Download One Faith - Add To Your Learning

By Rolan Monje
City Churches Jubilee 2009, Cebu City
see addtoyourlearning.com ; ack: some slides from Frank Turek and Norman Geisler
There is one body and one Spirit—just
as you were called to one hope when you
were called—one Lord, one faith, one
baptism;
 Eph 4:4-5
Dear friends, although I was very eager
to write to you about the salvation we share, I
felt I had to write and urge you to contend for
the faith that was once for all entrusted to the
saints.
 Jude 1:3
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who
called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you
into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
 Gal 1:6-10

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other
than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As
we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you
a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally
condemned! Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or
am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not
be a servant of Christ.
 One
faith
 The faith to contend for
 One gospel; no other gospel
 Another gospel is no gospel at all
Pre-modern
Age
Modern
Age
Post-modern
Age
Pre-modern
Modern
Post-Modern
Absolute truth
Rational truth
Subjective truth
Authority is God
Authority is logic and
science
Authority is Self
Conviction is virtue
Intelligence is virtue
Tolerance is virtue

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Truth cannot be known; there is no absolute
truth
Truth is relative (what is true for you may not
be true for me)
We should not impose ‘truth’ on another
person
We need to understand how our
understanding of truth affects our faith (note
that in many languages faith and truth are
related words)
1.
2.
3.
Truth and judgment
Religion and choice
Interpretation and conversion

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Many now say truth is relative/subjective
How should we answer? By pointing back or
applying the claim to itself
Let’s imagine a discussion…
between a skeptic & a disciple
Sam the Skeptic vs.
Danny the Disciple
“Reason can’t be trusted.”
“Should we trust that?”
11
Sam the Skeptic vs.
Danny the Disciple
“You should doubt everything.”
“Should I doubt that?”
12
Sam the Skeptic vs.
Danny the Disciple
“You shouldn’t judge!”
“Isn’t that a judgment!”
13
Sam the Skeptic vs.
Danny the Disciple
“No one has the truth!”
“Then how do you know that
is true?”
14
Sam the Skeptic vs.
Danny the Disciple
“That’s just your interpretation!”
“Is that just your
interpretation?
15
Sam the Skeptic vs.
Danny the Disciple
“It’s true for you
but not for me!”
“Is that true for everybody?”
16
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Many religions exist today
People now say that what’s important is not
the truth of a religion, but the toleration of
religions
That’s why, most people say now that
“religion is a matter of choice” since “all roads
lead to the same God.”
18
Six Blind Men
FAN
WALL
ROPE
SPEAR
TREE
SNAKE
Six Blind Men
JUDAISM
HINDUISM
ISLAM
TAOISM
CHRISTIANITY
BUDDHISM
No Religion is THE Truth!
JUDAISM
HINDUISM
ISLAM
TAOISM
CHRISTIANITY
BUDDHISM
What is the perspective of the story teller?
JUDAISM
HINDUISM
ISLAM
TAOISM
CHRISTIANITY
BUDDHISM
The story teller has an objective vantage point!
JUDAISM
HINDUISM
ISLAM
TAOISM
CHRISTIANITY
BUDDHISM
Truth is NOT relative to
the individual;
otherwise we wouldn’t
know the blind men
were mistaken. (It’s
absolutely true that’s
an elephant!)
Those who use this analogy think that
everyone is blind except them!
All religions are true.
All religions save.

But most people who say these have not
really compared religions.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Nature of God
Nature of Man
Sin
Salvation
Heaven
Hell
Creation
26
So, how can all religions be
the same, or have the same
effect, or have the same
truth when they teach
opposites?
Example: Islam vs. Christianity
27
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Many prominent scholars are taking a liberal
view of Scripture (e.g. Bakhtin)
Bakhtin: Bible stories are dialogic, inviting the
reader to participate and interpret
For Bakhtin, “[The Bible is…] the infinite and
unfinalized dialogue in which no meaning
dies”

2 Pet 3.16 There are some things in [Paul’s
letters] that are hard to understand, which
the ignorant and unstable twist to their own
destruction, as they do the other scriptures.
You therefore, beloved, since you are
forewarned, beware that you are not carried
away with the error of the lawless and lose
your own stability.

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Not all people who claim to be Christians
have the same doctrines; some of these
doctrines are contradictory
Not all people who claim to be Christians are
really Christians
Well, what does Jesus himself say?
“Enter through the narrow gate. For
wide is the gate and broad is the road that
leads to destruction, and many enter through
it. But small is the gate and narrow the road
that leads to life, and only a few find it.
 Mt 7:13-14
Rom 1:18-20: “The wrath of God is being
revealed from heaven against all the
godlessness and wickedness of men who
suppress the truth by their wickedness…
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Money and banking
Transportation and communication
Medicine
If we consider truth and exactness in these
areas, why not in religion? Why not in the
most important things in life?
1.
2.
3.
Truth and judgment
Religion and choice
Interpretation and conversion
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God wants people to know the truth and accept it in faith.
The world may change, but the Bible remains steadfast.
No matter what people say, there is absolute truth.
We need to defend the faith that was introduced by Jesus.
Let us rejoice as we defend the ONE FAITH!