Why Presup? Part 2
Apologetics 101 • Sermon • Submitted
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We are still laying foundations for our apologetic methodology.
These are foundational principles that inform out methodology, not the methodology itself. we’ll get to that a little later on.
Last week we looked at Rom 1 and the condition of many. He is in rebellion against God and actively suppresses the truth in unrighteousness.
This week, we are going to shift our study to an area known as epistemology, or the study of knowledge. How do we know things? Can we know things? Can we know anything with certainty? Howe can we know with certainty?
The Christian worldview asserts that there are things that can be known with certainty. A secularist worldview must admit that there isn’t certain knowledge but probably knowledge. There is a high probability that X is true, but we cannot be certain.
The Christian worldview is founded upon the revelation of God, and therefore there is certainty about the things that God has revealed, and all true knowledge flows from the biblical worldview
2+2=4 is true and always will be because the Christian worldview is true.
Logic works because the Christian worldview is true.
There is a logical argument that asks the question “what are the preconditions of intelligibility? What are the preconditions for knowledge?” The idea is that in order have intelligible and rational discussion, something else must be true to give logic its foundation. What is that thing?
We would argue that that thing is the Christian Worldview. It’s less of a thing and more of a person: The Christian God. If the Christian God did not exist, we could not know anything.
This can become rather philosophical and heady. There are directions that these lines of reasoning can go that are difficult to follow. But I do believe it is logical and, more importantly, biblical. We have biblical data that would indicate that this is the case.
So we are going to spend this week and next week talking about knowledge and how we know things, and what the relationship is between faith and reason, faith and knowledge.
We are going to start with Col 2:1-8 and see what this text teaches us.
1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
v 1-2 Paul wants to encourage the people, but not just a superficial emotional support encouragment/comfort. it runs deeper than that.
to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s Mystery. Paul’s desire for them is their own assurance in the Gospel. That they might know the Gospel, that they might know Christ, and in that knowledge possess full assurance in the understanding of the Gospel.
Paul connects knowledge and understand together at different points in this letter, and each time it is the knowledge of God or the understanding that comes through the Word of God.
Earlier in the book he also speaks of the mystery of Christ taking up residence within us, giving us the hope of glory.
v3 In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Many scholars believe Paul is making reference to Prov 2:6-7 “6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,”
In proverbs wisdom is personified as a person. It doesn’t take a lot to connect a few dots and conclude that that person is Jesus Christ. Jesus is Wisdom personified.
Everything that is true, comes ultimately from Jesus Christ, be that directly or indirectly.
vv4 But there are false teachers. Paul points us to Jesus in order to avoid getting entangled in their false
The word translated as delude in the ESV might better be translated as deceive. It has the idea of convincing through fraudulent argumentation, which is what he goes on to say:
the word for plausible arguments. Could also be translated as speculative.
Here’s the bottom line. You want to avoid false ideas. ground yourself in truth. Not stuff that just feels good, but things that make you think. Things that make you ponder the cross. Things that make you reflect on the Scriptures.
Captive…speaks of a being a prisoner of war. We can be captives of falsehood or of Christ.
Empty and deceitful philosophies. There is no value in them. They sound good and smart. but they are empty.
According to human tradition. Do you want to follow man, or Christ?
Elemental spirits of the world. There are spiritual forces of darkness at play. Jesus himself said that Satan is the Father of lies. You want to follow that?
no?
The only alternative is Christ.
There is no neutrality. kids can be raised to be neutral.
Knowledge and Wisdom come from above
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.