Expository Apologetics Pt 2

Questions

What makes the bible any different than other “holy books” in other religions? Why should I believe it?

What doctrine(s) is this question asking about?

Inspiration of Scripture

Inerrancy

These are both answered easily by 2 Peter 1 and 2 Tim 3

So if the Scripture is true and valid is its content.

Gospel truth- without Jesus we are all condemned

So tonight we will look at two passages in the bible that Voddie uses to describe the biblical use of expository apologetics

Romans 3 is the first

Throughout Romans 3 there are several questions that Paul has probably been asked but most of all Voddie say he uses it as a “I know what you are thinking” statement

typically they are said in such a way that it receives a “No” response

So chapter Roman described all people without excuse, primarily Gentiles who had not heard of Jesus

But also the Jews find themselves dead in sin and need a Savior

So Paul begins the Chapter posing the questions of is there any benefit of being a Jew at all if we all are saved the same way?

-He answers this one positively but thats not typically the case

-But his answer is yes, because the Jews were given the words of God

-He will elaborate more in a few verses

Question 1- Does mans faithlessness nullify God’s faithfulness? Vs 3-4

Answer- By not means

Support- Scripture- Psalms 51:4

Psalm 51:4 ESV

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

Psalm 116:11 ESV

I said in my alarm, “All mankind are liars.”

So he poses another “I know what your thinking question”

2. Are you saying my unrighteousness is good?

Answer- By no means

Support- Scriptural overview that God is the judge of the world

the good thing is that we dont always have to cite book, chapter, verse for every truth

3. Why am I still condemned?

Answer- “I never said that” an that is untrue

Support- He doesnt answer that question except to correct the untruths made against him

Vs9-20 Paul goes deeper on his first point as we began the chapter

-Is there any benefit being Jew or Greek beside having the Word of God?

Answer- No not at all

Support- multiple verses that didnt need to be cited but they flowed from his heart- committed to memory

Paul continues answering the objections as the letter progresses

3:27-31, 4:1-3(SS), 9-11, 6:1-2 and many more times in the book

But this would have been to the church in Rome

So the audience was one of more biblical understanding so the use of Scriptural quotes only helped the case

Acts 17:1–3 ESV

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”

Look at Pauls methods again

He reasoned with them concerning the Scriptures and then pointed them to Jesus

But when the audience changes, Paul changes his method some

Acts 17:22–34 ESV

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

Paul in these account doesnt quote Scripture as much as he just addresses it in his speech

Paul addresses their religious patterns and speaks to that

Then in Vs 24- he begins his move toward the Gospel

-God is creator

Vs 25- He is sustainer and needs nothing but yet made and sustains all things

Vs 26- all man comes from Adam and not by chance

Vs27-Made for relationship with God

Vs 28- Job 12:11- Scriptural connection that sounds alot like some of their own poets (Epimenedes)

Vs29-the Gospel turn

-because we are Gods creation, we out not treat him like these pagan idols

-That is sin

V30- the times of ignorance are gone- (time prior to the revealing of Christ and gospel to the Gentiles) but now the long suffering nature is shortened and people must repent

-Now he has confronted them with sin and now calling them to repent

Vs 31- Jesus has been appointed judge of the world and he is promised so by raising him from the dead

After that, there is nothing Paul can do

He has been faithful- he has pointed them to the truth of Scripture, tied it to their culture, made them aware of the Gospel

Thats a faithful apologetic conversation

Its the Holy Spirits job if it goes any further

Vs 32- Some mock him but some want to talk more

-There is where we wanna go-

Vs 34- but some did believe in Pauls message and began to follow him

Both methods we have looked were faithful approaches

Sometimes more scripture heavy other times Scripturally minded but in both cases scripture answers the question and Gospel is shared

Beloved if we can get to that- we have done well

We are not looking to win an argument but reach a soul

The one thing that allows Paul to easily converse like this is the well of biblical knowledge he is drawing from

The only way for us to have that is to get our bucket and start drawing from the well too

Some tools will help us and once we have some answers we will remember them for use later on

We will talk about some of those tools to use next week and where we can find them