Presup in Action

This outline is taken from a book on presupposition. The content is my own.

We’ve been laying down some foundational principles for our apologetic methodology.

We’ve identified that man doesn’t need more evidence. He is suppressing and replacing the truth. What he needs is to repent and trust in Christ.

Furthermore, we learned that God and Christ are the ultimate source of all truth knowledge.

I came across a quote this week, and I tried to find it again to add to my notes but couldn’t. It was something to the effect that because God is the ultimate source of all truth, we are to test every truth claim by the testimony of Scripture.

We’ve seen that we are to give an answer for the hope that is within us with gentleness and respect from 1 Peter 3. We’ve seen that we are to challenge unbiblical worldviews to bring everything into subjection to Christ.

Today we are you going to look at a case study to see how Paul applied these principles in his ministry.

Acts 17.

First we see the background. The grammar of 16-21

Paul was provoked. He was bothered by paganism. Does the false belief of others bother us so much that we can’t help but speak up?

He reasoned. He conversed. He preached. He didn’t get into a shouting match, but sought to reason logically.

So they bring him out, and now let’s see how he addressed them.

Identify the point of contact -22-23

knowledge of God. its innate.

Its suppressed

Sometimes its morality. Sometimes its spirituality. sometimes its vague “man upstairs” kind of talk

Critique the unbiblical worldview...

you are ignorant of what you worship. your knowledge is insufficient.

We can lean in and demonstrate that what is being trusted is insufficient.

Asserting the ultimate authority.—I declare to you

we will address some of the most common “what ifs” “what if they say...” etc. in future weeks.

For now, we recognize that we can assert the biblical positions and teaching on the athurotiy of God. God has spoken. He has revealed himself. Let;’s assert the truth.

Pushing the antithesis. 24-26

Paul contradicts so much of what they believe is truth about the world. He speaks boldly from Biblical revelation what is true about God.

God is Creator. God is independent. God is sovereign.

Man feel after God (has the idea of blindly groping around in the dark, but are never able to come to a true knowledge of God apart from His self-revelation.

There is some debate about this phrase. Some understand this as intentional blindness. Romans 3 says no one understands, no one seeks after God. 2 Pet 3 speaks of mankind deliberately overlooking key information. A willful blindness.

But Paul seeks to illustrate how God is in fact knowable. We don’thave to grope in the dark!

Illustrating the point

He is not far.

Pulls from the culture. quotes two philosophers.

My favorite way to do this is today is with Jordan Peterson. Often he says things that resonate with people. I can tell them why from God’s word.

Illustration’s conclusion: God is not like us. We are created, but God is not. He is not an image formed by our imaginations.

Statement of Grace and accountability

God overlooked times of ignorance

He now commands us all to repent

A day of judgment is coming.