1. Establishing the Case For Christianity The Case for Truth Sessions 12 (12 of 19)

2. Building a Bridge to the Cross

3. Building the right kind of foundation

4. 12 Steps in Establishing the Case for Christianity
1. Truth about reality is knowable.
2. The opposite of true is false.
3. It is true that the theistic God exists.
4. If God exists then miracles are possible.
5. Miracles can be used to confirm a message from God.
6. The New Testament is historically reliable.
7. The New Testament says Jesus claimed to be God.
8. Jesus’ claim to be God was miraculously confirmed by:
a. His fulfillment of many prophecies about Himself;
b. His sinless and miraculous life;
c. His prediction and accomplishment of His resurrection
9. Therefore, Jesus is God.
10. Whatever Jesus (who is God) teaches is true.
11. Jesus taught that the Bible is the Word of God.
12. Therefore, it is true that the Bible is the Word of God (and anything opposed to it is false).
See Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics by Dr. Norman Geisler for more details, which can be ordered at:

5. GIVE A LOGICAL EXPLANATION
WHY SHOULD I KNOW HOW TO
GIVE A LOGICAL EXPLANATION
OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH?

6. Memorizing an outline can help you to know where to begin with the persons to whom you are attempting to witness to.
A former students said:
“The main difficulty I had in applying the conversational approach in three encounters was effectively linking one question or argument to the next to lead the person to a clear conclusion. I often felt somewhat muddled in the conversation. I realize I need to focus on understanding and remembering the logical progression of points so that I can help someone to see and understand them.”

7. An Important Question To Consider
“If it were possible for you to know the truth about religious issues would you want to know it.”

8. How Do We Know
God Exists?

9. IS THERE SUCH A
THING AS TRUTH?

10. Why understanding the issue of Truth is important!
If there is no such thing as objective truth, then you can believe contradictory things like God exists and God doesn’t exist at the same time and the same sense.
As a result there is no way to carry on! meaningful dialog!
As a result there is no way to do scientific inquiry!

11. GETTING THE BIG PICTURE!

12. GETTING THE BIG PICTURE!

13. GETTING THE BIG PICTURE!

14. GETTING THE BIG PICTURE!

15. In Him all things hold together. Col. 1:17
“I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” Jn. 10:10

16. 1. Truth about reality is knowable
Jesus said:
“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:32

17. What is Truth? Truth: Corresponds to its object.
Corresponds to reality.
Is “telling it like it is.”
Accurately expresses an actual state of affairs.

18. A true statement matches its object
“This object is a picture of a table.”

19. The Real Scotland Maps of Scotland Map - A Map - B
Lewis used New York City as an illustration
Maps of Scotland
Map - A
Map - B

20. The Truth About Truth
All truth claims are absolute, narrow and exclusive. (Even the claim “truth is not narrow” is narrow and excludes its opposite!)

21. How do you know you found it?
What is truth?
Truth is Narrow
Truth consists of ideas or statements that match what is (reality).
2 + 2 = 4
Where do you put food into your body? Your mouth you say? Why so narrow-minded?
How do you know you found it?
(What is it like?)
Matt 7:13 – 14
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Let’s summarize what was said and draw some conclusions
TRUTH IS ABSOLUTE (law of noncontradiction is absolutely true
true for all people, at all times and all places)
TRUTH IS INESCAPABLE (No truth! I ask you if that is true?)
TRUTH IS DISCOVERED (We did not create these ideas, we are bound by them - in the same way that we are bound by physical laws)
TRUTH IS UNCHANGING (If truth is absolute, inescapable, discovered, then it must also be unchanging).

22. It Is Not Just Christian Truth that is Narrow “Views of Salvation”
Christianity– by faith alone in Christ alone
Islam– by belief in Allah, his prophet Muhammad, and good works
Hinduism– by overcoming karma and incarnations with good works
Buddhism– by cessation of desire through eight-fold path
All Truth Is Narrow

23. The Truth About Truth
Truth is discovered, not invented. It exists independent of anyone’s knowledge of it.
* Gravity existed prior to Newton

24. The Truth About Truth
Beliefs cannot change a fact, no matter how sincerely they are held.
I can sincerely believe the world is flat but that only makes me sincerely mistaken.
Truth is trans-cultural (2+2=4 here, there, and everywhere).

25. The Truth About Truth
Being raised in a given culture doesn’t make the beliefs of that culture true.
* Our culture does not determine if something is true
* Becoming a Nazi while living in Nazi Germany doesn’t make Nazism true.

26. The Truth About Truth 6. It is not determined by one’s sincerity
* I may be sincere but sincerely wrong!
Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. (Matt 22:29)

27. The Truth About Truth
7. Just because I may have difficulty finding the truth doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist at all.
* Just because people may disagree about whether a particular action is right or wrong, it doesn’t mean necessarily that there are no right or wrongs actions anywhere in the universe?

28. Different Accounts
Just because people tell different accounts of what happened in an auto accident, doesn’t mean there is no truth to be discovered!

29. Summary of Truth on Truth
Truth is narrow
Truth is discovered
Beliefs cannot change a fact
Truth is trans-cultural
Our culture does not determine truth
6. Truth is not determined by ones sincerity
7. Just because I may have trouble finding the truth does not mean it does not exist at all

30. Twelve Points that Show Christianity is True
1. Truth about reality is knowable.
* Truth is that which corresponds to its object.
* The truth about truth
* We can know reality. This is undeniable.
Undeniability implies that one can not deny something (Like saying there are no absolutes) without affirming it in the process of denying it.

31. Objective Truth is Undeniable
Example: Winnie the Pooh

32. Twelve Points that Show Christianity is True
1. Truth about reality is knowable.
2. The opposite of true is false.
The law of non-contradiction affirms that opposites cannot be both true.

33. The Law of Non-Contradiction Helps Us Discover Truth
First Principle of All Knowledge
It Is As Elementary As:
In / Out - Opposites
Big / Small - Opposites
Up / Down - Opposites
Back / Forth- Opposites
True / False- Opposites
Two Examples:
Call PEF - meet student w/ problem!
Princeton Senior - Philosophy Major
The law is false - No you believe it’s true!
Krakov Professor (Anxious!!!)
Very narrow minded - Western logic = Aristotelian
limited - You need to learn about Eastern logic
Okay explain it to me!
The Law of Non-Contradiction
Helps Us Discover Truth
Opposite ideas cannot both be true
at the same time and in the same sense.
The Earth is Round
The Earth is NOT Round

34. Twelve Points that Show Christianity is True
1. Truth about reality is knowable.
2. The opposite of true is false.
The law of non-contradiction affirms that opposites cannot be both true.
The law of non-contradiction is undeniable. Even those who deny it use it.

35. Sure-Fire Way to Convince a Skeptic!
“Anyone who denies the law of non-contradiction should be beaten and burned until he admits that to be beaten is not the same as not to be beaten, and to be burned is not the same as not to be burned.”
(Avicenna, Great Muslim Philosopher)

36. Opposite ideas can not true at the same time in the same sense
Christianity
Judaism
Islam
Atheism, Theravada Buddhism
Polytheism, Mahayana Buddhism
One God
No God
Many gods
Opposite ideas can not true at the same time in the same sense

37. Twelve Points that Show Christianity is True
1. Truth about reality is knowable.
2. The opposite of true is false.
The law of non-contradiction affirms that opposites cannot be both true.
The law of non-contradiction is undeniable. Even those who deny it use it.
Therefore, the opposite of true is false.

38. Objections to Objective Truth
There is no such thing as truth!
You can’t know truth!
All truth is relative!
It’s true for you but not for me!
No one has the truth!
All truth depends on your perspective!

39. Your Greatest Tool in Answering False Claims:
Apply the claim to itself!
For Example. . .

40. Apply the claim to itself!
There is no such thing as truth!
Apply the claim to itself!
For Example. . .

41. Objections to Objective Truth
Is that statement true?
There is no such thing as truth!
You can’t know truth!
All truth is relative!
It’s true for you but not for me!
No one has the truth!
All truth depends on your perspective!

42. Summary of Truth Truth about reality is knowable
Truth is that which corresponds with it’s object
Truth is narrow
Truth is discovered
Beliefs cannot change a fact
Truth is trans-cultural
Our culture does not determine truth
8. Truth is not determined by ones sincerity
9. Truth is undeniable
10. Truth is non-contradictory

43. “You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free. Jn
“You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free. Jn. 8:32 (N.A.S.B.)

44. Establishing the Case For Christianity The Case for Truth Sessions 12 (12 of 19)