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Wielding the Sword of the Spirit:

Wielding the Sword of the Spirit:. The Centrality of Scripture in the Apologetic Process. Steve Spurlin, PhD stevespurlin.com c ornerstonebible.net. Worldviews. Worldviews.

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Wielding the Sword of the Spirit:

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  1. Wielding the Sword of the Spirit: The Centrality of Scripture in the Apologetic Process Steve Spurlin, PhD stevespurlin.com cornerstonebible.net

  2. Steve Spurlin, PhD

  3. Worldviews Steve Spurlin, PhD

  4. Worldviews “It literally means a life perspective or way of seeing. It is simply the way we look at the world…It is our perspective. It is our frame of reference. It is the means by which we interpret the situations and circumstances around us…Our worldview is our life view wherein we try to integrate the sum and substance of life together in a way that makes sense to us” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  5. The Basis of Knowledge METHOD STARTING POINT SYSTEM Innate ideas Faith in human ability. Independent use of logic & reason Presumed Neutral System of Interpretation RATIONALISM Classic Apologetics-Logic and Reason Sense perceptions External experience; Scientific method; Faith in human ability Independent use of logic & reason Autonomous Systems Of Perception Natural Worldview EMPIRICISM Evidentialism-Facts, history, science. Independent, Nonlogical, nonrational, nonverifiable. Inner, private experience; intuition Faith in human ability MYSTICISM Fideism-just believe, apart from reason or evidence. Non-neutral System of Interpretation REVELATION Objective revelation of God Dependent use of logic and reason Divine Worldview Presuppositionalism- Presupposes the truth of Scripture Steve Spurlin, PhD

  6. Worldviews Steve Spurlin, PhD

  7. “Owing to your ideological commitments, it is only natural that you cannot accept the cogency of the scientific evidence. However, to a person such as myself without such commitments, the story of the gradual evolution of life as reconstructed by chemists and molecular biologists is totally convincing.” Dr. Ernst Mayr of Harvard (Personal letter of 10-3-94) Steve Spurlin, PhD

  8. Only Two Worldviews Steve Spurlin, PhD

  9. Only 2 Worldviews: • Natural Worldview: Every NWV is governed by the same underlying “operating system” – Romans 1:18-23 • Divine Worldview: 1 Cor. 2:16, “For WHOHASKNOWNTHEMINDOFTHE LORD, THATHE WOULD INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  10. NWV– Man beginning from himself Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (also, Prov. 16:25) Proverbs 12:15, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes” Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  11. NWV– Man beginning from himself Ephesians 4:17-24, “…the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding,…because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  12. The Purpose of Apologetics Steve Spurlin, PhD

  13. The Purpose of Apologetics ”One learns from … Genesis 3 … that unbelieving man does not exist in neutral ignorance. … The goal, therefore, of [DWV-NWV] confrontations is not one of primarily informing unbelief and providing [DWV] to it; the goal is persuasion of sin and demonstration of the veracity of the Word of God in order to secure repentance.” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  14. The Purpose of Apologetics Matthew 28:19–20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  15. The Purpose of Apologetics Colossians 1:28, “We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  16. Wielding the Sword: DWV as Apologetic Foundation Steve Spurlin, PhD

  17. Wielding the Sword: DWV as Apologetic Foundation Romans 1:16–17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteousmanshall live by faith.” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  18. Wielding the Sword: DWV as Apologetic Foundation 2 Timothy 3:16–17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  19. Wielding the Sword: DWV as Apologetic Foundation Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  20. Biblical Examples of God’s Word in Apologetics Steve Spurlin, PhD

  21. Biblical Examples of God’s Word in Apologetics Jesus to Israel:(Four Gospels) • NT writers use of historical evidences viewed through OT framework – Lk. 1:1-4; Jn. 20:30-31; 2 Pt. 1:16-18 • Jesus’ use of Scripture in His apologetic – The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31 Steve Spurlin, PhD

  22. Biblical Examples of God’s Word in Apologetics Jesus to Israel:(Four Gospels) Luke 16:26, “And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  23. Biblical Examples of God’s Word in Apologetics Jesus to Israel:(Four Gospels) Luke 16:29, 31, “But Abraham *said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ … “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  24. Biblical Examples of God’s Word in Apologetics Paul Answers the Pagans: Acts 17:16-34 • Epicureans (v.18) – epistemological empiricists • Stoics (v.18) – materialists • Paul didn’t redecorate a room; he demolished their house and started with the true foundation • He used his familiarity with their artistry and literary works against their underlying worldview Steve Spurlin, PhD

  25. Biblical Examples of God’s Word in Apologetics Acts 17:29–31, “Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  26. Proposed Operating Strategy Steve Spurlin, PhD

  27. Rational Argumentation • Surface layer starting point • Use of historical data to create doubt concerning NWV by dealing with individual facts • Historical data within Biblical framework • Remember that the ultimate issue is not proving the Christian faith true, but calling the interlocutor to repentance Steve Spurlin, PhD

  28. Worldview Challenge • Ephesians 4:17-19 identifies the vain, rebelliousness of natural man’s worldview – NWV • The Christian must point out the foolishness of the unbeliever’s worldview • Knowledge of the non-Christian’s position is helpful (many helps are available for this task) Steve Spurlin, PhD

  29. Present the Truth - DWV • Repentance is the goal, therefore a correct presentation of the Word is necessary • Press the truth of Romans 1:18-2:16 • Trust the Holy Spirit to use the Word of God to accomplish the work Steve Spurlin, PhD

  30. Present the Truth - DWV Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  31. Michael Vlach “We certainly are grateful for expert Christian apologists who have devoted much of their lives to providing answers to non-Christian objections,…we encourage more of it. Yet as we affirm the importance of Christian scholarship…we also assert that the success of the apologetic encounter is…[based on] the power of God and his Word. It is the Bible, through the power of the Spirit, that saves people. Thus, the proclamation of the inerrant Scriptures and the worldview they present should be front and center in our encounters with a lost world.” Steve Spurlin, PhD

  32. Wielding the Sword of the Spirit: The Centrality of Scripture in the Apologetic Process Steve Spurlin, PhD stevespurlin.com cornerstonebible.net

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