Category Archives: Apologetics

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Is Something “More” True Because its in the Bible?

As Christians we sometimes do things that don’t help our cause.

Sure, they are done from good intentions and with a sincere heart. But they actually take our legs out from under us in the long run.

Sometimes this happens with the way Christians talk about truth. Unfortunately we can be too spiritual for our own good. Let me explain what I mean.

2 Dead Ends

There are two versions of how this plays out in our assumptions or conversations:

(1) Only the Bible gives us truth.

(2) Truth derived from the Bible is in a unique category.

Regarding (1) Only the Bible gives us truth. This is clearly false. There is general and special revelation.

bibleTo claim that the Bible is wholly true and without error does not entail that only the Bible gives us truth. I can learn truths about the city of Jericho from the book of Joshua and also other ancient historians / archaeologists.

The Bible does not reveal the elements of the periodic table. These are truths I can discover from outside the Bible.

Regarding (2) Only the Bible gives us truth. I like to ask a question which makes this clearer: Which statement is more true?

a.) Water is H20

b.) Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead

It’s not a trick question. Truth is not a “degreed” property. Meaning that you either have it or you don’t. Either a belief or statement corresponds to reality or it doesn’t. Period.

Whether that is in a laboratory or a ancient document, the standard is the same. Does the claim math up with reality? We must push through that little tug in our hearts and minds that wants us to put the Bible in a different category.

Truth is Truth

Authority is a different question because some sources are more authoritative than others. But truth is a “univocal” term. Whether you are a Christian, a Buddhist, a Hindu or an Atheist…Truth is truth. Why? Because it deals with reality.

As Christians we think that faith is rooted in history (cf 1 Cor. 15). We believe that the evidence best supports the Christian worldview. So we don’t need to put the Bible in a different category.

In fact it increases our credibility when we don’t have special rules when it comes to religion or spirituality. A level playing field is an opportunity for Christianity to really shine.

That’s why we need to define our terms like “faith” very carefully and admit that it’s possible that Christianity could be false (though I think there are very strong reasons to think it is true).

So no, something is not more true because it’s in the Bible. And it’s certainly not “unspiritual” to say this out loud.

If you found this post helpful, you would enjoy How to Respond to the “That’s Just Your Interpretation” Objection

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Does Atheism Naturally Lead To Human Dignity?

Sometimes slavery is raised as an objection to the Bible and Christianity. And a superficial reading of the Bible could lead one to conclude that God has a positive view of slavery. However, when engaging the historical context and relevant theological issues this is not the case. The Bible unequivocally teaches universal human dignity and equality because all are made in the image of God.

What is often forgotten is that atheism rose to prominence only after centuries of Judeo-Christian ethic and thought had shaped modern civilization. Atheism did not lay the groundwork for inherent human dignity and equality; it borrows that from a Judeo-Christian worldview. If you remove God from the equation, you also remove inherent human dignity and equality.

Atheistic philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (who was carefully read by Adolf Hitler) explains:

Equality is a lie concocted by inferior people who arrange themselves in herds to overpower those who are naturally superior to them. The morality of “equal rights” is herd morality, and because it opposes the cultivation of superior individuals, it leads to the corruption of the human species.

History stubbornly does not let us forget that ideas have consequences.

Which idea do you think is more dangerous: that all people are created in the image of God and possess inherent dignity and value, or that the concept of equal rights leads to the corruption of the human species?

Some may argue that if there had been no Bible, advocates (including preachers!) of colonial slavery couldn’t have (apparently) justified the practice. Perhaps. But by this line of reasoning, we would also have to say that if there were no physics— if E didn’t equal MC²—then there would have been no atomic bomb.

When you think about it this way, the common denominator that emerges yet again is people. What is most needed is the transformation of the human condition. And that, in stark contrast to the worldview of atheism, is exactly what Jesus of Nazareth offers.

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The Art of Persuasion (Video)

How do we share the gospel with people who are not willing to hear it? What does it look like to be creative and imaginative in how we engage our secular and skeptical culture? One of my favorite authors Os Guinness shares about the art of persuasion in this video.

The Apostle Paul on our “rules of engagement”:

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” – 2 Timothy 2:24-26

If you found this post helpful, you would enjoy How To Break Free From Skepticism With One Simple Question

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Why Christians Need Apologetics

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Defending the faith is not optional. The Bible makes this clear:

“In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense [apologia] to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15; cf. Philippians 1:7).

From this passage we learn that apologetics involves responding to objections (defense), making a case (offense), and giving hope (Christ-centered).

In addition to Peter, the book of Acts repeatedly records Paul reasoning with people about Christianity (Acts 14:15–17; 17:2, 4, 17–31; 18:4). Luke records that Paul “entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:8–10).

For hours each day, Paul sought to persuade the intellectuals of his day that Christianity was true!

When discussing the importance of apologetics, three common objections are often raised.

First, people claim that apologetics is not practical. Isn’t apologetics only for academics and intellectuals? The short answer is no. Here’s why. Everyone has questions—you do, your kids do, your friends and neighbors do, your family does, and our culture certainly does. It’s that simple. We will either think carefully or poorly about these questions, but the questions themselves cannot be avoided. By the way, Christianity welcomes tough questions!

Next, people say you should just preach the simple gospel and not worry about all of that intellectual stuff. Pearcey’s observation is critical here: “The ultimate goal is to preach the gospel. But the gospel is not simple to those whose background prevents them from understanding it. Today’s global secular culture has erected a maze of mental barriers against even considering the biblical message.” Apologetics serves evangelism and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20).

Finally, some Christians object that too much knowledge leads to arrogance. I would suggest that the remedy for arrogance is not ignorance, but humility. John Stott is right on target: “I am not pleading for a dry, humorless, academic Christianity, but for a warm devotion set on fire by truth.” Dallas Willard observed that part of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ and love others well is to think clearly.

“Bluntly, to serve God well we must think straight; and crooked thinking, unintentional or not, always favors evil. And when the crooked thinking gets elevated into group orthodoxy, whether religious or secular, there is always, quite literally, hell to pay.”

Engaging our minds as Christians is an act of worship and part of loving God with all of our minds (Matthew 22:37). Defending and commending the faith (Jude 3) is just as biblical as loving the poor and caring for the widow or orphan. Both are commands from God. Neither is optional.

Do you want more confidence in defending the reliability and authority of the Bible? – CLICK HERE

A quick response to the “who are you to judge” objection.

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