Basic Leader Training: Intro to Apologetics – Session 7

Another12 Ministries Leadership Training

 

Session 7 Outline

 

Opening Questions

 

How confident are you that you could explain the gospel to an unbeliever?

 

If you were challenged by someone knowledgeable in tearing down Christianity, would you feel confident in your ability to present a defense for the Gospel?

 

Have you ever seized an opportunity to defend your faith to a critic?

 

Capstone Verses

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (1 Peter 3:13-16)

 

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19:1)

 

Definitions

Apologetics

Secular: systematic argumentative discourse in defense (as of a doctrine)

Biblical: Apologetics attempts to render the Christian faith persuasive to the contemporary individual. For unbelievers, it is belief forming; it helps to defuse attacks upon Christianity, and to establish Christianity as credible by giving intellectual support to the explanatory value of a biblical worldview. For believers, it is belief sustaining; it nurtures Christian faith by calling believers to love their Lord with their minds (Matt. 22:37).

 

• Apologetics is an important tool for the believer
  • Where evidence and faith meet
    • 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 – For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

 

• What do you believe?
• How do you know it’s true?
• What evidence do you have?
• Why is faith required?

• Basic approaches to apologetics

• • • Internal Apologetics – What the Bible says about Christianity
    • External Apologetics – External evidence that supports Christianity
    • Natural Apologetics – How the cosmos points to God
    • Historical Apologetics – How history supports Christianity
    • Moral Apologetics – How the existence of morality supports Christianity
    • Prudential Apologetics – What happens if those who reject God are wrong?
  • Warning! Apologetics is not Evangelism!

• Jude 1:3-4 – Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

 

• It lacks Divine power
• It cannot stimulate faith
• It cannot provide complete proof
• Apologetics defends only man’s hope, not God’s position
• Apologetics REQUIRES an understanding of the grace required by the forum you are operating in.
  • Colossians 4:2-6 – Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

 

• • The Gospel is Primary
    • It is the power unto salvation
    • Jesus commanded believers to share it
    • Faith, not rational assent, is required for salvation
    • The Gospel is offensive, apologetics is defensive 
    • Salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit, not man’s arguments

• What’s important to study?

• • Internal Apologetics – The unique claims of Christianity
  • External Apologetics – Overwhelming support from external data
  • Natural Apologetics – Intelligent design and cohesive order
    • Romans 1:18-25 – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

 

• Historical Apologetics – Historical evidence, the validity of ancient texts
• Moral Apologetics – Where did morality come from?
• Prudential Apologetics – Pascal’s Wager

 

Scripture Passages

 

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 – For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

 

Jude 1:3-4 – Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

 

Colossians 4:2-6 – Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

 

Acts 17:16-21 – Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

 

Romans 1:18-25 – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

 

Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.