The Gospel

Understanding the Gospel

Proclaiming the Gospel

Living the Gospel

Defending the Gospel

How Do I Defend the Gospel?

Why Defend the Gospel?

Why Defend the Gospel?

… always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…

1 Peter 3:15

Why Defend the Gospel?

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.

Colossians 2:8(NLT)

Why Defend the Gospel?

Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.

Jude 1:3 (NLT)

Why Defend the Gospel?

During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive.

Acts 1:3 (NLT)

Why Defend the Gospel?

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.

Acts 17:16-17 (NLT)

Why Defend the Gospel?

Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

Acts 18:4 (NIV)

What is Apologetics?

What is Apologetics?

It comes from a Greek word apologia which means to give a reason or defense.

… always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…

1 Peter 3:15

What is Apologetics?

In the days of the Greeks, when someone was summoned to court to face a charge, he would present an "apology" or a defense.

What is Apologetics?

Apologetics is presenting reasonable defenses for the truth of the gospel and Christianity.

What is Apologetics?

Apologetics deals with attacks from without and from within.

Apologetics can also be …

Apologetics can be offensive as well as defensive.

Apologetics is like …

Goal of Apologetics

Goal of Apologetics

1. To strengthen and to mature the faith of Christians.

2. To remove obstacles and clarify issues in order to bring unbelievers to a recognition of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and have them repent and put their faith in Him.

Goal of Apologetics

Christians should:

3. Know what they believe.

4. Know why they believe it.

The goal is to help them make a deeper commitment to Christ.

Goal of Apologetics

Our goal in defending the gospel is not to win arguments or debates. It is to establish the truth in order for the gospel to be considered.

The purpose of apologetics is not to create faith as much as it is to remove the barriers that hinder faith.

Goal of Apologetics

To answer questions and objections, and point people to Jesus.

Limitations of Apologetics

Limitations of Apologetics

Apologetics cannot save anyone. Only Jesus is able to do that. Apologetics is simply a tool to point people to Jesus.

This is important to know. You cannot argue anyone into the Kingdom. You might win the argument, but lose the person.

Limitations of Apologetics

The primary barrier to belief is not ignorance of God’s existence, but a willful suppression of this truth in a non-believer’s heart. When truth is suppressed, even the best proofs can be rejected.

Limitations of Apologetics

“A determined will can ignore the best of evidence.”

Rick Wade

Limitations of ApologeticsThe wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Romans 1:18-20

Limitations of Apologetics

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

Matthew 7:6

Dangers of Apologetics

Pride

Dangers of Apologetics“We become too closely identified with the arguments we are deploying, focused upon the apparent outcome of the conversation. It all becomes twisted around our needy, nervous egos, instead of rotating nicely around the Center of all things. Thus we lose our love and find it increasingly easy to objectify our neighbor as an obstacle to be overcome, a prize to be won, an enemy to be vanquished.”

John G. Stackhouse,Jr.

Guidelines for Apologetics

Guidelines for Apologetics

• Pray.• Memorize Bible verses.• Really listen to what is being said,

don’t interrupt and ask questions.• Trust God – Don’t be afraid to make

mistakes, be willing to take chances.• Study what you don’t understand.• Practice.• Get out there and do it.

Dealing with People

Dealing with PeopleBut even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

1 Peter 3:14-16 (NLT)

Dealing with People

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV)

Dealing with People

And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NIV)

Dealing with People

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT)

Dealing with People

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT)

How Do I Defend the Gospel?

Apologetics

Best defense starts with understanding and living the gospel!

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

2 Corinthians 3:3

Foundational Questions

• Why believe in God?

• Why believe the Bible is the Word of God?

Arguments for God

• Cause and Effect (Cosmological Argument)

• Information/Order/Design (Teleological Argument)

• Morality (Moral Argument)

Cosmological Argument

Teleological Argument

Moral Argument

Arguments for the Bible

1. Its Honesty

2. Its Preservation

3. Its Claims For Itself

4. Its Miracles

5. Its Unity

Arguments for the Bible

1. Its Historical And Geographical Accuracy

2. Its Endorsement By Christ3. Its Prophetic Accuracy4. Its Survival5. Its Power To Change Lives

Prophecy

Prophecy

Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.

Isaiah 46:9-10 (NLT)

Prophecy

When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified. And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them.

Revelation 11:7-9 (NLT)

Top Ten Objections

Top Ten Objections

1. Christians are hypocrites.

2. What about the atrocities Christians have committed?

3. Christianity is a crutch.

4. It's narrow-minded to think Jesus is the only way to God.

5. Being a good person is all that really matters.

Top Ten Objections

1. What about those who've never heard about Jesus?

2. The Bible is filled with errors.

3. If God is so good, why is there evil?

4. Why is there suffering?

5. If there's a hell, why would a loving God send people there?

Test Drive Proof

Conclusion

Know what you believe and why you believe it!

Questions you should be able to answer:

Why believe that God exist?

Why believe that the Bible is the

Word of God?

Questions to Ask Yourself

Would I be able to explain the gospel?

Do I live like I really believe the gospel?

Would I be able to explain why I believe the gospel?

Cross at Sunset

Lion of Judah