Wide Angle Session 2 - How Do We Know What’s True?

Opening Prayer - Pray that God will help you be open to what He wants to teach you through this series.

Key Verse - "...you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 ESV

Summary #1 - Our society has embraced an idea of "tolerance".  Tolerance demands that we affirm that all views are equally valid.  We have adopted a relativistic view that denies there is any fixed truth, and that whatever works for you is true for you.  Ultimately, not everything can be true: if one thing is true, it excludes others as false.  The Bible teaches that Jesus is the only Truth, and the biblical worldview is true and all others are false.

Summary #2 - There are four ways to know truth.  Three of the ways were discussed in this video segment.  The fourth way is revealed in the next segment.  First, the truth is in our hearts: our consciences tell us, for example , that some things are right and others are wrong (Romans 2).  Second, the Bible teaches truth.  Third, the created world reveals truth, even about God (Romans 1).

Summary #3 - The fourth way to know truth is by comparing ideas with the way the world actually works.  Truth is that which conforms to reality, and only the biblical worldview can pass this test.  We can use these four questions as a tool for testing the validity of competing worldviews: 

1. Where did I come from?
2. Why is the world such a mess?
3. Is there a solution?
4. What is my purpose?

When a worldview provides answers to questions incorrectly, bad consequences follow.

Prayer Direction

1. Thank God that He has made it possible for us to know the truth about the world around us, our neighbors, and ourselves.  Thank Him especially for the opportunity to know the truth in Jesus, who is himself, the truth.
2. Ask God to help you grow in your knowledge of the truth, and ask for the wisdom and courage to share truth with others.   

Putting It Into Practice -  Pay attention this week to the truth claims you encounter in our daily life, from supermarket tabloids touting a "scientific discovery" (claiming that if scientist say it, it must be true), to people saying "that's true for you" (claiming truth is relative and personal).

1. What attitudes toward truth are demonstrated in these truth claims?
2. How would you apply the four worldview questions to test the validity of these truth claims?  Come prepared to share these next week.