Engaging Apologetics: Christianity, Truth, and Secular Challenges

 

Summary

In our exploration of apologetics, we have delved into two pivotal questions: the existence of God and the divine origin of the Scriptures. These inquiries are foundational, yet the scope of apologetics extends far beyond them. Christianity, as a worldview, intersects with various secular philosophies, challenging and being challenged by them. This dynamic interaction is not merely about religious practices but about understanding the character of God, cosmology, and anthropology. Christianity posits that the universe and human existence are not random but are deeply connected to a transcendent God who imbues life with purpose and meaning.

Throughout history, Christian apologists have engaged with and responded to the prevailing philosophies of their times. This ongoing dialogue is enriched by two millennia of theological reflection, providing a robust framework for addressing new philosophical challenges. While secular philosophies may lack the historical depth of Christianity, they often present fresh perspectives that require thoughtful engagement.

A critical aspect of apologetics is understanding the relationship between Scripture and natural revelation. The Bible, as the Word of God, complements the truths revealed through nature. This harmony between Scripture and natural revelation underscores the unity of truth, affirming that divine revelation in Scripture will not contradict what is discerned through nature.

However, within the church, there are debates on interpreting Scripture, particularly on ethical issues like marriage, divorce, and sexuality. These debates are complicated by differing views on the authority of Scripture. Some within the church do not recognize Scripture as the ultimate authority, leading to divergent beliefs. Even among those who uphold the Bible's authority, interpretations can vary, necessitating careful exegesis and hermeneutics.

The deity of Christ is a central tenet of Christianity, affirmed through Scripture. The Gospel of John, for instance, presents Jesus as the eternal Word, both distinct from and one with God. This Trinitarian understanding of God as one essence in three persons is foundational to Christian theology. The acceptance of Jesus' divinity is further evidenced by His acceptance of worship and His claims of authority, which were understood by His contemporaries as declarations of His divine nature.

Key Takeaways:

- Christianity is not just a religion but a comprehensive worldview that defines human existence and our relationship with God. It challenges and is challenged by secular philosophies, requiring Christians to engage thoughtfully with these ideas. [01:02]

- The relationship between Scripture and natural revelation is crucial. Both are seen as complementary, with the truth revealed in nature not contradicting the truth found in Scripture. This unity of truth is foundational to understanding God's revelation. [06:24]

- Within the church, differing interpretations of Scripture on ethical issues highlight the importance of exegesis and hermeneutics. These tools help navigate complex theological debates, ensuring that interpretations align with the intended message of the Bible. [09:54]

- The deity of Christ is a cornerstone of Christian belief, supported by scriptural evidence. The Gospel of John, among other texts, affirms Jesus as the eternal Word, both distinct from and one with God, forming the basis for the doctrine of the Trinity. [17:05]

- Engaging with secular philosophies requires a robust understanding of Christian doctrine and history. The church's long-standing theological reflection provides a rich resource for addressing new challenges, ensuring that Christianity remains a vibrant and relevant worldview. [04:25]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:28] - Introduction to Apologetics
- [01:02] - Christianity as a Worldview
- [01:48] - Cosmology and Anthropology
- [02:32] - Human Significance
- [03:10] - Engaging with Secular Philosophies
- [03:41] - Historical Reflection in Apologetics
- [04:25] - Vulnerabilities of New Philosophies
- [05:04] - Scripture and Natural Revelation
- [06:24] - Unity of Truth
- [06:59] - Authority of Scripture
- [08:07] - Debates on Ethical Issues
- [09:54] - Exegesis and Hermeneutics
- [14:12] - Deity of Christ
- [17:05] - Gospel of John and the Trinity

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 1:1-5
2. Romans 1:20
3. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

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Observation Questions:

1. According to the sermon, how does Christianity function as a worldview rather than just a religion? [01:02]

2. What is the relationship between Scripture and natural revelation as discussed in the sermon? [06:24]

3. How does the Gospel of John affirm the deity of Christ, and why was this significant for early Christian thinkers? [17:05]

4. What are some of the ethical issues mentioned in the sermon that cause debates within the church? [09:54]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of Christianity as a worldview challenge secular philosophies, and what does this mean for believers today? [03:10]

2. In what ways does the harmony between Scripture and natural revelation affirm the unity of truth, and why is this important for understanding God's revelation? [06:24]

3. How do differing interpretations of Scripture on ethical issues highlight the importance of exegesis and hermeneutics within the church? [09:54]

4. Why is the acceptance of Jesus' divinity crucial to Christian theology, and how does the Gospel of John support this belief? [17:05]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own worldview. How does your understanding of Christianity influence your daily decisions and interactions with secular philosophies? [01:02]

2. Consider a time when you encountered a truth in nature that complemented a truth in Scripture. How did this experience impact your faith? [06:24]

3. Think about a current ethical debate within the church that you are aware of. How can you apply careful exegesis and hermeneutics to form your understanding of this issue? [09:54]

4. How do you personally affirm the deity of Christ in your life, and how does this belief shape your relationship with God and others? [17:05]

5. Identify a secular philosophy that challenges your faith. What steps can you take to engage thoughtfully with this philosophy while maintaining a robust understanding of Christian doctrine? [03:10]

6. Reflect on a time when you had a differing interpretation of Scripture with someone else. How did you navigate this disagreement, and what did you learn from the experience? [09:54]

7. How can you ensure that your understanding of ethical issues aligns with the intended message of the Bible, and what resources can you use to aid in this process? [09:54]

Devotional

Day 1: Christianity as a Comprehensive Worldview
Christianity is not merely a religion but a comprehensive worldview that defines human existence and our relationship with God. It challenges and is challenged by secular philosophies, requiring Christians to engage thoughtfully with these ideas. This engagement is not just about defending faith but understanding the character of God, cosmology, and anthropology. Christianity posits that the universe and human existence are deeply connected to a transcendent God who imbues life with purpose and meaning. This understanding calls for a robust engagement with secular philosophies, ensuring that Christianity remains a vibrant and relevant worldview. [01:02]

"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." (Colossians 1:16, ESV)

Reflection: How can you engage with a secular philosophy or idea this week in a way that reflects the comprehensive nature of your Christian worldview?


Day 2: The Unity of Scripture and Natural Revelation
The relationship between Scripture and natural revelation is crucial. Both are seen as complementary, with the truth revealed in nature not contradicting the truth found in Scripture. This unity of truth is foundational to understanding God's revelation. The Bible, as the Word of God, complements the truths revealed through nature, affirming that divine revelation in Scripture will not contradict what is discerned through nature. This harmony underscores the unity of truth, inviting believers to explore both Scripture and the natural world as sources of divine insight. [06:24]

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge." (Psalm 19:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: Spend time in nature this week and reflect on how it reveals God's character. How does this experience enhance your understanding of Scripture?


Day 3: Navigating Ethical Debates with Scripture
Within the church, differing interpretations of Scripture on ethical issues highlight the importance of exegesis and hermeneutics. These tools help navigate complex theological debates, ensuring that interpretations align with the intended message of the Bible. Debates on ethical issues like marriage, divorce, and sexuality are complicated by differing views on the authority of Scripture. Even among those who uphold the Bible's authority, interpretations can vary, necessitating careful study and understanding of the biblical text. [09:54]

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an ethical issue you are passionate about. How can you use exegesis and hermeneutics to deepen your understanding of what the Bible says about this issue?


Day 4: The Deity of Christ and the Trinity
The deity of Christ is a cornerstone of Christian belief, supported by scriptural evidence. The Gospel of John, among other texts, affirms Jesus as the eternal Word, both distinct from and one with God, forming the basis for the doctrine of the Trinity. This Trinitarian understanding of God as one essence in three persons is foundational to Christian theology. The acceptance of Jesus' divinity is further evidenced by His acceptance of worship and His claims of authority, which were understood by His contemporaries as declarations of His divine nature. [17:05]

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on the significance of Jesus' divinity in your personal faith. How does this understanding impact your relationship with Him and your daily life?


Day 5: Engaging with Secular Philosophies
Engaging with secular philosophies requires a robust understanding of Christian doctrine and history. The church's long-standing theological reflection provides a rich resource for addressing new challenges, ensuring that Christianity remains a vibrant and relevant worldview. Throughout history, Christian apologists have engaged with and responded to the prevailing philosophies of their times. This ongoing dialogue is enriched by two millennia of theological reflection, providing a robust framework for addressing new philosophical challenges. [04:25]

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a secular philosophy that challenges your faith. How can you use your understanding of Christian doctrine and history to thoughtfully engage with this philosophy?

Quotes


In every generation, in every age competing secular philosophies collide with the truth claims of Christianity, and so through the ages Christian apologists have had to duel as it were with these competing philosophies because Christianity is not a religion so much as it is what we call a life and worldview – that is the content of Christianity defines the meaning of human existence and how this world in which we live is related too the existence of God. [00:00:56]

Christianity's concerned not just about how we worship or how we sing or how we pray, but it's interested in the character of God. It's interested in the question of cosmology – that is how this world is constructed, does this world operate by internal fixed laws that are independent from the power of God or does nature itself depend every moment for its power and operations upon this transcendent God who creates it in the first place? [00:02:06]

One of the things that we enjoy as Christians, having had two thousand years of practice dealing with alternate systems, is that when we are confronted by a new philosophical challenge to the Christian faith where we have to defend ourselves afresh in a new generation we at least have the advantage of two thousand years of reflection on issues that tend to come up over and over and over again in the arena of public debate. [00:03:47]

Again historically the great theologians and apologists of church history have all agreed that all truth is one and that all truth meets at the top, so that what God reveals in the Scripture in the final analysis will not contradict what He reveals to us outside of Scripture in the realm of nature, and conversely if God reveals some truth in nature, that truth that is known through nature will not contradict what is found in the Bible. [00:06:01]

By establishing the authority of the Scripture the last ten percent would include those 10,000 issues that can be dealt with by a careful study of what Scripture says because Scripture, again, tells us something about the origin of man, the origin of the cosmos. It tells us the nature of truth itself. It speaks to us about issues of ethics that we are fiercely divided on – such matters as homosexual behavior, abortion, and the like. [00:07:00]

We have people within the church who disagree on issues of how we regulate marriage and divorce and sexuality and the like – these debates that we're seeing in the newspaper everyday – and the problem is complicated because some people in the church agree that the normative authority to settle these issues is Scripture, while others within the church say, "No, I don't submit to the normative authority of Scripture," so they want to look somewhere else to establish a basis for their truth claims. [00:07:36]

But again the problem is not everybody inside the church, not to mention outside the church, agrees that the Bible is normative. That's why it is imperative that that authority be established early in the whole process of examining truth claims so that you can have an authority that you both submit to; but then the plots thickens when we realize that there are many people in the church who agree that the Bible is the Word of God and are willing to submit to the authority of the Word of God, but they have a vastly different understanding of what the Bible actually teaches. [00:09:15]

And so then all of the questions about what process do you use in discerning what Scripture teaches, the science – what is called the science of hermeneutics or the rule of interpretation. That comes into play when we're dealing with issues of biblical interpretation. [00:10:01]

One of the great disputes that the church has had to deal with throughout history is the deity of Christ, and the question of the deity of Christ is a question that the church wrestled with for the first three hundred years of her existence because the people in the early church were certainly sensitive to the charge that was coming against Christian theology that Christianity was violating a cardinal principle of biblical truth – namely the monotheism that is the hallmark of the Old Testament faith – that historic Judaism clearly declares that God is one; and if we believe in monotheism, how can we attribute deity not only to God the Father, but also to attribute deity to Jesus Christ? [00:14:28]

That's why the church came to the position of the Trinity, of distinguishing among the three persons of the Trinity but saying that the three persons of the Trinity, though they must be distinguished among each other in terms of subsistence or in terms of persona, nevertheless in the Godhead remains a singularity of essence of deity, insisting that God is one in essence, so that though the differences among the persons of the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost – are real and important distinctions, those real and important distinctions in the Godhead are not essential distinctions. [00:15:32]

In the Gospel according to St. John, in the prologue, the opening verses of this text, we have an extraordinary affirmation about Christ, which affirmation is so extraordinary that this text more than any other busied the Christian intellectuals of the first three hundred years in formulating the doctrine of the Trinity. John's gospel begins with these words, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men." [00:17:16]

The message that Jesus taught regarding His deity was not missed by his contemporaries. It's because they understood what he was saying that they took up stones to kill Him, saying, "This man, being a man, declares Himself to be God". Those are just a few cases where the apologist has to go through the entire New Testament and give the defense for the deity of Christ based upon the testimony of Scripture because remember when we established the authority of Scripture, we began with the Scripture as a basically reliable historically document. [00:23:13]

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Transcript
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