The Discipline of Truth

The Discipline of Truth- Truth v lies when Culture’s gone crazy

• Truth matters. Absolutes matter. A standard matters. Truth reflects God’s character because he is truth. The bible promises that we can know the truth and be set free. W/o truth society collapses and there is no anchor for morality, common decency and trust. Church is last stand
• John 18:37–38 READ Pilate asked Jesus “are you a king” and Jesus said he came to bear witness to the truth. Pilate famously asked him “What is truth”
• 2000 years ago there was still a search for truth from people in society. A desire for knowledge. 
• The problem is that society seems to be getting farther from absolute truth and closer to destruction. If Christians let up on our pursuit of truth our faith is going to end up on the ash heap of history as an ancient religion. It is up to us to know, defend and live biblical truth. 
• If you took someone from 100 years ago and dropped them in Auburn today, they would be ASTOUNDED with the changes. They only knew Male and Female, nothing else. Only knew married couples, no cohabitation, rare divorce. They would be FLOORED at the debauchery and the sexuality of our culture. We just accept porn now, sexualization of children, all manner of sexual promiscuity. OF? WHAT?!? Disrespect of Authority? Civic and family authority. Elders? Pastors? I’m a joke now! And the language? Not just the cussing, but society lived with a shared biblical moral framework. Even the sinners knew what they did was wrong. None of them would understand our love of a digital v real existence and time on SM. Don’t forget the decline of personal responsibility and a work ethic. It’s a slow pull away from a Godly Standard. 
• Just in my short life- Porn is mainstream. Families don’t matter. Church is irrelevant. Truth is relative. Transgenderism is celebrated. Christian clubs in school, Christmas/easter break etc. 
• The pagans of society have worked overtime to remove Christianity from the public sphere and they have won. WHO IS GOING TO FIGHT THEM? WHO IS GOING TO HOLD THE LINE? CHURCH
• Its not a lost cause. We must hold the line. We can’t give up. If were the last ones standing, we must stand. Our faith depends on it. Future generations will exist bc we held the line on truth
• Its like Daniel who stood unshaken in a pagan empire, refusing to compromise even when the cost was his life. While the world around him bowed to pressure, he kept his knees bent only to God and heaven backed him every time. 
• Maybe we’re in the same type of Era. We must hold the line. We can’t give up. HOLLLLLD
• Lets dispel some lies this am. The Lie of the culture, The lie of govt, the lie of progress

Big Lie #1 – The Lie of the Culture-Truth Is What I Feel or Want It to Be

• • Many of the lies we experience today are directly connected to peoples feelings and desires which are usually sinful and selfish, which is characteristic of men. (if bible fake-why against) 
  • The PROBLEM is that society encourages this! Whatever someone FEELS is acceptable. 
  • Time reports the 2024 U.S. prez election: “It’s going to be a feeling election, not a fact election.” 
  • And its true! People don’t care about facts anymore. Feelings reign supreme! No discernment
  • The phrase “If it feels good, do it” -Timothy Leary, counterculture figure from the 1960s
  • The hippies and boomers are the ones who ushered in this cultural ethos! I blame them!

• It’s a lie that Feelings can be your ultimate guide and justify living to yourself and not God

• • Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked Pr 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 28:26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
  • What you FEEL cannot dictate your existence. Doesn’t work for the world, or the CHURCH. 
  • I’ve felt divorce, murder, lust, stealing, destroying, lying, cheating, all of them. Felt not acted
  • We SUPPRESS our sinful desires and acquiesce to the spirit of God! We do HIS WILL not ours!
  • Hs- Jr Year. Tired of losing. Wanted to win. Run before turkey. DISCIPLINE v FEELINGS. GRIT

• biggest cultural reflection of Feelingism is sexual immorality, it’s the core of what they want. 

• We must combat sexual immorality in our families and our minds to keep us in the will of God. 

• Why is this is so important? Sexual immorality is a central sin the church must fight because it uniquely corrupts both body and soul, distorts God’s covenant design, destroys families and generations, enslaves hearts, and invites God’s judgment when tolerated. 

• Scripture singles it out as a sin against our own bodies the temple of the Holy Spirit and warns that unchecked, it spreads like wildfire, eroding holiness and silencing the church’s witness.

• • 1 Thes 4:3–5 READ Abstain from Sexual immorality (they are not like us)
  • There is NO ROOM for the child of God for sexual immorality. We must hold this line
  • Songs, movies, adverts, SM, the clothing today and the celebration and acceptance 
  • This shouldn’t even be named among the saints of God! One man, one woman for ever! 

• But society doesn’t want this- they want our love to equal tolerance of sin is a lie! 

• Sin is sin! We must call it out as such! The soft acquiescing of non-trad cohabitation must stop
• Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
• Our culture has mastered the art of softening sin by changing its name. What Scripture calls fornication becomes “hooking up,” adulter “an affair,” drunkenness is  “partying,” greed is “ambition,” and pride is  “self-love.” Lust is “adult entertanment,” idolatry is a “passion,” lying is just “spin,” murder is “choice,” and rebellion is being a “free spirit.” By changing the words, the world removes the sting of conviction, making sin sound normal
• By why sexuality? Sexuality is the primary sin of culture right now. Its rampant and destructive
• Fatherlessness, procreation without consecration produces degenerate criminals
• And let me say this- if you’ve succumbed to your flesh, you’re in good company. There is redemption for all who would come to him. But we don’t STAY there or APPROVE of there! 
• ACTION STEP– This week I will notice the rampant sin, repent and speak against it

Big Lie #2 – The lie of Govt. Earthly Powers and Resources Are My Salvation

• • I will continue to vote for politicians, movements and laws that support my world view. 
  • These individuals are not my hope, future or salvation. They are a tool for my ends. 
  • If I lived in a Muslim nation and two muslims were running, I’d vote for the best one. 
  • Far too many Christians have turned American politics into a religious litmus test. 

• But we shouldn’t even put our hope in them! We don’t flourish based on THEM

• • Matthew 6:31–33 Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
  • What about Jobs, food, prescriptions, social security etc. Everyone so afraid of their provision! 
  • Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
  • Psalm 34:10b those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.

• It’s a lie-Government can save us! You can have the most Christian society and still go to Hell

• • Psalm 146:3–5 Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.
  • We need to put our full trust in the Lord God Almighty ruler of Heaven and earth
  • Isaiah 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!
  • We trust in the Lord here. Vote your Bible but keep your heart with the Lord. Only HE can save
  • Freedom of religion, movement, speech, property rights, etc are all biblical! Defend them! 
  • But don’t be some boot licking Christian who puts all their hope in a donkey or an elephant

• It’s a lie That We can’t resist the government and we just have to go along

• • There was so much mis-information during covid that churches couldn’t catch up w truth
  • Romans 13 is true to submit to authority, but they are not the ultimate authority
  • Civic gov, family gov, church gov, indiv gov. None of those can take over the other
  • all dependent on the agreement of the governed. Unjust laws don’t have to be followed
  • Acts 5:29 “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Daniel 3:16–18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king: we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up. Exodus 1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.
  • You don’t have to tell the govt what you’re doing, where you’re going and you don’t have to shut up about what you believe. We still live in a somewhat of a free country. LIVE IT

• People bow to the Gov bc of this lie- There’s not enough for me and my family

• • Matthew 6:31–33 READ Therefore do not worry 
  • We serve a God that is able to do above and beyond all we could ask or imagine
  • I’m 50 now. I can testify of the provision of God. He does it. Never let me down. TRUST HIM
  • ARMY- So low on money. You don’t get overtime. Tried to make side, failing. Pray? $ in mail!

• Deut 28:11–12 the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground… The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. Ps65:11 Your paths drip with abundance.

• ACTION STEP- This week if I catch my self hoping in govt, I will trust in God alone

Big Lie #3 – The lie of progress- God’s Word and Ways Are Outdated or Wrong

• The lie is that The Christian worldview is wrong and that society has progressed

• • God’s ways are not wrong. They have been proven time and time again that they are truth
  • You must defend this. Everything isn’t meant to progress. Sometimes the old way is the best
  • Military- Got yelled at, shark attack, flip bunks. Solid soldiers. Going back to that- Hegseth
  • Stick with the tried and true old paths of God that have worked for centuries. Stick with him
  • Ro12:2  do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
  • Col 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
  • Every human institution wants to unravel the biblicalworldview so they can indulge in sin. 

• This is why education pushes the lie- College/career is where you find yourself. 

• • They strip the worldview, shove you into a indoctrination camp, shackle you with debt, put you in a govt/corp job to silence you, and then you’re theirs forever. They own you. 
  • If they keep you from finding Christ, they can teach you whatever they want for identity. 
  • It creeps into the church where Christ is no longer enough!  NO! Philippians 3:8–9 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord… and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness

• The lie is that our History and tradition don’t matter

• • Deut 6:12 Then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
  • Deuteronomy 32:7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations.
  • 1 Corinthians 11:2 keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.2 Thessalonians 2:15
    stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

• We are a historical traditional religion and our ways are not outdated! We are the standard!

• The lie- I Define My Life on My Own Terms

• • 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; 
  • We exist to bring him Glory at whatever cost! We live for him and him alone! WE can’t bow down to anyone or anything that seeks to take our allegiance. We can’t we wont 

• Don’t believe the lie that says- I am enough without God  Jer 10:23 O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.

• • WE don’t have what it takes to make it on our own and live unto ourselves. God is our creator and we must live unto him! How do we live? UNTO HIM and ONLY HIM
  • No matter the cost we wont bow down. We never will. We cant. 
  • Psalm 16:2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.”
  • Apart from him we can do nothing. Apart from him our lives are meaningless. 
  • Declare that you will build a life built on the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing else. 

• Psalm 127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

• ACTION STEP- This week I will maintain and treasure an old path. I will reject progress
• Church, this is our hour. The world may bow to lies, but we will stand on truth. We will not trade God’s Word for cultural approval, we will not call sin by softer names, and we will not hand our children to the spirit of this age. 
• Like Daniel, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, we will stand when the world kneels, and we will kneel only before our King. 
• Hold the line in your home, in your heart, in your workplace, in your mind. 
• The God who kept His people through every generation is the same God who will keep us now.
• Stand firm, speak truth, live holy because the world needs a church that cannot be bought, silenced, or moved. Hold…the…line!