Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, emphasised the significance our belief, and what we believe, has on our life and how we live it in his latest devotional.
Warren centred his devotional around Psalm 11:3 - "When the foundations of life are undermined, what can a righteous person do?"
"What you believe determines your behaviour. Your behaviour then determines what you become, and that has a direct effect on the direction of your life," he said.
He warns that there are three toxic philosophies that we have bought into which can dangerously replace truth in our lives.
The underlying philosophy of individualism, which permeates so much of our culture, is the lie that "we're the only standard for our lives." This is nothing new, he said, referring to Judges 21:25 ("In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes") to show that the Israelites were no better.
Secularism is the second ill that beleaguers our society. "You can summarize this in three words: God isunnecessary", he said. Referencing the retreat of Christianity from the public sphere, he suggests that "we've basically relegated God to Sunday mornings, if we even consider Him then."
The third lie veiling itself as truth, according to Warren, is relativism – the belief that what's true for you may not be true for me. Although a great way to live if you don't want guilt, "it's both illogical and irrational" he said.
"Don't be conned by individualism (love for yourself), secularism (God is unnecessary), or relativism (there are no absolutes)", he said.
He warns that without commitment to truth and a commitment to the authority of God, our culture will crumble.