Defending your Faith

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Defending your Faith

• An Introduction to Apologetics

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At the end of this series your should

• Know the meaning of Apologetics
• Know the extent of Apologetics
• Articulate the biblical mandate to defend your
  faith
• Know and understand the foundations sound
  apologetics
• Apply sound apologetics to everyday situations
• Use sound study to strengthen apologetics
• Combine Bible doctrine with empirical data to
  form rational arguments
• Determine the worldview of an individual using
  sound apologetics

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What is meant by defending your faith?

• The question arises as to whether faith can be
  defended?
• The answer is yes, defending your faith is the
  ability to articulate what you believe and why
  you believe it.

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What is Apologetics?

• The formal defense of the Christian faith using
  rational argumentations, empirical evidence,
  fulfilled prophecy, and authorities of the church.

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Why do I need to defend my faith?

• Faith without Reason (fideism)
• Reason without faith (Rationalism)
• Reasonable faith (Christianity)

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The Biblical Mandate

• But even if you should suffer for what is right,
  you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear
  do not be frightened. But in you hearts set
  apart Christ as Lord. 15) Always be prepared to
  give an answer to everyone who asks you to give
  the reason for the hope that your have. 16) But
  do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a
  clear conscience, so that those who speak
  maliciously against your good behavior in Christ
  may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter
  314b-16

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The Extent of Apologetics

• Apologetics deals with various topics such as the
  problem of evil, suffering, validity of the
  resurrection, the, to the alleged contradiction
  between miracles and science
• Apologetics do not take the place of child-like
  faith
• It is limited to the articulation of the truth
  that leads to salvation (Romans 1014-15)

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The fallacy of the simplistic answer

• Many of the questions that arise from sound study
  of the bible can not be answered at first glance.
• Equally many of the answers to these difficult
  questions are not easily accepted even amongst
  Christians.

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The Gospel and the Pebble of Truth

• The Great Commission (Salvation)
• The Pebble of Truth (Apologetics)

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The Foundations of Sound Apologetics

• The existence of God
• The authority of the Bible

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Why are these the foundations of Sound
Apologetics?

• The Christianity is destroy if this foundational
  principles are refuted. The existence of
  Christianity is contingent upon the existence of
  God and the authority of the Bible.

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The Historical Imperative

• Aristotle
• Augustine
• Aquinas
• Kant

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Finding a Starting Point

• The authority of the Bible then the existence of
  God
• The existence of God then the authority of the
  Bible

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The existence of God (four irrefutable principles)

• The law of non-contradiction
• The law of causality
• Sense perception
• The analogical use of language

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The existence of God (four possibilities)

• Illusion
• Self-creation
• Chance
• Self-existence

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The Authority of the Bible

• Historicity and Reliability of Scripture
• Reliability of Jesus and His teachings

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Why Apologetics?

• The biblical mandate
• Strengthen faith

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Will Apologetics ever save?

• Providence Holy Spirit
• Personal Responsibility

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Sound Study

• Studying vs. Reading
• Bible Study
• Several translations
• Bible Dictionary
• Concordance
• Commentaries
• Word Studies
• Topical Books

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Review

• What is meant by defending your faith?
• What are apologetics?
• What is the purpose of defending the faith?
• What is the extent of apologetics?
• What are the foundations of sound apologetics?
• What is the defense concern the existence of God?

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Review (cont)

• What the four irrefutable principles concern the
  existence of God?
• What are the four possibilities concerning the
  existence of God?
• What is the defense concerning biblical
  authority?
• What is the function of the Holy Spirit in
  relation to asserting the authority of the Bible?

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Conclusion

• Salt and Light
• Preservers of Truth
• Expelling Ignorance