apologetics unit 1

Intro to Apologetics:

PART ONE:

Apologia: to provide a defense, reason, and argument

-All christians should be ready to justify their faith

-the first thing we should think of before debating is that we should honor the LORD in our hearts [not honor ourselves]

-with what two things should we treat others with?
>>gentleness and respect

-we are told to destroy ARGUMENTS not the PEOPLE

-Positive Apologetics: OFFENSE

-you argue FOR christianity

-Negative Apologetics: DEFENSE

-answering questions and arguments that are against 

Christianity 

FOUR REASONS CHRISTIANS SHOULD DO APOLOGETICS:

1. The bible commands it

2. The culture demands it

3. The church needs it

4. The results confirm it

PART TWO:
-evangelism+apologetics always go together

-the church lacks intellectualism

-asking questions strengthens faith

-apologetics gives real reasons to those that leave their faith

-miracles can be a way to show proof

Three things the secular culture is saturated in:
1) Relativism

-no absolute truth

2)Pluralism

-no religious truth

3)Naturalism

-no supernatural truth 

(everything is based on what YOU think but there are no facts)

“False ideas are the greatest obstacle to the reception of the gospel”

BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

Old testament:

1)protestants:

-39 books 

^^^^^^^

Why?

-sola scriptura: scripture alone

>branch from catholicism

>make sure all the books are valid

>everyone agrees on the 39 books 

>>hebrew bible (tanakh)

>gap between malachi and the gospels/ 400 years of silence

>>a lot of the add-on books the other sects add are made during the 400 years of silence and therefore is invalid for protestants. They are seen as history but not enough to base faith on

2)catholics:
-add 7 more books/ 46 books total for old testament

-they give more authority to the pope and church

>church and pope>>>books of the bible

3)Eastern orthodox:
-3 more books/ 49 books total for old testament

-extra psalm

-they get from the GREEK translation of the bible

-the books get their validity if they are read out loud in the church

4)Oriental Ortho

-armenian [armenia]

-syriac [syria]

-coptic [egypt]

-tewahedo [ethiopia]

>adds FIFTEEN extra books 

Beliefs that are affected by new books

-pergatory: work off your sin

>in between before heaven

>means that jesus didnt pay for our sins that you still have to

 work it off

-Mary was sinless

>but wasnt no one sinless except jesus??

-Indulgence: pay to go to heaven

>started reformation w/martin luther

>the church get money [very corrupt]

EVERYONE AGREES ON THE 39 NEW TESTAMENTS BOOKS

New testament:
-27 books

-everyone agrees on 27 not more or less

1. Up til AD85, all the scrolls were separate among the churches

2. In AD 85, Marion made a Bible…

-he added “the gospel of marcion”

>very much not bible canon

3. This book brought the attention of the churches to put the books into one

>didnt actually happen until Constantine ruled bc of the

Rules of the time [like neo] killed all the christians so it

Was risky for christians to meet until constantine came 

And he was a christian ruler

How to be in the NT:

1. Was the author an Apostile or connected to one??

2. Is this book generally accepted by Chrstians

3. Does the teachings align with the rest of the Bible?

4. Does it contain high moral and spiritual standards?

What does it mean to be generally accepted by Christians?

-2 peter 3:16

>Peter confirms that Paul’s letters are canon scripture

-early church preachings quote as scripture

-early list of books from early church

>tells all the accepted scripture AND not accepted books

Gnostic gospels (not accepted books):
-is not in the accepted lists

-usually written too late to be considered valid

1)Gospel of Thomas

2)Infancy Gospel of Thomas

-only men go to heaven (so mary had to become a man???)

-Young Jesus kills a kid (w h a t)

ROLE AND POSITION OF ANGELS

Literal meaning of angel- messenger

Usually come in dreams; pretty rare to actually see an angel

3 main roles of angels:

1. Messenger:
   -mary

-shepherds

-zacheria

Reasons for messenger:
-to spread good news

-to give directions

-damnation warning

2. Worship and attend:
   Isaiah 6;1-4:
   >>around the room saying “holy holy..”
   Revelation 5:11:
   >>millions and millions are around his throne saying

“Worthy is the Lamb”
Matthew 16:27:

>>they help jesus get his health back after 40 days

In the wilderness

3. Protection and fighting:

-Helped Daniel in the lion’s den

-4 in the furnace 

-lot

Guardian angel-Matt 18:10

Revelation 12:7- they lead in fighting against satan

Three types of angels:

1. Seraphim:

-wings, fiery, and lots of eyes

2. Cherubim:

-guards eden, are in the arch of the covenant, stereotype angel

3. Arch angels:

-leader angels

>Gabriel- messenger

>Michael- army

-mistaken for people

Position:

1. Hebrews 1:4- they are under Jesus

-they are simply creatures

2. Psalm 8:5- we are currently lower than angels right now

3. 1 cor 6:3- one day we will be over the angels

4. Psalm 103:20- currently obedient to the LORD

Fallen Angels ---> demons

>>2 peter 2:4

Satan- 2 cor 11:14

>>disguised himself as the angel of light

How do we know the difference between an angel and a demon??

1)Rev 22:8-9:

-angels wont accept worship

-satan wants you to worship him

2) Galatians 1:7-8

-they align with GOD’s word

DIFFERENT VIEWS ON FREE WILL VS GOD DONE:

Sovereign:

-omniscient: all knowing

-omnipotent:all powerful

-has the ability to make his will done

-omnipresent: all present

THREE MAIN VIEWS:
1)Pelagianism: declared heresy by early church

-basically people are born perfect and they can choose whether they want to be perfect or sinful

-that means we are entirely INDEPENDENT from jesus

-100% human choice

2)Arminianism: our free will is mobile while GOD is still in control

-like 75% GOD will and 25% free will

-still believes that GOD is sovereign; just that it is GOD’s will to let us have free will

-we choose to believe or not to believe in GOD

3) Predestination: it has already been decided in the beginning before you even can make a choice

-NO HUMAN CHOICE 100% GOD 

PREDESTINATION:
-tech started by st.augustine

-john calvin wrote out the specific beliefs and stuff

>>written in the Institutes

T-Total Depravity: Humans are 0% good and therefore cannot seek GOD w/o GOD inserting himself

U-Unconditional Election: GOD chooses who will believe and who wont based on his Grace

L-Limited Atonement: Jesus only died for a selected “chosen” few not for everyone

I-Irresistible Grace: once you are saved by GOD you cannot resist

P- Perseverance of the Saints: continuation of “i” but just that you cant go back once you are saved

ARMINIANISM:

-started by Jacobus Arminius [another reformer]

>>did this as a reaction to Predestination 

>>wrote his own book to one up the other dude called “Article 

of Romanstance”

PD- Partial Depravity: yeah humans are very evil but we can still look for GOD

CE-Conditional Election: GOD chooses who goes to heaven on not based on the faith of the person

UA- Unlimited Atonement: Jesus died for everyone 

RG- Resistable Grace: people can and will resist GOD even knowing the Truth

CS-Conditional Salvation: we have to continually choose to follow GOD it isnt just a “one time, im good” deal