John 18:38 (NKJV) 38Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” …
In our post-modern culture the idea of absolute truth is seen as a position of arrogance. The post-modernist sees truth, if it exists at all, as unknowable. “Discussion” has become 
the operative word and the height of intellect is the admission that absolute truth is unattainable. So he or she is left with “their truth” which has equal value with any other truth. It is completely subjective, untestable and denies the idea of exclusivity and leaves people open to moral relativism.
Of course this world view runs counter to that of Biblical Christianity (Psalm 110:5; 117:2; 119:142,160; John 1:14,17; 8:32; 14:6; 17:17,19). The problem though, is that much of the Church is embracing the post-modern view. Much of Evangelicalism has thrown out proclamation for discussion. In its haste to become “seeker friendly” in evangelism we have engaged in conversation with those in darkness, as if they have some revealed light, and have left that which the Scriptures promises to honor, the proclamation of the Gospel, out in the cold. The end result is a convictionless Gospel message that revels in uncertainty.
Once this poison enters the church we are left with no real test of fidelity. Doctrine is on the back burner if not despised and the revealed God of the Scriptures is replaced by “my god” who is just as true as “your god”. This becomes true about every other doctrine of the Bible and leaves the true Gospel open to subjective reason. The end result is that the reason of men stands in preeminence, contrasting the centrality of Christ and the Sovereignty of God as revealed in the Scriptures.
So the questions come; do we play the game of our culture so as to gain a hearing or do we proclaim truth, especially the truth of the Gospel with clarity and conviction? Is the argument won on the strength of one’s opinion or is it declared as truth and let the chips fall where they may? And if we engage in post modern “conversation” what then will be the test of fidelity, the winner of the argument? What these rhetorical questions reveal is that the post modernist worships at the feet of intellectual prowess and conclusions of doubt, vagueness, and skepticism as if these reach the stars of real critical thinking. Any thought that truth can be objectively knowable is seen as anti-intellectual and the height of arrogance.
Sadly, many within the church have succumbed to the emptiness of this new version of agnosticism. We have become foolish enough think that what is important is “discussion” about spiritual things without drawing conclusions. We scoff at the “prince of sciences” Theology, and call it “man’s doctrine” while in reality we have embraced the very thing we have criticized. No test for truth is sought and the very thought of such, is a thing to be ridiculed as presumptuous. This is certainly not the testimony of the Scriptures or of Christ (Psalm 119:142,151; John 1:14,17; 4;23-24, 8:32; 14:6; 16:13; 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). The whole of Scripture is written in such a way as it assumes that there is truth and there is falsehood. Scripture looks at reality from antithesis. Certain things are right and others are false. There is the narrow way that leads to life eternal and a wide way that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). You are either in darkness or in the light (John 1:5; 3:19; 8:12; 12:35; Romans 2:19). If you are in the light you cannot have communion with darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14). You are either a slave to sin or a slave to Christ ( John 8:34, 1 Corinthians 7:22). For the Scriptures, antithesis is to face reality, especially moral reality. Furthermore, unless there is objective truth there is no way we can call upon the Lord (Psalm 145:18). Unless there is objective truth, there is no sanctification, especially sanctification in the truth (John 17:17,19). Unless there is objective truth we cannot rejoice in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). And finally, and most critically, unless there is objective truth, what assurance is there of our own personal salvation (I John 5:10-13)?
Since we are exhorted to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) it is obvious that John saw truth as objective and revealed in the Scriptures. So then, how do we test truth in light of the Scriptures? Especially, since we are commanded to contend for the truth (Jude 3). We will take a look in my next article, concerning what I feel, is a convincing test that puts the Gospel and the person of Christ as preeminent and all other views on the garbage heap of human intellectualism.
If you’re like me, you probably hate sequels, but, such is life. Hang in there; you won’t have to wait as long.
-Michael Holtzinger