Sermon Tone Analysis

Is Christianity a blind faith?

Do we have to check our brains at the door of the church every time we come in here?…or

watch online?

Do we see everything that we say we believe?…no…so why do we choose to believe them?…what evidence do we have?

Today, we will examine several misconceptions about the Christian faith and provide real answers for the skeptic’s questions.

I. Christianity Is Based on Facts

“Christianity appeals to history.

It appeals to facts of history that are clearly recognizable and accessible by everyone.”

The Bible, particularly in the Gospel accounts, does not present itself as anything but a historical document.

Acts 1:3 (NKJV)

3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

This leads us to a question: “What makes a so-called proof ‘infallible’?”

I offer two prerequisites…there are undoubtedly more.

An infallible proof would have to be verifiable by multiple sources.

An infallible proof would have to be something that both sides of a given argument would be willing to concede to.

Today, we will examine some of these “infallible proofs”

But first, as we begin today, I want to remind us that our faith is based in facts, not feelings.

The Christian life has been compared to walking along the top of a wall or a log in this case.

Faith is in the middle, and either our feelings or the facts are in front of us, with the other one behind us.

If our feelings are leading the way, they can easily be tipped of balance and bring our faith down with them, and only the facts remain on the log.

But if the facts are leading the way, and our faith is following right behind them, closely watching and focusing on them with our feelings coming along behind us, they might still get tipped off balance but we are no longer following those feelings…they are still important and part of us, but they are not in the lead anymore.

Our faith is based on the facts - on the factual Person - of Jesus of Nazareth.

I. Christianity Is Based on Facts

II.

Clearing the Intellectual Fog

There is a lot of fog in the air surrounding Christianity.

Critics and skeptics often cloud things up by making accusations that are not based on a logical, critical examination of the text but on misconceptions and preconceived notions about Christianity.

We will examine several of these misconceptions.

This will demonstrate that we are not taking a leap in the dark, having no basis for our faith.

The Christian faith does not require one to check your brain at the door and remove all intellect.

We have a faith the is based on compelling, historical evidence, but many have attempted to surround Christianity with a dense fog of doubt and have, unfortunately, succeeded.

The arguments used to explain Christianity are called apologetics - from the word apologia - meaning a well-thought out argument to prove a truth claim in a court of law.

But we need to remember that apologetics do not save anyone - only the power of the gospel can do that.

We are not absurdly arguing that Apologetics has in itself the power to make a man a Christian or to conquer the world to Christ.

“Only the spirit of Life can communicate Life to a dead soul…But we are arguing that faith is, in all its exercises alike, a form of conviction, and is, therefore, necessarily grounded in evidence.

-BENJAMIN WARFIELD, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

Faith is believing that something is true without seeing it firsthand, but it is a reasonable faith.

Let’s take a look at some misconceptions about Christianity that you and I will encounter in this world and then make a reasonable argument to refute those misconceptions:

II.

Clearing the Intellectual Fog

A. Misconception #1: Blind Faith

Matthew 22:37 (NKJV)

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

God expects people to engage their minds - not commit intellectual suicide.

The message of Jesus and the apostles was for people to place their FAITH in Jesus.

This is the same message we have today, but we are not asking people to have “blind faith”, we are asking people to exercise “intelligent faith”.

That’s why we use the Gospel as it is presented in the Bible

The Romans Road, for example, is a series of verses that are grounded in facts: Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, which is also clearly presented in:

God created our minds!

He expects us to use them.

He doesn't hide behind the curtains like the wizard of Oz and expect an unbeliever to agree to place their trust in a fraud.

The Bible can withstand any amount of scrutiny that man can throw at it.

2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV)

12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Paul’s faith was grounded in facts, not circumstances or feelings.

Paul’s faith was grounded in a Person - Jesus Christ.

Paul could say that he KNEW the PERSON that he had faith in - to Paul, Jesus was not some higher level of consciousness…Jesus Christ is a KNOWABLE PERSON, not a far off celestial being.

this word “know” is to experience something - not just agree with certain facts.

“persuaded” means to be convinced that something is indeed true!

Paul’s future was completely dependent on the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus predicted this sequence of faith events:

John 8:32 (NKJV)

32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

What is “blind faith”?

Often, Christians are accused of “taking a leap into the dark”.

But if we truly exercised blind faith, what would we do with the evidence?…we

would ignore it and go the other way!…the evidence would not matter!

And our evangelism would be pointless!

- There would be no gospel message!

Christianity is not a leap into the darkness…it is a step into the light!

II.

Clearing the Intellectual Fog

A. Misconception #1: Blind Faith

B. Misconception #2: Just Be Sincere

The Christian faith is an objective faith - so it must have an object to place faith in.

When a person “gets saved” - or becomes a “believer”, they have placed “saving faith” in Jesus Christ, thereby establishing a relationship with God through Christ - who is the object of our faith.

This is completely opposed to the philosophy that is prevalent today, which states:

“It does’t matter what you believe, as long as you believe it enough”

In other words, merit is based on one’s SINCERITY.

And this would lead one to believe that the success of one’s faith is in themselves, regardless of who or what they are putting their faith in.

“The Christian faith is faith in Christ.

Its value or worth is not in the one believing, but in the one believed-not in the one trusting, but in the one trusted.”

-Josh McDowell

There are many from other religions that have more faith in their gods or systems than Christians have in Christ…are they better off?…NO!

Just because they have more faith, they aren’t saved because the object of their faith is false.

For example, there are many Muslims that live a deeper life of faith than some Christians…they are more sincere, more faithful, more devoted to their system of faith (albeit an unbiblical faith).

But it will not help them in the end, because of the object of their faith is not Jesus Christ.

It doesn’t matter how much faith a Christian has - only that they have faith in Jesus…it’s not the size of their faith…its the power of the one in whom they trust - Jesus ALONE is able to save!

2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV)

12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

The Scriptures are clear: the Christian faith is set apart from any other type or brand of faith

Biblically speaking, faith is not an abstract theory…the NT describes faith as “the faith” 43 times, including 8 times is 1 Timothy:

the Christian faith is unique because it rests fully on the Person of Jesus Christ.

Now take a look at a verse in the next chapter.

What happens when a Christian’s faith suffers or is diminished?

This next verse is talking about a christian who’s faith has been diminished to the point of being “faithless” - this person has been through some deep trials, pain, suffering, and loss.

Paul might have been thinking back to a time in his life that was especially difficult…a time when his faith was forged in the crucible of pain:

2 Corinthians 1:8 (NKJV)

8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.

Does this sound like a guy who is living his best, faith-filled life now??