Heritage Presbyterian Church Adult Sunday School

1. P e t e r J o n e s
Director of truthXchange
A Worldview & Culture Teaching Series by Ligonier Ministries
Adult Sunday School
Summer 2019

2. Lesson Slide
13 2
Review & Discuss
The Big Question
How can we make sense of the
breakneck spiritual and social changes
happening right now in our culture?
and
How should Christians respond?

3. Lesson Slide
13 3
Review & Discuss
Series Recap
• As we surveyed the religious landscape of modern culture,
we encountered an astonishingly diverse range of views.
But beneath the surface, we learned these seemingly
disparate spiritualities share a common worldview, one
that is radically opposed to the Christian faith.
• In this series, we have learned from Dr. Peter Jones as he
examined the worldview and fundamental religious
convictions that drive modern culture. He demonstrated
that in the final analysis, there can be only two religions—
worship of the Creator or worship of creation.
• By better understanding the present cultural context, you
are now equipped to more clearly articulate the Christian
faith and worldview to a world in need of redemption.

4. Lesson Slide
13 4
Review & Discuss
Scripture Reading
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their
unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about
God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his
invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or
give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and
their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they
became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for
images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping
things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to
impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and
worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is
blessed forever! Amen.
Romans 1:18-25

5. Lesson Slide
13 5
Review & Discuss
A Brief History Lesson
• The Age of Enlightenment dominated the world of
ideas in Europe during the 18th century
• At its most foundational level, the main tenets of
Enlightenment thinking were:
• Humanity is basically good
• Humanity can build a perfect world if we harness right
thinking
• Optimism in the rational nature, gifted potential,
and glorious destiny of humanity began to shift
people’s reliance away from God and toward Man
• “Man is the measure of all things” became the motto
of the age

6. Lesson Slide
13 6
Review & Discuss
Enlightenment Problem
Solving
• Shortly thereafter, Western culture saw a number of
movements that sought to address societal problems
based on applied coercion of Enlightenment thinking
• “We can solve the world’s problems if you just give
us control of . . .”
1. The economic tools and the means of production (Karl
Marx / Communism)
2. The racial makeup of society (Adolf Hitler / Nazism)
3. The money supply (The Federal Reserve—note the Fed’s
creation was followed shortly thereafter by the Great
Depression)
4. The sovereignty of countries through forced disarmament
and restrictions on the right to wage war (The League of
Nations—note its creation was followed shortly thereafter
by World War II)

7. Lesson Slide
13 7
Review & Discuss
Revolution and the War for
a Civilization’s Soul
• “As in all successful revolutions, the old must be
destroyed in order for the new day to arrive. . .
The destruction of the binaries and the systemic
elimination of Christian influence in the public
square have been a necessary prelude to the
realization of a transformed new society.” ~ Peter
Jones, The Other Worldview, p. 80
• "The power of rationalization drives the culture
war . . . Since failed rationalization means self-
recrimination, it must be avoided at all costs. . .
Since the necessity for self-justification requires
the complicity of the whole culture, holdouts
cannot be tolerated.” ~ Peter Jones (quoting
Robert Reilly), The Other Worldview, p. 84

8. Lesson Slide
13 8
Review & Discuss
Where to Draw the Line?
1. Based on Peter Jones’ teaching of Oneism as neo-paganism, in
order to bring about the promised “utopia,” what does the
Oneist worldview require control of? How should Christians
respond to demands for control:
• From government?
• From corporations, including our employers?
• From schools?
• From entertainment and news media?
• From churches?
2. If/when we are tempted or coerced to bow the knee to
Oneism, where should we “draw the line” in each of these
spheres?
3. What risk do you run to your faithfulness and witness to Christ
if you don’t decide beforehand where you will draw your line
in each of these spheres? Will your lines be firm or
negotiable?

9. Lesson Slide
13 9
Review & Discuss
Discussion Questions
1. Explain how only Twoism allows for genuine
salvation.
2. What are some ways that you could convince
someone who doesn’t believe in right and wrong that
their position is untenable?
3. Explain how the Christian faith, with its uniquely
Twoist worldview, is the only way that one can
experience relief of guilt.
4. How does the incarnation, as the union of God and
man, preserve Twoism?

10. Lesson Slide
13 10
Review & Discuss
Oneism & Twoism: 5 Points
1. All Is One and One Is
All—Many people are
beginning to think that
God is the Spirit of
everything. This means
that, ultimately, man,
animals, rocks and
trees are all divine.
There is no major
distinction between
God and Man.
1. One God, the Creator—
God is distinct from his
creation. Everything
that is not God was
created by him: the
earth, animals and
man, who alone is
created in his image.
God
Oneism Twoism

11. Lesson Slide
13 11
Review & Discuss
Oneism & Twoism: 5 Points
2. Humanity Is One—If all
people are Equal, no
group has unique access
to the truth. All humans
are divine and must live
together, accepting a
common standard of
morality and trying to
become as like one
another as possible,
rather than emphasizing
distinctions that can
cause friction.
2. One in Christ Alone—
The only true unity is
created by common
faith in Jesus Christ.
God defines two
categories of people:
his children and those
who are in rebellion
against him. True
Christian love knows no
racial or economic
barriers.
Humanity
Oneism Twoism

12. Lesson Slide
13 12
Review & Discuss
Oneism & Twoism: 5 Points
3. All Religions Are One—
No religion knows the
only path to God. All
roads lead to the top of
the mountain, from
which we see the same
moon. Religions should
emphasize their
similarities, not their
differences, since they
share the same mystical
experience.
3. One Truth—Jesus says we
can only approach the
Father through him.
Christians do not revere
Christ as one great
prophet among others. He
is God in human form,
come to rescue us from
our sin. To spiritualize
him as a Christ, present in
a variety of religions, is to
refuse him.
Religion
Oneism Twoism

13. Lesson Slide
13 13
Review & Discuss
Oneism & Twoism: 5 Points
4. One Problem: Amnesia—
Since God is in all of us,
is all of us, we should
not worry about sin and
guilt. If we wake up to
the wonderful reality
that we are God, we
will eliminate the
distinctions of sex, role
and doctrine that
divide us.
4. One Problem: Death
through Sin—Sin has
ruined our peace with
God. We dare not
approach him because
he is so pure that we
would be destroyed.
Yet sin also destroys us.
Without God’s solution,
the problem of sin is
insurmountable.
Our Problem
Oneism Twoism

14. Lesson Slide
13 14
Review & Discuss
Oneism & Twoism: 5 Points
5. One Answer: Look
Within—If you want to be
happy, you need to love
yourself and stop feeling
guilty. The more you
believe in yourself and
your own power—the
more you assert that
power for your own
happiness, the sooner you
will have a sense of
freedom from constraint.
You will enjoy a truly
peaceful and fulfilled
experience of God.
5. One Solution: Look to Him—
God comes to save us. We
do not find salvation in
ourselves. We can admit the
reality of our sin, repent,
and receive God’s just
forgiveness. Jesus became
sin for us and took its guilt
and punishment. He then
proved his power over sin in
his resurrection. He will
transform us and receive us
as his children to live with
him forever.
The Solution
Oneism Twoism

15. Lesson Slide
13 15
Review & Discuss
Resources by Peter Jones
• Only Two Religions (study guide)
• Only Two Religions (evangelism tool)
• truthxchange.com (website)
• heritage-pca.org (website)
• The Other Worldview (book)
• The Pagan Heart of Today’s Culture
(booklet)