Defining Apologetics

Why care?

Putting it into

practice Q&A

defining apologetics

defining apologetics why care? putting it into

practice Q&A

• The word "apologetics" comes from the Greek word "apologia," pronounced, "ap-ol-og-ee’-ah." It means, "a verbal defense." It is used eight times in the New Testament.

“but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame. ”

– 1 Peter 3:15–16

“but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame. ”

– 1 Peter 3:15–16

“but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame. ”

– 1 Peter 3:15–16

why care?

defining apologetics why care? putting it

into practice Q&A

A variety of view points...

Muslims 21%

Roman Catholics

17%

Hindus 13%

Other religions 12% Non-religious

12%

Buddhists 6%

Protestant Christian

6%

Orthodox Christian

4%

Atheists 2%

Anglicans 1%

Sikhs 0.35% Jews

0.23%

World Population

Sources: Statistics Canada and 2007 est. The CIA World Factbook

Definition of religion...

Set of beliefs that answer the ultimate questions:

What is the nature of the world?

What is the nature of humanity?

What is humanity’s primary problem?

What happens after death?

What is ultimate reality?

ALL RELIGIONS & CULTS SEEM TO DO ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING…

1. Strip the deity of Christ 2. Bring God down to our level 3. Lift us up to God’s level 4. Focus on self and not God 5. Negate God’s existence altogether 6. Dismiss our sinful nature

• Truth is relative

• Truth is relative

• Some things are true only…

1. for some people but not for all people.

2. for some times but not for all times

3. in some places but not in all places.

A B

A B A B

A B

Option 2

A B

Option 1

(or the reverse)

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. – 1 John 4:9-10

1. Jesus lived in history - Others focus on teachings/practices whereas Christianity is focused on the saving work of Christ

2. God himself became flesh - Unique statement of who Jesus is. Not just a being part of a “oneness”

3. Humanity is spiritually dead - We need God’s transforming power to give new life (Romans 8:6-8)

4. God is absolutely holy - Severe penalty of sin implies God’s holiness 5. Jesus conquered death - Unique resurrection claim (John 20-21, 1 Corinthians

15:3-8)

6. Salvation is a free gift - Grace of God is paramount and unique (Romans

1:17, Ephesians 2:8-9)

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

- Paul (2 Timothy 4:3)

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

- C.S. Lewis

putting it into practice

defining apologetics why care? putting it

into practice Q&A

• The Sumerian King List, lists kings who reigned for long periods of time.

• Then a great flood came. Following the flood, Sumerian kings ruled for much shorter periods of time.

• Men had long life spans before the flood and shorter life spans after the flood.

* Source: Evidence that demands a verdict, Josh McDowell

• The word "tehom" ("the deep") in Genesis 1:2 was said to be a late word demonstrating the late writing of the creation story. "Tehom" was part of the vocabulary at Ebla, in use some 800 years before Moses.

• Claimed there was no Assyrian king named Sargon (Isaiah 20:1). Then, Sargon's palace was discovered in Khorsabad, Iraq. The very event, his capture of Ashdod, was recorded on the palace walls.

1. He will be betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9; Matthew 26:49)

2. The price of his betrayal will be thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:15)

3. His betrayal money will be cast to the floor of my temple (Zechariah 11:13; Matthew

27:5)

4. His betrayal money will be used to buy the potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13; Matthew

27:7)

5. He will be forsaken and deserted by his disciples (Zechariah 13:7; Mark 14:50)

6. He will be accused by false witnesses (Psalm 35:11; Matthew 26:59-60)

7. He will be silent before his accusers (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:12)

8. He will be wounded and bruised (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 27:26)

9. He will be hated without a cause (Psalm 69:4; John 15:25)

10. He will be struck and spit on (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67)

11. He will be mocked, ridiculed, and rejected (Isaiah 53:3; Matthew 27:27-31; and John 7:5,

48)

12. He will collapse from weakness (Psalm 109:24-25; Luke 23:26)

13. He will be taunted with specific words (Psalm 22:6-8; Matthew 27:39-43)

14. People will shake their heads at him (Psalm 109:25; Matthew 27:39)

15. People will stare at him (Psalm 22:17; Luke 23:35)

16. He will be executed among “sinners” (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38)

17. His hands and feet will be pierced (Psalm 22:16; Luke 23:33)

18. He will pray for his persecutors (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34)

19. His friends and family will stand afar off and watch (Psalm 38:11; Luke 23:49)

20. His garments will be divided and won by the casting of lots (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23-

24)

21. He will thirst (Psalm 69:21; John 19:28)

22. He will be given gall and vinegar (Psalm 69:21; Matthew 27:34)

23. He will commit himself to God (Psalm 31:5; Luke 23:46)

24. His bones will be left unbroken (Psalm 34:20; John 19:33)

25. His heart will rupture (Psalm 22:14; John 19:34)

26. His side will be pierced (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34)

27. Darkness will come over the land at midday (Amos 8:9; Matthew 27:45)

28. He will be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60)

29. He will die 483 years after the declaration of Artaxerxes to rebuild the temple in 444 B.C. (Daniel 9:24)

• Do not judge, or you too will be judged. (Matt.

7:1)

• Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." (John 7:24)

• What is going on here?

– Read Context: It’s about hypocritical judgment

• Who caused David to take a census of Israel?

• A. God (2 Sam. 24:1) or B. Satan (1 Chron. 21:1)

– Western thinking leads to disjunctive choice (e.g. A or B) (Aristotelian thinking)

– Eastern Jewish can be both (e.g. A+B)

– God permits Satan to act (Job 1-2) (Satan can’t do anything without God’s consent (Luke 22:31)

• Muslim’s say Paul corrupted Christianity... Why?

• James 2:20,24 (Jesus’ bro says works + faith?) vs. Rom. 3:28, 4:4-5 (Paul seems to say faith alone?)

– Seemingly contradicts Sola Fide? (Faith Alone)

– Response: • James is talking about works of faith (faith before men)

• Paul is talking about works of law (faith before God)

• How do we know? (James 2:14 – “to the brethren”, “that faith” should result in works (matches Eph. 2:8-10))

– “…Father is greater than I” (John 14:28), how? Is Jesus saying the Father is better than himself?

– Answer: Does “greater” = “better”? • For example, is a parent greater than the child (e.g. Jesus

submitted to Joseph and Mary) or the Prime Minister of Canada greater than us? (office of authority)

• It is a reference to authority (hierarchy exists in the trinity)

– Father elects for salvation

– Son purchases with blood

– Holy Spirit seals them

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