How To Faithfully Hold To Truth In A "Post-Truth" World [3 Steps]
This is a guest post from Payton Pierce / January 12, 2021
Truth is relative. Everyone has their own truth. These are just a few of the many statements that you will hear in the culture today. We are seeing an attack on truth and emphasis placed on feelings and emotions by many today.
But what is truth?
That was Pilate’s question to Jesus just before Jesus was sentenced to be crucified. The Christian worldview knows the Truth and presupposes it from the One who is the source of truth.
Society claims progress and inclusion, but in reality it is regression and inclusion—as long as it doesn’t offend anybody or align with the Christian worldview. We are seeing exactly what Paul wrote of in Romans 1:18-32:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Rom. 1:18-32 ESV)
The culture around us is becoming more and more openly hostile against the Christian worldview, and as Christians we must be prepared to stand firm against this tide of liberal and atheistic ideology. We must be prepared to be labeled as homophobic bigots and face the threat of hate crimes for simply standing on what the Bible says.
The world gives approval to what God disapproves of and makes it truth. They know the Truth of God, but choose to suppress it in unrighteousness.
So how can we stand firm and be a faithful witness for the Lord Jesus Christ in a world that doesn’t want to hear the Truth?
1. Pray. Pray. Pray
Prayer is essential to the Christian life. Prayer and Scripture should be the first thing we run to. The Christian life is a life spent on our face in prayer to a Holy God. Prayer humbles the believer and reminds us of our reliance on God, not ourselves.
Jesus taught the importance of prayer and the need to always be praying (Lk. 18:1). Paul wrote to pray without ceasing, making our requests known to God (Phil. 4:6; 1 Th. 5:17). If we are not spending time in prayer we are not ready to stand against the flow of culture. We will quickly give in to the practices of the day.
Prayer should be our first thought as believers, not our last resort. Run to the Lord in fervent prayer.
2. Be Counter-Cultural
Cultural, American Christianity is far from true, biblical Christianity. As culture moves further from truth, it will move further away from the Church.
The Church should look different from the world, not more like it in an attempt to attract the world. Christ’s bride is called to be holy (1 Pet. 1:15-16). It should not be controversial or uncommon when we take an opposing stance against the flow of the culture. In fact it should be expected. Following Christ won’t bring praise from the culture, rather it will bring insults and sometimes persecution.
Believers, do not be afraid to go against the grain. Mortify your sin, don’t give approval to others' sin, and glorify God.
Also we should be different from culture in both our grace and truth. We need to balance the two by loving our neighbor while still standing firm on the truth. Be counter-cultural, but don’t be jerks about it. By the grace of God we know the Truth of the Gospel, so pride over others should not be seen among us. Be humble, but be different from the world.
3. Push Back Against the Darkness
We have been given a command to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:18-20). We don’t do this by sitting back and watching TV every night. We need to be leading others in the Word, showing them the riches of Christ.
Go to your local town square or downtown where people regularly are and evangelize.
Go to your local university campus and share the Gospel with those who are just getting to experience freedom outside of mom and dad’s roof.
Go to your local abortion clinic and save those who are being led to the slaughter, while sharing the Gospel.
Passivity is not a mark of a true believer. Be active and push back against the darkness, advancing the Kingdom.
Many have forgotten how to wield the sword of the Word against what culture says is right and wrong. Christians must realize that what we do today affects generations to come. Shine the light of Christ in the darkness and expose the evils of this culture that pushes lies as truth.
Christians Must Not Lose Heart
It is quite easy to look at the world around us and lose heart, but Believer, remember, we have a risen King who is reigning right now. All enemies are being made His footstool.
Take heart and endure. Stand firm on the truth of the Word in the midst of a culture that opposes all truth that goes against its deceptions. Be a faithful witness who makes the Gospel known to a world that is suppressing the truth. And remember the words of Paul; “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16 ESV).