ABSOLUTE TRUTHS IN RELATIVE TIMES
I just finished reading through the book of Acts in my morning prayer time, and will be beginning the book of Romans tomorrow. The end of Acts finds Paul in Rome, explaining the Christian way to interested Roman citizens; while Romans is a letter Paul had written to Christians in Rome. This context is important, as context is always important, because who’s writing and to whom and in what setting makes all the difference in your interpretation and enjoyment of the Bible.
In this case, 1st century Rome was a cosmopolitan and intellectual place, not unlike many urban centers around the world today. It is striking, then, that Paul spends so much time on the absolute truths of the Christian faith, tenets that were probably just as unpopular back then as they are now. He condemns homosexuality as a sin, acknowledges God as the ultimate judge of humanity, and warns that unfaithful living will cause you eternal separation from God. You might easily read the first few chapters of Romans and conclude that the Bible is hopelessly dated and old-fashioned, that society has moved past such intolerance and moral rigidity and has become more accepting, more progressive.
Ah, but such is the reality of absolute truths in relative times: they do not go down easily. Indeed, many of Paul’s listeners at the end of Acts not only refused to believe his message, but got downright unruly in their opposition. And so it is today. The true Christian message is rejected and itself condemned for its claims of absolute truths in a time where relativism is sacrosanct.
The sad thing is that we Christians are failing on two counts as it relates to absolutism and relativism. We fail to hold the line on truths that are non-negotiable, like the consequences of sin or the primacy of Jesus. And while we are tolerating half-truths and outright lies, where we are intolerant is in areas where we ought to not only be tolerant, but lead our society towards greater tolerance, like pursuing racial harmony and loving the morally outcasted and seeking economic justice.
Which is why I look forward to studying the book of Romans. For while it was written to 1st century Christians in Rome, it applies to 21st century Christians in urban centers around the world. We too live in cosmopolitan settings, where intellectualism is esteemed and people wonder why we can’t just all get along. We too need to be fed with the message that there is absolute truth and there is a loving and merciful God. Such are the foundations for Christians and Christian communities that hold the line on non-negotiable truths, and that can simultaneously demonstrate genuine outreach and loving tolerance to a society that desperately needs it.
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