'Satan's Dare' and the Search for Truth
Several decades ago, while on vacation, my wife and I visited a church on Easter Sunday. The sermon stunned me. After describing the miraculous and incredible resurrection of Jesus, the pastor concluded it didn't matter if it was actually true – only that we believed it was true. I was reminded of that sermon this Easter when Senator Raphael Warnock from Georgia – a pastor himself – issued a since-deleted tweet that read, "The meaning of Easter is more transcendent than the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Whether you are Christian or not, through a commitment to helping others we are able to save ourselves."
Nothing could be more anti-Christian or illogical. Paul, writing in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19, said, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."
What we believe about truth does not change what is true. What we believe about reality does not change what is real. There is no greater example of arrogance and self-worship than to assume whatever we believe is true and real. Yet, that is precisely the prevailing view in America today – even in the Christian church.
The death of truth is evident throughout our culture, education system, media, politics, and much of the Christian church. Men identify as women and – miraculously – men are women. The media tells us America is racist and – without any facts to support the claim – anyone who suggests otherwise is canceled. Politicians misrepresent election integrity legislation by states designed to make it harder to cheat, and big corporations genuflect with boycotts of those states, justifying their actions with deliberate lies. And the threat of COVID-19 was misrepresented and exaggerated with more lies to allow politicians to take control of our lives and livelihoods.
Truth is the core principle of Judeo-Christian values, which are the foundation of Western civilization. Judeo-Christian values are derived from the Bible. And the Christian church is the only custodian of the Bible. If you want to know the reason for the death of truth in America, look no further than the decline of Bible-based Christianity.
My novel "Satan's Dare" is a story of people who, through suffering, questions, debate, and searching, discover the truth and find purpose for their lives. The facts are clear: God did create the physical universe, the Bible is true, and Jesus is God in human form sent to save His people. But in "Satan's Dare," the search for truth goes much further. Why did God create a physical world so full of pain, suffering, and death? How could God be in control of all things when there is so much evil in the world? How can we have eternal life?
Christians – in fact, all thinking people – need to ask the hard questions and seek the answers that will expose the truth and confirm their faith. Not all questions can be answered definitively, but the process of searching for truth will give people confidence in God and a better understanding of their essential role in His Kingdom.
Western Civilization is in decline because the Christian church is in decline. The Church is in decline because it has become unmoored from truth – following the culture instead of leading it. My goal is for "Satan's Dare" to launch a national discussion about God, Truth, the Church's role, and the reasons for our lives individually and collectively.
Just as the American Revolution was catalyzed by the Great Awakening, the Western world has no hope for restoration without a revival in the church spawned by the pursuit of Biblical truth. Liberty is only possible through the pursuit of truth and virtue. I hope "Satan's Dare" will be the beginning of this awakening like the book Common Sense was in colonial America.
Jim DeMint is the author of "Satan's Dare" and the Chairman of the Conservative Partnership Institute and a former congressman and senator from South Carolina.
