Interesting perspective from
Del TackettOne of the consequences of abandoning the belief in absolute truth is that all truth claims end up being merely personal notions and one soon begins to believe that your personal notion is as good as anyone else’s. This is partially the reason why “traditional” authorities: pastors, teachers, parents, etc. no longer rank high on the “go to” list in our culture.
Why should they?
If I am the genesis of “truth”, then why hold anyone else or their ideas in esteem? They are merely one more barking beast among a sea of barking beasts.
“Seeking” truth becomes not an external search, but an internal one…a quest to find out more of who I am and what I think and what I believe. Getting in touch with one’s self is the modern form of worship. If truth emanates from within, then there is surely something deeply divine about my inner self. Rather than Paul’s cry of “I want to know Him”, we cry, “I want to know myself.”
And, of course, I would like for you to have the blessing of knowing Me, too!
“Love Me. Cherish Me.”
“Celebrate and embrace Me.”
“Affirm who I Am.”(Or we will call you all kinds of terrible names; label you a hate monger until you give in or give up.)
Who thought evangelism was dead? Balderdash!
We are rabid evangelists… of Me.
This, of course, generates an increasing apathy toward history. Whatever may have passed muster as wisdom over time is of no importance to me for it is merely more barking from the past. This would include things like that dusty old Book or that dusty old Constitution or the traditional notions of marriage or family or a work ethic…
…or any ethic, come to think of it.
“According to Who?”[1] is the modern skeptic’s question. Not seeking an answer, of course. It is much akin to Pilate’s
“What is truth?” He didn’t stay for a response because he wasn’t looking for one. He was scoffing at the notion of truth. So, too, the modern skeptic scoffs at the notion that there is anything of real value, other than entertainment or pleasure, that isn’t from within.
Instead of Soli Deo Gloria, we cry Soli Meo Gloria! [2]
This, of course, does not, nor never will, lead to the nirvana that the Liar promises. It will isolate us further into a culture of manipulators where true love, which requires sacrifice, is lost. Hatred and violence will grow bolder as we discard any notion of self-restraint. Why should I restrain what is obviously divine within me? The Arts will grow more and more filthy and grotesque as we choose to sing and paint and display the depths of our depravity, falsely seen as my internal attributes of godhood… devoid of any true understanding of right and wrong, of righteousness and depravity. So Michelle Wolfe performs her “Salute to Abortion” on Netflix, declaring that abortion should be on the dollar menu at McDonalds. Anyone who knows the sickening things that happen to an innocent baby (over 3,00 babies a day in the U.S.) during an abortion must, if led by the Spirit, be nauseous at Wofe’s cry of “God bless abortion!” This issue will get a lot of attention as we move into the confirmation hearings for the Supreme Court. Look closely at this argument and all of the other hot social topics of our day: they will always, always come back to this worship of the self and divinity of “who I am”… or that “I Am”… in defiance of the only One who is the great I Am.
This increasingly open display of the depravity of man will be hailed as good and righteous. And because the worldview that promotes this now has control of the megaphone in our culture, it will be increasingly seen in every form of media and communication, art that isn’t art, theater, video, music, comedy, gaming, etc.
But this lie doesn’t set free. Instead, it enslaves.
Isolation and manipulation will breed paranoia and pathological loneliness. When “every man does what is right in his own eyes” the culture eventually collapses.
But what an opportune time this is for the Remnant in the land! The solution will not be found in power changes at the top, but from personal transformations at the bottom, through the attractively winsome “engaging” in deep relationships that the body of Christ must begin to do with their neighbors.
This is our day. This is our time.
Not for us, but for His glory alone. Soli Deo Gloria!
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[1] I know this is grammatically incorrect, but I’m quoting the comic strip.[2] “For God’s glory alone” vs “For My glory alone!” My apologies to the Latin language or its aficionados. “Soli Ego Gloria” or “Meus” or “Mihi” would have been more correct, but I was seeking the play on words and to highlight the transformation and transplantation in our culture from “God” to “Me”, from “Deo” to “Meo”. Chalk it up to poetic license.