Apologetics

Cole Hughes

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Quick finisher to last week on Culture: Politics

Romans 13:1–7 CSB

Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience. And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.

1 Timothy 2:1–4 CSB

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Faith should inform politics. Your politics should not inform your faith.

We should be model citizens

You should be actively involved in voting for candidates that promote:

Biblical values

our ability to worship and share our faith freely.

We must separate issues from parties and evaluate them biblically and individually.

We must make known our positions and advocate for better policies on all issues.

We do not want to settle for good enough.

We remember that no politician can or will be our savior. They are a sinful person like anyone else.

We should hold one another accountable in our views, but politics should not be divisive within the church. We should not seek to make politics divisive.

What is apologetics?

it derives from a Greek term, apologia.

1 Peter 3:15 CSB

but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

The word defense = apologetics.

What is the goal of Apologetics?

Matthew 16:13–16 CSB

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Who is Jesus?

What are some of the common reasons people reject faith in God?

Science -> Athiesm

Do Science and Christianity Conflict?

Is the world created?

The Big Bang Theory.... Not quite what you think

First came about by understanding that the universe was expanding at a rapid rate.

This led to the idea and understanding that if the universe is expanding, there must be a center from which it started.

Based upon the rate of expansion they estimate the universe to be billions of years old.

Stephen Hawking

“It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except that as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us.”

Science admits that all at once everything that is in existence came to be.

They don’t know how, but they know it did.

How old is the earth?

Rooms for ideas like gap theories or “days” not being 24 hour literal days.

The main issue: Could God have created all that there is in 6 literal days with a young earth and universe and everything be exactly as it is now?

Absolutely.

Did Evolution Happen?

Big E vs. Little e evolution.

The evidence for Big E evolution is

Fine Tuning

The world that we live in is far too ordered to have happened on accident.

Is the Bible trustworthy?

Our goal is to argue that the Bible is valuable so as to tell them the truth about who Jesus is. It is not necessary they have the orthodox view of the authority of Scripture to be saved.

Why should we trust it?

1. The biblical manuscripts have been reliably transmitted from the authors to us today.

2. There is no motive on behalf of the authors to merit distrust of their testimonies.

3. The books of the Bible are the ones early followers of Jesus considered authoritative.

What about Jesus?

Link about prohecies of Jesus.

Isaiah 53.

Problem of Evil

If God good why evil?

With freedom comes the possibility of Evil.

We were created with the ability to reject God so that our devotion to God was not coerced.

C.S. Lewis:“My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?”

Coming Back to the Goal

Why do YOU believe in Jesus?

Is it worth defending to you?

Is it worth having hard conversations?

Is it worth learning answers to questions that you don’t know right now?

Is it worth being obedient?

Good resources to learn apologetics:

I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist

The Case for Christ

Cold Case Christianity