Apologetics and Evidence

How do People Begin Believing in False Religions and False Teachings ?   I have written on the topic of  Barriers to the Gospel , which I encourage you to read, but what is it that  initially  tickles the ears of those who are opposed to it? Where does deception begin? We know that someone is not born opposed, but opposition in one’s life seems to grow stronger in many cases.  I find that barriers to the gospel are  nurtured  into a personal defense for not believing, versus the idea that barriers are the  seed  which began it all . I don’t think we should confuse these categories because it can be quite helpful to understand the flow of things for our discussions in apologetics and evangelism.    A bonsai tree begins its life as a seed like all trees begin, but this tree is different. It grew and was nurtured in a manner that defies a natural path. This is like how barriers to the gospel are nurtured. Much time and work took place ...

Mormons  and  Jehovah’s Witnesses  (JWs) both teach that a person is saved by their faith  plus  their works. I want to look at this and dissect it in such a manner that is easy to understand, usable in witnessing, and simply memorable for everyone. I think the most helpful way to tackle this is to look at the James passage, because rarely does anyone have an objection that Paul is talking about faith, since in Ephesians 2:9 he specifically says, “not by works, lest anyone could boast.” But now to James 2:14-26:   14 “What good is it, my brothers, if  someone  says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But  someone  will say, “You have fait...

It seems to me that some Evangelical Christians have taken a certain biblical passage in the wrong direction. Perhaps I, considering myself to be an Evangelical Christian, am guilty of such as well. Romans 12:1-2 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  Verse 2 is where we get the phrase,  be in the world, but don’t be of the world . What this means is that we should know our place. Our place is in heaven. The Bible says that we are citizens of heaven, and that we should think and act as if we are. Philippians 3:20-21 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his gloriou...

I have written before on post-modernism , but not quite so directly. I have recently developed a new way to understand it historically speaking, so that one can get a better grasp of what it is, how it got here, what it means, and where it is going.   Probably more often than not, when someone gives you an explanation on what post-modernism is, you will likely hear something like, “it is the idea that everyone has their own truth” or something to that nature. I think it is helpful to have more than this description. It is helpful to know where post-modernism came from in order to give it less of an authority. If we know where something came from, then it seems to reduce the power that it has. This is why the word  mystery  exists. If  knowledge is power , at least in some sense, then taking the mystery away gives some authority and/or power over such. One of my favorite quotes is from Jacques Cousteau, who said, “If we knew what was there, then we wouldn’t have to go...

            “The beehive is a good example of how different individuals can work together for one common goal. There is very little time to bicker when each bee’s contribution is necessary for survival. When each different group makes its contribution, the hive is strong” (Arnold and Black n. pag.).  It seems that this analogy draws the best picture as to why small groups should form in the first place—for one common goal. This common goal, since we are speaking of Christian small groups, should normally be focused on everyday life situations (such as apologetics, evangelism, philosophy, discipleship, divorce, serving, love, compassion, community, frustration, anxiety, theology, transparency, sex, addictions, etc.), and how the Bible and theology should be applied to these life situations. Small groups, it could be argued in any generation, should have an apologetic bent to them in order to build up new believers, and to encourage mature beli...

Often, people are hostile toward Christianity. It seems that a first step in helping someone come to know Christ personally is to help them change their belief about Christianity from hostility to sympathy. How do we encourage this hostility to turn into sympathy, let alone, humility? It seems that a major key for this is found in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23:   Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I ma...