From John’s Desk

If I were asked to describe our contemporary culture, three concepts come to mind. First, our society is characterized by moral relativism. In other words, there is no absolute authority, there is no transcendent, inviolable law. There is no standard against which we are measured. Every individual is his own personal authority and determiner of what is right or wrong for him.

A second defining characteristic of our society is personal freedom. While moral relativism says there is no governing authority over us, personal freedom says there are no rules to follow—the only cultural value that matters is our absolute autonomy. Any decision a person makes is valid solely because it is what he or she wants. “My body, my choice” is far more than a pro-abortion slogan—it’s the indisputable justification for every life decision. There are no guidelines you need to follow except those you choose to adopt. Personal freedom has become the ultimate virtue. The only thing our society won’t tolerate is being intolerant of someone else’s decisions.

Finally, and closely linked to the first two concepts, we live in a society completely engulfed in postmodernism, a commitment to the notion that there is no such thing as objective, absolute truth. Modernism was defined as the pursuit of truth—the attempt by way of human discovery to understand truth, discern truth, define truth. But today’s postmodern society says the truth we’ve been looking for doesn’t even exist. In a postmodern world, everything is relative—you create your own reality and define your own truth.

It’s no wonder then that lying and lies are so brazen and pervasive today. If there is no right or wrong, if we are free to create our own reality, and if there is no such thing as absolute truth, the concepts of lying and telling the truth lose all meaning. In that moral quagmire, telling the truth is no longer valued or a virtue. Government, academia, media, business—every human institution embraces lying as a way of life. That’s how you end up with a culture that asserts that love is hate, hate is love, good is evil, evil is good, normal is perverse, and perverse is normal. Introduce into the equation the Internet and you have the ability to fabricate, perpetuate, and reinforce lies literally on a global scale.

As a result, resistance and hostility to the truth of Scripture and the gospel is intense and widespread. That the Bible is absolute, objective, divine truth that makes demands on us is the most counter-cultural and inflammatory claim you can possibly make. The days of at least a superficially peaceful coexistence between the world and the church are over. The world is in rebellion against Christ and Scripture, and will do everything it can to obliterate truth, elevate lies, and silence those who preach the gospel.

It is with this cultural moment and the Bible’s clear teaching on truth and deception in mind that I taught this sermon from Ephesians 4 titled “The Disastrous Sin of Lying.” In it you’ll hear what Scripture says about lies, liars, and the God who loves truth. A defining characteristic of true Christians is that we are people of the truth. We know and love truth. We love the God of truth. We defend the truth, and we forsake lies and lying in every form. This sermon can help reinforce your commitent to telling and upholding the truth. Listen to it here, free of charge.

With the attacks on truth so blatant and widespread, these are actually exciting days to be part of God’s kingdom work through Grace to You. This is the moment for which we were made—through mass media, we bring people far and wide the undiluted truth of Scripture. God’s Word is powerful to restore the soul, to make wise the simple, to rejoice the heart, and to enlighten the eyes (Ps. 19). We do what we do, knowing it is God who works in hearts to convict, convert, comfort, instruct, and equip. There’s no more important way we can love and serve people than to bring them truth.

Thank you for your outpouring of support to help us continue “Unleashing God’s Truth, One Verse at a Time.” You are a benediction to Patricia and me, and to the men and women to whom you minister through your generosity to Grace to You.

Love in the Truth,

John MacArthur
Pastor-Teacher