TNG What is Truth?

Best-selling author, speaker and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarland, best-selling author and apologist Dylan Burroughs together bringing you the truth for a new generation.

This is TMG radio what is truth that might sound like an overly simplistic question, but it's a very, very important question. What is really true and how can we know truth and how can we live for truth and how healthy how robust is truth in today's culture. Welcome to TMG radio, this is Alex McFarland, along with Dylan Burroughs and you know Dylan nowadays the definition of truth in the minds of many people is is pretty fluid. I think a lot of people want truth to be whatever they determined that debate or whatever the make it up to be. But God and his word has a lot to say about the importance of truth.

Yes, and many people are calling it a post truth society where whatever we feel is fact and that certainly not the case as presented in the Scriptures, and as we look. The Bible declares God's word is truth and gives us the facts on various aspects of our life and of our faith. And that's coming increasingly into question today is in Alex will it really is and you know what's interesting about our culture and and this is really different than any time previously in all of history is the role that technology has played in the shaping of truth and in our accessibility to truth and in fact you know as we've gone away from predominantly print media, newspapers been dropping like flies and magazines have gone out of business or consolidated because so many people are taking and content online, but on as much as the Internet can be a great tool you know it's interesting digitally. People can manipulate truth. People can say things and use images and present things that are very compelling but are our allies and another thing, not only about the Internet's ability to shape and spin and nuance truth there is the ability digitally just to flat out since her viewpoints, and so on. Today's program we want to talk about the call and the commission of every human being. Really, it's everybody's responsibility not only before God and their their fellow human beings, but frankly for the condition of your soul. Everybody has a responsibility to to come to truth. As we record this.

There's a lot in the news about Twitter. It's long been known that the powers that be.

Twitter and Facebook have censored and deleted things that they find offensive. There is a journalist, Megan Murphy and not really an evangelical conservative or no one could construe that she is some right wing Christian, but she has had her twitter account repeatedly locked, temporarily suspended and she's been forced to delete certain tweets that twitter said are offensive and Dylan. I know that that she's in Canada but people in America have had the same things to and I know from things that we've posted online with trees for new generation ministries there can often be a huge backlash if you just let your cards on the table and said that sin is sin.

Jesus is in the way to heaven, but Megan Murphy has said some things that any logical person would find very innocuous and safe.

She has said that men are men and women are women but that goes against the narrative of transgender is him and the sexual and gender revolutions that many are attempting to impose on the culture so she's found out that that twitter will censor one day, yes. And the biggest difference we see in digital technology versus technology of the passages, the telephone or television is that the media is privately held, so twitter is a privately held company and as a result, has the ability to say what is okay and what is not okay on its platform and as a result, using all these arbitrary or sometimes very awkward.

And strangely, each selected censorship taking place in us or seen here with this journal is Megan Murphy.

She is in Canada were different.

Hate crime laws apply, but the very fact that you can say a man is a man.

Andy kicked off a major social media platforms should be concerning for all of us when this is something that's simply a fact stated in the book of Genesis that God made man and woman in his image and as Americans we believe all people are created equal, and yet those very basic facts about human gender are being censored today will exactly and true enough, Facebook and twitter are privately held companies, but they certainly have an incredibly strongly held grip on the the public and that's what we encourage you, maybe they'll be some other platforms that will emerge that will compete with Twitter and Facebook that will be a little more objective but you've got to win yourselves off of this, the social media platform addiction now in frustration. Megan Murphy is written quote hi twitter I'm a journalist, am I no longer permitted to report facts on your platform was promptly locked out of my account again told to delete the tweet in question and suspended for 12 hours I peel the suspension as it seemed clear to me that my tweets were not quote hateful, but received no response that no listen to this. She reported that again her account was locked on November 15, 2018 and she was told that she had to delete the tweet this admin aren't women. Women aren't meant and she is not some in a Bible preaching right winger and journalist Murphy says this quote that a multibillion dollar company is censoring basic facts and silencing people who asked for questions about this dogma is insane.

One more thing and then I want to get into what the Bible has to say about truth and our response to it, but earlier this week.

Twitter said that it would ban users who refuse to call transgender people by their chosen gender that this is called this gender ring or did naming in our quest to reinvent truth.

They make up all sorts of just illogical terms and words and I we talked about that some on the show but miss gender ring is the, the LGBT Q trans movement's word to say if if a boy identifies as a female and you insist on calling the boy Mr. Jones you miss gender ring.

Now listen very carefully did naming Dylan. I was working at a Christian bookstore and there was a young man that came in we were trying to lead them to Christ. His name was Russ and sadly he died very tragically, but he came in and we knew he was struggling with with sexual sin and gender and any came in and he said my name is Courtney from now on and I machine not a he, Courtney and and I said Russ your your mail. When God made you a male and he said no, Courtney, now my insisting to call him by his given male name, refusing to call him by his now chosen female name that would call that did naming so you need to know these tragic, tragically illogical terms that their coming up to blame on us who insist on living in terms of truth out. We've got to take a break and that's the truth, but we to come back and will give and continue on this edition of TNG radio Christians don't necessarily agree with one another when it comes to questions of religious pluralism, homosexuality, the role of government abortion and war.

Too often, we manage these disagreements by ignoring them, yet were called to engage the world for the sake of Christ.

How can we be effective if we avoid society's most pressing questions in 10 issues that divide Christians Alex McFarlane challenges us to drill down to the biblical core of 10 current issues such as social justice evil and suffering, photography, and environmentalism as he echoes the biblical invitation, this reason together only by engaging the Scriptures deeply thinking clearly and speaking truthfully can we, in God's family address our differences and discover the peace that comes with unity of purpose.

10 issues that divide Christians find this book and many others@alexmcfarlane.com first Peter 315 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have were instructed to be prepared to defend our faith. This is Alex McFarlane for the life answers teams students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina. The life answers. Teams are made up of students who will inspire and equip your congregation. These apologetics teams. We train speaking churches to youth groups and train Christians of all ages to address key issues of our times. From a biblical perspective like is there a God is the Bible true. What about gender and moral issues. Call me at 864977 2008 and we will arrange for the life answers team to come to your church and give a presentation that will benefit your people for years to come. 864-977-2000 eight and always be ready in a generation of Dylan Burroughs here with Alex make island and we are talking about the truth and what it means and how it impacts you today you all year here on treat for a new generation we've been talking about the difference you can make as you get involved in changing lives among those in the next generation.

That is our goal here it's built into our name truth for a new generation, and as we get near the end of 2018.

We'd love for you to consider being part of what we are doing with us through prayer, through helping promote events and activities and our media as well as partnering with us financially as God leads you and Alex tells a little bit about some things going on a trip for new generation recently while well I'm just so excited.

I'm kind of on is the real adrenaline rush because I just got back from California were I was in front of hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of incredible young people and them Southern California that are part of a great movement of churches that began churches from Latin America places like Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and there's there's a pastor that is become a great friend of this ministry. In fact, you'll probably meet them at one of our future conferences. His name is George Peņa and he began a church 17 years ago in California and today they have 30,000 members, so much so that that at their church building. They have services literally every day of the week and they have won so many people to Christ that depending on where you live, your in different segments and one segment goes to church on one day the week and that the segment goes another day the week and in this man has such a great model for winning young people to Christ.

And so we were out there for three days and and I've spent a total of six days talking to teenagers in California hundreds and hundreds of salvation decisions and commitments in their so hungry for truth and they've asked us to come to Southern California and do a major truth for new generation national conference will be doing that. And then we've been ask.

As of yesterday we've been invited to Salt Lake City, Utah, and to do a TNG and to be on two different college campuses plus a church and address Mormonism and so were just so excited about the doors. God is opening and a friend. We want to encourage you to live for the Lord.

Get a commitment for evangelism and if you don't know the Lord. It's not about religion.

It's not about rituals. It's not about trying to be a good person. The truth is not only that Jesus paid for our sins on the cross and rose from the dead and we can know him personally, and the truth is not only that we have God's written word which we do and that is scriptural truth, but Dylan Christianity is so unique for Christianity. Truth is a person in John 14 six Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life and so many belief systems have said things that they claimed were true, but only Christianity can say that truth is the incarnation of God. Truth is a person and this person is someone with whom we can have a relationship, the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, truth incarnate, yes, and that such a good reminder Alex. Often times we get involved in these cultural or so to speak whether his gender or whether it's other issues and people tend to get sidetracked and everything but the fact that Jesus is the way the truth and the life that is our number one mission a treat for new generation are glad you're here with us today as we talk about issues of truth, it's interesting as we talk about some of the censorship taking place in social media today that it's actually become somewhat of a little bit of an industry, so to speak that at the little side business of censoring who is doing things that you do not want to see on the Internet who is doing things you do want to promote on the Internet. It reminds me of Isaiah 520 that says woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter as very interesting.

I know there sometimes some truths that we want to talk about these three things to be constantly mindful of in times of chronic falsehood. When you get a start of some these today.

Alex will the number one thing is that all people are called to accept that which is true and you know you you mention the Isaiah 520 passage Dylan woe to those who call good evil and evil good, we we're in that time.

The Bible has a lot to say about sin and repentance and and if you read first print in chapter 6 there's a long list of people who do not inherit the kingdom of heaven on the nuts saying people who are predominantly involved in the sands and they don't repent and they don't turn from sin to Christ they go to hell. Not having but if you like those cards on the table and are that forthright with truth. A lot of people on the Internet will call you a hater and out they'll call you all sorts of names and for those of us that I do know or maybe a little older and we grew up on the schoolyard with name-calling. It doesn't matter so much.

But nowadays Dylan. We agreed that especially for young people.

The pressure to not speak truth and in the pressure to just get in line and go with the politically correct narrative, I mean the pressure is intense to not be bold for the truth is not very much so mean, everybody wants to be loved and accepted. So when you're young and if someone is going to accept you if you don't highlight certain issues versus others a there's a temptation to do that is very difficult when you're young person a stand for what is true despite what other people say or think that is part of why as parents are as adults who are influencing young people that we have to model that we have to stand for what is right even when there is discrimination against us, even when there are threats even when there are bad words that are set against us.

We are the ones after model that and set an example for the young people we influence in our lives, but is more than words. A lot of times there other ramifications as well. Whether your twitter account shut down is an case of the person we talked about earlier in the program whether be something about your job or your school, the changes as a result, Jesus did not say that we would have an easy road as followers of Jesus.

He predicted that we would have trouble in this world just as he faced trouble you got me there. There's a price for living truth and again. Point number one that we are all called to accept that which is true and you know in the first segment we were talking about, they make up these these fallacious terms. What did naming.

Don't let that bother you if they say that you're a controller that your cysts gender and you are you know I miss generate look, those words are meaningless. Those words are vacuous. Proverbs chapter 8 at wisdom's is crying out in the book of Proverbs wisdom is personified, and begging people to be wise and to follow that which is true. We got a pool where we got two more points about being constantly mindful of truth in times of chronic falsehood, so stay tuned, because after this brief break TMG radio will continue as we take a break, let me tell you about 310 three books that will answer questions that come your way from others or even yourself about the Christian faith. Number 110 answers for skeptics today.

Skeptics are looking for authenticity, integrity, and straightforward faith in this book you will learn how to answer intimidating questions. Identify the roof issues behind those questions and dismantled the spiritual bombshell dropped by nonbelievers. Those usually end up just being a puff of smoke, number 210 answers for atheists were Alex looks at the philosophical assumptions at the root of atheism and agnosticism exposing logical historical and conceptual fallacy. Alex shares clear explanations of beliefs and biblical answers to those questions that often leave you stumped, but no more in number three. The 10 most common objections to Christianity and how to answer the know many Christians hear these objections and have a crisis of faith, but Alex and Dylan have been around. They visited many places and talked with many people through the years and could offer straight answers that will give you confidence and understanding about your beliefs, so the 310s once again 10 answers for skeptics 10 answers for atheists and the 10 most common objections to Christianity and how to answer find them wherever Christian books are sold for Alex McFarland.com there's been some confusion between the title of engage magazine and the term engage the listener. Would you marry. I see now that's what I mean engage magazine is a ministry to millennial's while getting engaged is Tom hello Alyssa, right.

The thing is we want to be engaged that sweet but engage magazine is about being engaged with your faith in the culture visit engage magazine.net. Welcome back to TMG radio Alex McFarland here with Dylan Burroughs so appreciative of of you listening and yet I want to thank everybody who reaches out to us because we get for getting a lot of feedback from a lot of people who say that the ministry they appreciate were doing three things were broadcasting the publishing were doing events and as I said we've got to if it all comes together and I believe it will. I will be doing for four TMG events in 2019 and so please keep that in prayer and again your financial support is what enables us to do the things that God's called us to do and it is making a difference. You know three of my books are in Spanish and Dylan. We are working right now to him revised a a Hispanic gospel tract that I wrote a few years ago and when I was out there in California. We had a number of our books that are in English, but the books that are in Spanish.

We spent and had a one of the publishers do a special press run of the book 10 answers for skeptics that's in Spanish and I mean when I got there last week.

Within the first hour. All the books were gone and sizing and I would say at this particular conference was nobody they are older than 2526 so young people are hungry for truth and that they want to know what is really real yet sending students have questions stay young people are seeking and searching and so when you offer something that can give them purpose and meaning to their lives.

They are often willing and eager to listen is why what we do is so important that we are the ones who are bringing the biblical message of hope, through faith in Jesus Christ.

Rather than finding it through some gang through some negative social influence some other source that would lead them into actions that would have difficult and dire consequences both now and in the future their lives. So number one all people are called to accept that which is true and we ask you to look into your heart and your soul and ask yourself.

Have I believed that which is true about life, about God's salvation morality. Secondly, we are to commit to that which is true we are to invest our lives.

In truth, and as we said that often comes with a high price in Psalm 15 one into it asked the question the Lord who will sojourn in your tent and Edwards who is going to really be in the presence of the Lord who is going to dwell on God's holy mountain, and that a reference to ultimately being with Christ in heaven forever. Okay, the Bible answers. Who is going to be with the Lord and who is in the presence of the Lord.

He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth truth in his heart, some 15 to okay the way you become blameless and righteous in the eyes of God is the relationship with Jesus and the good news is that that we are sinners and we've disobeyed God and by birth and by choice. We have guilt before God. However, in Christ, our sins are washed away and if you become a believer. God doesn't see our sin or our fallenness God looks at the believer and sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ is on and so and so that's Romans chapter 4, but didn't even as a born-again believer. We are called to know truth to grow in truth to role model and exemplify truth and to proclaim truth and that's point number three we are to promote and spread to propagate that which is true. I love a Zechariah 816 says these are the things that you shall do speak truth to one another. That's pretty plain is not Dylan. We are to speak truth to one another ardently right and there is a balance there. It's sometimes people say well you're so mean in the way you present your information will that's not necessarily the goal.

The apostle Paul was clear in Ephesians 415 we are to speak the truth and love. So there is that balance between communicating biblical truth and to do so in a loving manner when it comes down to it we don't hold back on the truth we don't stop speaking. We seek to communicate it in a positive way in a compelling way in creative ways and to do all we can to help other people know this love that we have found through Jesus Christ our Lord, who isn't it interesting that a lot of what the Internet calls hate speech is really some of the most loving speech that we could give to say that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior in its history, the Lord Jesus, that we find forgiveness and restoration and conversely all other ways are are not the way of salvation. That's not hate speech that's that's just reality. In our 33rd president was Harry Truman.

He was known to be yet very very forthright and they called him give them hell, Harry and Harry Truman said I don't give people hell I simply tell the truth, but they think that's Hill and so for a lot of people. The stark reality of facing truth is a hard thing to do but often the wisest thing you will ever do the most mature, the most sensible thing that you ever do is to humble yourself before God and accept the truth that he is really reveal because in revealing truth and in calling us to repent and in trying to get us to turn from sin to Christ. God wasn't being cruel. In fact, offering us the truth and the pathway of salvation through Jesus and he that was the most loving thing God could ever do for the human race wasn't yes and that's the key goal in all that we say and do as followers of Christ, the great commission is so clear that where to make disciples of all nations, and that starts with you and if your listing and fear not clear on where you spend an eternity, you need to settle that first to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord, who Roshan the dead and loves you and wants to forgive you and have a relationship with you and once you have our goal. Our mission is to share that with others. We don't hide the truth and this little light of mine I'm going to let it shine as the sun lives here is a little child in church if you grew up in church, hearing those songs and there is so much truth to that concept that we let our light shine and when we do it draws people not to us but to the light. Jesus Christ, you know it's been said that truth is that which corresponds to reality I mean truth is way things really are, in fact, the first word in the name of this ministry is truth for a new generation. This generation certainly needs truth and we pray that you are committed to it and to helping people find the inner Dylan. I was sharing the gospel with a man and he was you know telling all these life circumstances now is try to work pretty hard to keep him on the subject and sort of in desperation, he said, what does God want out of me and what does God want for me and I shared with him. First John 321 says this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us commandment, God commands the human race believe and that's not cruelty or hate speech John chapter 3 verse 16. It's a law of God love the world so much that he sent his son and for the human race for all people, and yes, for each one of us and for you.

The fact that God sent his son Jesus that you can know personally that's love and that's truth truth for a new generation in association with Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries exists to equip Christians with the biblical worldview through conferences and camps for information about upcoming events visit for a new generation.com or give us a call at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes, God, and the number one TMG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries PO Box 10231, Borough, NC 27404.

That's PO Box 10231, North Carolina 27404. Give online@alexmcfarland.com or truth for a new generation.com. Thanks for listening and join us again next time. As we bring you more true for a new generation on TMG radio