This is What a World Looks Like Without Truth

Imagine there’s no heaven

It’s easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us, only sky

Imagine all the people

Livin’ for today

Ah

Imagine there’s no countries

It isn’t hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion, too.

John Lennon’s pantheistic anthem of the 1960s sounds horrible to me. Are you still imagining this? Is it still looking all rosy and wonderful to you?

The worst thing that happened to our world in recent memory was the arrogance of the 1960s. I believe like Kenneth Myers (All God’s Children and Blue Suede Shoes) that the “era” of the 1960s started in the late 1950s and extended into the 1970s. The Flower Children and the Hippies of those years now live in retirement communities–and run our governments. The thinking of the 1960s now governs our lives.

The worst idea of the 1960s was post-modernism. The most basic aspect of post-modernism is the denial of truth or at least the assertion that truth itself is unattainable. That mindset is now ubiquitous. It permeates every aspect of our culture.

Look around. The moment that we now inhabit is what a world looks like without truth. It is John Lennon’s imagined world now reality.

Nothing is true, nothing is false.

Denying the reality of truth produces some inevitable corollaries. If there is no truth, then only the end justifies the means. Lies are useful, even commendable because all truth claims are lies anyway. The only reason to follow the advice of others is our confidence in the righteousness of their ends. But how do you know if someone else has your best interest in mind? You cannot really know. Cynicism reigns. Morality is based upon emotional intent and nothing more, and even that is arbitrarily judged.

The same people who have claimed that no truth really exists—now in the middle of a health crisis—are crying “trust the science!” How do you expect people to trust the “truth” of science when you have told them for years that there is no truth and reinforced that teaching with incessant lying? The vaccine mandates are just the most recent example. Early in the pandemic, medical leaders in our nation lied about masks saying that they would not help. Later they admitted that they did not actually believe this but did not want to cause a panic. So, is it any wonder that people doubt the truth claims they make now?

History (as taught in schools) is no longer based upon truth, but rather rewritten at will to fit chosen sociological ends. Politicians have always lied, but now being caught in lies has no consequence, it is even considered commendable. The national press had at least tried to communicate a modicum of impartiality, but now the lies are so brazened they is impossible to miss.

Even the most basic aspects of truth—like gender realities—have fallen by the wayside. No wonder people are facing psychological problems and illness in record numbers.

Deny the truth, lose your freedom.

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).

This principle applies to more than just individual salvation. Without truth, reasoning is impossible. It is impossible to convince people to behave in a way that might be in their best interest or the interest of society as a whole. Therefore, the only way to achieve societally constructive behavior is to compel it. Make a law, make a rule. The mandates then result in rebellion and anarchy which of course leads to totalitarianism.

New Testament Christianity—which is so often criticized for being legalistic–is not nearly as legalistic as our present post-modern culture.

For example, Paul made this truth claim in Romans 12:1-2. Your salvation should convince you to give yourself to God as a living sacrifice. He begs people to do it because it is “reasonable.” However, there is no church compulsion to do so. God does not force people to believe and He does not force Christians to obey. Disobedience has consequences but unbelievers and believers alike are allowed by God to choose those consequences for themselves.

Deny truth and destroy your society.

We are watching it happen before our eyes. Everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes and no one seems to trust anyone. This is not bringing the judgment of God upon our culture, it IS the judgment of God upon our culture. Without a standard of truth, no reasonable level of unity is possible in any culture. Denying the truth condemns a culture to constant conflict and unrest.

Into this world that we march with the truth of the word of God which declares the only One who is the truth—Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus Christ is the truth.

Jesus said it. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).

That is the truth. It is not just Jesus’ truth or my truth, It is THE truth. Deny it at your peril.

God’s word is truth.

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

The One who is the truth speaks truth. There are very few things that God cannot do, but He says clearly that He cannot lie.

. . . in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began . . . (Titus 1:2).

We proclaim both without hesitation or apology.

For 2000 years since the close of the New Testament canon that truth has not changed. Every Sunday, I preach a book that is timelessly true. It applies as accurately and appropriately today as it did two millennia in the past. It is not selfishly motivated. The book judges the preachers as much as it does the listeners. Yes, people can misuse the Bible, but if you read it and apply it, it will identify and judge the false teachers.

Have you finally had enough?

It is now time to abandon the hell-born notion that there is no truth. It is destroying everything around us. It has no solution for the problem of your troubled and guilty soul. It has failed miserably, but even more importantly it is clearly not true.