I. What is Apologetics?
-Apologetics is the practice of defending the Christian faith against those who raise objections to its validity. We are commanded to be “apologists” (those who defend the faith) in 1 Pet. 3:15 - ". . . always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you. . . " Do you want to learn Christian apologetics?
Apologetics is like a field. In the center of the field is a garden. This garden has one door and that door is Jesus. There is one path that leads to that door. Inside the garden is eternal life in the presence of God. Outside it, however, in the field, are rocks, boulders, thorns, thistles, valleys, hills, and many false paths that lead nowhere.
The apologist resides in the field and points people to the true path so they can find the Garden. The apologist seeks to remove the intellectual thorns and emotional rocks that prevent people from finding the truth path to God. Also, there are many people who are walking false paths (cults, philosophies, etc.) who will never reach that garden. The apologist gently guides the person, removes the obstacles, and points in the direction of the Garden. When people arrive there, it is between them and God on whether or not they enter. Picture yourself as a laborer in the field. It isn’t your job to save anyone. It is your job to point the way. You aren’t the only one in the field. Getting them to the Garden is not your job. They get there. You simply help them find their way.
- Before we begin our “lesson for the week” I’d like to point out a little bit about what apologetics attempts to accomplish and how it goes about doing that. There are three main parts to apologetics
3 parts:
-Surveys various tests for truth in order to lay groundwork for testing the various truths of worldviews
-Applies test to the truth to the various worldviews and concludes that theism (accepting our Biblical God) is the only adequate worldview
-Works in the context of theistic worldview to verify the unique claims of historical Christianity to the deity of Christ and the authority of the Bible
II. “Is the Bible the inspired word of God? What does that mean?
- What do they mean when they say “inspired?”
- The Greek word for inspired is theopneustos meaning God breathed-thus scripture is God breathed, no from humanity
2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”
2 Peter 1:21 “For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spooke from God.”
1 Corinthians 2:10 “ but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
-In connection with 1 Corinthians 2:10, inspiration relates to receiving and actual recording of truth. Inspiration means that God the holy spirit worked in a unique supernatural way so that the written words of the scripture writers were also the words of God.
-Two words describe the extent of inspiration of God’s word:
-verbal: (see Rev. 22:18-19 1 Cor. 2:13)
-plenary: full, complete; extending to all parts (see 2 Tim 3:16 1 Thes. 2:13)
-Here is some evidence that the very words of the Bible are God-given may be briefly summarized as follows:
- This is the claim of the classical text (2 Tim. 3:16)
- It is the emphatic testimony of Paul that he spoke in “Words…taught by the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:13)
- It is evident from the repeated formula, “It is written.”
- Jesus said that which was written in the whole Old Testament spoke of him (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39, Hebrews 10:7)
- The New Testament constantly equates the Word of God with the Scripture (writings of the Old Testamament (see Matthew 21:42; Romans 15:4, 2 Peter 3:16)
- Jesus Indicated that not even the smallest part ofa Hebrew word or letter could be broken (Matthew 5:18)
- The New Testament refers to the written record as the “oracles of God” (Romans 3:2, Hebrews 5:12)
- Occasionally the writers were even told to “diminish not a word” (Jeremiah 26:2). John even pronouned an anathema on all who would add to or subtract from the “words of the prophecy of this book” (Rev. 22:18,19)
III. “How can fallible, human men produce an infallible Bible?”
-This is a question asked quite often, but once you find the answer you’ll say to yourself “ohh…of course…” The point is this: It is not impossible for a human being to perform a mistake-free act. It is not impossible for fallible men to correctly record both sayings and events (ex: newspaper reporters, etc.) Thus to rule out the possibility of an inerrant Bible by appealing the fallibility of men does not hold up.
2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
Titus 1:2 says “God cannot lie.”
John 17:17 says “Thy word is truth”
Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the god of all flesh; is anything too difficult for me?”
**Note: These are all wonderful scriptures to back up the validity of the Bible, but remember, until you establish from a “secular” perspective that the Bible is a valid source, (see ex. 3 in the 3 parts of apologetics) you won’t get anywhere by sharing these verses. For some real sassy evidence (enough for even the most staunch skeptic) that can convince one of the Bible’s validity, see the handout I gave ya…read up…enjoy!**
Links
The Home Front
Creation Vs. Evolution
Probe Ministries-Apologetics Issues
