Moral Truth

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

This is TMG radio and if you and I disagree on what is morality or even if there is morality.

Does the one who advocates for ethics and moral truth.

Are they guilty of hate speech for having done so. Hey Alex McFarland, you would deliver is welcome to another edition of TMG radio trees for new generation radio. You know the Bible says that there are moral truths or something is right and something's wrong. The Bible says in the book of Romans that it is written, the heart of all people in the Old Testament. Psalm 19 it says that there is no speech or language where truth is not known. In other words, all people everywhere.

Part of what it means to be human being is to know moral truth to know right from wrong. We live in a day though were a lot of people would say otherwise we can talk about this on today's edition of TMG doing what would we have.

If our society fully and completely decides that there is no such thing as right and wrong. Well as a government you can't function without some sense of right or wrong there been people who say you cannot legislate morality. But the truth is we legislate morality every day. When we say something such as murder is wrong or that stealing is wrong so that you can't really have a functioning government without at the same is true at a family level, but the same is also true on a personal level we all have a sense of right and wrong, and if you look worldwide that's been true of every culture we may have differences of opinion regarding what is morally right and morally wrong but everyone has a sense of what is right and wrong that's undeniable. So the question is what do we use to determine what is morally right and what is morally right now as Christians. Of course we have the Bible that serves as our authoritative guide for spiritual truth for calling something right for calling something wrong and we live in a society in which we have the right of free speech where we can publicly speak an opinion that may differ with somebody else before running into now is this issue of free speech is often being complicated by those who say that your free-speech right is considered hate speech to me and therefore it is not permissible and some are running into different issues that we may have in the past simply because of these kinds of topics are coming up in our news today. You know, I wrote an article recently for a magazine and I asked the question if you and I disagree does not automatically mean that what I said was hate speech because nowadays a lot of people that you know frankly don't believe in moral truth, they don't believe in moral boundaries and they don't they don't know the Lord personally and often times they are called in the media. Social progressives, but but really their beliefs about truth in their rejection of God is really regressive, rather than progressive, but often times if if they try to advocate for license and we come back we talk about moral boundaries. They say that were being hateful and to call somebody a hater is kind of the trump card in the news. It's been very you know public that Cory Booker he's a Democrat from New Jersey. Basically, he was grilling Mike Pompeo on a confirmation hearing for Secretary of State and it came down to this that Cory Booker says if you don't believe in homosexuality and gay marriage, your quote not fit for public service. This is very problematic on a number of levels but let's talk about this.

First of all, the belief that marriage is between a man and a woman in the belief that homosexual activity is on natural that is not fundamentally a religious proposition. Although the word of God and other beliefs say that homosexuality is wrong. I wonder if Cory Booker would be so quick to denigrate the beliefs of a Muslim because while we definitely disagree with Islam on the plan of salvation and who Christ is and who God is, fundamentally, the moral code of Islam is like the Judeo-Christian moral code, at least in terms of human sexuality and morality that heterosexual monogamy is the design of nature and the ideal of of creation, but we live in a time listen very carefully, folks where people have been so desirous not to violate the First Amendment. First Amendment says that the government will not show preference to one religion over another will not establish a religion, but in the quest to not establish religion. What has been thrown out, ignored, or even actively suppressed has been belief in any sort of moral ethical boundaries whatsoever now document with the King Junior, Ronald Reagan, Harry Truman, many of our great leaders, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Samuel Adams, when talking about morality.

The law are written on the heart. We know right from wrong in one of the among the moral truths that we inherently know is we we should know why we shouldn't steal we should murder people know that immoral acts like homosexuality are wrong now. I'm not saying that people always do what's right. But deep down we do know what is right.

Jefferson called it self evident truth.

In other words undeniable. Sometimes it's called objective truth or moral objectivity or Dr. King called it the 10 Commandments Exodus 20 here's the point though in our quest to never violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment. We are to the point where if you if you advocate recognition of any morals. They say that you've violated the First Amendment and what a lot of these leaders, whether it's a Hollywood pundit on the view or whether it's more libertines like Cory Booker in Washington. They are trying to shout down anyone who believes in moral boundaries and Dylan that's problematic because if we don't have a common moral ground on which we stand, ultimately unchecked that will lead to societal anarchy and it threatens the very preservation of the Constitution and therefore our freedoms. It is interesting that even the Constitution.

Article 4 says no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office of public trust under the United States and yet what you seen in the case of a Booker. This recent new cycle is the idea that there is a religious test and that if you don't fit the views of litmus test yeah if you don't fit a particular view than you are fit for office, which is certainly not the case.

You look throughout the history of Secretary of State's in our country and you would see that nearly all of them would define marriage just as this nominee has been, and his question answer is not something that's new user in our history of our nation, but it's certainly something that is more controversial now than in the past, but will we run into more and more is now we have an environment and which a Christian worldview is no longer easily accepted is that we should expect there to be some suffering to have some eye repercussion for what we believe and talk more about this and come right back here truth for new generations of stick with us to talk more about truth for a new generation is here to equip Christians with the biblical worldview through conferences and camps and speaking about camps. Registration is now underway for the TNG summer youth, apologetics, happening July 22-26 at North Greenville University in South Carolina. Alex McFarlane will be there along with Tony being the vice president for student services in Christian worldview. It NGU will engage your thought topics like if God is so good why is the world so bad. Understanding and applying what God's word says about gender and a whole lot more.

15 apologetic and worldview training sessions and all along with a field trip to the Billy Graham Center, and of course outdoor fun and games. And don't forget about the food, great food, enough to fill up and keep going.

Find out more about the 2018 TNG summer youth apologetics.

When you visit truth for a new generation.com. If you're a Christian parent.

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We've got great things by James Dobson Josh McDowell Lee Strobel and many many others, all designed to help equip you to stand strong for the Christian faith. In this 21st century culture. Alex McFarlane.com but Dylan back to the question at hand. You know I think about Cory Booker and his litmus test for fitness to serve in public office is that you have to believe in gay marriage, not really in the last 25 to 40 years. The liberal position has been pro-abortion redefinition of marriage really the abolition of moral truth and were to the point that if you are a voice of dissent and you do believe in moral truth. Are you going to be shouted down the Hollywood left and many of the pundits and bloggers will just denigrate you if you're an elected official.

There will be an incredibly intense effort to try to discredit you but but here's the point. Listen carefully, folks. But by that measurement. If you have to agree with progressivism in the gay agenda in order to be fit to exist in 21st century America.

You know who is excluded from all that I think about Jimmy Carter, who while I don't agree with all of his politics. He is a born-again Christian and he has named the name of Christ for decades. I think about George Washington I think about Madison who was a has been called the father the U.S. Constitution.

I think about Abraham Lincoln. If you're going to throw out moral law and moral truths and make agreement with the gay agenda as a litmus test for public service.

Well can have Abraham Lincoln because he was very clear about his faith and very clear about his belief and morality. In fact, the whole emancipation movement and ultimately the revising of the Constitution to eliminate slavery was based on belief in God, morality, and the inherent worth and value of every human being as endowed by their creator and you know who recognize that you know who who recognize that the the civil rights movement and the Emancipation Proclamation was made sense only in the context of Christian morality Dr. King in his Pulitzer prize-winning book. While we can't wait.

So if were going to make the litmus test for logic and fitness and morality agreement with the gay agenda then you going to have to throw out many of the greatest leaders. Our nation has ever known or seen not. Let's talk for a moment Dylan about the issue of homosexuality because often times we have this question posed to us. Why do Christians you know abuse homosexuals and show hate and don't show love what was talk about this because clearly we want to be on record and say no one has the right to hate somebody no one no one has the right to hate or marginalize another human being. But in telling the truth of what God's word says and in affirming moral reality, not only moral truth God's revealed word, but human physiology and I won't elaborate on that but in affirming these things I would say were not showing hate but were merely speaking the truth and is not what God calls his followers to do was interesting that in Ephesians 415. The apostle Paul tells us to speak the truth in love, that we don't always get that right.

As Christians, but that is our goal is that we speak God's truth that we do in any manner that's loving and compelling and winsome to those even who oppose us and often times you see those who oppose our message say hey, Christians are supposed to be loving and kind and accepting. How can you exclude me or my beliefs and that is not the idea we want to love all people, but would not be accepting of all behaviors and all beliefs are teachings in the Bible limit us to certain things that we can accept as true in certain things that are excluded is sinful and if you look at human sexuality as presented in the very first book, the Bible, Adam and Eve. The origin of marriage God's ideal situation for human sexuality within the boundaries of marriage between one man and one woman. That is what we proclaim as Christians. That's when Jesus confirmed in the Gospel of Matthew, and therefore that is what we teach. This is not a matter of hatred is not a matter of my opinion against yours. It's us seeking to have an opportunity to speak God's truth into the context of an issue in which some people may oppose our message and you know what sometimes when I speak at universities personal counter back and though say you know what right do you have to disagree with the way I define myself.

You are correct. I in and of myself don't have a right to pass judgment on somebody else.

But the word of God most certainly does stand in position to judge and evaluate all of us. The Bible says that God's Word is like a sword that uncovers the motives and the intents of the heart, but the other thing that I want to speak to is that we really don't have the right to create are in reality we don't have the ability to create our own truth, and we certainly don't have the right to define ourselves in a way that stands completely diametrically opposed to how God has created reality and revealed himself to the world and revealed his word, and so our calling as human beings. If were humble enough to do it and wise enough to recognize it. What we must do is amend our life in light of God's revelation, not argue against God's revelation. You know Dylan when Saul was on the road to Damascus and the risen Jesus appeared to Saul of Tarsus and Saul became the apostle Paul. God said to Saul is hard for you to kick against the goads in fighting human biology.

In fighting God's revelation in suppressing the conviction of conscience part, the activists of today really like Saul of Tarsus kicking against an immovable thing, which is God in his character and history.

Please submit interesting topics attack that will be right back in just moments to for centuries. The Bible has inspired humanity and shape the very world we live but how do we know this book is the word of God, not merely the words of man, what we believe about the Bible is based on what we believe about the source, the God who speaks explores the evidence of the Bible's inspiration and authority to some of the world's most respected biblical scholars have essentially a jewel so it's true to say that Paul wrote Romans is equally true to say that God wrote Romans since we saw this and that sets the Bible apart from everything else in the ancient world and its religious pantheon of gods and goddesses. The God who speaks is a feature-length documentary from the American family Association available now with the God who speaks.all 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 he answers teams students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina. The life he answers teams are made up of students who will inspire and equip your congregation. These apologetics teams, we train speak in 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 interesting 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 to use the radio.

I'm so glad that promise the reality that heaven and earth will pass God's word will never pass away. Matthew 24, 35, why will God's truth never be out of date is because God himself is eternal, and God will never go out of existence and his revealed truth will never have an expiration date will connect the program we've been talking about moral truth and one of the moral issues of our time has been the mainstreaming of homosexuality, and as I said right before the break, that just as Saul could not overthrow the reality of Jesus having risen from the grave and Christ being the son of God, and what I would pray for our country is that rather than fight God's truth, we would amend our lives.

In light of it. I think it's interesting that if you look at first Corinthians.

There is a point where the apostle Paul mentions same-sex activity among some of the Christians in that congregation, but he doesn't do in the present tense.

He says such were some of you. Yes, that was something that was part of their pass before they follow Jesus, but since they turned to Christ they had sought to live a different way. So we are not necessarily saying that we expect every person is not a Christian to change in this area you automatically. It's one of these things that we want people to come to faith in Jesus Christ. When you do know that that requires a change in your actions, and this is one of those areas where God calls to a different way of life in our culture deems popular nowadays. So we are seeking to represent God's truth in a way that is accurate in a way that is helpful in a way that we can apply in our lives and use in a way that honors God and makes an impact in our communities around us. It's interesting to me that just the idea that you would be one man one woman in a faithful marriage and a lifelong partnership is becoming a rare thing to see. I look at the news recently, Barbara Bush, who passed away former First Lady, and despite what people think of her. One of the things that stood out to me is that she was married for 73 years.

While that is a noble goal to have. I think if more of our young people today, myself included, were to look at marriage and say my goal is not to get Richard to be famous, but is to be faithful in lifelong marriage to a spouse that would make a difference in our families and our communities.

In a dramatic way, wouldn't it, Alex. It really would Dylan.

That's a great point. I was at Bialer University in California a couple of years ago and what a great Christian thinkers of our time. J.P. Moreland was there and I'm sure you're familiar with him and in his books. One of which is called scaling the secular city, but Moreland is a great thinker. He was a professor at liberty when I was there doing a couple of degrees but were in a room with several hundred college students, most of whom are Christians and one of the students asking her how can I make a difference in the world and and I'm sure that many of the students probably thought Dr. Moreland this this great thinker would set forth some grandiose thing that we were supposed to do like you know earn a PhD or publish a book which that's a fine thing to do if you're doing it for Christ. But you know what he said. How can we change the world. He said love Jesus and live right and there was the silence and and he like like a good teacher that he is the kind of let it lay there for a minute and create a moment of cognitive dissonance is if you want to change the world number one love Jesus Christ and then live a godly righteous life. Be true to your family be true to your spouse. He said give your employer a good days work build a friendship with your neighbor and invite them in for a meal and then show them the love of Jesus, then tell them the truth of Jesus, and he basically said what you're saying that we you know God may set before you. Some grand thing, or at least grand in the eyes of the world, but are calling every day is to be conformed to the image of Christ, and that that will build seven decade plus marriages wanted that will build children that go the distance and so I agree with Dr. Moreland that his admonition comes right out of the pages of Scripture that if we are wise like Proverbs 17 in Proverbs 3, five and six in Psalm 37 verse 4 We Will Commit Our Way to the Lord and that is a witness that the world for all of its spin and posturing can't really argue against and whether the issue is is moral truth homosexuality versus traditional or natural marriage.

What we've got to do is courageously but consistently forcefully but lovingly, prayerfully, we've got to speak truth, but we've got to model and live truth. Should we. Yes Alex, it's been said that for many people. You're the only Bible they will ever read, and if they are reading the Bible that you are presenting. What kind of version are they getting as we wrap up in the last couple of minutes. Alex, I want to talk about this idea of how to apply what were talking about. Sure we can seek to speak the truth in love, but how do we live the truth in a way that makes an impact among those around us, especially those are outsiders and still do not follow Jesus Christ. One of the things that we need right now our culture is in dire need of Christians who have courage. The Cato Institute recently said that in a representative survey of American adults 71% have convictions and beliefs that they're afraid to articulate and even college students in late 2017, more than 60% of college students feel that the climate on most American campuses prevents them from saying things that they believe here in this land of free speech, often times people rather than having to go through the hassle of being shouted down her or intimidated or bullied. People just don't speaker convictions. We have to be Christians of courage and let me say a word to the pastors out there and I've been a pastor and under Dylan. You've been in ministry for years in between the two of us so much. I think we've served in about every type of a position that that you can within the church and within parachurch ministries. Let me say the clergy of this nation have got to have the courage to preach what thus saith the Lord. People are hungry for people not only need to hear it. In most cases people want to hear it. And so I would call on my brother pastors out there. My fellow ministers to not worry about popularity, but focus on faithfulness because it is time. In fact, it's a very desperate time that we need the truth of God's word and that is not only the truth about salvation, but the truth about morality and how life should be lived yes and Jesus never said to look forward to the timer he would say well done my good and relevant servant said be faithful. That's our calling to be faithful to what God has given us. We thank you for being with us here to three new generation radio. Please check us out online@truthforanewgeneration.com or get are apt to stay connected.

Look forward to hearing from you again and being with you next time. Thanks truth for a new 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 485, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313 that's PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden Carolina 71 will 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