Lies We Believe - Intro Series

We are going to start a new series today, one that will take a look at the relationship between what we believe

and how we live. It is entitled, “Lies we believe.”

1. Crisis of Trutha.

We live in a society that has discarded the concept or notion that there is such a thing as

“absolute truth.”

i. Over the past 30 years, a subtle shift has been taking place in society that has moved

from the belief that there is such a thing as truth to a point of view that says “there are

no universal truths.”

ii. At first it was subtle, with classes being introduced to our public school system that

dealt with “values clarification.”

1. In these classes, the teachers would intentionally introduce what is called a “moral

dilemma” for which there was no right or wrong answer.

2. For example, if 8 people were adrift on a lifeboat that only held 6 people, who

would you allow to drown. And they would list a variety of characteristics of the

eight people to muddy the waters of the children’s decision making process.

3. As the children got older, these values clarification classes would embrace more

and more difficult choices such as abortion, euthanasia, and even religion. The

goal of the liberal educators was to erode the moral base and authority that the

parents had over their child’s life.

4. In the educational curriculum called Quest, the following statement is made:

a. “A value is not a value unless a child has been given the freedom to

choose from among competing values. If the child happens to chose a

selfish, immoral, or even illegal `value,’ it must not be criticized as long as

it is freely chosen. The value must be freely chosen. Anything taught

from another source, such as home or church, is authoritative imposition,

so it cannot be a true value”

b. The use of values clarification techniques results in alienation between

children and parents. The whole process conveys the message that parents

have no right to even attempt to shape the moral development of their

children.

c. Children were taught to believe that parents were wrong to teach them that

there are moral absolutes to guide their behavior. (Eagle Forum, No. 66, pp. 1, 2 and 4; parenthesis

added for clarity).

d. The result: the child is led to the conclusion that truth is subjective.

e. And if truth is subjective, then there can be no ultimate authority, no

ultimate "right" and "wrong," no ultimate ethical system.

f. If everything is subjective, where does the child turn for truth and

guidance?

g. If all outside sources, such as parents and Christianity have been rejected

as "authoritative impositions" then there is only one choice to which the

child can turn - themselves!

iii. This is the foundation that was given to children through public schools beginning in

the 1980’s and continues today.

iv. It is the same deception that Adam and Eve were given in the garden.

v. It is the same struggle that the early Israelites in the time of the Judges 17:6 “In those

days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.”

1. There was no standard of truth, of right and wrong, so everyone did as they felt

right in their own eyes.

bob Higgins Page 1 4/29/2006

2. The reason that I am doing this sermon series is because I have seen the difference believing a lie will

make upon my life, and I have experienced first hand, the freedom the truth makes when I build my life

upon the truth.

a. Some of you here probably have experienced something like this as well.

b. I will try to show you how deeply the lies we believe sink their roots into our lives and how they

negatively affect our lives.

c. Our culture is filled with deception. And yet we long to believe the lies we are told.

i. We fall for them if they “push the right button” in us.

ii. From weight loss, to health, looking younger, to making money – the deception has a

hook that is sure to snag you if you will listen seriously to their pitch.

iii. How many times have you gone to a sale that says, “Last chance to save!”

1. What a lie! They will have the same sale next month!

2. And its rarely ever a real sale. I recall Jennifer and I going to Sears on our way to

go to Luby’s cafeteria, and we would always stop and look at the furniture

section. Every week there would be a different sale, 10% off all stock, 15% off,

etc. Funny thing though, there were these placards where they slip in the price for