Guarding the Gospel

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Guarding the Gospel Apologetics for
Evangelism By Cky J. Carrigan,
Ph.D. Interfaith Evangelism, NAMB ccarrigan_at_namb.n
et www.ontruth.com
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What does apologetics have to do with evangelism?
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What does apologetics have to do with evangelism?
The Bible says... Sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts, and always be ready to give a DEFENSE
(apologia) to everyone who asks you a REASON for
the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.
(1 Pet. 315)
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What is Apologetics?

• Apologetics is a strategic discipline

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What is Apologetics?

• Apologetics is a strategic discipline
• Undertaken in the power of the Holy Spirit

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What is Apologetics?

• Apologetics is a strategic discipline
• Undertaken in the power of the Holy Spirit
• That systematically, rationally practically
  defends Christian presuppositions...

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What is Apologetics?

• against non-theistic world views

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What is Apologetics?

• against non-theistic world views
• non-Christian theism...

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What is Apologetics?

• against non-theistic world views
• non-Christian theism...
• and atheism

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What is Apologetics?

• against non-theistic world views
• non-Christian theism...
• and atheism
• Apologetics primarily defends the assertions
  that...

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What is Apologetics?

• against non-theistic world views
• non-Christian theism...
• and atheism
• Apologetics primarily defends the assertions
  that...
• there is a God who can have a Son

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What is Apologetics?

• against non-theistic world views
• non-Christian theism...
• and atheism
• Apologetics primarily defends the assertions
  that...
• there is a God who can have a Son
• and who can speak a Word

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What is Apologetics?

• Apologetics also defends the truths that

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What is Apologetics?

• Apologetics also defends the truths that
• Jesus is the Son of God

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What is Apologetics?

• Apologetics also defends the truths that
• Jesus is the Son of God
• and the Bible is the Word of God

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What is the Purpose of Apologetics?
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What is the Purpose of Apologetics?

• Apologetics seeks to glorify God and...

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What is the Purpose of Apologetics?

• Apologetics seeks to glorify God and...
• Bring mankind unto repentance faith

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What is the Purpose of Apologetics?

• Apologetics seeks to glorify God and...
• Bring mankind unto repentance faith
• Apologetics helps to remove erroneous stumbling
  blocks to faith and

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What is the Purpose of Apologetics?

• Apologetics seeks to glorify God and...
• Bring mankind unto repentance faith
• Apologetics helps to remove erroneous stumbling
  blocks to faith and
• Apologetics helps to create a thirst for
  confidence in the proposition that ...

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Truth is True
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Truth is True BUT...
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There is a Crisis of Truth in N. America
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• There is a Crisis of Truth in N. America
• This Crisis of Truth has Three Faces

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• There is a Crisis of Truth in N. America
• This Crisis of Truth has Three Faces
• Liars

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• There is a Crisis of Truth in N. America
• This Crisis of Truth has Three Faces
• Liars
• Quibblers

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• There is a Crisis of Truth in N. America
• This Crisis of Truth has Three Faces
• Liars
• Quibblers
• Other-Worlders (Postmodernity)

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• There is a Crisis of Truth in N. America
• This Crisis of Truth has Three Faces
• Liars
• Quibblers
• Other-Worlders (Postmodernity)
• Other-Worlders Occupy a Fantasy World
• Where Everything Nothing Is True

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• Evidences of the Crisis of Truth

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• Evidences of the Crisis of Truth
• Recent Polling of the Bridger Generation
• (72 Million Young People, Ages 8-25)

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• Evidences of the Crisis of Truth
• Recent Polling of the Bridger Generation
• (72 Million Young People, Ages 8-25)
• 86 Claim to be Christian

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• Evidences of the Crisis of Truth
• Recent Polling of the Bridger Generation
• (72 Million Young People, Ages 8-25)
• 86 Claim to be Christian
• 90 Affirm Situation Ethics

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• Evidences of the Crisis of Truth
• Recent Polling of the Bridger Generation
• (72 Million Young People, Ages 8-25)
• 86 Claim to be Christian
• 90 Affirm Situation Ethics
• 80 No Certainty About Morality

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• Evidences of the Crisis of Truth
• Recent Polling of the Bridger Generation
• (72 Million Young People, Ages 8-25)
• 86 Claim to be Christian
• 90 Affirm Situation Ethics
• 80 No Certainty About Morality
• 72 Truth Can Never Be Clearly Defined

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• 60 Lying is Necessary

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• 60 Lying is Necessary
• 66 Affirm Salvation By Works

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• 60 Lying is Necessary
• 66 Affirm Salvation By Works
• 50 Jesus Sinned

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• 60 Lying is Necessary
• 66 Affirm Salvation By Works
• 50 Jesus Sinned
• 50 All Religions Teach Similar Lessons

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• 60 Lying is Necessary
• 66 Affirm Salvation By Works
• 50 Jesus Sinned
• 50 All Religions Teach Similar Lessons
• 50 All Good People Go To Heaven
• (With or Without Jesus)

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• 60 Lying is Necessary
• 66 Affirm Salvation By Works
• 50 Jesus Sinned
• 50 All Religions Teach Similar Lessons
• 50 All Good People Go To Heaven
• (With or Without Jesus)
• 4 Affirm Exclusivity of Christ for Salvation

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• Additional Polling of Adult Americans Reveals...

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• Additional Polling of Adult Americans Reveals...
• 40 Affirm Pantheism (All is God)

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• Additional Polling of Adult Americans Reveals...
• 40 Affirm Pantheism (All is God)
• 36 Believe Astrology is Scientific

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• Additional Polling of Adult Americans Reveals...
• 40 Affirm Pantheism (All is God)
• 36 Believe Astrology is Scientific
• 25 Affirm Reincarnation

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Objections to Apologetics

• Some evangelists think that reason is not a
  useful tool in this postmodern age of
  other-worlders
• Since other-worlders dont have confidence in
  absolute truth, the evangelist should appeal to
  feelings alone
• They suggest that we should make the Gospel
  become true for them through relationships and
  personal stories alone

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Rebuttal to Critics of Apologetics

• If the Gospel only becomes true for one, then
  it is not universally TRUE for all
• Christianity loses its exclusivity if the test of
  genuine belief is only a personal test based on
  individual feelings alone
• How does the evangelist overturn the claims of
  the Mormon, Jehovahs Witness, Christian
  Scientist, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Jew who
  affirm different truth claims?

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Rebuttal to Critics of Apologetics

• If my truth claims are true because I believe
  them, then every truth claim is true because
  someone believes themor
• Everything is True, and
• Nothing is True
• Christian evangelists should think very carefully
  about the consequences of non-reasonable
  evangelistic approaches which re-enforce
  other-world-ness (postmodernity)

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What Does the Bible Say About Truth?
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• Buy the Truth and DO NOT Sell It
• (Prov. 2323a)

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• Buy the Truth and DO NOT Sell It
• (Prov. 2323a)
• Truth Exists

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• Buy the Truth and DO NOT Sell It
• (Prov. 2323a)
• Truth Exists
• Truth Can Be Known

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• Buy the Truth and DO NOT Sell It
• (Prov. 2323a)
• Truth Exists
• Truth Can Be Known
• Truth is Priceless

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• The Truth of the LORD Endures Forever
• (Ps. 1172)

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• The Truth of the LORD Endures Forever
• (Ps. 1172)
• Truth Exists

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• The Truth of the LORD Endures Forever
• (Ps. 1172)
• Truth Exists
• The LORD is the Source of the Truth

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• The Truth of the LORD Endures Forever
• (Ps. 1172)
• Truth Exists
• The LORD is the Source of the Truth
• The LORDs Truth is Eternally Durable

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--Defense For Absolute Truth--
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--Defense For Absolute Truth--

• All Truth Exists in the Mind of
• the Supreme God

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--Defense For Absolute Truth--

• All Truth Exists in the Mind of
• the Supreme God
• Supreme God is Unchanging
• by Nature

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--Defense For Absolute Truth--

• All Truth Exists in the Mind of
• the Supreme God
• Supreme God is Unchanging
• by Nature
• All Truth is Therefore Unchanging
• by Nature

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Difficult Questions with Reasonable Answers

• How do you know the Bible is a reliable source of
  truth?
• What part does reason have with faith?
• How do you know God is really there?
• How can evil and God co-exist?
• How do you know the universe is not an accident?
• How do you know man is not an accident?

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Difficult Questions with Reasonable Answers

• How do you know Christianity is the only true
  religion?
• How do you know miracles are really miracles?
• How do you know Jesus was raised from the dead?
• How do you know there is life after death?

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Remember When doing apologetics for evangelism,
you must speak the truth in LOVE
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THOUGH I SPEAK THE TRUTH, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE I
AM AN ANNOYING SOUND. 1 Cor. 131
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THOUGH I AM GIFTED WISE, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE I
AM NOTHING. 132
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THOUGH I AM A GIVER A MARTYR, BUT HAVE NOT
LOVE IT IS NOT PROFITABLE. 133
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LOVE
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LOVE LONGSUFFERING,
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LOVE LONGSUFFERING, KIND,
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LOVE LONGSUFFERING, KIND, NOT PARADING,
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LOVE LONGSUFFERING, KIND, NOT PARADING, NOT
PUFFED-UP,
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LOVE LONGSUFFERING, KIND, NOT PARADING, NOT
PUFFED-UP, NOT RUDE,
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LOVE LONGSUFFERING, KIND, NOT PARADING, NOT
PUFFED-UP, NOT RUDE, NOT SELF-SEEKING,
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LOVE LONGSUFFERING, KIND, NOT PARADING, NOT
PUFFED-UP, NOT RUDE, NOT SELF-SEEKING, NOT
PROVOKED,
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LOVE LONGSUFFERING, KIND, NOT PARADING, NOT
PUFFED-UP, NOT RUDE, NOT SELF-SEEKING, NOT
PROVOKED, NOT EVIL-THINKING,
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LOVE LONGSUFFERING, KIND, NOT PARADING, NOT
PUFFED-UP, NOT RUDE, NOT SELF-SEEKING, NOT
PROVOKED, NOT EVIL-THINKING, NOT REJOICER IN
INIQUITY, (134-6)
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BUT, LOVE REJOICES IN TRUTH (136)
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