Welcome to the Services of the Dunlap Church of Christ

1. Welcome To The Services Of The Dunlap church of Christ We Are Delighted You Are Here?

2. Welcome To The Services Of The Dunlap church of Christ Questions? Just Let Us Know!

3. John 20:30-31 “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book: (31) But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

4. John 20:30-31 “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book: (31) But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

5. John 20:30-31 “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book: (31) But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

6. John 21:24-25 “This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.”

7. (25) And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.”

8. (25) And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.”

9. (25) And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.”

10. The 60’s Popularized… • Rock & Roll Music? • The Beatles? The Rolling Stones? • The Sexual Revolution? • The Drug Culture? • The Anti-Establishment Movement? • Rebels With & Without A Cause? • Etc.

11. The 60’s Popularized…. • A movement towards subjectivism. • The result? (1) “Moral Relativism” - “All truth is relative” & “If it feels good, do it!” (2) “Post-modernism” - Thomas Altizer “God is dead” (not meaning that He was deceased, but that He had become irrelevant).

12. Should This Have Concerned Us? • Who could have imagined? • We should have! It’s easy! • Subjectivism has become the dominant view of reality in our society.

13. 2009 Survey • By a 3-to-1 margin (64% vs. 22%) adults said truth is always relative to the person and their situation. • Among teenagers, 83% said moral truth depends on the circumstances, and only 6% said moral truth is absolute.

14. What Is Your Worldview? • 27% are convinced that Satan is a real force. • 40% are persuaded that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life while He was on earth. • 30% believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. • 77% believe the morality in this nation is going downhill.

15. One Difficulty We Face • Maintaining an objective faith in a subjective world. • Genuine Christianity is an objective faith! • It is based upon objective realities concerning the acts of God in history, especially pertaining to Jesus the Christ.

16. Objective Versus Subjective

17. Objectivity Three Primary Characteristics

18. 1st Characteristic • Truth or reality is what it is, regardless of human perception. • In other words, what is true is true whether you or I think so, like it, or not.

19. July 21, 1969 Neil Armstrong Became 1st Man To Set Foot On The Moon • Apply the 1st characteristic of reality, i.e., truth is truth regardless of human perception, whether we like it or not. • Some deny that it ever happened. • In 1998 a former NASA scientist claimed it was a hoax staged in Nevada desert, saying it is scientifically impossible for someone to actually walk on the moon. • International organizations

20. If Neil Armstrong Did Walk On the Moon… It really doesn’t matter what these people say or think; he still did it. If Neil Armstrong Didn’t Walk On the Moon… It doesn’t matter what the rest of us think: it never happened.

21. If Neil Armstrong Did Walk On the Moon… It really doesn’t matter what these people say or think; he still did it. If Neil Armstrong Didn’t Walk On the Moon… It doesn’t matter what the rest of us think: it never happened. ___ _ __________

22. 2nd Characteristic • Reality is supportable by evidence. • If something is objectively true, those who support it can provide evidence in its favor.

23. Evidence? • Eyewitnesses, documents, or logical argumentation concerning its truthfulness, reasonableness and/or probability. • That doesn’t mean that the evidence persuades everyone, but that sufficient evidence exists that backs up the claim.

24. 3rd Characteristic • By implication, whatever contradicts reality is necessarily false. • In other words, two opposing claims can’t both be true. • If Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, it is false to say that he didn’t. • If he didn’t, it is false to say that he did.

25. Subjective View of Reality:The Exact Opposite Objective Reality or truth is what it is regardless. It either is or is not, no matter what a person thinks about it. Subjective Reality or truth is limited to the perception of each individual. Something may be true for you but not for me, and both ideas are said to be true.

26. Subjective View of Reality:The Exact Opposite Objective Neil Armstrong really did walk on the moon or he did not, and our ideas about it does not change it at all. Subjective If you believe Armstrong walked on the moon and I don’t we are both right in our own way. Reality is what you choose it to be.

27. Subjective View of Reality:The Exact Opposite Objective Evidence is there for support. Subjective Evidence is unnecessary & irrelevant. The individual is the only standard.

28. Subjective View of Reality:The Exact Opposite Objective Contradictions cannot both be true. Subjective Contradictions can both be true. In other words, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, and he didn’t!

29. Dangers Of Subjectivism • God is real only if He is real to you. • Jesus is or is not the Son of God and the Savior of the world depending on what you think about Him. • The Bible is the Word of God only if you choose to take it that way.

30. More Specifically As It Relates To Faith • Man – not God – becomes the standard of right and wrong. • “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6; 21:25 Jeremiah 10:23

31. Dangers Of Subjectivism • Faith is replaced by feelings. • “Faith” in the biblical sense is not blind acceptance of something as if it could be true. • It is based on certain realities. God exists (John 8:58; Psalm 90:2) Jesus is His Son (Jno.1:1;14; Matt.16:16) Death, burial, resurrection (I Cor.15:1-4) Scripture is true and trustworthy (John 8:31-32; 17:17; II Tim.3:16-17; Heb.4:12)

32. Subjective View of Reality:The Exact Opposite Objective Based on reality Subjective Based on how people feel

33. Subjective View of Reality:The Exact Opposite Objective Since faith is based on historical and spiritual realities, they must be taught & accepted Subjective Feelings will not lead you to the conclusion that Jesus died on the cross & rose from the dead

34. Subjective View of Reality:The Exact Opposite Objective God’s will is known from His Word and its Wisdom (Matthew 7:21ff; James 3:13-18) Subjective “Feeling” that God is leading has resulted in the monstrosity of sectarianism.

35. Subjective View of Reality:The Exact Opposite Objective “Truth” & “error” as well as “right” & “wrong” can be established Subjective Feelings cannot establish “truth” or “error” nor “right” & “wrong” John 4:21-22

36. Subjective View of Reality:The Exact Opposite Objective Being lost or saved is an objective reality based upon what God has said & promised. Subjective Feelings cannot tell you if you are right with God. Acts 23:1;26:9-11

37. II Timothy 1:10-12 “…by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: (11) Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”

38. (12) For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

39. “I Know Whom I Have Believed” • God is an objective reality. • The gospel is true whether its enemies believe it or not. • God is able, based upon what He did in the O.T. and with Jesus.

40. God’s Simple Plan • HEAR – Rom.10:17; Jno.20:30,31 • BELIEVE – John 8:24; Hebrews 11:6 • REPENT – Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30,31 • CONFESS – Romans 10:10; Acts 8:37 • BE BAPTIZED – Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16 • ADDED TO CHURCH - Acts 2:41,47

41. God’s Simple Plan • HEAR – Rom.10:17; Jno.20:30,31 • BELIEVE – John 8:24; Hebrews 11:6 • REPENT – Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30,31 • CONFESS – Romans 10:10; Acts 8:37 • BE BAPTIZED – Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16 • ADDED TO CHURCH - Acts 2:41,47

42. Remain Faithful • John 8:31,32 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; (32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” • II John 4 “I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. • John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”