1. To Many, The Bible Seems Out of Date
“Sure, the Bible was relevant once upon a time, in that long-ago era of shepherds and scribes. That story of how the Hebrew people emerged from their centuries of slavery in Egypt is a gripping account, but does it have any connection to my world of lightning fast s and jet travel? The problems of a fish swallowing a disobedient prophet named Jonah and how to get Daniel out of a den of lions seem pretty far removed from fixing my transmission or resurrecting my crashed hard drive. For a soccer mom racing to get her kids to the dentist, is there any relevance to the story of how Elijah saw to the killing of 400 prophets of the god Baal? Can we relate at all to such strange and mystifying events today?”

2. Situation Ethics No absolute right or wrong “New morality”
Moral behavior is relative
Decisions are to be made depending on the situation
“New morality”
“Contextualism”
“Ethical Individualism”
Catholics:
“Mental Reservation”
(allowed to lie)

3. Joseph Fletcher’s Situation Ethic’s Compared
Legalistic
enters into every decision making situation with a whole apparatus of prefabricated rules and regulations.
Situationism
armed with the ethical maxims
but prepared in any situation to compromise them or set them aside in the situation if love seems better served by doing so
Antinomianism
one enters into the decision making situation armed with no principles or maxims or rules

4. Premodern Modern Postmodern
Because God put it there and that’s the way its always been
Modern
Onward & upward with progress
Postmodern
Ayheu%%79!! ==abunoienunc5nuasdfuinz,I;;;;;&99

5. Does the Bible fit modern man?
Relevant
“appropriate to the current time, period, or circumstances; of contemporary interest.”
Does the Bible fit modern man?
Is it out of date?

6. Is The
Bible
Still Relevant
Today?

7. Is The Bible Still Relevant Today?
Relevance Is Based Upon Reliability

8. Relevance Is Based Upon Reliability
If God exist & Bible is true – then the Bible is relevant
Modernism, Post-modernism & situation ethics are rooted in Atheism
Evidence that God exist
Seen in creation

9. Bible Writers Point to Creation
Psa. 19:1-6
Rom. 1:20
The
World
That
Exist
Believe
There Is
A God

10. Cosmological & Teleological
Argument
Cosmos – argues – Cause
Design – argues - Designer

11. Relevance Is Based Upon Reliability
If God exist & Bible is true – then the Bible is relevant
Modernism, Post-modernism & situation ethics are rooted in Atheism
Evidence that God exist
Seen in creation
Seen in resurrection of Christ
The tomb was empty
Matt. 28:6
Luke 24:3
Admitted by all
How did it become empty?

12. Relevance Is Based Upon Reliability
If God exist & Bible is true – then the Bible is relevant
Thus, God has answers (Acts 17:24-31)
Man came from God – not a god made by man
God knows man’s needs

13. Relevance Is Based Upon Reliability
If God exist & Bible is true – then the Bible is relevant
Thus, God has answers (Acts 17:24-31)
Word of God stands the test of time
Endures forever (1 Pet. 1:25)
Living and active (Heb. 4:12)

14. Is The Bible Still Relevant Today?
Relevance Is Based Upon Reliability
Bible Meets Modern Man’s Needs

15. Bible Meets Modern Man’s Needs
Man’s problems and needs have not changed
Man today – no different than man in Bible times
Sin hasn’t changed (1 John 3:4) – only how man sins
Stealing (shekel – vs – stealing one’s identity)
Envy (of one’s camel – vs- SUV)
Murder (sword –vs- AR15)
Gossip (in person –vs- text)
Modern man can identify with ancient man in the Bible

16. Bible Meets Modern Man’s Needs
Man’s problems and needs have not changed
Bible addresses man’s needs:
Origin of man (Gen. 1:1; Psa. 33:6-9; Exo. 31)
Purpose of life (Ecc. 12:13)
Problem of sin (Jas. 1:15)
Defines it (1 John 3:4)
Who is guilty (Rom. 3:23)
When become sinners (Rom. 7:9)
Consequences (Jas. 1:15; Rom. 5:12)
Sacrifice of blood of Christ for sin (Matt. 26:28)
Conditions must be met (Heb. 5:8-9)

17. Bible Meets Modern Man’s Needs
Man’s problems and needs have not changed
Bible addresses man’s needs:
Origin of man (Gen. 1:1; Psa. 33:6-9; Exo. 31)
Purpose of life (Ecc. 12:13)
Problem of sin (Jas. 1:15)
How to find happiness (Matt. 5:1-12)
Relationships (Matt. 7:12; Rom. 12; family, business, gov.)
Racial prejudice (Matt. 7:12; Acts 17:26; Rom. 10:12)
Social disorder / chaos (Rom. 13:1-7)
Standard of morality (drunk – Gal. 5:21; fornication – 1 Cor. 6:18; stealing – Eph. 4:25)
Hope for future (1 Cor. 15; 1 Thess. 4:13-18)
Loved (God’s love – Jno 3:16 / Other’s love – Mt 22:37-38)
Busy – work (2 Thess. 3:10; Eph. 4:28)

18. Is The Bible Still Relevant Today?
Relevance Is Based Upon Reliability
Bible Meets Modern Man’s Needs
Truth is Not Relative

19. Truth is Not Relative Truth is not subjective
Subjective means: varies from person to person – situation to situation
Not left to each one to decide (Jer. 10:23)
What seems right may be wrong (Prov. 14:12)
When “truth” is subjective – it deifies man (makes him god)

20. Truth is Not Relative Truth is not subjective Truth is objective
There is a standard by which we live (1 John 3:4)
Inspired word tells us right from wrong (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
Grace teaches us what should do and not do (Titus 2:11-12)
Makes a difference whether obey truth or not (2 Thess. 2:10-12)

21. Truth is Not Relative Truth is not subjective Truth is objective
Does Matthew 12:1-8 suggest situation ethics?
Jesus did not say – this is a case where violating law is okay
Did Jesus violate law? No!
Did not sin (1 Pet. 2:22)
“guiltless” (v. 7)
Was eating grain a violation of Sabbath law? No
Deut. 23:25
Deals with inconsistency
David’s “unlawful act” – you don’t condemn
Disciples “lawful act” – you condemn

22. Is The Bible Still Relevant Today?
Relevance Is Based Upon Reliability
Bible Meets Modern Man’s Needs
Truth is Not Relative