All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
APOLOGETICS
I have recently been studying apologetics. I have been listening to debates and am reminded of our need to give a defense. I heard a gentlemen inthe q and a of a debate on the evidence for the existence of god state that you just need to believe by faith. WE must never think our faith is a blind faith because the bible teaches all over that there are evidences. Paul gave evidences, Jesus gave evidences, yet they taught yes we are to live by faith. Blind faith is a cop out. It is dereliction of duty and people living by blind faith are part of the reason that christians have much of the negative personification that they do. Let us learn how to give a defense, practice dialogue inhouse and out and spread the truth with the evidence god has given.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by ScribeD on
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Tom, the New Testament word defined as "Faith" is the Greek word "Pisteuo" which means "to trust, depend, believe and rely upon". It is not blind. There is nowhere in the New Testament that "blind" faith is mentioned; it is always a trusting dependancy based on the trustworthiness of God. The Lord even challenges us to consider God's trustworthiness (read Matthew Chapters 5 through 7) and repeatedly chastises the disciples when they fail to do so.
Furthermore, if you look at the Old Testament, you will be hard pressed to find the word "faith" there. The Lord is even more rigorously focused on a relational dependency in dealing with the Hebrews, so much that the term "trust" is used extensively throughout the entirety of the Old Testament.
Apologetics is often called "giving reasons for faith"; but is actually better considered to be "revealing the reasonableness of faith in God". This is a process of exploring the facts and the evidences.
What I find, over and over, is that when I don't understand a Bible matter - it's because I don't fully understand the evidence or I haven't seen the evidence.
One final thing: the Book of Ecclesiastes is not the Gospel. A brief Exegesis of that book reveals that, while this is inspired scripture, it is a book written by a man who is depressed and can only see the material side of life.
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Permalink Reply by AAG Netguy on
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Sorry Tom, I totally disagree with you, because your statement directly contradicts Scripture as you will see below. The Christian faith is based on the FACTS in the Bible which is the Word of God and are backed up by history, archaeology and eyewitness testimony. Otherwise, we are no better than any other cult or false religion out there. I could have blind faith in my belief that I was a tuna sandwitch, but that will never make me one.
Christianity is based on the historically verifyable fact that Jesus Christ is raised from the dead. And...
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. (1 Cor 15:13-19)
www.AllAboutGOD.com has thousands of pages of apologetic content which people can use to increase their trust in the Word of God and defend their faith.
Also visit www.RandallNiles.com or search for Randall Niles on YouTube for some awesome apologetic content.
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Tom, you are misstating the account: Jesus used the "whole counsel of scripture" to refute the Devil's misquoting of it scripture, thereby defeating his temptation in the desert.
Furthermore, "child like faith" is a faith that is trusting and inquisitive, like a child. Little children explore and discover, they seek the reality of life by seeking and trusting - by learning through experience. Jesus does not say we should have "blind faith" but rather that we should seek the reality of God by experiencing him in a trusting relationship.
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Permalink Reply by Kevin Margison on
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To disagree with a mans opinion is O.K> But you seem to disagree with the Bible. You do have have some valid points and I follow you and what you are saying but then you make a blanket statement about the evidence not being present nor the ability to find it. Romans says we are held accountable because it is plainly visible all around. Non-believer and believer alike see it, and have it. Some just need help to see its implications and understand it.You quote that we are to come to Christ as a child to a father, Yes. Tell me does a father give his child reason to trust. Does the fathers love not present to the child a reason to trust.
Perhaps there is miscommunication. We give a defense of our faith to those who would ask, most likely those who don't know or are seeking. Paul to the Jews applied to the locally verifiable empty tomb and many witnesses in which could be sought and communicated with. To those who were obviously confused on Mars Hill as Evidenced by the many false god he appealed to them in their place of need. They were obviously open, that was there problem. Paul adapted to the situation.
As Christian we are asked to give a defense to those who would ask. Generally the non believer. This is where apologetics comes in. Whether evidence for you came at the point of conversion, whether it built up intellectually until you could not reason it away or you had simple blind faith due to some experience you are to give a defense to those who would ask. That is the word of God and quite simply not up for dispute, unless you like to dispute with God. Many people have many different expeiences and come to christ differently. The point is God wants to use us all as a tool, a mouthpiece. The question is what will you say?
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Tom, you said "i have no need to give a reason for my faith to anybody. your need is likely based on your own insecurity." Yet, you claim to believe the Bible. How is it that you disregard the admonition of 1 Peter 3:15 "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..."
Don't you think that your comments have a hostile tone, attacking the coordinator of this forum and Kevin who asked the question? They are both giving Godly counsel and admonition, but you are attacking them with your responses.
When you talk about the "faith [that is the] evidence of things unseen" the context is about what we hope for in the future - the blessed state of seeing him face to face, of living in that "city not made with hands". Not our Holy Faith, as in being disciples of Christ. Furthermore, the faithful people of the past were meant to consider the "evidence" of God's divine intervention. Many times the Prophets reminded the people that God had delivered them from Egypt. And Jesus himself repremanded the Pharisees for not considering the evidence they were given.
While it's true that none of us has seen the Risen Savior - we are meant to consider the evidence of his resurrection. We are meant to consider the facts and to gain wisdom.
What you keep referencing as "proofs" are not the same as what Greg or Kevin is talking about. The kind of proof that you are talking about cannot be found in sufficient quantity to "prove" that carriages (cars) can travel without horses - even on the freeway. In other words, you can't prove anything to those who refuse to see.
Jesus wants you to have "faith as a child" but not to be childish. As Paul said "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. " (1 Corinthians 13:11)
Yes - God does want us to "trust in Him who is unseen", but he does not ask us to do so blindly! Even when Jesus healed the blind man at the temple, he asked that man to consider what he saw and to consider the evidence before him so that he could make an informed decision to become Jesus' disciple.
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Kevin, you are right. Many of us were won to the "faith" of Christ by considering the Evidences that are abundantly available to demonstrate the truth of the Gospel.
Furthermore, many people hit seasons of doubt that can take a toll, even if they were once strong and committed believers. One way to keep our hearts steady in times of trial is to consider the evidence:
I have never seen the Resurrected Christ, but I have the testimony of 12 men who did.
I have never seen the Red Sea parted, but how else do you explain Israel escaping Pharoah's mighty army?
There are many things that can strengthen our faith and our resolve to stand firm against trials.
There are also many things that can help guide a lost person to consider the Word of the Savior, when we show that there is ample reason to trust in the accounts of scripture.
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Just to let you know, I banned Tom because he was on a rant and becoming abusive.
Greg
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Kudos Good decision. Its funny, my fellowship has been lacking which is one of the reason I joined here to get what I can and I was very reluctant. I have to learn how the site works plus talking on these forums is a first for me, sure enough the first experience was with Tom. It reminds me how the devil worked on Jesus. With some truth but distorted it. Anyways good decision. It is kind of funny though. He didn't feel a need to defend his faith though he felt a need to defend the fact that he didn't need to defend his faith. Odd.
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I just finished a book titled the One Nation Under Gods. It is about the History of the Mormon church by Richard Abanes. The book is very well documented. There is a lot of stuff I didn't know. Atleast the detail any way. I find it very encouraging now for time in which i may have the privilege of witnessing to Mormons. The book covered the Church' President, conspiracies, polygamous history, Doctrinal changes, historical revisionism etc. It had documents quoted from the days in which these issues were news. Magazine articles in which the presidents were quoted word for word and the completely contradicted it in a later interview. I highly recommend it for anyone that has a desire to understand more fully what it is they are dealing with when talking with a Mormon.
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