Lesson Two--Philosophy & Ethics Part One

In today's lesson, we saw an example of the use of "assumptive language," which Dr. Tackett calls one of the most dangerous forms of communication for Christians. In general terms, "assumptive language" is a general, seemingly innocuous statement. However, the state requires agreement with other assumptions in order for the statement to be valid. This is an example of the kinds of deception and debauchery that trap Christians in today's society. Dr. Tackett's argument today is based on the truth claim of Colossians 2:8: "See to it that no one takes you captive, through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." Dr. Tackett played an excerpt from a program called, "Cosmos" hosted by Carl Sagan. In the program, Dr. Sagan referred to the cosmos as "all that was or is or will ever be." He makes the argument that this is "all there is--that which is in the cosmos." He argues that there is nothing outside the box. If this is true, there is no God.

Basically, there are two views to consider. 1: God is, and he is reflected in creation and in His Word. 2. God is not and only those things inside the Cosmic Cube (matter, energy, man) are real. As Christians, we must ask ourself the question, "Do I live as if God is not?" We learned from our lesson and from God's Word that it is indeed possible for us to be taken captive by satan's lies and deception. The best way to guard against this danger is to examine ourselves constantly against the standard of God's Word. We need to examine our lives and see if our actions and behaviors reflect the beliefs we claim to hold.

Join us next week as we reflect on the question of ethics, "What is right? What is wrong?" We will also consider the issue of a postmodern society. Thanks for being a part of this class. See you next week!