The first to plead his case seems just, until another comes and examines him. (Pr 18:17)
What we believe has more to do with who gets to us first than with what is true. Driven by questions deeper than science can answer, eager young minds are easily misled. Only those previously protected by truth can detect deceit.
The secular worldview is not introduced to the young as philosophy, but packaged as impartial science. By suppressing the inescapable life meanings and exaggerating the achievements of natural powers, secular explanations provide a substitute for God that pacifies spiritually dark minds and fools the censors of religion in secular schools. Long before we had acquired any skill or reason to resist, secular-trained teachers (in harmony across man-made curriculum barriers) planted naturalistic and secular (Godless) explanations of How things happened.
These early-planted and later hidden preconceptions resist the opposition from later-arriving truth. If, however, we first inculcate the Biblical worldview, its account of creation and salvation will resonate within and equip the young to reject these godless speculations.
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: (1 Tim 6:20 KJ)
Proving Truth
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; (1Th. 5:21)
Most of the daily deluge of incoming "facts" is inconsequential, but life-shaping beliefs must be tested. Our Creator gave us the freedom to believe truth or error but only limited power to discern between them. Within ourselves we have little defense against malicious deception and even less when our deceiver intends well. If lies are cleverly devised (self-consistent, logical, coherent) we can only measure truthfulness (as we measure everything) by comparison against a standard. When testing worldview issues we ultimately "prove all things and hold fast to what is good" using absolute truth from God's words. We reject anything that does not square with His structural truth-beams. In short we honor the Bible as absolute authority. The untenable doctrine of relativism denies the reality of absolute truth. "We can't know anything for sure!" is a self-defeating lie.
To be certain that we hold the Truth it is necessary to test every interpretation, idea or notion before we hold it to be good.
But HOW do we do that?
First we must understand that when God speaks of proof He does not mean to seek agreement with any of fallen man's knowledge—especially that drawn from marred, damaged and polluted evidence explained through some man's unavoidable bias.
Proof does not mean scientific proof.
(For one thing "scientific proof" can prove nothing —it can only increase certainty) Using even the best man-made knowledge as a standard is like using counterfeit money as the standard to measure good money.
Although The Scientific Method is the best method fallen man has constructed for seeking physical truth, it cannot test beliefs about our destiny or our origin.
is rooted in the fact that if the Master Communicator has spoken to us He said what He means and means what He says.
Because the Bible is inerrant absolute, eternal truth from God, the canon of Scripture is unified and in total harmony. There can be no contradictions. Therefore we "prove" interpretations and ideas by measuring their consistency with all Bible doctrines. It does not require a lot of education but a a lot of submission.
Acts 17:11 honors a group who were correctly proving truth.
"They received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily,
to see whether these things were so."
Proving Through Meanings
The Creator's methods reveal His nature and power. A big task done quickly reveals great power. Functioning complexity reveals an intelligent Designer. Harmony reveals a Unified and truthful Source. Living, loving creatures reveal a living, loving Creator.
The ways of our Creator also reveal His purpose and meaning for each entity He created —especially man. For example, by creating woman out of man He teaches that marriage is His ideal relationship —oneness. By creating man from worthless dust He means that man has no inherent value in himself —only God's work on us, in us and through us gives us meaning and value.
If we distort the Creator's methods we change His meanings and values.
The chart below compares the opposite meanings for our Creator, our Life and our World dictated by the opposite means, measures and methods claimed by the two worldviews.
Methods Carry Meanings