Current Issues and the Law of Excluded Middle
The Decline of Protestantism and the Cause of that Decline
Most astute observers of the contemporary religious scene agree that Protestantism in general is losing most of its ability to greatly influence the lives of any appreciable number of people. The reason for this seems obvious (and this reason is being recognized by an increasing number of Protestants themselves). This reason is: Protestantism long ago quit really standing for anything. It has been overtaken and now seems about to be submerged by liberalism of various sorts.
Upholding the view that truth is only relative (or that our knowledge of truth can be only relative) long has been a basic activity of liberals. Applying the theory of evolution to the realm of spiritual matters, they concluded that there is no such thing as finality of truth “once for all delivered.” In the view of such liberals, fixity of truth had to give way to flexibility, with neither God nor truth being absolute. To contend that truth is absolute (100 percent right) and that there is no middle ground (“gray”) between truth (“white”) and error (“black”) in the view of liberals is to become guilty of “legalism.” This sort of thinking underlies almost all of modernism. But such thinking is out of harmony with the Scriptures. The reader should study such passages as: John 8:32; Galatians 1:6-9; 2 John 9-11; Revelation 22:18-19; Jude 3; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; 1 Timothy 4:1-5.
Laws of Human Thought
While there are other needs, likely there is no greater need among God’s people today than to reaffirm in their thinking the long-known fact that there is no middle ground between truth and error. This is one of the basic laws of human thought. So far as precise propositions are concerned, the three laws of thought are: 1) the Law of Identity: “If a proposition is true, then it is true.” 2) The Law of Excluded Middle: “A proposition such as P is either true or false.” 3) the Law of Contradiction: “A proposition P cannot be both true and false.” (These laws are as given in the book Logic, An Introduction by Professor Lionel Ruby.) All of these laws are important, but special attention will here be given to the Law of Excluded Middle, because this is the one which is most pertinent to the current problem.
Law of Excluded Middle
In setting forth this law, logician Lionel Ruby said “A proposition is either true or false. There is no middle ground between truth and falsity.”
Of the same law, logician W. B. Jevons said, “Its meaning may best be explained by saying that it is impossible to mention any thing and any quality or circumstance, without allowing that the quality or circumstance either belongs to the thing or does not belong. The name of the law expresses the fact that there is no third or middle course; the answer must be yes or no. Let the thing be rock and the quality hard; then rock must be either hard or not-hard. Gold must be either white or not white; a line must be either straight or not-straight; and action must be either virtuous or not-virtuous” (Elementary Lessons in Logic, 119).
Current Opposition to the Truth of this Law
Some are contending that when there are opposing views as to whether or not a given proposition is true or not true, one must be careful not to be legalistic and say that the proposition is either 100 percent true or 100 percent false. To illustrate such opposition to the truthfulness of the Law of Excluded Middle, let it be supposed that there is a certain proposition P. Let it be further supposed that Man A says, “Proposition P is true.” Let it be still further supposed that Man B says, “Proposition P is not true.” And let it be still further supposed that Man C says, “Since Man A and Man B differ in their views, how can I know which one is right? How can they know which one is right? It seems to me that there is good to be said for the views of both Man A and Man B and that either one of them would be somewhat arrogant to say that his own view is 100 percent right and the view of the other is 100 percent wrong. (This is basically an agnostic approach to the problem.)
Man C’s position amounts to upholding this view; man cannot really find truth and therefore cannot ever be sure that his own views are right and that opposing views are wrong. The writer of this article believes that such a viewpoint is a false one.
The Law of Excluded Middle Applied to some Concrete Propositions
In order to help in understanding what the Law of Excluded Middle is and how important it is, the reader is urged to carefully consider the following propositions:
1. Proposition No. 1: “The Bible teaches there is one God.” Of this proposition, let it be supposed that Man A says, “The proposition is true.” Further, suppose Man B says, “The proposition is not true.” Further, suppose that Man C says, “The proposition is neither true or false; there is some good to be said for the view of Man A and the view of Man B.” Further, suppose Man D says, “When there are opposing viewpoints, who can tell which is right? After all, each one thinks he is right. I say let us be guided by love and agree to disagree. Love is the important thing; it does not matter whether or not we agree on the truthfulness or falsity of this proposition.” Reader, what do you think of the statements of Man A, Man B, Man C, and Man D?
2. Proposition No. 2: “The Bible teaches that the believer in Christ must be baptized in water in order to have his sins washed away by the blood of Christ.” Of this proposition, let it be supposed that Man A says, “The proposition is true.” Further, suppose that Man B says, “The proposition is not true—it is false.” Further, suppose that Man C says, “The proposition is neither true nor false; there is some good to be said for the view of Man A and there is some good to be said for the view of Man B.” Further, suppose Man D says, “When there are opposing viewpoints, who can tell who is right? I say let us be guided by love and agree to disagree. Love is the important thing; it does not matter whether or not we agree on the truthfulness or falsity of this proposition. After all, each one thinks he is right!”
3. Proposition No. 3: “The Bible teaches that Christians are to each the Lord’s Supper on every first day of the week and only on the first day of the week.” Of this proposition, let it be supposed that Man A says, “The proposition is true.” Further, suppose that Man B says, “The proposition is not true—it is false.” Still further, suppose that Man C says, “The proposition is neither true nor false; there is some good to be said for the view of Man A and there is some good to be said for the view of Man B.” Still further, suppose Man D says, “When there are opposing viewpoints, who can tell who is right? I say let us be guided by love and, while we agree to disagree. Let us extend the hand of fellowship to all. Love is the important thing; it does not matter whether or not we agree on the truthfulness or falsity of this proposition. After all, each one thinks he is right! How can any of us every know who is right?”
How this Writer Evaluates the Views Stated Above
Of the views stated above, this writer says (of the reaction to the two respective propositions): 1) the view of Man A is correct; 2) the view of Man B is wrong; 3) the view of Man C is both wrong and absurd; 4) the view of Man D is both wrong and absurd.
The Gravity of this Question Must be Recognized
There is evidence that liberal views are being held by a growing number of members of the Lord’s church. If such liberal views were true, then the Bible would not really be a revelation from God to man and therefore would be valueless as a guide to heaven. But, God be thanked, that these liberal views are false.
Jesus Himself said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). It is possible, therefore, for one to know the truth and to know that he knows it.
The apostle Paul plainly taught that the believing and the following of a false doctrine would damn one’s soul (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; 2:10-12). Doing the will of God (not just any religious teaching) will enable one to enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 7:21-23).
Let us then hold on to the following truths: 1) God has revealed His will, the truth; 2) He has sent that truth into the world with the expectation that it could be understood by man (Mark 16:15-16); 3) truth—and only truth, not error—will save men’s souls (Romans 1:16; 1 Peter 1:22-23). Preach the truth, brother!
(The foregoing article was based on an article of mine which appeared in Gospel Advocate, 21 February 1963.)