Empowered Apologetics: Defending Faith with Conviction

 

Summary

In our gathering, we explored the profound task of apologetics, a calling that requires us to defend and articulate the truth of our faith with clarity and conviction. We began by reflecting on the story of Moses in Exodus 4, where God equipped Moses with signs to authenticate his divine mission. This narrative underscores the importance of God’s empowerment in our endeavors to communicate His truth. Apologetics, derived from the Greek word "apologia," means to give a reply or defense, not to apologize for our beliefs. It is a vital part of our Christian witness, aimed at clarifying misconceptions and engaging with the intellectual challenges of our time.

Throughout history, from the early church fathers like Justin Martyr to the reformers like Luther and Calvin, Christians have been called to defend the faith against false accusations and philosophical attacks. The task of apologetics involves presenting the content of the gospel clearly, providing rational arguments for the truth claims of Christianity, and addressing the philosophical and cultural idols of our age. It is not merely about proving points but about encouraging the saints and strengthening the church in the face of skepticism and hostility.

We also discussed the nature of saving faith, which comprises three elements: notitia (knowledge), assensus (intellectual assent), and fiducia (trust). Apologetics can help with the first two by providing the data and rational defense of the faith, but it is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit to bring about the trust and love necessary for true saving faith. Our role is to lay out the evidence and arguments, while relying on the Spirit to change hearts.

In our current cultural climate, the existence of God and the authority of Scripture are the two most critical issues that need defending. The rise of secularism and skepticism has challenged these foundational truths, and it is our task to respond with reasoned arguments and a firm commitment to the truth. By doing so, we not only engage the world but also encourage and equip the church to stand firm in the faith.

Key Takeaways:

- Empowerment for the Task: Just as God equipped Moses with signs to authenticate his mission, we are reminded that our ability to defend the faith comes from God’s empowerment through the Holy Spirit. We are called to rely on His strength and wisdom as we engage in apologetics. [04:38]

- The Role of Apologetics: Apologetics is not about apologizing for our faith but about providing a reasoned defense of the truth. It involves clarifying misconceptions, engaging with intellectual challenges, and encouraging the church to stand firm in the faith. [15:17]

- Nature of Saving Faith: Saving faith involves knowledge, intellectual assent, and trust. Apologetics can help with the first two by providing the data and rational defense of the faith, but it is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit to bring about the trust necessary for true saving faith. [39:55]

- Defending Foundational Truths: In our current cultural climate, the existence of God and the authority of Scripture are the two most critical issues that need defending. By addressing these foundational truths, we can engage the world and encourage the church. [54:14]

- Encouragement for the Saints: One of the most valuable roles of apologetics is to encourage and strengthen the church. By providing answers to skeptical questions and defending the truth, we can help believers stand firm in their faith amidst cultural and intellectual challenges. [48:57]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:39] - Opening Prayer
- [01:34] - Introduction to Apologetics
- [02:25] - Moses' Encounter with God
- [05:27] - The Task Given to Moses
- [07:14] - Moses' Apologetic Challenge
- [09:44] - Miracles as Authentication
- [11:31] - God's Response to Moses
- [14:19] - The Nature of Apologetics
- [16:50] - Paul's Example in Athens
- [18:44] - Early Church Apologists
- [23:07] - The Unity of Truth
- [25:39] - The Nature of Saving Faith
- [39:55] - Apologetics and the Holy Spirit
- [54:14] - Defending Foundational Truths
- [58:46] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Task of Apologetics

Bible Reading:
- Exodus 4:1-17

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Observation Questions:

1. What signs did God give Moses to authenticate his mission, and how did Moses initially react to these signs? [03:10]
2. How does the sermon describe the role of miracles in the context of apologetics? [09:44]
3. What were the three elements of saving faith discussed in the sermon, and how does apologetics relate to them? [25:39]
4. According to the sermon, what are the two most critical issues that need defending in our current cultural climate? [54:14]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the story of Moses in Exodus 4 illustrate the importance of God's empowerment in the task of apologetics? [04:38]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that apologetics can encourage and strengthen the church amidst skepticism and hostility? [48:57]
3. How does the sermon differentiate between proof and persuasion in the context of apologetics, and why is this distinction important? [42:42]
4. What role does the Holy Spirit play in the process of someone coming to saving faith, according to the sermon? [39:55]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt unprepared to defend your faith. How can you seek God's empowerment, like Moses, to be more prepared in the future? [04:38]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of clarifying misconceptions about Christianity. What is one common misconception you've encountered, and how can you address it with clarity and compassion? [15:17]
3. Consider the three elements of saving faith: knowledge, intellectual assent, and trust. Which of these do you find most challenging, and how can you work on strengthening it? [25:39]
4. The sermon highlights the need to defend the existence of God and the authority of Scripture. How can you engage in conversations about these topics with those who are skeptical? [54:14]
5. Think about a time when you were encouraged by someone else's defense of the faith. How can you be an encouragement to others in your community who may be struggling with doubt? [48:57]
6. The sermon discusses the role of apologetics in addressing cultural idols. What are some cultural idols you see today, and how can you respond to them with a reasoned defense of your faith? [17:52]
7. How can you incorporate the practice of apologetics into your daily life, not just as a defense of faith but as a way to engage meaningfully with others about the truth of Christianity? [41:37]

Devotional

Day 1: Empowerment Through Divine Equipping
In the story of Moses in Exodus 4, God equips Moses with signs to authenticate his divine mission. This narrative highlights the importance of God’s empowerment in our endeavors to communicate His truth. Just as Moses was given the tools he needed, we too are equipped by the Holy Spirit to defend our faith with clarity and conviction. Our ability to engage in apologetics and articulate the truth of our faith is not based on our own strength but on the empowerment we receive from God. This divine equipping is essential as we face the intellectual challenges and misconceptions of our time. [04:38]

Exodus 4:10-12 (ESV): "But Moses said to the Lord, 'Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.' Then the Lord said to him, 'Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.'"

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel inadequate or unequipped? How can you rely on God’s empowerment to overcome these challenges today?


Day 2: Apologetics as a Reasoned Defense
Apologetics is not about apologizing for our faith but about providing a reasoned defense of the truth. It involves clarifying misconceptions, engaging with intellectual challenges, and encouraging the church to stand firm in the faith. Throughout history, Christians have been called to defend the faith against false accusations and philosophical attacks. This task requires presenting the content of the gospel clearly and providing rational arguments for the truth claims of Christianity. By doing so, we not only engage the world but also strengthen the church in the face of skepticism and hostility. [15:17]

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: What misconceptions about Christianity have you encountered recently? How can you prepare yourself to address these misconceptions with gentleness and respect?


Day 3: The Elements of Saving Faith
Saving faith involves three elements: notitia (knowledge), assensus (intellectual assent), and fiducia (trust). Apologetics can help with the first two by providing the data and rational defense of the faith, but it is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit to bring about the trust necessary for true saving faith. Our role is to lay out the evidence and arguments, while relying on the Spirit to change hearts. This understanding reminds us of the collaborative nature of our efforts with the divine work of the Holy Spirit in the process of salvation. [39:55]

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

Reflection: How can you balance providing rational arguments for your faith while trusting the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of those you engage with?


Day 4: Defending Foundational Truths
In our current cultural climate, the existence of God and the authority of Scripture are the two most critical issues that need defending. The rise of secularism and skepticism has challenged these foundational truths, and it is our task to respond with reasoned arguments and a firm commitment to the truth. By addressing these foundational truths, we can engage the world and encourage the church. This task is not merely about proving points but about encouraging the saints and strengthening the church in the face of skepticism and hostility. [54:14]

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV): "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

Reflection: What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of the authority of Scripture and the existence of God to better defend these truths in your daily interactions?


Day 5: Encouragement for the Saints
One of the most valuable roles of apologetics is to encourage and strengthen the church. By providing answers to skeptical questions and defending the truth, we can help believers stand firm in their faith amidst cultural and intellectual challenges. This encouragement is vital as it equips the church to face the world with confidence and conviction. As we engage in apologetics, we not only address the doubts of others but also reinforce our own faith and the faith of those around us. [48:57]

Colossians 2:2-3 (ESV): "That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Reflection: How can you use your understanding of apologetics to encourage someone in your church community who may be struggling with doubts or skepticism?

Quotes


"Let's begin this session with prayer shall we? Our Father and our God, you have set before us in the life of the church so many tasks which in and of ourselves we are not at all able to perform. You know our feet that they are of clay, our frames are of dust, and what treasure we carry; we carry in earthen vessels. You've called us to proclaim your word. You've called us to demonstrate your love. You've called us to ministries of mercy to those who suffer, to those who are widowed and orphaned or imprisoned. But you’ve also called us to this task not only of teaching but of defending your truth and giving a reason for the hope that is within us. None of these tasks could be performed at all without the presence and the power of your Holy Spirit." [00:00:39]

"Talk about an apologetic task. Moses is supposed to go to Pharaoh. He is an old man. That is Moses is. He's scraggly. He's been out tending sheep in the wilderness all these years. He's supposed to go up and somehow get an appointment with Pharaoh. I can hear the guards standing there saying 'who are you?' And he says 'my name is Moses I used to live here a long time ago. I've been exiled for many, many years. But I need to speak to Pharaoh.' To whom he says 'Well I was talking to this bush out in the wilderness.' I wonder how he ever got into see Pharaoh." [00:07:14]

"Miracles don't prove the existence of God. Rather miracles are God's proof authenticating His agents of revelation. Nicodemus had it right when he came to Jesus at night and said 'Teacher we know that thou art a teacher sent from God or you would not be able to do the things that you do.' Jesus said 'Believe me from what I say or from what my works say,' because these miracles were evidence of things only God can do to authenticate an agent or messenger sent from God." [00:09:44]

"In the first place it is not to tell the world that we are sorry that we are Christians. We don't apologize for being believers in Christ. The word apologetics comes from the Greek word apologia; which means literally 'to give a reply.' And its function in the early church was various. In the first instance we see the pattern of the preaching and teaching of the apostle Paul and the other apostles in the books of Acts. It was Paul's custom into every village that he went to go first to the synagogue and be involved in dialogue or reasoning and then to the Agora - the marketplace." [00:15:17]

"Saving faith involves real assensus where the mind is convinced of the truth of the proposition. Again, going back to James, remember that there are no creatures under heaven, more convinced of the data and of the truth of the data than the demons. Satan never goes through any periods of doubt and uncertainty of the identity of Jesus. He knows very well who Jesus is. And he has that intellectual assent to the proposition that Jesus is the Son of God. His problem is that he hates that proposition with all of his being." [00:36:24]

"Apologetics can explain the data. Apologetics can give you the rational defense of the truth claims of Christianity. And we are called to do that, to give the reason for the hope that is with in us. And we are to work to persuade men. However, the best arguments that we ever offer, however convincing they may be, can never change the human heart that by nature is hostile towards God, at enmity to God and dead to the spiritual things of God. Apologetics can never prove the sweetness of Christ to a pagan." [00:40:05]

"Calvin marshaled a list of what he called indicia - indications or evidences, objective evidences, for the Bible's being the inspired word of God. That is the consistency of its parts, the heavenliness of the matter, the antiquity of it, the loftiness of its ethics and all of these arguments that he gave. He made this observation, he said 'That these arguments in and of themselves were sufficient to prove that the Bible is the word of God.' Objectively they proved the case." [00:45:51]

"The most valuable role, I believe in the task of apologetics is to encourage the saints; to shore up the church. Just as the first concern that Moses had was 'How are your people how believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob going to believe now that this is what you want them to do?' And Moses was an apologist to his own people." [00:48:57]

"In our day, the two major articles of truth, the apologetics from the church must address with all of our might, and all of our ability are these: the existence of God, and second, the authority of the Bible. It may surprise you. You would have thought that I might say 'the single most important thing for apologists to prove is the existence of God, and then the second most important thing is the person of Jesus.' No, I say the second most important thing is the truth of scripture for this reason." [00:54:14]

"The existence of God, the existence of His word; those are the twin towers of the truth claims of Christianity that have to be defended cogently and compellingly in every generation and no generation needs it more desperately than our own. So let us not grow weary in seeking to defend the truth of the existence of a self-existent eternal being who has manifested Himself in creation and in history and in His inspired word." [00:58:46]

"Father we thank you that you don't leave us without your power, and without your truth. And we know that though people’s preferences change from generation to generation O' Lord that the constituent nature of our humanity has not changed. The way to our heart is through our brain. And we pray that we may be faithful in delivering your word to the mind, and that your spirit would then take it to the heart. For we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen." [00:59:16]

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Transcript
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