Introduction to Apologetics Handout
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Apologetics = Defending Our Faith
The Biblical Necessity of Apologetics
- What are we commanded to do in 1 Peter 3:15?
- According to 1 Peter 3:15, who should be a Christian apologist.
- According to 1 Peter 3:15, what is the apologist prepared to do?
- According to 1 Peter 3:15, when should the apologist be ready to give a defense?
- According to 1 Peter 3:15, what is the apologist defending?
- According to 1 Peter 3:15, what characteristics should the apologist posses?
- What purpose does apologetics serve for
- the unbeliever? (Acts 18:4)
- the believer? (Acts 18:27-28)
Lived Apologetics
- James 3:17-18 states "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." According to this verse, there are certain characteristics of a Christian that can be and should be modeled as means of reaching the lost. What are these characteristics?
Reasoned Apologetics
Short of pursing a Ph.D. in philosophy, theoretical mathematics, or computer science, it is hard to build a firm grasp on logic and reasoning. However, there are some basic principles of logic that people use in apologetics.
Truth
- What question does Pilate ask in John 18:38?
The Law of Non-Contradiction
The law of non-contradiction states that something cannot be both true and untrue at the same time, in the same place, and in the same manner.
Being Rational
- Does God actually call on us to be reasoned rational people?
The Christian Worldview
- What three fundamental aspects of the Christian Worldview are highlighted in 2 Samuel 7:28?
- Now suppose that someone challenged you and asked you to prove that God was real. What would you say to them?
Conclusion
Many people suggest that a reasoned person won't succumb to belief in God. However, this is simply not true. Cornelius Van Tis argued that without the existance of God, knowledge is impossible.
