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 ...

If you‘ve never heard the word,   chiasm  (or, chiasmus ) , it is a literary device to help people remember the subject material written in literature. It is like an outline that forms an “X.” with the first point being related to the last, and the second being related to the second to the last, and so on, until you reach the pinnacle, which is the very center of the X. Matthew 19:30 is a small example of a chiasm:   “But many who are first will be last,  and many who are last will be first.”   These clauses above would be the top left and the bottom left of the letter “X,” which is where the word, Chiasm, comes from: The Greek letter, “ Chi ” (pronounced like " key "). The three churches in the center of the chiasm of the seven letters to the churches in the Revelation are the main focus of this article (and perhaps in the seven churches themselves). This is what we are really supposed to examine in the chiasm. The first two churches in Revelation 2 are from th...

I frequently run into the discussion with Christians that some cult members seem to produce spiritual fruit, and this brings into question for them whether or not such people are actually saved.  In their minds, a person could not produce spiritual fruit unless they were actually saved. Jesus’ words, “You will know them by their fruit” is often referenced and the question arises, how is it that some Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses seem to produce spiritual fruit if they are not saved? Because, on the one hand it really seems like some of them truly have their lives in order and appear to live biblical lives.   Jesus says, in Matthew 7:15-20,   “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad...

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...

How and Where to Make Divisions... Sometimes, I get asked “Why do you get so up at arms about other religions?” or, “Why do you pick on other religions so much?” I think the following will help you see where I’m coming from, before I spill the beans on such.   We have difficulty sometimes in discovering where to make divisions when considering where to spend our money, and who to support, where to make purchases, and where not to do such. We also often have difficulty on how to know if a church or a congregation is a place where someone can actually become saved. Like, how can we know that a Mormon is likely not saved but we can know that a regular church attender at a gospel sound church is likely saved? What is it that would make my church attendance at a specific body no longer appropriate? Both answers to these questions deal with doctrine. If a company is pushing false doctrine using their influence and power to push a heretical doctrine or teaching, this is often when the red...