IT'S ALL RELATIVE (OR - IS IT?)

From My Perspective - - -

The phrase – it’s all relative – is often used in our culture as a way of defining or explaining why things are the way they are and/or how they got the way they are. The Urban Dictionary makes an attempt at defining the phrase: “It’s All Relative (or Everything’s Relative) means that the world is in the eye of the beholder; it all depends on how you look at things; all people look at things from a different perspective and have differing opinions or views about someone, something, etc.  Everything is quantifiable in terms of individual perception. To him, the new house is beautiful and grandiose in appearance; to me, it's ugly and pretentious. It's all relative, then, isn't it?  You think you're poor? Then take a look at the skid row bums living in the sewers downtown. Everything is relative.” Is this an adequate assessment and definition?

Another offering in terms of “What Is Relativism” states: “Relativism is the philosophical position that all points of view are equally valid, and that all truth is relative to the individual. This means that all moral positions, all religious systems, all art forms, all political movements…are truths that are relative to the individual…Under the umbrella of relativism, whole groups of perspectives are categorized.  In obvious terms, some are: (1) Cognitive Relativism (truth) - Cognitive relativism affirms that all truth is relative.  This would mean that no system of truth is more valid than another one, and that there is no objective standard of truth.  It would, naturally, deny that there is a God of absolute truth; (2) Moral/Ethical Relativism - All morals are relative to the social group within which they are constructed.; (3) Situational Relativism - Ethics (right and wrong) are dependent upon the situation.” This also lacks adequacy and leaves one wondering whether or not life and culture are existing in a vacuum of some sort. No one seems to ask: “What is the reference point?” Not one dares to inquire: “Compared to what?”

The reference point and the comparison needs to be in terms of an absolute. Relativism is reluctant and hesitant to compare with a Moral Absolute because it might easily put their theories at risk by raising questions that cannot be answered apart from the acceptance of The Absolute! Somewhere and/or Sometime Someone needs to ask a simple question: “Relative when/as compared to what?” If there is no reference point, then “Relative” is a hollow and meaningless word insertion.

The Apostle Paul deals with a relativistic inclination by the culture of his day by giving a definitive and absolute declaration. In Romans 6:1-7, “ What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?...For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.” Paul is dismissive of relativism as a valid argument when he declares and defines (a) the reality and possibilities of new life in Christ, versus (b) remaining as one is, namely, sinning and being dead in one’s sins. What Paul is asserting is that there is no middle ground – Relativism – but only the Absolute – life in Christ or death in one’s sin.

In I John 5:9-12, the Absolute is stated as clearly and simply as possible – “…the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” This is God’s Declaration and His Absolute. Our Culture looks for wiggle-room and the relativistic approach to life. But God says – No! Eternal Life is possible only one way – in Jesus Christ. If you have Him – you have Eternal Life! That is God’s Absolute. Any other approach is relativistic and leaves one designated by God as – “he who does not have the San of God does not have life.” Consider these things with me!