đ Absolute vs. Relative Truth: Whatâs the Christian View?
âTruth is not determined by opinion, but by reality as defined by God.â â Anonymous
We live in a culture that often says, âWhatâs true for you may not be true for me.â That mindsetâcalled relativismâhas seeped into how people think about morality, identity, and even God. In contrast, the Christian worldview insists that truth is not a moving target. Itâs not a matter of opinion or personal feeling. Truth is grounded in the very nature of Godâunchanging, eternal, and trustworthy.
So, whatâs the difference between absolute and relative truth? Why does it matter for Christian life and witness? And how can believers stand for truth in a world that treats truth as personal preference?
Letâs explore.
đ Understanding the Terms: Truth Isn’t Whatever You Want It to Be
â What Is Absolute Truth?
Absolute truth means something is true for all people, in all places, at all times, whether or not they believe it. It is unchanging, reliable, and universal.
From a Christian perspective, truth is absolute because God is absolute:
âGod is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind.â â Numbers 23:19
God’s very character is the source of truth. Since God does not change, neither does the truth that flows from Him.
Illustration: Think of truth like the North Starâfixed and unwavering. No matter where you’re standing on earth, it points in the same direction. In contrast, relativism is like a flashlight in a hall of mirrorsâdirectionless and distorted.
â ď¸ What Is Relative Truth?
Relative truth says that truth varies depending on your culture, background, emotions, or personal experiences. Whatâs true for you might not be true for someone else.
This approach appeals to modern ears because it seems tolerant and humble. But it breaks down under scrutiny. If all truth is relative, then nothing is really right or wrong. There are no moral absolutes, no objective standards, no firm foundation for justice or righteousness.
Quote: As Francis Schaeffer put it, âIf there is no absolute by which to judge society, then society is absolute.â
đ§ Why Truth Matters in the Christian Life
Truth isnât optional for believersâitâs central to our faith. In Christianity, truth is not merely a conceptâit is a person.
âI am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.â â John 14:6
Jesus didnât just teach truthâHe embodied it. He is truth incarnate, which means truth is eternal, unchanging, and authoritative.
𧹠Faith Built on Truth
Without truth, Christianity crumbles. The resurrection is either a historical factâor it isnât. Jesus is either Lordâor Heâs not. Scripture is either Godâs Wordâor itâs just another book.
âYour word is truth.â â John 17:17
This is why Christians canât afford to treat truth casually. To believe the Gospel is to trust that Godâs revealed truth is final and unshakable, not one opinion among many.
đ Key Differences: Biblical Analysis of Absolute vs. Relative Truth
Letâs explore what Scripture and Christian theology teach about these two opposing views.
1. đ Moral Clarity vs. Moral Confusion
Absolute truth gives us a solid moral compass. Godâs commandments are not suggestionsâthey are standards that reflect His holy nature.
âWoe to those who call evil good and good evilâŚâ â Isaiah 5:20
In a world of relative truth, morality becomes a social constructâfluid and ever-shifting. But without moral absolutes, how can we call anything evil or virtuous?
Example: Cultures throughout history have justified slavery, genocide, and oppression. If truth is relative, who are we to say those things were wrong?
Absolute truth gives us the authority to say, âThis is wrongâbecause God says it is wrong.â
2. đ Objective Revelation vs. Subjective Preference
The Christian faith is based not on human ideas but on divine revelation. God has made Himself known in creation, in Scripture, and most fully in Christ.
âAll Scripture is breathed out by GodâŚâ â 2 Timothy 3:16
Relative truth, on the other hand, prioritizes personal feelings. But the Bible warns:
âThe heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sickâŚâ â Jeremiah 17:9
Our feelings can be wrong. Culture can be wrong. But Godâs Word is always right.
3. đŞ Exclusive Salvation vs. Pluralistic Spirituality
Relativism says all paths to God are equally valid. But Christianity proclaims:
âThere is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven⌠by which we must be saved.â â Acts 4:12
Truth must be absolute if Jesusâ claims are true. He didnât say He was one wayâHe said He was the only way.
đ§ What Christian Thinkers Say About Truth
âď¸ C.S. Lewis
In The Abolition of Man, Lewis warned that abandoning truth would destroy our ability to judge evil:
âWe laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.â
âď¸ Ravi Zacharias
Zacharias often argued that denying absolute truth is self-defeating:
âThe moment you say all truth is relative, youâve made an absolute statement.â
âď¸ Nancy Pearcey
In Total Truth, Pearcey argued that Christians must reclaim biblical truth as a worldview:
âChristianity is not just religious truth; it is total truthâtruth about the whole of reality.â
đ§ââď¸ Real-Life Illustration: The Hiker and the Compass
Imagine a lost hiker trusting his âgut feelingâ instead of a compass. His feeling says north is one way, but the compass says itâs another. Trusting his feelings, he walks off a cliff.
Thatâs relativism. It feels rightâuntil itâs fatal.
âThere is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.â â Proverbs 14:12
đĄ Living Out Truth in a Culture of Relativism
Christians are called not only to believe the truth, but to live it out.
đ¤ Speak the Truth in Love
âSpeak the truth in loveâŚâ â Ephesians 4:15
Truth without love is harsh. Love without truth is hollow. Jesus was full of both grace and truth (John 1:14).
đĄ Stand Firm Without Compromise
âDo not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformedâŚâ â Romans 12:2
Cultural pressures are real. But truth doesnât change with the times. Christians must stand on Godâs unchanging Wordâeven when itâs unpopular.
đŻ Be Ready to Defend the Truth
âAlways be prepared to give an answerâŚâ â 1 Peter 3:15
Weâre not called to win argumentsâbut to bear witness to the truth with gentleness and respect.
đą Practice What You Preach
People are watching your life more than your theology. If you believe in truth, live with integrity. Be honest. Be just. Be humble. Let your life reflect the God of truth.
đ Application: Where This Really Hits Home
- In families: Teach children that truth isnât based on feelings. Ground them in Scripture.
- In churches: Donât water down difficult truths to stay popular. Preach the whole counsel of God.
- In schools: Stand up for objective truth, even in classes that push moral relativism.
- In politics: Let your convictions be shaped by Scripture, not just party lines or emotions.
đ References
- The Holy Bible, ESV
- Lewis, C.S. The Abolition of Man. HarperOne.
- Zacharias, Ravi. Can Man Live Without God? Word Publishing.
- Pearcey, Nancy. Total Truth. Crossway.
- Schaeffer, Francis. How Should We Then Live? Revell.
- Geisler, Norman. Christian Apologetics. Baker.
𧊠Final Thoughts: Truth That Sets Us Free
The world says truth is whatever you want it to be. But thatâs not freedomâthatâs confusion.
Real freedom comes from knowing the truth and living by it.
âYou shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.â â John 8:32
As Christians, we stand on a foundation that will not shift: Godâs truth revealed in His Word and embodied in His Son. In the fog of relativism, it is the North Star we can follow without fear.
Let the world say, âThatâs your truth.â We will say, âThis is Godâs truthâand itâs good news for everyone.â
đ Published by Mountain Veteran Ministries
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