Philosophers refer to cur present era of intellectual history as the postmodern period. This means that we are beyond the modern period when the scientific method ruled. As hostile to Christianity as scientific modernism is, there is one crucial area in which both Christians and modernists agree. Both agree that absolute truth exists, though each has a profoundly different basis for grasping the truth.<\/p>\n
Postmodernism, however, denies that objective truth exists. Truth is only what you perceive it to be, and what is true for you may not be true for someone else. This viewpoint is called relativism.<\/p>\n
I tell my students that I am not a postmodern professor because I will give them grades based on the objective standard of my expectations. A consistent postmodern professor would have no choice but to give every student an “A,” since every student can say his “wrong” answers were true, from his point of view.<\/p>\n
As silly as that prospect is, the bitter consequence of relativism is that all ethical systems and philosophical worldviews must also receive the same passing grade. If there is no eternal standard by which behavior and ideas can be judged, then all behaviors and all ideas must be equally regarded.<\/p>\n
Despite its moniker, postmodernism is hardly a recent development. From the standpoint of Scripture, mankind has always been tempted to replace God’s objective will with his own self-will. I want to explore what the Bible says about this dangerous course.<\/p>\n
In Romans 1-3 Paul presents his indictment against sinful humanity, concluding that “all have sinned<\/em>” (Romans 3:23). Both Jews and Gentiles are guilty of violating whatever law God has given them. Romans 1:18-32 is Paul’s description of the utter sinfulness of the Gentile world. In this passage, I want you to notice two things. First, the root cause for this apostasy, and second. the consequences this had for Gentile society.<\/p>\n Romans 1:18 declares that God’s wrath is revealed against those who suppress the truth. What truth? “That which is known about God<\/em>” (Romans 1:19). ln particular, Paul argues that the Gentiles could know God’s eternal power and divine nature based on “the creation of the world<\/em>” (Romans 1:20). The Gentiles were given clear proof of God’s existence and power through nature, but they suppressed this truth.<\/p>\n Man needs to believe in something. And what Paul goes on to say is that upon rejecting belief in God, the Gentiles invented their own religion. This religion denied God’s distinct role as Creator, and instead crafted gods in the image of creation, including man (Romans 1:21 ). This is mankind’s story. When we reject God in whose image we are made, we replace Him with a god-man in our own image. This is the essence of relativism — creating your own religion.<\/p>\n Next, in Romans 1:24-32. Paul outlines three severe ramifications of rejection of God, keying each with the phrase “God gave them over” (Romans 1:24, 26, 28). Far more consequential than men giving up God is God giving up men.<\/p>\n First, God gave the Gentiles “over in the lusts of their hearts<\/em>” (Romans 1:24). Pagan religion was saturated with sexual overtones, complete with temple prostitution (see Genesis 38:21). It is no wonder that rejection of the true God led to promiscuity.<\/p>\n Second, “God gave them over to degrading passions<\/em>” (Romans 1:26), defined here by Paul as homosexual and lesbian conduct. God built within His creation the ability to reproduce. Rejection of God as Creator would naturally lead to sexual abominations which fundamentally deny the life-giving reproduction inherent in God’s created order.<\/p>\n Third, “God gave them over to a depraved mind<\/em>” (Romans 1:28). Paul’s description of the depraved mind is that it causes complete social chaos (Romans 1:29-31), or what we might call “man’s inhumanity to man.”<\/p>\n When mankind calls its own shots, the results are profligacy, perversion, and savagery.<\/p>\n Not only does Scripture outline the evils of relativism, but it also illustrates them. Let’s now take a look at a period of Israel’s history when “there was no king in lsrael; everyone did what was right in his own eyes<\/em>” (Judges 21:25) — the period of the Judges.<\/p>\n The period of the Judges is that time in Israel’s history sandwiched in between the exodus and the monarchy. Though Israel had a king on the throne, God Himself, the nation had no visible national leader. Judges 17 opens with a story about a young boy who confesses to his mother that he stole her silver. She responds by blessing him and then vows. “I wholly dedicate the silver from my hand to the LORD for my son to make a graven image and a molten image<\/em>” (Judges 17:3). Israel has rejected the true knowledge of God.<\/p>\n On the basis of Romans 1, we can anticipate what will happen next. First, the record speaks of a Levite’s concubine who “played the harlot against him<\/em>” (Judges 19:2). This is what Paul spoke of when he said God gives the godless over to the “lusts of their heart<\/em>.”<\/p>\n After tracking her down, the Levite passes through the region of Benjamin on his way home. At the town of Gibeah, he finds lodging with an old man in the city. That night a mob from the city surrounded the house and demanded that the Levite be sent out so that they could abuse him sexually (Judges 19:22). This is the “degrading passion<\/em>” Paul spoke of.<\/p>\n Desperate, the Levite sent out his concubine to the mob, and she was abused until she dropped dead at the door. The Levite then sent word to all the tribes about this disgrace. When the tribes demand that the men of Benjamin punish Gibeah, they refuse. Gibeah has found “hearty approval” in the eyes of Benjamin, as Paul said of the Gentiles (Romans 1:32).<\/p>\n A civil war ensues in which the 12 tribes make war on Benjamin — social chaos at its worst. Of the 26,000 men of Benjamin who fought, only 600 survived (Judges 20:47).<\/p>\n I don’t think there is any question that our society is in the process of giving up God. Relativism abounds in our country, with no more vivid example than President Clinton. In his testimony during his scandal with Monica Lewinsky, the president repeatedly redefined terms like “sexual relations,” “alone,” and even “is” in a way that defied objective reality. The overwhelming public support he received can only mean that our society gives its own “hearty approval” to evildoers.<\/p>\n Further, I don’t think there is any question that God is in the process of giving this nation up. The “sexual revolution” has truly rebelled against the purity of sex in marriage that God’s word ordains (Hebrews 13:4 ). The acceptance of homosexual conduct is growing, and in some cases with tacit civil approval. And who would deny that our culture is coarsening, hardening in its inhumanity?<\/p>\n Relativism may sound like an esoteric philosophy, but its application is fatal to society. Our responsibility as Christians is to demonstrate consistent obedience to the truth of God’s word and to share the news of the One who is “the way, the truth, and the life<\/em>” to the world (John 14:6).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Shane Scott Sentry Magazine, March 2000 Philosophers refer to cur present era of intellectual history as the postmodern period. This means that we are beyond the modern period when the scientific method ruled. As hostile to Christianity as scientific modernism is, there is one crucial area in which both Christians and modernists agree. Both…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[1207],"class_list":["post-33771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-moral-relativism"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":23445,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-absolute-truth\/","url_meta":{"origin":33771,"position":0},"title":"The Absolute Truth","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 21, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Jeremiah 32:37-41 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m sure you have heard people who in matters of right and wrong express this belief \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI feel it is wrong for me, but other people have to decided for themselves whether it is wrong for them. I can\u2019t push my beliefs on others.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The statement\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":86670,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-everyones-opinion-equally-true\/","url_meta":{"origin":33771,"position":1},"title":"Is Everyone’s Opinion Equally True?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Zeke Flores We live in a world that is permeated by pluralism, humanism, relativism, and every other \"ism\" one can think of. Everybody's opinion is of equal value, more or less, and therefore equally true. For instance, have you ever heard someone say, \"That may be true for you,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54354,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-cultural-problem-with-truth\/","url_meta":{"origin":33771,"position":2},"title":"The Cultural Problem with Truth","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer The truth shall set you free (John 8:32). To borrow an idea from another well-known statement, had it not been for the truth, I would not have known lies. Oxford's word of the year in 2016 was \"post-truth.\" That should not really be a surprise. For decades\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":39791,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/on-thinking-we-are-right\/","url_meta":{"origin":33771,"position":3},"title":"On Thinking We Are Right","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 30, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer One of the consequences of postmodern thinking is that we can think whatever we want, but we aren't allowed to think that we are actually right. In other words, there is no capital T in \"truth.\" To think we are right is to commit one of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":23030,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-failure-of-moral-relativism\/","url_meta":{"origin":33771,"position":4},"title":"The Failure of Moral Relativism","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 30, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer (By \u201cmoral relativism,\u201d I mean in this context the idea that morals are merely human conventions and are relative, non-absolute, and changing according to our own personal or societal situation and desires. Morals are subjective, with no ultimate line or standard by which moral behavior is to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":77989,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-appeal-of-catholicism-among-young-men-and-lessons-for-churches-of-christ-confronting-the-vacuum-left-by-the-progressive-movement\/","url_meta":{"origin":33771,"position":5},"title":"The Appeal of Catholicism Among Young Men and Lessons for Churches of Christ: Confronting the Vacuum Left by the Progressive Movement","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 14, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Gregory Alan Tidwell In recent years, an unexpected trend has surfaced: young men under thirty (Gen-Z) are increasingly turning to Catholicism. At first glance, this shift appears counterintuitive. With its traditions, hierarchical structure, and strict doctrines, Catholicism seems an unlikely refuge for a generation celebrated for its openness, diversity,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33771","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33771"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33771\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33771"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33771"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Cause — Rejection of God<\/h3>\n
The Consequences<\/h3>\n
A Historical Example<\/h2>\n
The Root Cause<\/h3>\n
The Consequences<\/h3>\n
Application<\/h2>\n