What Is Sin? Series

WHAT IS SIN?

Isaiah 53.6

S: Sin

C: Postmodern

Th: Confusion

Pr: WE SHOULD MAKE HONEST AND REALISTIC EVALUATION OF OURSELVES.

CV: We will clearly communicate the transforming truth of the Bible.

Type: Inductive

PA: How is the change to be observed?

• Be honest with self.

• Evaluate your motives.

• Recognize God’s standards are higher than your own.

• Apply the good news to yourself.

Version: ESV

RMBC 09 November 08 AM

INTRODUCTION:

It has been an interesting week, hasn’t it?

I am sure that many of you are like me, in that, you are glad the elections are over.

But I do want to say this for the record, I am rejoicing that an African-American is going to be in the White House.

It is absolutely historic.

I am glad that our country has, at least in part, fulfilled some of Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream.

We have decided as a country that there is more to a person than the color of the skin, and elected him president.

And I say, “Good for us!”

Let’s pray for him as the transition and transfer of power takes place in our nation.

We live in interesting times that is for certain.

As we noted last week…

We live in a time when the postmodern worldview is replacing the modern.

It is a very historic time in our culture.

The worldviews are changing.

And it is not so much that postmodernism is a reaction to modernism, as it is the logical follow-up to it.

Though it began earlier, for many of us, we began to experience postmodern thinking during the sexual revolution and the anti-establishment movement of the 1960s.

That which was always considered to be true was challenged on multiple fronts.

Last week, we asked the question, “What is truth?”

Asking that question means we want to know what is true versus what is false?

What is right versus what is wrong?

And when we ask, “What is truth?”, we also want to know whether truth can be known?

This is where a distinctive is set-up between the modern worldview and the postmodern.

The modern worldview believes that truth can be discovered and known objectively.

But in contrast…

The postmodern worldview says that truth is subjective.

In other words, one’s understanding of the truth is dependent on the experience you have.

Those of us that have, culturally, possessed a modern worldview, will struggle with this concept.

I am concerned though, as we go through this series called “Confusion,” it will come across that I am totally against the postmodern worldview.

And if it seems I am doing that, I apologize.

For actually, I think that the postmodern worldview is better than my modern worldview in several areas.

I am finding some qualities of postmodernism intriguing as I continue to study it.

One of the conclusions I came to last week, reflects the postmodern emphasis.

I do believe God can be known.

He can be experienced.

God, as truth, as the basis of truth, can be experienced.

That is my experience.

And many of you will give the same kind of testimony as well.

OUR STUDY:

But I think there are some danger areas to the postmodern worldview.

One of these areas is what we call “relativism.”

And again I have no wish to trivialize this subject.

Indeed, please understand we are just scratching the surface of all that could be said, both for and against.

But if you apply relativism in your thinking, allow me the opportunity to discuss it with you today.

Relativism is the belief that truth is dependent on a person’s culture, class, or individual experience.

Simply stated, truth is relative.

Truth is shaped by how you live.

It is shaped by where you live.

It is shaped by the relationships you have.

So, the postmodernist says…

There is no objective truth.

There is no truth out there that serves as a basis and foundation on how to live.

If anyone tells you that there is, don’t believe it.

It is a myth.

And even worse, all they are trying to do is to control you.

You may be running into an argument with relativist when you hear:

“Live and let live!”

“No one as the right to tell me what is right or wrong.”

“It’s wrong to impose your morals on someone else.”

“I have the right to do whatever I want as long as I am not hurting anyone.”

“You have to do what you think is right.”

“Stop being so judgmental!”

These statements come because…

Tolerance is the favorite virtue for the postmodern worldview.

Let’s examine the concept of tolerance for a moment.

Webster’s dictionary defines it like this:

To tolerate is to recognize and respect other’s beliefs, practices, etc. without sharing them; To bear or put up with…