“WHAT HAPPENED TO TRUTH?”
Man was created in the likeness and image of God (Genesis 1:26). When God breathed into Adam the breath of life, man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). Unlike animals, man has the ability to reason. Animals have the ability to solve problems such as a beaver building a dam. However, in the field of choices and responsibility for choices, man stands alone. Man chooses to hate or to love. Animals display affection for the humans that feed them and are tender toward them. Animals make no rational choice other than food and the kindness shown to them.
There are those today who believe that truth is not absolute. According to them man’s reality is whatever he thinks it is. There is no moral accounting for choices for the simple reason that truth, in their mind, is not absolute. Truth is determined by the culture and the times we live in. When we raise our objections to such foolish reasoning, the world responds, that we are fundamentalists. Liberals in the church use the same language and call us “legalists”. The Bible is, to them, “…just a love letter from God”. If one speaks about commands to be obeyed watch how quickly you find the word “legalist” jump into the conversation.
The theme of “contemporary worship” is nothing more than man getting in “touch with his feelings”. For years the self-help industry has tried to impose on readers the idea that we need to get in touch with our inner self. Back in 1992, this was an excerpt from the material being used by our brethren from 20th Century Christian. “As students share and you write these things on the board ask them how his knowledge or these feelings and actions should affect their lives.” The teacher’s manual then was used to encourage “feelings”. Whatever the student “feels” becomes the standard. No wonder they call us “legalists”. When the teacher directs the student to what God has revealed, the feelings need to be brought into accord with what is revealed.
The contemporary worship movement is nothing more than the fruit of all of these years of publishing houses reworking and using denominational material. Instead of preaching the truth, we now have drama teams that act out a particular lesson. The problem with such activities is the message arrived at is in the subjective mind of the audience. When one uses truth, it is not left up to the audience to draw unwarranted conclusions. I was honored to be able to attend the meeting at Shelbyville Road with John Grubb on Monday night. He gave eight reasons for believing that Jesus was the Christ. Here is what was so refreshing and faith building. Point after point was back up by scripture. We could read and make mental notes that what John was teaching was truth.
Today when preachers sometimes give a text and that is the last time you hear Scripture, then know the appeal is to something other than truth. It is like an audience engaging in “group therapy”. The preacher in such arrangements guides his audience to their subjective feelings rather than what the Lord says. Do you feel bad about using mechanical instruments in worship? Well we do not want you to feel bad. What we will do is have a worship with them and if you do not want to attend, then we will have a more “traditional worship” for you. That way both sides are reached. Worship is not about us and our feelings, rather, it is man coming before his Creator to honor the Creator.
When in public platforms of worship the Word of God is taught, the worshipper can go away with his faith being built up because he has heard what it takes to please God. In much of the “fluff” today the worshipper is supposed to feel good with no concern for what God has revealed. We are forced to ask, what happened to truth? Why cannot our children be taught the facts of the scripture and teach them how to reason, that is to use those facts. Is not proper saving faith acting on what God has revealed through the Scriptures?
In days gone by brethren ordered material from Sweet Publications. What would have happened if they learned that the material was being rewritten from David C. Cook Publishing (Baptist). The 20th Century Christian material with a strong connection to Standard Publishing (Christian Church). How much material from the Gospel Advocate came from Scripture Press Publishing (Baptist)? Again I ask, whatever happened to truth? More congregations are being forced to write their own material because publishing houses do not accept the fact that truth is absolute.