--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live in a relativistic culture, where…" description: "\"We live in a relativistic culture, where people are more con- cerned with being liked than being truthful. In A Sweet and Bitter Providence, John Piper..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/francis-chan-548_being-truthful_we-live-in-a-relativistic-culture-where_2974239.png" --- # We live in a relativistic culture, where people are more… ![“We live in a relativistic culture, where people are more con- cerned with being liked than being truthful. In A Sweet and Bitter Providence, John Piper does an outstanding job of bibli- cally defending key truths that the church often ignores. He gives us an example of how to take a bold and…” quote by Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/francis-chan-548_being-truthful_we-live-in-a-relativistic-culture-where_2974239.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/francis-chan-548_being-truthful_we-live-in-a-relativistic-culture-where_2974239.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/francis-chan-548_being-truthful_we-live-in-a-relativistic-culture-where_2974239.png) > “We live in a relativistic culture, where people are more con- cerned with being liked than being truthful. In A Sweet and Bitter Providence, John Piper does an outstanding job of bibli- cally defending key truths that the church often ignores. He gives us an example of how to take a bold and educated stand on issues of race, purity, and God's sovereignty.” [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern culture often values popularity over truth, yet biblical teaching encourages bold, educated stances on race, purity, and sovereignty. **In simple terms:** People prioritize being liked over being honest, but faith calls for courageous truth. Key Takeaway Stand firm in truth despite social pressure. Themes faith truth social pressure Mood serious determined Type theological motivational When to use this quote - church leadership - public discourse - personal relationships Key Concepts biblical ethics cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How can believers balance love and truth? - What risks arise from speaking out on controversial issues? A Different Perspective Truth can be unpopular and may cause conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being truthful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-truthful/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [God's Sovereignty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-sovereignty/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providence/) [Purity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purity/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sovereignty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sovereignty/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truthful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthful/) [Truths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truths/) ## Related quotes > [“And so with faithful Ruth we pray That bitter providence today Tomorrow will taste very sweet, And every famine that we meet And every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/and-so-with-faithful-ruth-we-pray-that-bitter-providence-today/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“I preach there are all kinds of truth, your truth and somebody else's, but behind all of them, there's only one truth and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/i-preach-there-are-all-kinds-of-truth-your-truth-and-somebody-else-s/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“God’s primary concern, and I think I learned this from Bruce Ware and John Piper, is His own glory and reputation. People are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-heide/god-s-primary-concern-and-i-think-i-learned-this-from-bruce-ware-and/) [Gale Heide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gale-heide/) > [We are still living with the consequences of that today in popular Reformed thinking from the likes of John Piper, R. C. Sproul, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/we-are-still-living-with-the-consequences-of-that-today-in-popular/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [“Am I desiring and seeking the temporal and eternal good of my neighbor with the same zeal, ingenuity and perseverance that I seek my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-perman/am-i-desiring-and-seeking-the-temporal-and-eternal-good-of-my/) [Matt Perman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-perman/) > [“John Piper has a powerful way of bringing this concept home: When God visits the sins of the fathers on the children, he doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasey-van-norman/john-piper-has-a-powerful-way-of-bringing-this-concept-home-when-god/) [Kasey Van Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasey-van-norman/) > [“The deepest and strongest foundation for adoption is located not in the act of humans adopting humans, but in God adopting humans. And this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-merida/the-deepest-and-strongest-foundation-for-adoption-is-located-not-in/) Tony Merida > [The image of keys (plural) perhaps suggests not so much the porter, who controls admission to the house, as the steward, who regulates its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-s-keener/the-image-of-keys-plural-perhaps-suggests-not-so-much-the-porter-who/) [Craig S. Keener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-s-keener/) > [Anger and bitterness are two noticeable signs of being focused on self and not trusting God's sovereignty in your life. When you believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-broger/anger-and-bitterness-are-two-noticeable-signs-of-being-focused-on/) [John C. Broger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-broger/) > [“Some may object that to speak of election or predestination is to limit the kingdom of God to a few. Does it make God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-goldsworthy/some-may-object-that-to-speak-of-election-or-predestination-is-to/) [Graeme Goldsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-goldsworthy/) > [Human fallibility recognised, God's sovereignty trusted; these are also the only stable foundations for human beings in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-welby/human-fallibility-recognised-god-s-sovereignty-trusted-these-are-also/) [Justin Welby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-welby/) > [The storms in my life have become workshops where I can practice my faith in God's sovereignty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-briscoe/the-storms-in-my-life-have-become-workshops-where-i-can-practice-my/) [Jill Briscoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-briscoe/) > [Men treat God's sovereignty as a theme for controversy, but in Scripture it is matter for worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-treat-god-s-sovereignty-as-a-theme-for-controversy-but-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Of all the doctrines of the Bible none is so offensive to human nature as the doctrine of God's sovereignty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/of-all-the-doctrines-of-the-bible-none-is-so-offensive-to-human/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [What we do every time we pray is to confess our impotence and God's sovereignty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-we-do-every-time-we-pray-is-to-confess-our-impotence-and-god-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Francis Chan > [If you want to see the big stuff that God has, you've got to take some risk and trust only in the Gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/if-you-want-to-see-the-big-stuff-that-god-has-you-ve-got-to-take-some/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [God is compassionate and just, loving and holy, wrathful and forgiving. WE can't sideline His more difficult attributes to make room for the palatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-is-compassionate-and-just-loving-and-holy-wrathful-and-forgiving/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“In the midst of our failed attempts at loving Jesus, His grace covers us. Each of us has lukewarm elements and practices in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/in-the-midst-of-our-failed-attempts-at-loving-jesus-his-grace-covers/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Jesus' call to commitment is clear: He wants all or nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/jesus-call-to-commitment-is-clear-he-wants-all-or-nothing/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Yes, it is God who works in you. And, yes, there is work for you to do. Yes, the Spirit empowers you to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/yes-it-is-god-who-works-in-you-and-yes-there-is-work-for-you-to-do/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [The point of your life is to point to Him. Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/the-point-of-your-life-is-to-point-to-him-whatever-you-are-doing-god/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Lukewarm people love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/lukewarm-people-love-others-but-do-not-seek-to-love-others-as-much-as/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Life is comfortable when you separate yourself from people who are different from you. That epitomizes what my life was like: characterized by comfort.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/life-is-comfortable-when-you-separate-yourself-from-people-who-are/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Christ can come back at any time so the one thing you want to have in your life is a focused prayer time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/christ-can-come-back-at-any-time-so-the-one-thing-you-want-to-have-in/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Awe Factor” video at www.crazylovebook.com to get a taste of the awe factor of our God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/awe-factor-video-at-www-crazylovebook-com-to-get-a-taste-of-the-awe/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“What I want you to do right now is to go online and look at the “Awe Factor” video at www.crazylovebook.com to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/what-i-want-you-to-do-right-now-is-to-go-online-and-look-at-the-awe/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Multi-tasking is keeping me from whole-hearted worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/multi-tasking-is-keeping-me-from-whole-hearted-worship/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [The stress that some of us feel - it's a lack of faith, it really is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/the-stress-that-some-of-us-feel-it-s-a-lack-of-faith-it-really-is/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [We have become dangerously comfortable- believers ooze with wealth and let their addictions to comfort and security numb the radical urgency of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/we-have-become-dangerously-comfortable-believers-ooze-with-wealth-and/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Not being able to understand God is frustrating, but it is ridiculous for us to think we have the right to limit God to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/not-being-able-to-understand-god-is-frustrating-but-it-is-ridiculous/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) [Explore all 479 Francis Chan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) ## More Being truthful quotes > [I think what saved me is me being honest. I think I somewhow had the courage to do something and say something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-what-saved-me-is-me-being-honest-i-think-i-somewhow-had-the/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [In order to discover truth, we must be truthful ourselves, and must welcome those who point out our errors as heartily as those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/in-order-to-discover-truth-we-must-be-truthful-ourselves-and-must/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [I believe politicians should aim to be accurate and truthful in what they say at all times. You can be truthful and inaccurate but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-turnbull/i-believe-politicians-should-aim-to-be-accurate-and-truthful-in-what/) [Malcolm Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-turnbull/) > [I began to see myself as someone who can help others understand diversity rather than feeling like a social outcast. Ellen taught me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-de-rossi/i-began-to-see-myself-as-someone-who-can-help-others-understand/) [Portia de Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-de-rossi/) > [American traditions and the American ethic require us to be truthful, but the most important reason is that truth is the best propaganda and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/american-traditions-and-the-american-ethic-require-us-to-be-truthful/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) > [When writing about oneself, one must strive to be truthful. Truth is more important than modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-writing-about-oneself-one-must-strive-to-be-truthful-truth-is/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Be truthful... and pay attention. I would also recommend the avoidance of credit cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/be-truthful-and-pay-attention-i-would-also-recommend-the-avoidance-of/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [There is nothing to fear from truth…Being truthful is essential to being an independent thinker and obtaining greater understanding of what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/there-is-nothing-to-fear-from-truth-being-truthful-is-essential-to/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [I really love to act. I really love to touch the people with my work. It's about giving people what they want to see.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-hardrict/i-really-love-to-act-i-really-love-to-touch-the-people-with-my-work/) [Cory Hardrict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-hardrict/) > [I think the currency of leadership is transparency. You've got to be truthful. I don't think you should be vulnerable every day, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/i-think-the-currency-of-leadership-is-transparency-you-ve-got-to-be/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [If I can mean to people - if I can symbolize the ability to pursue gender equality, racial equality, and to be truthful about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/if-i-can-mean-to-people-if-i-can-symbolize-the-ability-to-pursue/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [Acting's not about nose jobs and liposuction. It's about being truthful to what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phylicia-rashad/acting-s-not-about-nose-jobs-and-liposuction-it-s-about-being/) [Phylicia Rashad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phylicia-rashad/) > [Please be truthful, but also please be benevolent, please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/please-be-truthful-but-also-please-be-benevolent-please/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I feel like you can't really be truthful as an artist and empathize with the human experience, unless you know your truth and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-feel-like-you-can-t-really-be-truthful-as-an-artist-and-empathize/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [I began making pictures because I wanted to record what supports hope: the untranslatable mystery and beauty of the world. Along the way, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/i-began-making-pictures-because-i-wanted-to-record-what-supports-hope/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) [Browse all 125 Being truthful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-truthful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We live in a relativistic culture, where people are more con- cerned with being liked than being truthful. In A Sweet and Bitter Providence, John Piper does an outstanding job of bibli- cally defending key truths that the church often ignores. 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