1. Giving an Answer: Proof Transcendental Arguments Science Morals Logic Morals – without the God of the Bible, I have no basis to assume morality exists Logic – without the God of the Bible, I have no basis to ground abstract principles such as laws of logic and mathematics. Why the God of the Bible? -The Bible specifically provides the foundation for each of these, and grounds them in the triune God Yahweh -No other religion with a personal God provides this foundation -Any that seem to come close are merely Christian deviations, and will be found to be inconsistent with the Bible, to which they are linked Science – without the God of the Bible, I can’t explain why there is a uniformity of nature (e.g. laws of nature). -Genesis 8:22 - While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease -Christ Himself upholds the universe through the physical laws He ordained -Colossians 1:16–17 -Hebrews 1:3

2. Classical Arguments Giving an Answer: Proof Cosmological Moral Teleological Cosmological 1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause. 2. The Universe began to exist. 3. Therefore, the Universe had a cause. Teleological If something looks designed, the most plausible explanation is that it is designed Paley (watch on the beach) Moral 1. Premise: If God does not exist, then objective moral values do not exist. 2. Premise: Objective values do exist. 3. Conclusion: Therefore, God exists. 1. Some aspect of Morality (e.g., its objective force) is observed. (Moral realism) 2. Existence of God provides a better explanation of this feature than various alternatives. 3. Therefore, to the extent that (1) is accepted, belief in God is preferable to these alternatives

3. "It is our duty to endeavor always to promote the general good; to do to all as we would be willing to be done by were we in their circumstances; to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God. These are some of the laws of nature which every man in the world is bound to observe, and which whoever violates exposes himself to the resentment of mankind, the lashes of his own conscience, and the judgment of Heaven. This plainly shows that the highest state of liberty subjects us to the law of nature and the government of God.“ -- On the Right to Rebel Against Governors 1776 Samuel West

4. Unleashing Your Faith Discussing Truth and Christian Convictions OFFENCE without being Offensive 7

5. Giving an Answer: Defense Offense Proof Defense

6. Giving an Answer: Proof Transcendental Arguments Science Morals Logic Classical Arguments Cosmological Teleological Moral

7. Archaeology Fine-Tuning of the Universe Information in DNA Resurrection of Jesus Reliability of the Bible Evidences Giving an Answer: Proof Miracles

8. Giving an Answer: Defense Defense The Problem of Evil People who have never heard Atrocities in the name of Christianity OT Genocide I believe in one less God than you Original sin is not fair! Christianity was derived from pagan religions Christianity is all about blind faith Christians are all hypocrites The Bible says Not to judge Religion impedes science The Bible has been changed so many times 8

9. Giving an Answer: Offense Offense Proof Defense

10. Offense Giving an Answer: Offense Offense

14. Giving an Answer: Offense Offense Consistent with a Biblical Worldview Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Appeal to External AuthorityHold to “Biblical Authority” Claims Mormonism JWs Islam Atheism Hinduism Buddhism Romanism Oneness Homosexuality Abortion Trinity Diety of Christ Gravity Algebra

15. Giving an Answer: Offense Examples Romanism Oneness Pentecostal Jehovah’s Witnesses Mormonism Islam Abortion? Homosexuality? Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Hold to “Biblical Authority” Judaism?

16. Isa 53:1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? :2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. :3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. :4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. :5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. :6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. :7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. :8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? :9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

17. Giving an Answer: Offense Examples Romanism Oneness Pentecostal Jehovah’s Witnesses Mormonism Islam Abortion? Homosexuality? Approach Take up their “accepted authority” to prove the validity of the Bible Demonstrate inconsistencies. Place the burden on them to resolve the inconsistencies. Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Hold to “Biblical Authority” Judaism?

20. Forgiveness of Sin - Catholics believe forgiveness of sin is achieved through faith plus church ritual plus Mary, with the assistance of the priesthood. There is no salvation outside the Roman Catholic Church. Protestants believe forgiveness of sin is received without anyone’s cooperating works, through faith alone, given by God in Christ leading to repentance and confession directly to God. The Bible - Catholics believe that truth is found in the Bible, as interpreted by the church, but also found in church tradition. Protestants believe that truth is found in Scripture, interpreted by the individual with the leading of the Holy Spirit, and that the original writings of the authors of the Bible are without error. Catholics believe that the teaching of ‘justification by faith ALONE’ is heresy; at the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic church anathematized anyone who held to the Reformed teachings of the Five SOLAs.

21. The 7 Sacraments (according to Rome) Seven Sacraments Baptism Confirmation The Eucharist Reconciliation (penance) Anointing the sick (formerly Extreme Unction) Holy Orders Holy Matrimony Types of Catholics Practicing Catholics Lapsed Catholics Regular attender Catholics Cultural Catholics ‘Just in Case’ Catholics Evangelical Catholics

22. Baptism As viewed by the Catholic Church, baptism is the first of three sacraments of initiation as a Christian. It washes away all sins, both original sin and personal actual sins. It makes a person a member of the Church. As a gratuitous gift of God that requires no merit on the part of the person who is baptized, it is conferred even on children who, though they have no personal sins, need it on account of original sin. If a new-born child is in a danger of death, anyone—be it a doctor, a nurse, or a parent—may baptize the child. Baptism marks a person permanently and cannot be repeated. The Catholic Church recognizes as valid baptisms conferred even by people who are not Catholics or Christians, provided that they intend to baptize ("to do what the Church does when she baptizes") and that they use the Trinitarian formula.

23. According to Rome, seeing the truth of the Roman way qualifies one for baptism. According to Reformed doctrine, seeing the truth of the Reformed doctrine, including the necessity of water baptism, does not of itself alone qualify that person to be baptized. What is the essential difference here? You see the two traditions are viewing the sinner as lost, but one of them says he is able to save himself by submitting to baptism. The other says he is not able to save himself by submitting to baptism.

24. Giving an Answer: Offense Examples Romanism Oneness Pentecostal Jehovah’s Witnesses Mormonism Islam Abortion? Homosexuality? Approach Take up their “accepted authority” to prove the validity of the Bible Demonstrate inconsistencies. Place the burden on them to resolve the inconsistencies. Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Hold to “Biblical Authority” Judaism?

25. Giving an Answer: Offense Offense Consistent with a Biblical Worldview Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Appeal to External AuthorityHold to “Biblical Authority” Claims Mormonism JWs Islam Atheism Hinduism Buddhism Romanism Oneness Homosexuality Abortion Trinity Diety of Christ Gravity Algebra

26. Giving an Answer: Offense Examples Atheism Hinduism Buddhism Approach Take up their worldview and demonstrate the lack of justification for: ◦Science ◦Morals ◦Logic Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Appeal to External Authority

27. Giving an Answer: Offense Examples Abortion Homosexuality Approach Take up their view and show where it leads. Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Appeal to External Authority

28. Giving an Answer: Offense If it’s not a person, then no justification is required to do whatever you want with it. If it is a person, then it deserves the same rights and protections as all other persons. Abortion Only One Question: “What is it?”

29. Giving an Answer: Offense S.L.E.D. Test S ize L evel of development E nvironment D egree of dependency Trot out the Toddler Abortion Two Key Tools

30. Giving an Answer: Offense “It’s not a person.” Response At what point does it become a person? Demonstrate arbitrariness with S.L.E.D. / Toddler “It’s a person, but not with rights equal to the Mother.” Response At what point does it get equal rights? Demonstrate arbitrariness with S.L.E.D. / Toddler Abortion Only One Question: “What is it?”

31. Giving an Answer: Offense It's a woman's right to choose. This is a private matter; No government influence. Women are going to have them anyway. Unwanted child Not financially able Too young to have a child Rape and incest (it will remind the mother) The mother's life is in danger? Like what? Abortion “Defenses”

32. Giving an Answer: Offense Objective: “Where does the objective standard come from?” Relative: “Why stop at two men, or two women, why not polygamy, and cross-generational, and cross species?” Homosexuality Does “Marriage” have an objective meaning, or Does it mean whatever we want it to mean?

33. At the Marriage Counter "Next." "Good morning. We want to apply for a marriage license." "Names?" "Tim and Jim Jones." "Jones?? Are you related?? I see a resemblance." "Yes, we're brothers." "Brothers?? You can't get married." "Why not?? Aren't you giving marriage licenses to same gender couples?" Still going… "All right, all right. Next." "Hello, I'd like a marriage license." "In what names?" "David Deets." "And the other man?" "That's all. I want to marry myself." "Marry yourself?? What do you mean?" "Well, my psychiatrist says I have a dual personality, so I want to marry the two together. Maybe I can file a joint income-tax return." "That does it!? I quit!!? You people are making a mockery of marriage!!" "Yes, thousands. But not siblings. That's incest!" “So? And, no, we’re not gay." "Not gay?? Then why do you want to get married?“ "For the financial benefits, of course. And we do love each other. Besides, we don't have any other prospects.“ "But we're issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples who've been denied equal protection under the law. You’re not gay? You can marry a woman." “Are you discriminating against us because we’re not gay?"

34. "Hi. We’re here to get married." “Names?" "John Smith, Jane James, Robert Green, and June Johnson." "Who wants to marry whom?" "We all want to marry each other." "But there are four of you!" "That's right. You see, we're all bisexual. I love Jane and Robert, Jane loves me and June, June loves Robert and Jane, and Robert loves June and me. All of us getting married together is the only way that we can express our sexual preferences in a marital relationship." What about marrying?... Your dog… Your dead friend …. Your mother or grandson… Your student…

35. Giving an Answer: Offense Offense Consistent with a Biblical Worldview Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Appeal to External AuthorityHold to “Biblical Authority” Claims Mormonism JWs Islam Atheism Hinduism Buddhism Romanism Oneness Homosexuality Abortion Trinity Diety of Christ Gravity Algebra

36. Offense Giving an Answer: Offense Offense

37. Giving an Answer: Offense

38. Offense Proof Defense

39. Giving an Answer Offense Proof Defense

40. Defending Your Faith Set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess, yet do it with courtesy and respect… 1 Pet 3:15 Ambassador Model Credo Know Your Audience Proof, Defense, Offense TacticsPresuppositions

41. Romanism