Relevant Life

Relativism is the doctrine that knowledge,truth, and morality only exist due to the culture of that society. It is the belief that there is not an absolute in belief.

The past 3 generations have succumbed to this belief system and it has seeped into the church. My generation, Generation X, started down the path of relativism. They are the founding members of it. Unfortunately, they have passed it on to their children. My children’s generation, Generation Y, has made Relativism their new source of faith. The motto is “ If it feels good to me then it must be right.” When society’s moral compass becomes blurred by a “ feel good” doctrine then that society quickly sinks into the quick sand of uncertainty.

Today’s relativism has infiltrated the church and bible doctrines are being rewritten. The doctrine of grace has turned into the doctrine of sympathy Sympathy seeks to only excuse one’s wrong behavior and never gives a direction on a way out. Apostle Paul writes in the book of Romans about sin no longer having power over us. Grace excuses the punishment for our sin that we have put to death in our lives. If we sin more or continue to walk in our sins then Grace is of no affect.

Rom 6:1-14  What should we say then? Should we continue to sin so that God’s kindness will increase?  (2)  That’s unthinkable! As far as sin is concerned, we have died. So how can we still live under sin’s influence?  (3)  Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  (4)  When we were baptized into his death, we were placed into the tomb with him. As Christ was brought back from death to life by the glorious power of the Father, so we, too, should live a new kind of life.  (5)  If we’ve become united with him in a death like his, certainly we will also be united with him when we come back to life as he did.  (6)  We know that the person we used to be was crucified with him to put an end to sin in our bodies. Because of this we are no longer slaves to sin.  (7)  The person who has died has been freed from sin.  (8)  If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.  (9)  We know that Christ, who was brought back to life, will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.  (10)  When he died, he died once and for all to sin’s power. But now he lives, and he lives for God.  (11)  So consider yourselves dead to sin’s power but living for God in the power Christ Jesus gives you.  (12)  Therefore, never let sin rule your physical body so that you obey its desires.  (13)  Never offer any part of your body to sin’s power. No part of your body should ever be used to do any ungodly thing. Instead, offer yourselves to God as people who have come back from death and are now alive. Offer all the parts of your body to God. Use them to do everything that God approves of.  (14)  Certainly, sin shouldn’t have power over you because you’re not controlled by laws, but by God’s favor.

Relativism states that sin is not sin. The only sin is to not do what feels good to the participate. Sex, drugs, and immorality are all free game because if it feels right then it must be ok. This belief system has been around since the beginning of time. Satan used it the garden with Adam and Eve and has increased its doctrine throughout the world. Relativism blurs the absolute truth which is only found in Christ. The church has allowed this foul belief system within its doors. Doctrines of Judging  and the love of Christ have been altered to allow people to live anyway they want. They have allowed the Gospel to become less offensive and controversial, so that the numbers can grow in their buildings. For those who are trying to follow the word of God without man’s interpretation are labeled religious or people stuck in the past. Satan’s deceptive doctrine is working and deceiving many. The Bible foretells of this deception and how many will follow it to the end. The world is preparing for the final push of this untruth.

2Th 2:8-12  Then the man of sin will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will destroy him by what he says. When the Lord Jesus comes, his appearance will put an end to this man.  (9)  The man of sin will come with the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous and wonderful signs. But they will be lies.  (10)  He will use everything that God disapproves of to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them.  (11)  That’s why God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe a lie.  (12)  Then everyone who did not believe the truth, but was delighted with what God disapproves of, will be condemned.

One thing is clear. God will allow people to believe their own delusions and belief systems but in the end those people will discover the unpleasant reward for not following the Truth.  We are getting closer and closer to the return of the Lord and the world will drift further away from God’s truth.

So how do we fight against Relativism?

1. Don’t be afraid to speak the truth.  In today’s culture, many believers take the back seat to speaking God’s truth because they are afraid of offending some one.

2. Know that God’s word is and will always be offensive to the sinful heart.

3. Live your life without approach. Think about the Story of Daniel and the lions den. Daniel lived so much of his life without approach that the evil men who disliked him could not find a single Skelton in his closet. They had to trick the king into making some bogus decree about praying to any other God beside the king in order to get Daniel  into the lion’s den.

4. Continue to allow Holy Spirit to search your heart. Relativism can easily collide with God’s reality. Before you know it a little leaven has just leaven the whole lump.

5. Be the light into the darkness. The only way to overcome the night is through a flashlight. Light reveals what the darkness conceals.

It is important that believers keep their eyes open to the world around them and don’t allow this false doctrine of relativism to over take them.