Introduction To Apologetics

What Is Apologetics?

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

Defense - Apologia

Used 8 times in the NT

Acts 18:4 ESV

And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.

Acts 19:8–9 ESV

And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.

Philippians 1:16 ESV

The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

It is the work of defending and convincing - Offensive and deffensive

We for the past few decades the church has begun to fight back against attacks on the bible, God, and truth

My goal is to equip you with basic Christian apologetics

The History of Truth in the World

Pre-modern

In premodern times it was believed that Ultimate Truth could be known and the way to this knowledge is through direct revelation. This direct revelation was generally assumed to come from God

In other words - The Bible is the Sole Authority

Up to 1650’s

Modern

Often, science and reason were collaboratively or in conjunction with each other.

Sources of Authority. As the shift in power moved away from the church, politics (governments, kings, etc.) and universities (scholars, professors) took over as the primary sources of authority. Oftentimes, a religious perspective was integrated into these modern authority sources, but the church no longer enjoyed the privilidged power position.

Absolute truth was considered a reality - But no longer was it assumed to be scripture

Man was searching for truth

1650’s to the 1890’s

Post-Modern

Denial of Absolute truth

Multiple truth’s or no truth’s at all

As this philosophy grows - things grow more chaotic

No longer are there 2 genders but 100 of genders

There is no right or wrong

We can understand this biblically

This is why the world seems like it is going crazy

Judges 21:25 ESV

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

The teaching of evolution and atheism has had dramatic and detremental effects on our world and culture

- In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

If there is no God - There is no evil - And everyone can do what is right in their own eyes

From 1890’s to present

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

This is why Christian Apologetics has exploded on the scene

Categories of Apologetics

Evidential

These are the philiosophical arguments for God and Christianity

Not used as much

Evidential

Apologetics based upon evidence and science

Allow evidence to lead us to truth

Science does not refute the bible

We will be using all three approaches

Presuppositional

These are the philiosophical arguments for God and Christianity

Says everyone has presuppositions - or bias

My bias is that the Bible is true

So I argue from that Basis

We will be using all three approaches

Why Study Apologetics?

Defend The Faith

Jude 3–4 ESV

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jude

2. Pull Down Arguments

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 ESV

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

3. Strengthen Our Faith

Your faith is not a perfect faith

Attacks from the enemy on truth can wear us down

Apologetics can reinforce and reinvigerate what we believe

4. Strengthen Our Evangelism -

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

5. Stand as Pillars of The Truth

5. Stand as Pillars of The Truth

Stand as Pillars of The Truth

1 Timothy 3:15 ESV

if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

6. Make Us Bold

Illuss.: If someone was to tell you that 2+2=17, you be confident. Truth emboldens us

Our Plan

Does God exist?

Did Jesus Really rise from the dead?

Can We Trust the Bible?

Faith vs. Reason

Why does suffering exist?

What About the religions of the World?

Is Genesis True (The Creation Account)?

Is Genesis True (The Flood Account)?

How Old Is The Earth?

What About The Dinosaurs?

What About Evolution?

Last thoughts:

Why are we sometimes ashamed of the gospel? We believe but what we believe is sometimes embarrassing. Noah, Jonah, Miracles, Resurrections.

In a world of “reason” - these beliefs can seem archaic - Unless their truth

Be dedicated to this

You need to ask questions. I am going to incorporate a lot of resources - Videos, books and more

We will need to get a little sciency - Don’t be scared of that

The church in the 1900’s embraced ignorance - we were never called to embrace ignorance but pursue truth

Must move away from Sunday school theology and Veggie Tales

This isn’t fiction - its not cartoons - And souls are in the balance

Science was founded on the truth of God’s Word

Pasteur, Bacon, Galileo, Pascal, Kepler, and Newton (More time as a preacher)

If the church is going to battle for the souls of our youth and culture, we must enter into the battfield of truth - that means knowing some science stuff