New Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell Study Notes I (Introduction)

To everyone a reason...Why the need for Christians to study Apologetics?

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to every one who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you."(1 Peter 3:15)

Let the Holy Spirit do the heavy lifting,

"For the Word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of both joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb 4:12) The Holy Spirit convicts people of the truth... they don't need to be hit over the head with it.

The importance of Christianity

"It is either EVERYTHING for mankind, or it is NOTHING. It is either the highest certainty or the greatest delusion...but if it is EVERYTHING for mankind, then let those who believe give reason for that hope (not taking it on authority or being intellectually lazy)"- Beattie(Apologetics 37, 38 )

Misconception # 3 'The Bible is Full of Myths'

* Critics say events such as: the virgin birth, the resurrection, Jesus' walking on water, turning the water into wine, didn't really happen; they were invented to deify a mere mortal. *Although there are vague similarities between Jesus and myths, resurrections were not applied to flesh and blood individuals but to non-historical, fictional, and mythical characters. However, when it comes to christianity, these events are attached to the historic Jesus of Nazareth whom the NT writers knew PERSONALLY.

Misconception #1 'Blind Faith'

* People think that to be a Christian you must commit intellectual suicide. *Paul said, "I KNOW in whom I have believed" (2 Tim. 1:12). *Jesus said "You shall KNOW [not ignore] the Truth and the Truth shall make you free" (John 8:32) *Faith is the assurance of the heart in the adequacy of the evidence. *Faith in the Christian sense goes beyond reason, but not against it (Little). *Kierkegaard- philosopher/theologian who wrote about faith and leap of faith

Chapter Overview

*To Everyone a Reason *Clearing the Fog *Worlds in Collision *Conclusion

What is apologetics anyway?

Apologia (greek)= To defend. Giving a defense of what one believes to be true. Used 8 times in the NT: "Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now" (Acts 22:1). Also Acts 25:16, Philippians 1:7 & 1:17.

Eyewitnesses

* The writers of the NT either wrote as eyewitnesses of the events they described or they recorded eyewitness firsthand accounts of these events. Their personal attachment is clear from statements they made such as the following: * 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16) *1 John 1:1-3New International Version (NIV) The Incarnation of the Word of Life 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. Acts 10:39-42New International Version (NIV) 39 "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.

Misconception # 2 'Just be Sincere'

* We do not accept the cliche', 'it doesn't matter what you believe, as long as you believe it enough.' *The Christian faith is faith in Christ. Its value or worth is not in the one believing, but in the One believed-not in the one trusting, but in the One trusted. *Some Buddhists/Muslims demonstrate more faith than the Christians, but that doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how much faith you have, the Christian is saved...our faith is rooted in the object, which is Christ. *"If Christ is not risen, hen our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty" (1 Cor 15:14, 17)

Eyewitnesses

*1 Corinthians 15:6-8New International Version (NIV) 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. *John 20:30New International Version (NIV) The Purpose of John's Gospel 30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe[a] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Eyewitnesses

*Acts 1:1-3New International Version (NIV) Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven 1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

Absolute truth Vs Historical probability

*Hume- historical evidence is invalid because one cannot establish "absolute truth". *We are not looking for absolute truth but for historical probability given the evidences for Christ and the early church. *Probability is the sole ground upon which finite human beings can make any decisions. *Only deductive logic and pure mathematics provide 'apodictic certainty' and they do so because they stem from self-evident formal axioms (e.g., the tautology if A then A) involving no matter of fact. * The moment we enter the realm of fact, we must depend on probability. (Montgomery, SP 141)

Eyewitnesses

*Luke 1:1-3New International Version (NIV) Introduction 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly.account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

The best defense is a good offense

God saves, Apologetics do not. God uses apologetics to help clear away obstacles to faith that many people erect..and to show that faith in Christ is reasonable. Princeton theologian/apologist Benjamin Warfield declared: "Paul may plant and Apollos water; It is God alone who gives increase...Only the Spirit of life can communicate life to a dead soul..."- Warfield

Foggy Vision

Many people cannot see Christianity clearly because they approach it with an obscured view.