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Basic Christian Evidence

Basic Christian Evidence. Do We Have Sound Evidence for Our Faith?. How should we defend our faith?. “Always be ready to make a defense to everyone . . . with gentleness and reverence” 1 Peter 3:15.

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Basic Christian Evidence

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  1. Basic Christian Evidence Do We Have Sound Evidence for Our Faith?

  2. How should we defend our faith? “Always be ready to make a defense to everyone . . . with gentleness and reverence” 1 Peter 3:15

  3. Apologetics is “the science and art of defending Christianity’s basic truth-claims.” Gordon Lewis Apologetics - What’s it all about?

  4. Provide you with a basic “toolbag” of evidences and arguments. Ground you more securely in your Christian faith. The purpose of this session

  5. Section One: God Question: Does God exist?

  6. This argument is concerned with the origins of the universe. The “first cause” of the universe is assumed to be God. Cosmological argument

  7. Design argument • The observable order and purpose in the universe indicates intelligent design. • This designer is taken to be God.

  8. Moral argument • Our inherent sense of right and wrong argues for an absolute moral authority. • That authority is understood to be God.

  9. Section Two: The Bible Question: Why should I believe the Bible? It’s just another ancient “holy book.”

  10. Testing a document’s validity • Internal evidence : what the document claims for itself • Bibliographic evidence: from the original documents to the copies we possess today • External evidence: how the document aligns with facts, dates, persons from its own contemporary world

  11. Old Testament: “Thus saith the Lord” New Testament: Jesus words were considered God’s words Testing a document’s validity: Internal evidence

  12. How many manuscript copies do we have? How close are the copies to the original? Two Key Questions to Ask

  13. The New Testament Over 5600 Greek manuscripts extant Over 10,000 manuscripts of the Latin Vulgate. Over 9200 other translations Testing a document’s validity: Bibliographical evidence

  14. Number of New Testament Manuscripts

  15. Dating of New Testament Manuscripts Work Written Copy Time Span Plato 447 BC 900 AD 1200 years Gallic Wars 44 BC 900 AD 1000 years Tacitus 100 AD 1100 AD 1000 years Aristotle 384 BC 1100 AD 1400 years Illiad 900 BC 400 BC 500 years New Testament 90 AD 125 AD 30 years

  16. Testing a document’s validity: External evidence Historical records Archaeology

  17. The Anvil? God’s Word. Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime: Then looking in, I saw upon the floor Old hammers, worn with beating years of time. “How many anvils have you had,” said I, “To wear and batter all these hammers so?” “Just one,” said he, and then, with twinkling eye, “The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.” And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s word, For ages skeptic blows have beat upon; Yet though the noise of falling blows was heard, The anvil is unharmed … the hammer’s gone.

  18. Section Three: Jesus Question: Wasn’t Jesus just another great religious leader?

  19. The historicity of Jesus The events of Jesus’ life are recorded in the context of real history. Extra-Biblical Sources • Jewish • Roman

  20. The Works and Claims of Christ Forgave sins Performed miracles over nature Healed people of diseases Fulfilled Messianic prophecies Allowed others to worship Him The identity of Jesus

  21. Claimed He had absolute, moral authority Claimed to be God, Messiah, and the way to God Allowed others to call Him God and Messiah The Works and Claims of Christ The identity of Jesus

  22. What are the options? • Choose one • Liar • Lunatic • Legend • Lord

  23. The only reasonable choice • “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic--on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg--or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse” (C.S. Lewis).

  24. The Resurrection of Jesus

  25. The reason for the empty tomb • The disciples stole the body?? • The disciples were deceived?? • The Jewish leaders took the body?? • Jesus didn’t really die?? • Jesus was raised from the dead!!

  26. The importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ • The resurrection certifies that what Jesus proclaimed about Himself is true, that He is the Son of God (Romans 1:4). • His completed work of redemption has made it possible for us to have direct access to God.

  27. It’s all true! Jesus is the Lord of History! Jesus Christ is worthy to be entrusted with our lives, our purpose, and our destiny!

  28. Worldview Library

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