Is Truth Relative?

Is Truth Relative?

In my last post I talked about looking for Truth, but Truth seems to be relative. I am sure most of you think that scripture is what I should base Truth on, and I love that idea, but there seems to be some inconsistencies. I am not suggesting that the Scriptures are inconsistent, however, I am saying that there is a lot of inconsistencies about what people believe about the Scriptures. You may say, “You just need to learn how to study the Scriptures”. Well, this is where it gets more complicated. While I was learning how to study the Scriptures in “Bible College” I used the skills I learned to interpret the Scriptures; only to be told by my professor that I was wrong. Well now that I am on my own, should I call my professor to make sure I am interpreting the Scriptures right? How can I trust my own interpretation?  Well maybe I am just not qualified to interpret Scripture. What about all the different Bible Colleges and Universities pumping out Masters of Divinity Graduates, who can’t agree on what the Bible is or isn’t saying? Is there one truth or is it relative? And who decides what that truth is?

            I don’t believe truth is relative but I am not convinced that I know everything or that I should have that burden on my shoulders. I have realized that I disagree with a lot of very smart people. So if it is as simple as submitting to the smartest person, who decides who that person is? And if we did decide who that is, what do we do with those that choose to rebel? And going back to my last post: what if God was the one who decided who we should submit to?

Sometimes when I talk to people about all of this I hear a common phrase: “No body is perfect” followed by “We are all broken” or “You can’t expect things to be perfect”. Well I can’t help to wonder, when we are trying to encourage our brothers and sisters to repent and persevere, what do we say to them when they respond with one of the previous statements? I don’t make a habit of making excuses for my friends when what they really need is to follow Jesus. Should I tell them “Yeah, you’re right. Don’t worry about the sin in your heart. We all make mistakes. Jesus understands. He doesn’t expect you do make an effort. Just keep doing what you’re doing. If God wanted you to change he would have made it easier for you; or at least more clear.” Or “Hey man, Grace!” Or how about “Less of you, more of Jesus.” What does that even mean? “Less of you” should mean “more of Jesus”. Jesus tells us to die to self, be humble, and repent. And repentance is an action step that takes humility and effort. So when I ask someone to be humble and they respond with “What do you expect from us?”- I expect humility. And if you are a leader in your church I expect you to lead by example. Am I wrong in expecting that?

I want to be clear. This is not a smear campaign or a hate letter. I am not trying to attack anyone. I just want to be clear about these things that seem to be contradictory.

So what do I think Orthodoxy will solve? Well, if there is such a thing as Apostolic Succession (A.S.), then it lies in the walls of the church that has been around since the time of Christ. What is the benefit of Apostolic Succession? If A.S. is real then it would mean that the Traditions and the Teachings of Jesus and the Apostles were passed down to each persons’ successors. Prior to what we now know as The Holy Bible, the Church relied on the Old Testament and the Traditions of the Church to learn about God and His teachings. The Church did not have The Bible to debate heresies, they only had the teachings that were passed down to them from the Church Fathers. Today we still rely on these Church Fathers when discussing common confusions such as Gnosticism, Christ’s Deity/Humanity, the Trinity, and the Resurrection.  It is because of the early Church that we have the Creeds, the Theology of the Trinity, and the Bible. If the Fruit of the Orthodox Church is all of these things and more, why should I be so quick to reject their teachings? But maybe it is all just a pipe dream. But I want to find out.

Just a note: I am trying to use this blog to explain my thoughts and not debate. So if you don’t understand some of the topics I am addressing or if I do a poor job explaining something, feel free to ask questions, but I highly suggest you do some research. Topics I suggest you check out would be: Church History, Apostolic Succession, Sacraments, The Eucharist, and Theosis.