(Click here for a video of John reading this Catch.)
Who can you trust anymore? It’s a rather helpless feeling, isn’t it? News sources are all biased — even the “unbiased” ones. Used to be you could trust anyone in a lab coat, or anyone wearing a badge, or anyone in a pulpit, or anything in a newspaper — now we see these sources every day online spouting points of view all over the map and not just suggesting that their point of view be considered, but insisting that their truth is The Truth. That means we have thousands of “truths” out there and they are all up for grabs. Your word against my word, and anyone’s word against that.
We are experiencing the working out of a postmodern philosophy into our culture where truth is relative. There is no capital “T” truth; there is just your truth and my truth and everybody else’s truth. This is a disaster because it feels like there is no source of Truth we can all turn to — no absolute. No truth that’s true for everybody.
Even law is relative. That’s why the Supreme Court has become so political. Politics has become a higher “truth” than law and the Constitution. Politics has become the law of the land, because everything is simply opinion.
This is when being a follower of Christ puts you in a place to possess something of the highest value in our culture today. God’s word has told us all along that it is the capital “T” truth and the only thing that will last forever, and therefore, the only thing we can trust. Everything else will fade away. We’ve known this but now it really means something.
Here are the words to one of my earliest songs that mean more now than ever:
Words and music by John Fischer
(Click on the title for a video of the song.)
Who can you trust when all turns to dust
And the dreams of men lie battered and crushed?
How can you say, “This is the way”
When the founders of wisdom
Lie in coffins of clay?
Where is the truth that will stand the test of time?
Flowers will fade and fall away
But the word of God is here to stay.
Man shall not live by bread alone
But by every word from the mouth of God.
John Fischer The Catch 
Takes me straight to Isaiah 40:8 —
“The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.”
I remember being taught about the word of God living forever when I was a teenager when the truth out there wasn’t as many opinions like now but, still politics, religion, and some folks philosophies about the truth. I am glad I was taught that back in the seventies and now as I am much older but, never stop realizing the truth of God’s word with each of us forever.
Great read, just don’t agree with all of the use of logic in it..
I could be wrong, I SURELY have been before, yet in this as some bad use of logic, I do think/believe as I was taught in college – Of course the Bible is going to “say” that God is real & going to outlive every thing and the only source of truth and !if we’re going to use that logic – So does the Koran report that’s the true God…and of course Allah ifs the true God…
So even though I trust the Bible to be God’s Holy Word, yet to “prove” it I’ll say b/c it absolutely as changed my life since I started reading it and apply it to my life and I know & have experience God’s love, forgiveness & grace. When I can’t live up to it high standards.
PS And agree to disagree with this: (of course I don’t know what News you Pastor John watch) yet this isn’t the complete truth either: “Who can you trust anymore? It’s a rather helpless feeling, isn’t it? (No b/c I simply DON’T base my feeling on the News) and “News sources are all biased — even the “unbiased” ones….” I’ll suggest if the News reporters are you watch are claiming they have the only truth… I’d highly recommend turning to one that often states heir Motto: “We report you decide”
Johnny you have hit another home run with this one! Thanks for keeping it 100. I know I’m an old guy too but that’s the way the kids would say it.
The trouble is some people have wrongly used the Bible to “prove” their point of view is correct regarding politics, religion, theology, science, or their opinions of current events. Just quote the Bible, win an argument and close the case. The “Truth” is on my side. Not really.
We need to remember that even the Devil can quote scripture. In Matthew 4, he tempted Jesus by quoting Psalm 91. Jesus, of course responded in turn with scripture. Jesus knew the word better and could not get fooled. The moral of the story is we need to know the word very well so that we will not be easily swayed by anyone who can merely quote it.
Very good discussion, and I like Mark pointing out the experience the truth in his life as his own personal reality. And I agree about warning against using scripture as a sort of sledgehammer. The Bible’s metaphor for the word of God is a sword. That would also support Mark’s personal experience factor because that’s where the sword’s edge cuts — deep into our personal lives, “it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12