Worldview and Apologetics Final Sleeth

understandable, available, and consistent

God's communication about Himself should be…

True

Understandability is the basis of communication

• True or False

True

Communication without availability is useless

• True or False

True

The message must be true internally and externally

• True or False

The Bible meets these expectations

Understandable

Available

Consistent

Verbal Inspiration

"refers to the process by which God's Word is given"

Plenary Inspiration

"all"

Sufficient Inspiration

profitable

The Manner of Preservation (OT)

God required the Jews to copy the texts carefully and accurately

The scribal method demonstrates the Jews' care and accuracy in transmission (Masoretes)

The Manner of Preservation (NT)

Copies of the NT books were in ready circulation

The church recognized the correct canon in the 4th century and recognized the correct form those books would take

The number of copies multiplied after the persecution of the church ceased

maximum confidence

We have _____ ______ that we still have access to what originally inspired

Inerrancy

without error

Logical argument

God cannot make a mistake

The Bible is God's Word

The Bible cannot contain mistakes

Faulty arguments

Human beings make mistakes

The Bible is written by human beings

The Bible contain mistakes

Jesus was a human being

Human beings sin

Jesus sins

Creation

Answers: "Where did we come from"

Answers: "Why am I here"

Corruption ("the fall")

Answers "What's wrong with the world?"

Redemption ("grace")

Answers "What's the solution?"

Restoration ("glory")

Also addresses "What's the solution?"

God created man in His own image to glorify Him

True

Glory

exaltation/praise/acknowledgement of God's divine attributes that places Him above His creation

Valuing His creation

1 Tim. 4:4 - For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.

Praise

Ps. 150:6 - Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

With our bodies

1 Cor. 6:20 - For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's

Work

1 Tim. 6:1 - Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed

Rest

Ex. 20:11 - For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it

Stewardship of His creation

Gen. 1:26 - ...and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth

sin

"Anything in creation that does not express, or which is contrary to, the holy character of the Creator."

"To miss the mark"

1. Sin is not eternal

2. Sin began with Satan

3. Sin entered humanity through Adam

Facts about sin

1. God created man with free will

2. Choice is one of the greatest privileges human beings have

3. Without options, there is no choice

Why did God put the tree in the garden?

Consequences of sin

All humanity became guilty of sin

As they reproduced "after their kind," they began a race of guilty sinners

Results of sin

Alienation from God and others

Mankind's depravity

Separation

Meaning of Depravity

It does not mean man has no conscience, will commit every possible sin, or is as bad as he can be

It does not mean that man is unable to respond to the gospel

Every part of a every person is warped by sin

Hell is a real place of judgment

True

God sends people to hell

False

God did not create evil, evil is a result of sin and the sin curse

True

1. Moral evil: sinful actions

2. Natural evil: natural disasters

3. Random evil: freak accidents

4. God's Righteous Judgment: may include all the above

Categories of evil

1. Man has free will

2. Man chose to sin

3. Sin has corrupted ALL of God's creation

4. God has chosen to allow evil and rescue man rather than to destroy evil along with man

How can God and evil exist in the same world?

Results

Moral evil: we suffer because of the sinful choices of others

Natural evil: we suffer because sin has corrupted God's creation

Random tragedies: we suffer accidents because we live in a sin-cursed world

God's Righteous Judgment: we suffer when our disobedience brings God's judgment (Deut. 30:19)

How do we make sense of it?

Accept the consequences of sin (Gen. 3:16-19)

Realize our understanding is limited (Deut. 29:29)

Trust God's character (Jer. 29:11)

False

We can possibly understand everything about evil and suffering

• True or False

Theodicy

an attempt to justify the ways of God by explaining why he allows evil and suffering

The central focus of our worldview is Jesus

He is the God that created (John 1:3) - Creation

He is the righteous judge of sin (John 5:22) - Corruption

He is the redeemer (Rev. 5:9) - Redemption

He is the restorer (Rev. 21:5) - Restoration

Significance of resurrection

Without the resurrection, we have no foundation for faith (v. 14)

Without the resurrection, we have no redemption from sin (v. 17)

Without the resurrection, we have no hope of resurrection for ourselves and others (v. 18-19)

True

The resurrection is the center of NT theology

• True or False

Evidence of the Resurrection

Multiple independent sources

Eyewitness testimony

Corroborated testimony

Large body of consistent testimony

Minimal Facts

indisputable historical facts that even critics and skeptics accept

Crucifixion

Error: Jesus never died

Empty Tomb

Error: Body moved/ wrong tomb

Apostle Paul

Error: wanted money, fame, power

Changed disciples

Error: Brainwashed followers of a religious zealot

God's solution to the problem of evil

1. Allow evil but rescue man (on earth)

2. Eliminate evil after rescuing man (in heaven)

Jesus is coming back

"General eschatology"

believers

Judgment seat of Christ is for (works, not people)

Great White Throne Judgment is for

unbelievers

Lk. 16:19-31

Rich Man and Lazarus

True

"Paradise" is now in heaven with God

• True or False

Rapture (1 Thess. 4:13-18)

Definition - the resurrection and glorification of church-age believers (dead and living) to meet Christ in the air and join Him in heaven

Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10-11)

Definition - a time of reward for believers for faithful service. These rewards are connected to positions of service in the future kingdom

Tribulation (Rev. 4-19)

Definition - A 7-year period of the wrath of God upon mankind, calling all to repentance, and preparing Israel to receive her Messiah

Second Coming (Rev. 19:11-16)

Definition - Christ's physical return to the earth to ultimately judge sinful mankind and establish His literal kingdom

Millennium (Rev. 20:4-9)

Definition: The 1,000-year literal reign of Christ on earth

Great White Throne (Rev. 20:11-15)

Definition: The final judgment of all unsaved dead

Eternity (Rev. 21:1-22:6)

Definition: The culmination of all of God's plans for restoration

Premodernism: 1600s+earlier

1. Scripture generally held as fact

2. Absolute truth could be known + acted upon

3. Knowledge based on authoritative tradition

4. "I believe in order that I may understand" - Anselm

Modernism: 1700-1900s

Emphasis on verifiable truth

Man as the authority instead of God

Man can solve all problems through the scientific method

"I think, therefore I am" - Descartes

Postmodernism: mid 1900s - present

The scientific method did not solve all problems (WWII, Holocaust, etc.)

Born out of a response to the dissatisfaction of modernism

Characteristics of Postmodernism

Relativism

Pluralism

Collectivism

Pragmatism

Secularism

Relativism

what is true for one may not be true for another

Pluralism

two or more states, groups, principles, or sources of authority are valid

Collectivism

cooperation and consensus are expected (tribalism)

Why DEI does not work

Diversity — creates discrimination instead of eliminating it

Equity — equal outcome is not the same as equal opportunity

Inclusion — mandating and enforcing acceptance and "celebration" leads to intolerance

Pragmatism

doing what "works," and the "end justifies the means."

Secularism

de-emphasis on religion

Recognizing Postmodernism

in culture

in ourselves

Knowledge

knowing what is right and what is truth

Responding to Postmodernism

Share the Gospel

Know what you believe

Draw attention to the absolutes of Scripture

Be Christ-like in your interactions with others

Remember worldviews aren't formed overnight, and won't be changed overnight

Eight Tenets of Progress

Jesus is a model for living more than someone to worship

There are many ways to God/truth

Unity/Inclusiveness is prized about doctrinal truth

Moralism is more important than morality

Relativism is the basis for core beliefs. Absolutes are rejected.

Social Justice is a mission of the church

Environmental activism is a core "Christian" value

Self-help is emphasized over spiritual growth

5 indicators your church is becoming progressive

There is a lowered view of the Bible

Feelings are emphasized over facts

Essential Christian doctrines are open for reinterpretation

Historic terms are redefined

The Gospel shifts from sin and redemption to social justice