“SUBJECTIVISM: AN UNREASONABLE

FACSIMILE”

Isaiah 8:20

Isaiah 8:20 KJV 20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Objectivism

is the belief that what really matters is that one obeys an absolute standard of authority a concrete moral code of behavior regardless of his feelings; that facts, not feelings, are the final judge.

Subjectivism

on the other hand, is the belief that the thing that really counts is how you feel—that one’s feelings are the final criterion of what is right or wrong, good or bad, acceptable or unacceptable.

Subjectivism Illustrated

Consider, for example, some areas where objective faith has been replaced by subjective faith.

(1) Baptism.

Subjective faith says, “I don’t think a person has to be baptized in order to go to Heaven.

Objective faith accepts the Word of God on baptism and believes that it is a requirement for salvation.

Mark 16:16 KJV 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Acts 2:38 KJV 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

1 Peter 3:21 KJV 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

(2) Not Necessary To Be A Member of the Lord’s Church

Subjective faith says,  "You can go to Heaven outside the church just as well as in it!"  OR  "One church is just as good as another, but none of them are essential."

Objective faith says,– Let's read Ephesians 4:4-6 & then

pick out the non-essentials. You might as well talk about God, 

Christ  or the Holy Spirit being non-essential.

Ephesians 4:4-6 KJV 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

(3) Hell

Subjective faith says, “I don’t think God would send people to torment. I just can’t imagine a God of love doing that. Surely God won’t cast people into eternal fire.”

Objective faith accepts the Biblical teaching on Hell and believes that eternal punishment awaits the wicked.

Matthew 5:29 KJV 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 KJV 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Revelation 21:8 KJV 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

(4) Marriage & Divorce.

Subjective faith says, “I feel that if a person wants to get a divorce he can. He surely isn’t expected to stay with his mate if they don’t love each other anymore.

Objective faith stands for what the Bible teaches about divorce and believes that marriage should be permanent.

Matthew 5:31 KJV 31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 KJV 10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

Romans 7:3 KJV 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

(5) Abortion.

Subjective faith says, “I think a woman has a right to decide for herself if she wants an abortion. I can’t see how God would hold it against her if she didn’t want the baby. I feel that it’s up to the mother.”

Objective faith considers what the Bible says about terminating the innocent and believes that to destroy human life is forbidden.

Exodus 20:13 KJV 13 Thou shalt not kill.

Proverbs 6:16-17 KJV 16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

Matthew 19:18 KJV 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

God’s Word or Our Feelings

It is not, then, how we feel about such issues as baptism, Hell, church, divorce, and abortion, etc. but What saith the Scriptures?

John 12:48 KJV 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

John 10:35 KJV 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

Biblical Examples

Over and over in the Bible we find examples of people, good, honest, sincere people who were totally misguided by their feelings.

“Jacob”

When “Jacob” saw the blood-stained robe of his beloved son Joseph, he tore his own clothes and went into a period of grief that lasted for years.

Genesis 37:32-33 KJV 32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no. 33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

“Prophet Elijah”

The “Prophet Elijah” in a moment of depression, tried to convince God that he was the only one left in Israel who hadn’t become a rank idolater.

1 Kings 19:10 KJV 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

1 Kings 19:18 KJV 18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

“Naaman”

“Naaman” the leper felt he could wash in some other river than what God commanded him to wash in to be cleansed of his disease.

2 Kings 5:11-14 KJV 11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Joseph and Mary

Joseph and Mary actually traveled an entire day without their son, all the while thinking Jesus was with them.

Luke 2:44 KJV 44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

John 20:15 KJV 15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Saul of Tarsus

Acts 26:9-11 KJV 9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

The Jailer

Acts 16:27 KJV 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

Faith or Feelings?

All of these cases serve to teach us an important truth: feelings are not reliable (especially when founded on partially true or untrue testimony). Emotions cannot be a safe test of the truth of a thing believe.

John 14:6 KJV 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 17:17 KJV 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Proverbs 14:12 KJV 12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

1 John 3:24 KJV 24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Conclusion:

Brethren we should feel good about our salvation. People rejoiced after they became

Christians in the Bible.

Acts 8:39 KJV 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

Matthew 7:21 KJV 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

What Must I Do?