On Guard - Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision - William Lane Craig
Description
Vocal Characteristics
Language
EnglishVoice Age
Middle Aged (35-54)Accents
North American (General) North American (US General American - GenAM)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
Chapter one. What is apologetics? Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you first. Peter 3 15 RSV I teach a Sunday school class called Defenders to about 100 people, from high schoolers to senior adults at our home church in Atlanta. We talk about what the Bible teaches Christian doctrine and how to defend it. Christian apologetics. Sometimes people who aren't in our class don't understand what we do. One fine Southern lady, upon hearing that I teach Christian, apologetics, remarked indignantly, I will never apologize for my faith. Apologetics means the defense. The reason for her misunderstanding is obvious. Apologetics sounds like apologize, but apologetics is not the art of telling someone you're sorry that you're a Christian. Rather, Apologetics comes from the Greek word Apology A, which means a defense, as in a court of law. Christian Apologetics involves making a case for the truth of Christian faith. The Bible actually commands us to have such a case, ready to give any unbeliever. Who wants to know why we believe what we do? Just as the contestants in a fencing match have learned to both Perry each attack, as well as to go on the offensive themselves. So we must also be on guard first, Peter, 3 15 says. Always be prepared to make a defense apology. A. To anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you yet do it with gentleness and respect. Authors translation notice the attitude was supposed to have when giving our defense. We should be gentle and respectful. Apologetics is not the art of making someone else sorry that you are a Christian. We can present a defense of Christian faith without becoming defensive. We can present arguments for Christianity without becoming argumentative. When I talk in this book about arguments for the Christian faith, it's vital to understand that I don't mean quarreling. We should never quarrel with a nonbeliever about our faith that only makes people mad and drives them away. Is I'll explain later in this chapter. An argument in the philosophical sense is not a fight or a heated exchange. It's just a series of statements leading to a conclusion that's all. Ironically, if you have good arguments in support of your faith, you're less apt to become quarrelsome or upset, I find the better my arguments, the less argumentative I am, the better my defense, the last defense, if I am. If you have good reasons for what you believe and know the answers to the unbelievers, questions or objections, there's just no reason to get hot under the collar. Instead, you'll find yourself calm and confident when you're under attack because you know you have the answers. I frequently debate on university campuses on topics like Does God exist or Christianity versus atheism? Sometimes students in the audience get up during a Q and A period and attack me personally or go into an abusive rant. I find that my reaction to these students is not anger, but rather simply feeling sorry for them because they're so mixed up. If you have good reasons for what you believe, then instead of anger, you feel a genuine compassion for the unbeliever who's often misled. Good apologetics involves speaking in truth and love. Ephesians 4 15 is apologetics biblical. Some people think that apologetics is unbiblical. They say that you should just preach the gospel and let the Holy Spirit do his work. But I think that the example of Jesus and the Apostles affirms the value of apologetics. Jesus appealed to miracles and two fulfilled prophecy to prove that his claims were true. Luke 24 5 27 John, 14 11 What about the apostles? In dealing with other Jews, they used fulfilled prophecy, Jesus, miracles and especially jesusresurrection to prove that he was the Messiah. Take, for example, Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost, recorded in the second chapter of Acts in Verse 22 he appeals to Jesus miracles in versus 25 to 31 he appeals to fulfilled prophecy in Verse 32. He appeals to Christ resurrection. By means of these arguments, The Apostle sought to show their fellow Jews that Christianity is true in dealing with non Jews. The Apostle sought to show the existence of God through his handiwork In Nature Acts 14 17 in Romans. One. Paul says that from nature alone, all men can know that God exists. Romans 1 20 Paul also appealed to eyewitness testimony of Jesus resurrection to show further that Christianity is true. First, Corinthians 15 33 So it's clear that both Jesus and the Apostles were not afraid to give evidence for the truth of what they had proclaimed. This doesn't mean that they didn't trust the Holy Spirit to bring people to God. Rather, they trusted the Holy Spirit to use their arguments and evidence to bring people to card.