to invite you to come to know the Truth, because the Truth (Christ Himself) will set you free!
Pastor Larry
