A Cultural War

Various Passages October 3, 2021

I. Introduction:

A. We learned last week that truth basically means reality, something that is so real

you can depend upon it, you can bet your life on it. Thus from this definition we

have given the name to this series “Let’s Get Real”

1. So let’s get real this morning. What is really going on? What is so true and

so real that I can build my life on it?

1. Do you want to get real? I need to warn you that this morning may be a bit

like the movie A Few Good Men where Jack Nicholson speaking to Tom

Cruise said (video from movie)

a) Nicholson “you want answers?”

b) Cruise: “I want the truth!”

c) Nicholson: “you can’t handle the truth!”

B. Sometimes Christianity does not make you feel better but actually makes life

harder rather than easier. That is hard for some people to handle! But this reality,

this truth is something you can build your life on and depend upon! So let’s get

real!

1. First, there is a whole spiritual world and many spiritual beings that are real

but they are all invisible.

1. That spiritual world touches our lives, our church our nation, and our world

and is behind many of the struggles and problems we have experience in all

of these arenas.

a) Turn to and read Ephesians 6:11-12

b) We see in v12 that there is a struggle going on and it is not against other

humans but ultimately against spiritual invisible beings, bad angels,

demons whose desire is to destroy our world and us.

c) We see here in v11 that Satan has schemes to try to get us to fall. He has

many methods but one of his primary tricks is deception. Getting us to

believe a lie.

1. Jesus calls Satan the father of lies, - read John 8:44bff

a) Deception is the primary means he uses – read Revelation 12:9

b) That means Satan is working to get us to believe a lie! Something that is

unreal and not dependable, an illusion that if you build your life on it, it

will crumble.

C. We learned last week that Jesus is the truth! The ultimate, dependable reality and

truth!

D. Thus, we have a spiritual war that is going on both in the heavenlies and here on

earth between God and Satan, and we are right in the middle of the battlefield.

1. Satan wants to control us by his lies and use us as his instrument of lies to

further his agenda

1. God wants to control us by His truth and use us as instruments of truth to

further His agenda!

E. God has provided for us powerful spiritual weapons for this spiritual battle for

truth. Turn to 2 Corinthians 10:3

1. The context of this chapter was that false teachers were trying to discredit

Paul and what he taught. So it was out of this context Paul writes what he

says next.

1. Read v3-4 We see two things here

a) While we are humans of flesh, the war we are in is not a human war but

a spiritual war.

b) Secondly, the weapons that God has provided for us are spiritual and

powerful for destroying strongholds/fortresses

1. Now note in v5 that He tells us what are the strongholds/fortresses that He is

destroying with these powerful spiritual weapons. Read v5

a) Simply this is a battle for truth

b) A battle against anything, any teaching, philosophy, ideology, belief

system even every single thought that is contrary to God and His Truth.

F. That is the real world we live in and the real battle we fight for our families, our

church, our nation and ourselves. That truth is so real you can build your life

upon it. You are living in the middle of a battle for your mind; truth and lies are

the primary weapons!

• So today and next week I want to help us better understand this battle for truth in light

of the postmodern world we live in

II. Postmodern

A. Many have called this war for truth a cultural war because the battle rages

primarily in the seven institutions of culture.

1. Those institutions are family, religion, government, arts, media, education,

and economy.

1. A cultural war happens when worldviews clash in the institutions of culture.

Especially when one group who runs the institutions puts pressure upon other

groups to accept their views! Dr Marcus Warner

1. Dr Warner goes on to say historically Christians have only been involved in

two of the cultural institutions (family and religion) and because we have not

been involved in the other five we are losing the battle for the culture!

1. As a result, many of the perspectives of our postmodern world stand in direct

opposition to a truth centered biblical worldview!

B. Voodie Bachman says the hallmark of postmodern thinking is the rejection of

absolute truth – truth that is true for all people in all places at all times.

1. The three by products of that are pluralism, relativism, and tolerance.

2. Next week we will deal more with absolute truth, so today I just want to deal

with the three byproducts.

C. Pluralism simply means there can be two or more differing or opposing views that

are equally valid and true.

1. That is why irrational thinking is not a problem in this day.

2. We struggle because the laws of logic tells us that truth cannot contradict

itself, but the postmodern world is comfortable with and even celebrates

contradictions in reasoning and logic.

1. Many believe this has grown out of the industrialization of our big cities as

people of differing cultures, ethnicities, colors and religions have come in

from all over the world to get work.

a) Thus, the culture we live in now is pluralistic.

b) Air travel and the internet have allowed the world to shrink so we have

many interactions with people who are very different from us.

1. Thus, many differing views exist together in one place at the same time

making our culture a pluralistic culture.

1. So the people we try to minister to, believe there are many different and

opposing truths that are equally true and valid!

D. Relativism means truth is not fixed for all people but is individually determined

dependent upon a person’s unique situation and beliefs.

1. So if each person’s, each sub culture’s and each group’s situation and beliefs

are different, and if there is no absolute truth then truth is in constant flux and

all truths are valid and equal!

1. Thus, relativism and pluralism go hand and hand. That is why you hear from

people today “that may be true for you, but it is not true for me!”

E. Tolerance

1. Tolerance used to mean bearing with, accepting, and treating with respect

someone who has a different view than you

1. Today tolerance means you not only accept and treat with respect someone

who differs but you must embrace and celebrate their views. It demands that

we value these views to the degree that we value our own and if we do not we

are intolerant.

1. We must speak the truth in love; both must be present and not one without

the other!

1. We must be ready to accept the rejection received for that as a badge of honor

in the kingdom of God and be more concerned with what God thinks than

what they think! Now we all must face that internal battle with ourselves!

III. Application

A. I love what Doctor Warner says about how we can engage in this war and act like

Christians.

1. Love your enemies and do good to them (relational)

2. Oppose wicked spirits and pray for revival (spiritual )

3. Validate, listen and validate first then speak the truth in love (conversational)

4. Engage with cultural institution (cultural) – we need more Daniels and

Josephs in these days!

1. Then he goes on to say when we do this we may not save the world or even

some relationships, but we will make inroads into some people’s lives with

relational breakthroughs

B. Turn to Colossians 2:13-15

1. As I read note that Jesus at the cross, when he shed His blood disarmed and

defeated Satan. Read v13-15

1. Listen to Revelation 12:10-11

2. It is the blood of Jesus that defeats and disarms the enemy.

C. As communion is taken today would you get real by consider the war you are

really in and where Satan has duped you with his lies. Then thank Jesus for

shedding His blood. Then apply His blood by faith against the enemy where he

has duped you, your mate, your children, your church, your nation!