Skip to content

Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 1—Relativism’s Enticement
1/6/17—article 97
Why are so many people attracted to relativism as a philosophy by which to live? The answers are both simple and disturbing. They say a great deal, not just about relativism, but also about human nature.


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 2—Relativism’s Flaws
1/13/17—article 98
What are the problems with relativism as a philosophy on which to base one’s life and decisions? They are significant in number, weighty, and consequential. They’re even devastating. Sadly, a great many people who embrace relativism don’t see this. We must help them!


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 3—Relativism’s Bitter Fruit
1/20/17—article 99
Relativism not only is a philosophy that emphasizes subjectivism and feelings over objectivity, it’s also one that is related to other false ideas, including evolution, atheism, environmentalism, sexual anarchy, animal rights, the eugenics movement, and population control. This post explores the bitter fruit relativism and its friends and relatives have produced and foisted on the American culture. To combat these, we must understand them!


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 4—The Foundation and Benefits of Absolute Truth: True Liberty is Grounded in a Recognition of Absolute Truth
2/24/17—article 102
You have a choice between a free and stable society and a chaotic nation headed toward tyranny. Which will you choose? By the way, you can’t have the former of these without virtue, and you can’t have virtue in society without a sense of accountability to a Supreme Being and a recognition of absolute truth.


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 5—Hollywood Demonstrates the Folly of Relativism
3/4/17—article 103
Even though most of the players in the filmmaking industry are leftists, they demonstrated recently on a national stage that relativism is a false philosophy.


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 6—The Myth of Complete Autonomy
3/11/17—article 104
A person can follow his or her feelings and instincts for a while, but that person can’t continue to live that way without facing some serious consequences. Just ask the young man we know as the prodigal son. Were he available, he would tell you. Better yet, learn from his example and from passages of Scripture that echo some of the same truths his story does. Relativism as a practical philosophy flies out the window. It just doesn’t work.


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 7—Getting the Big Picture of Reality Is a Key Factor in Affirming the Existence of Absolute Truth and Understanding Authentic Liberty
3/18/17—article 105
Authentic freedom and liberty are grounded in absolute truth. How can this be? This article presents two vivid illustrations that can help you put your mind around this important principle.


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 8—Cracks in the Foundation of Relativism
3/27/17—article 106
Relativists are standing on some very unstable ground. In fact, they’re standing on ground as unstable as an avalanche! The very arguments they make to defend their position are refuted by the philosophy they claim to believe. With the help of Stand to Reason founder and president Greg Koukl, we examine seven restrictions relativists have placed on themselves simply because they say they believe in relativism. Greg not only points out the weaknesses of a popular philosophy, he also demonstrates the importance of showing secularists the inconsistencies in their foundational beliefs.


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 9—Encouraging People to See Relativism’s Fatal Flaw
4/2/17—article 107
This post seeks to pull back relativism’s mask to reveal its ugly face. I don’t mean here that relativism’s face is ugly merely to me, but that it is inherently and objectively ugly, independently grotesque regardless of any and all personal impressions and opinions. Yet it appears so attractive to so many! You need to know how and why to avoid being taken in by it!


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 10—The Seven Pillars of Christianity, an Authentic Faith
4/9/17—article 108
What is Christianity? It’s certainly not a typical religion—that’s for sure! Actually, the thing that sets it apart from other religious faiths is its connection to reality. Because Christianity is true, it makes sense of the real world, the world in which we live. This post examines seven pillars of the Christian faith.


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 11—Jesus’ Death and the Internal Consistency of the Christian Faith
4/15/17—article 109
Using the Seven Pillars of Christianity, this post explores how the Christian belief system is coherent and unified and why Jesus’ death was necessary to secure salvation for sinful humanity.


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 12—Why Jesus Is the Only Way to God, and Why Truth Claims to the Contrary are False
4/21/17—article 110
There are solid connections between absolute truth, Easter, and Jesus’ claim that He is the only way to God. The message of Easter refutes relativism—and this is good news! The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives Christians a solid rock on which to stand, and assurances relativists never can know!


Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 13—God Reveals Truth About Himself: Eleven Things You Need to Know
4/29/17—article 111
God didn’t create the world and then hide. Rather, He has revealed Himself to humanity in a variety of ways. This article explores the remarkable theme of God’s disclosing truth about Himself to humanity. The truths He reveals are absolute, so we do well to heed them!


God Is Angry, and Here’s Why—Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 14
5/12/17—article 112
God is a God of love, but He’s also a God of anger and wrath. Imagine you’re a king who went out of His way to introduce yourself to your subjects, but you were ignored and rejected. Wouldn’t you be angry? You can therefore understand God’s anger, can’t you? There are many aspects to this important topic, not the least of which is that we need to pay attention to what God is trying to tell us. Are you listening?


Digging Deeper: Learning More About Divine Wrath—Four Helpful Insights Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 15
5/21/17—article 114
God exists, and to Him, all things are not the same. He is loving and merciful, but He also is holy and just and judges sin. Daniel Webster recognized this when he was asked what the most profound thought was that ever had crossed his mind. He responded, “My accountability to God.” Webster was a wise man, and we also exercise wisdom when we familiarize ourselves with God’s holiness, and even His wrath and anger. When we learn of these things, we also learn of the way God has supplied that will spare us His wrath. Don’t assume God is so loving and merciful He will overlook sin. He absolutely won’t, even though to many feel He should and sincerely believe He will. Their feelings and opinions won’t change reality.


Modern Heroes: The Clients of Alliance Defending Freedom
Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 16

5/26/17—article 115
How can a Christian contend for absolute truth in a world that refuses to acknowledge it? The clients of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) show us how. Believe it or not, you don’t have to be an ADF client to follow their example!


Absolute Truth Really Is All About God
Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 17

6/1/17—article 116
ADF’s clients demonstrate a truth we acknowledged last week and that we examine further this week. These heroes are steadfast in their convictions because they believe in bedrock principles, of course; but even more than that, they are steadfast because they know the One from whom those principles arise.


Lightstock

Responding Biblically to a Tolerant World Contending for the Recognition of Absolutes, Part 18
4/19/18—article 163
The church needs to repent of its soft attitude toward God’s authority and of its failure to uphold biblical truth. In a “tolerant” world where anything goes, exercising love includes boldly, yet compassionately, proclaiming the truth. While it isn’t our desire to offend anyone, we must never water down the truth to avoid offending people.


The True Meaning of Christmas Deals a Death Blow to Relativism— a Christmas article published by B. Nathaniel Sullivan on December 21, 2023

Image by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay

Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Refute Relativism Decisively — Easter article p

Lightstock

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright ©2023 by B. Nathaniel Sullivan. All rights reserved.