Let's conduct a hypothetical experiment. Suppose we gather together 50 people all wearing wristwatches and we ask each of them, "What time is it?" More than likely we will get 50 different answers. One might say it is 8:08 and 16 seconds. Another might say it is 8:04 and 32 seconds. Yet another might say it is 8:12 and 42 seconds. Well, you get the picture. Is there any way to know exactly what time it is? Must we be satisfied with mass confusion on this subject? The answer is that there is one correct time and we can know exactly what the time is. Let me explain.

There is a place across the Atlantic Ocean called Greenwich, England. There is the home of the Royal Observatory Greenwich which defines both time and place for the entire world. All time in the world is measured relative to "Greenwich Mean Time" (GMT). Therefore, if a person wants to know exactly what time it really is, they need to refer to this authority on time. Someone else's perception of what time it is does not matter. No matter what time you or I say that it is, unless it matches with the time from Greenwich, it is not the correct time.

A system of belief arose in the mid-to late 20th century called postmodernism. Those who ascribe to this belief claim that there is no real knowledge and that there are no facts, only interpretations. In other words they do not believe in absolute truth. These people believe that a person could search from now until the end of the ages and never arrive at the one and only truth on any subject. Sadly enough, many people try to mix this theory with Christianity, and it simply will not work.

God's word is crystal clear on religious truth - what it is, and where it is. In Psalms 119:160, the Bible says "The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth forever." (ASV). In verse 142 of the same chapter we read, "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth." (KJV) In John 17:17 Jesus said, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth".

If a person believes in God, and believes that the Bible is the word of God, then they must believe that there is a way to arrive at the truth on any religious matter. It is called studying and meditating on what God said on every subject that the Bible addresses. That is why the word of God says, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15).

The Bible is the only authority on all religious matters. True Christians do not have any need for humanly devised creed books, catechisms, disciplines, or church bylaws. All they need to be guided home to heaven are the Holy Scriptures (2 Peter 1:3), which are the absolute true words of God.

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Brother Jason Holladay