Title: The Subtle Deception of Secular Humanism
Bible Book: Acts 17 : 16-34
Author: Jared Moore
Subject: Secularism; Humanism; Liberalism
Objective:
Introduction
What is a worldview? A worldview is the springboard or trampoline from which all your views of the world are formed.
Illustration: Video: Here we have 3 teenagers jumping on a trampoline. We have 2 teens trying to make the other teen jump really high: (Note - they are trying to influence how high and which way he jumps). And, of course, because of their influence and focus, and the willingness of the teenager to submit to the influence of his buddies, he gets hurt.
Today, every human being is on a trampoline… a foundation that is going to make them jump a certain height, distance, etc. in thought and action. The entire way that the individual is going to think and act is based on this trampoline and who is on it with him or her. Now, one of these teenagers can represent our flesh. (Our flesh is always going to be a part of our worldview, constantly pulling us and pushing us away from a Christian worldview. The teenager who represents our flesh is the one who helped the teenager down once he got hurt. Our flesh gets us into nothing but trouble. It is at enmity with God… though it wants to help us when we get hurt; it is incapable of truly giving us what we need, which is reconciliation with God.) The other person on the trampoline with us; however, is either God the Holy Spirit or Satan. And, the reality is many, many Christians try to have both of these people on the trampoline at the same time; and they don’t even know it. (Many Christians try to do this; they run to the Scriptures for salvation; however, they run to Oprah, Politicians, Atheists, Professors, Psychologists, etc. to learn what they should think about family, education, jobs, government, etc.) When Jesus saved us, we submitted to Him as Lord of our lives. We must view the world through the eyes of Christ. We must seek to glorify God in all that we do. This means that God’s glory must be the trampoline on which we stand, which “springs” us in a direction which glorifies God in our thinking and actions. We must not think or act like a lost person in anything we do. God must be our foundation, and we must view the world how He does.
According to Dr. Voddie Baucham, there are 4 basic worldview questions which every human being asks. These are: 1. Who am I? 2. Why am I here? 3. What’s wrong with the world? 4. How can we fix what’s wrong with the world? Secular Humanists answer these questions eliminating deity, thus indirectly claiming deity; while Christian Theists answer these questions using the Bible. This present-day disagreement is an echo of past worldview conflict between the early church and the world. One prime example of this disagreement is found in Acts 17:16-34. Through Paul’s life- example we can learn how to approach a Humanistic worldview.
I. Who Am I?
A. Secular Humanism Says That You Are A Cosmic Accident
Quote from Secular Humanist, Corliss Lamont, in his book The Philosophy of Humanism, Eighth Edition wrote, “Second, Humanism, drawing especially upon the laws and facts of science, believes that we human beings are an evolutionary product of the Nature of which we are a part; that the mind is indivisibly conjoined with the functioning of the brain; and that as an inseparable unity of body and personality we can have no conscious survival after death” (p.13, 14).
Secular Humanists believe that nature created us through a long developing process known as evolution. We were created by chance.
B. Christian Theism Says That You Are A Creation Of The Most-High God
You are the crowning glory of God’s creation.
Luke, in Acts 17:24-29, “24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.” Paul told the Athenians God is the creator and sustainer of all things.
Genesis 1:26 – “26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” According to Moses, mankind was created in God’s image; therefore, men and women are set apart from all other creation, for we are God’s image-bearers.
Colossians 1:15-17 – “15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” According to Paul, all Visible and invisible things were created by Jesus Christ. These things were created for Him, and He keeps these things in motion. So, those who curse God or profess their unbelief in Him have actuall cursed and denied the One who gave them the brains and bodies they use to curse and deny.
II. Why Am I Here?
A. Secular Humanism Says You are to Satisfy Your Own Desires
Secular Humanism posits that you are here on earth to satisfy your own desires to the best of your ability.
Quote from Secular Humanist Corliss Lamont, in his book The Philosophy of Humanism, Eighth Edition wrote, “Fifth, Humanism believes in an ethics or morality that grounds all human values in this-earthly experiences and relationships and that holds as its highest goal the this-worldly happiness, freedom, and progress—economic, cultural, and ethical—of all humankind, irrespective of nation, race, or religion (p.14).” Mankind’s happiness is the highest goal according to Secular Humanism.
B. Christian Theism Says You Are To Bring Glory To God
Christian Theism says that you are her to bring glory and honor to God!
Luke, in Acts 17:27, wrote “27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:” Paul told the Athenians God created humanity so that we would grope for Him and find Him.
Colossians 1:16 – “16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” According to Paul, mankind was created for the glory of Jesus Christ.
III. What’s Wrong With The World?
A. Secular Humanism Has A False Answer
Secular humanism says that there’s not enough education, nor intervention by the educated on behalf of the uneducated.
Quote from Secular Humanist Corliss Lamont, in his book The Philosophy of Humanism: Eighth Edition who wrote, “Hence Humanism considers it most essential to carry through a systematic and skillful program of training the motives and the emotions so that the social and sympathetic tendencies of human beings will be encouraged. Without exception the great thinkers on the subject of morality have agreed that a cardinal aim of ethical education is to develop people who find pleasure and happiness in doing right, and pain and unhappiness in doing wrong. Social conditioning, working upon plastic human nature with all the new techniques of twentieth-century teaching, communication, and advertising, can accomplish wonders either for good or for bad”(p.
269). Secular Humanism says that men aren’t subscribing to the Secular Humanist’s definitions and thinking. This is what is wrong with the world according to Secular Humanism.
B. Christian Theism Has A True Answer
Christian Theism states that we are what’s wrong with the world. We aren’t doing what God has created us to do.
Luke, in Acts 17:30, wrote “30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” Paul told the Athenians that man is full of ignorance and God is calling all men everywhere to turn from their sins, and turn to Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:23 – “23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” According to Paul all men have fallen short of God’s glory, because all men have sinned.
Colossians 1:21 – “21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.” According to Paul, all lost people are alienated from God and are His enemies because of their wickedness; but those who have repented of their sins and turned to Christ have been reconciled to God.
IV. How Can We Fix What’s Wrong With The World?
A. Secular Humanism Has A False Solution
The humanists say that we fix the world by educating the people, and by the elite’s intervention on behalf of the uneducated.
Quote from a Secular Humanist Corliss Lamont, in his book The Philosophy of Humanism: Eighth Edition who wrote “Returning once more to the role of the intellect, I wish to point out that in Humanism’s general scheme of education nothing is more important from an ethical viewpoint than teaching boys and girls, women and men, how to reason correctly and to use their minds in dealing with the myriad problems of life… The irrational impulses of human beings have played an enormous role in bringing recurrent disasters upon humankind and remain a sinister danger in contemporary affairs. For the Humanist, stupidity is just as great a sin as selfishness; and “the moral obligation to be intelligent” ranks among the highest of duties.”(p. 271). For some reason, there is a moral obligation upon every human being to be intelligent. Once again, the definition of “intelligent” is defined by the Secular Humanists. This is their answer to fixing what is wrong with the world.
B. Christian Theism Has God’s Solution
God states that the world is fixed by the redemption provided by Jesus Christ alone.
Luke, in Acts 17:30 - 31, wrote “30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” Paul told the Athenians there is a day coming whenever our Lord and Savior, who offers salvation now, will offer only judgment. We are sure of His offering of salvation and His coming judgment because God has raised Him from the dead.
Romans 6:23 – “23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” According to Paul, the result of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Colossians 1:22 – “22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:” According to Paul, those who are saved have been reconciled to God through the righteousness of Christ, unearned by us, being credited as our righteousness. We are blameless before God due to the declaration of His Son.
Conclusion
Dr. Voddie Baucham has given us four basic questions which every human being wants to know the answers to. All men want to know who they are, why they’re here, what’s wrong with the world, and how to fix what’s wrong. There are two main worldviews, Christian Theism and Secular Humanism, which formulate the answers to these questions in our American society today. The main difference between these views can be summed up in a quote from a Humanist named Corliss Lamont.
Lamont wrote in his book The Philosophy of Humanism: Eighth Edition, “In the meaningful perspectives of the Humanist philosophy, humankind, although no longer the darling of the universe or even of this earth, stands out far more heroically than in any of the supernaturalist creeds, old or new. We have become truly promethean in our almost infinite powers and potentialities. For our great achievements, which were attained utilizing the resources and the laws of Nature, yet without Divine aid, we can take full credit. Similarly, for our shortcomings we must take full responsibility.
Humanism assigns to us nothing less than the task of being our own savior and redeemer.” All men know that there is something wrong with the world. The difference is that Christians believe Christ is the only answer and Humanists believe humanity is. Who will you put your faith in today, fallen humanity or Jesus Christ the King of kings and Lord of lords? I pray He is your only answer.
