DO YOU REALLY KNOW

WHAT
YOU BELIEVE?
AND

DO YOU REALLY KNOW

WHY

YOU BELIEVE IT?

CHRISTIAN EVIDENCES
AND
INTERNET RESOURCE GUIDE

HUGO SCHRAER - 2016

doyouknowwhyyoubelieve@gmail.com

 WARNING!!
If you are a Christian student who is
planning to go to college, statistics indicate
that you have a 70% probability of abandoning
your Christian beliefs! And thats before you
finish your freshmen year!
If you are not planning on going to college,
you still have a 61% probability of abandoning
your Christian beliefs after high school.
DOES THIS CONCERN YOU?
Statistics show that of the Christian students
who go to college, 70% will abandon their Christian
beliefs before the end of their freshmen year. With
this high percentage, do you think that most
churches and youth groups and are preparing their
students effectively for the challenges to their
beliefs which those students will face after high
school?

If you are a Christian and you want to have a

greater probability of being in the 30%, being
prepared for many of the challenges to what you
believe, whether in college or not, keep reading.

If you are not a Christian and you wonder if

there really is evidence for Christianity, please
read on and examine some of the evidences
presented.
2

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHY THIS RESOURCE GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1. SELF-CHECK - HOW GOOD ARE YOU? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
2. WORLDVIEW AND PHILOSOPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
WORLDVIEWS AND COLLEGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
3. CHALLENGING STATEMENTS FOR CHRISTIANS . . . . . . . . 58
THERE IS NO TRUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
CHRISTIANS SHOULDNT BE SO INTOLERANT . . . . . . . . . . . 68
ALL ROADS LEAD TO GOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
YOU SHOULDN'T JUDGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
CHRISTIANS ARE HYPOCRITES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
SCIENCE IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN KNOW REALITY . . . . . . 86
HAS ANYONE SEEN OR HEARD GOD? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD AND ISNT WORTHY OF WORSHIP . 89
CHRISTIANITY IS JUST A CRUTCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
BELIEFS ARE DUE TO CULTURE AND GEOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . 91
IF I DON'T ACCEPT JESUS WILL I GO TO HELL? . . . . . . . . . . 94
IF GOD IS ALL POWERFUL, CAN HE MAKE A ROCK SO Big? . 95
JESUS IS A COPY CAT SAVIOR and CHRISTIANITY
IS A COPY CAT RELIGION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
JESUS NEVER EXISTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
THE BIBLE IS DEROGATORY TO WOMEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
THE BIBLE PROMOTES SLAVERY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
IF CHRISTIANITY IS TRUE, THEN WHY DO SO MANY
INTELLIGENT PEOPLE NOT BELIEVE IT? . . . . . . . . . . . 102
REVISIONIST HISTORY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
4. APOLOGETICS (To Make A Defense For/Of). . . . . . . . . . 108
THE IMPACT OF OUR CHARACTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
REASONS TO LEARN EVIDENCES FOR CHRISTIANITY . . . . . . 126
5. EVIDENCES FOR CHRISTIANITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
TRUTH ICE CREAM OR INSULIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
GOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
PRIMARY ARGUMENTS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD . . 160
EVIL, Suffering, AND PAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
WHAT ABOUT THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS? . . . . 171
CAN EVOLUTION EXPLAIN MORALS? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
WHO CREATED GOD? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
THE BIBLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
ARCHEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
PROPHETIC EVIDENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
3

 MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

WHAT ABOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT MANUSCRIPTS? 197
BUT HASN'T THE BIBLE BEEN TRANSLATED MULTIPLE TIMES? . 199
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
WHAT ABOUT CLAIMED SCIENTIFIC ERRORS IN THE BIBLE? . 208
AN ACADEMIC CHALLENGE TO THE BIBLE . . . . . . . . . . . 210
JESUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
THE CLAIM: JESUS NEVER EXISTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
PROPHECIES ABOUT JESUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
ONE SPECIFIC PROPHESY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
THE TRINITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
6. HAS CHRISTIANITY BENEFITED THE WORLD? . . . . . . . . . 239
WHAT ABOUT THE CRUSADES, THE WITCH TRIALS,
AND THE INQUISITIONS? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
7. SHARING THE TRUTHS OF CHRISTIANITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
THE WAY OF THE MASTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
TACTICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
IF I DON'T ACCEPT CHRIST, AM I GOING TO HELL? . . . . . . . 263
I CAN'T BELIEVE IN A GOD WHO WOULD CREATE ME
KNOWING I WOULD SIN, AND THEN HOLD ME GUILTY . . . . 268
SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
WHAT ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FROM OTHER RELIGIONS? . 277
MORMONISM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
JEHOVAHS WITNESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
ISLAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
A New Concern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
WICCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Other Religions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
8. SALVATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
WHY IS SALVATION NECESSARY? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
WHY CANT GOD JUST FORGIVE OUR SIN?
WHY DOES THERE NEED TO BE A PRICE FOR SIN? . . . . . . 330
WHY DOES GOD HATE SIN AND IS IT REALLY THAT BAD? . . . . . 332
DOES EVERYONE NEED SALVATION? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
WHY DID GOD CREATE US IF HE KNEW THAT OUR SIN
WOULD REQUIRE JESUS DEATH ON THE CROSS? . . . . . . 335
DOES GOD WANT EVERYONE TO BE SAVED? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
HAS CHRIST PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY OF SALVATION
TO EVERYONE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337

 IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO BE DONE OTHER THAN

THE SACRIFICE CHRIST HAS MADE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
CAN WE BE GOOD ENOUGH TO BE CONSIDERED RIGHTEOUS? . . 338
SINCE IM GUILTY OF SIN, WHAT PUNISHMENT DO I DESERVE? . . 340
IF JESUS PAID FOR MY SIN AND MY GOOD WORKS DONT COUNT,
WHY DO I NEED TO BE GOOD AND DO GOOD WORKS? . . . . 341
CAN I REALLY KNOW IVE ACCEPTED CHRISTS GIFT AND AM SAVED,
AND CAN I LOSE MY SALVATION IF I SIN REALLY BAD? . . . . 343
WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO WERE CHRISTIANS
AND THEN REJECTED CHRIST? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
DOESNT GOD WANT ME TO GET MY LIFE ON TRACK FIRST? . . . 345
IF JESUS PAID FOR MY SINS, ARENT I FORGIVEN
EVEN IF I CHOOSE NOT TO ACCEPT HIS GIFT? . . . . . . . . 346
9. RESOURCES FOR FURTHER RESEARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
GROWING AS A CHRISTIAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
THE BIBLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
CHURCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
DECISION MAKING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
EMPLOYMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
ENTERTAINMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
FORGIVENESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
MONEY AND FINANCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
PRAYER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
RELATIONSHIPS, LOVE, AND SIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
WARNINGS ABOUT CERTAIN TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS . 384
TEMPTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
CREDIT / DEBT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
GABLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
TIME MANAGEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398
TITHING AND GIVING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
THE TRIBULATION AND END TIMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
LEADING CHRISTIAN SPEAKERS AND THINKERS . . . . . . . . . . 402
TERMINOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
CHRISTIAN APOLOGETIC SITES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
APOLOGETICS DEFENDING THE TRUTHS OF CHRISTIANITY . . . 407
FREE ONLINE APOLOGETICS TRAINING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
ANSWERS TO CHRISTIANITYS CRITICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
COMPREHENSIVE SITES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
COUNTRY, CULTURE, AND CURRENT EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . 410
CULTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
PROPHESY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
SITES WITH AUDIO & VIDEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410

 SHARING THE TRUTHS OF CHRISTIANITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411

SITES TO GET YOU THINKING DEEPER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
TRUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
WORLDVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
CULTURAL ISSUES CHALLENGING TO CHRISTIANS . . . . . 412
CURRENT GOVERNMENT ACTIONS POTENTIALLY
AFFECTING CHRISTIANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
ABORTION AND EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH . . . . 414
CREATION EVOLUTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
DATING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
ECONOMICS AND POLITICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
HOMOSEXUALITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
MODESTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434
PORNOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436
But Isn't Pornography Just A Form Of Art? . . . . . 446
SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
DEFENDING AGAINST PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ASSAULT . . . . . . 460
RECOMMENDED FULL LENGTH VIDEOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461
RECOMMENDED PODCASTS/APPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462
LISTS OF RECOMMENDED BOOKS FOR APOLOGETICS . . . . . . . 463
SITES WITH BOOKS AVAILABLE TO READ ONLINE . . . . . . . . . . 463
ONLINE AUDIO BOOKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
APOLOGETIC STUDY BIBLE FOR STUDENTS QUESTIONS . . . . 464
APOLOGETIC STUDY BIBLE NON-STUDENT - QUESTIONS . . . 480
_________________________________
If you are viewing this guide on a computer using Adobe Acrobat
or most other PDF viewers, you should be able to click any Internet link to
open that page in your default Internet browser. The following are the
portable devices I was able to try and to results I was able to achieve.
ANDROID PHONE / PAD / NOOK HD XODO PDF READER will allow you to
click a link and have your browser open that webpage.
IPHONE/IPAD I didnt find any PDF reader that would open a webpage if
a link was clicked. ADOBE READER was the best PDF reader I found to
allow correct copying of the text of the link, and then pasting into a browser.
KINDLE FIRE I found no PDF readers that would allow clicking of a link.
When copying the text of the link from Adobe reader indo the preloaded
Silk browser (the only browser available for Kindle), even if copied
correctly, the Silk browser would usually indicate a PAGE NOT FOUND error.

 WHY THIS RESOURCE GUIDE

This guide was created to provide evidences for the truths
of Christianity, and to provide resources so that you can further
study the subjects presented. It is my hope that both Christians and
non-Christians will benefit from the information contained within this
guide.
If you are a Christian, this guide will enable you to learn
many of the verifiable evidences for the truths of Christianity, as well
as learn answers to many of the common questions and challenges
to those truths. The warning on the second page confirms that most
Christian students lack not only the knowledge of actual evidences
for Christianity, but also how to answer challenges to Christianity.
If you are a non-Christian and you are willing to honestly
consider the evidences for Christianity, this is a resource which will
provide answers to a number of the questions many have had, and
which you might have. It also provides solid answers to challenges
raised against Christianity, and shows the problems with the
challenges.
As this is a resource guide, it is not necessary to read it
through from start to finish as you might read a novel. You can go
to any section you would like to learn, or learn more, about. It would
be impossible to absorb all the information it contains with only a
single reading. The saying that comes to mind is,
Its like trying to take a drink of water from a fire hose.
While you can go to any section you would like to learn
about, my purpose in placing the sections in the order they are is
that there is a logical progression to the subjects. Similar to learning
Math, having a knowledge of previous sections give greater insight
into later sections.
For this reason, if you dont initially read through the
subjects in the order they are listed, I recommend that at some point
you do go through all of the main sections in the order they are in.
7

I believe this is particularly true if you are new to studying the truths
of Christianity. As most Christian students are new to a study of
evidences for Christianity, I highly recommend that for your first time
reading the information, that you go through the sections in the
order they are presented. I believe you will get the most out of this
guide using this method. Again, dont hesitate to go to any section
that is of interest to you, or that you are looking for answers in that
subject area.
When I first thought to create something like this guide more
than a few years back, my desire was to provide a resource for high
school students at the church my family attends. I wanted to put
together kind of an ALL-IN-ONE resource for students. Working with
high school students for the last 20+ years, I came to realize that
time and schedule obligations students are under really impact their
ability to attend a multi-part instruction extending over multiple
weeks. If you find that this describes you, this guide will allow you
to more fully investigate the topics included here according to your
schedule, at your pace, and also keep you from feeling that youve
missed important information due to the limitation of your schedule.
I have included an extensive number of Internet links
throughout the sections in this guide and a large categorized
section of links in the last section. This will provide you with
additional sites for greater depth of study of the topics in this guide.
This way you will be able to learn more about the subjects, as well
as become more familiar with the persons and organizations
providing information on these subjects.
This resource guide originally started out the size of a
business card with only a list of websites on the categories of Truth,
God, The Bible, and Jesus. I wanted to provide a quick handout for
anyone to be able to research information about these subjects
through the listed sites. I realized after creating it that I needed to
provide a context for the subjects rather than just listing them on a
card, so it grew into a small foldout with the additional information.
After a number of additional revisions to add content and clarify
sections, it has now grown to its present size. This represents 100s
of hours of my time in assembling it, but it will have been worth it if
you find value in it for important decisions in your life.
8

 When I first learned of the many different pieces of

information and the evidences included in this guide, I was
impressed at how effectively they answered many of the questions
and challenges presented against Christianity. I then realized that
others might benefit from this information too, especially Christian
students facing these challenges. This way, more Christians would
be able to answer the questions and challenges raised against
Christianity, and non-Christians would have valid reasons to
consider the truths of Christianity.
The information in this guide has been assembled from
various articles, books, web sites, as well as audio and video
recordings. I have included links to as many of these sources of
information as I can find so that you can access them with a simple
mouse click. I highly recommend reading, listening to, and viewing
as much of the material at these links as you can. The reason for
this is that many of the links contain much more content than what
is included here. As well, these authors are much more effective at
presenting their information than I am, so I want you to have as
close to the primary sources of the information as possible.
I am sure there are more websites Ive not discovered
providing evidences for Christianity than the ones included in this
guide. If you know of others which you feel would be valuable,
please email me at the address on the cover.
While my original intent was to create a resource for
Christian high school students, I realized that individuals of other
ages, as well as non-Christian students and Christian and non-
Christian adults might find the information useful as well. It is my
goal that if you are a Christian, you will find the information useful
for gaining confidence in the truths of Christianity and your ability to
share those truths. If you do not consider yourself a Christian, it is
my goal that you will find the information useful for honestly
considering the evidences for the truths of Christianity. And if those
evidences prove Christianity true beyond a reasonable doubt, the
implications of that truth to you, as well as options to consider.
I believe these evidences provide significant confirmation to
the truths of Christianity and prove Christianity to be based on

OBJECTIVE TRUTHS. And since OBJECTIVE TRUTHS apply

everywhere, these truths apply not only to those who consider
themselves Christians, but to everyone. And since these truths
have implications, these implications apply to everyone as well. It
is because of my concern about these implications and what they
mean for each persons eternity, that I feel so strongly about sharing
this information with others.
If you are a Christian high school student planning on
attending college, the initial 70% WARNING should be a wake-up
call. Of course, whether or not you attend college, your beliefs will
be challenged. The challenges to our beliefs are subtle before high
school, not so subtle during our high school years, and can
sometimes be quite confrontational after high school - especially in
college. If you are a Christian student, I believe these resources
will answer questions you may have and eventually will have, and
hopefully provide answers to challenges you might be faced with. I
wish I had known this information when I was a student.
Unfortunately, the Internet wasnt available when I was in high
school, nor the extensive resources that are so available now.
If you are not a Christian, thank you for your time in reading
this and being willing to consider the information and evidences. If
this information is true, which I believe can be proven beyond a
reasonable doubt, there are eternal implications to consider.
Ignoring these implications will not make them go away.
The many websites listed within this guide will provide you
with the resources to investigate each topic in greater depth. They
were all active at the time of this writing. If you find a link down,
please use the email address on the title page to let me know so
that I can update the guide. If you do find a link down, you may be
able to locate the resource by performing a search on that site, a
web search using key-words, or web search using the title from that
link or article. The content may have been moved to a new location
on that site. As well, the content may also be available on one or
more other sites.
Ultimately, any belief system should be believed or not
believed because of the evidence. This is true for the belief system

10

of Christianity as well. A belief system shouldnt be believed

because someone wants it to be true, or not believed because
someone wants it to be false for that matter either. If Christianity
were put on trial, what would the evidence prove beyond a
reasonable doubt? That is what we will consider here.
I am indebted to the pastors, teachers, and philosophers
listed throughout this guide, who have made many of their
resources available for free on their website and the sites of others,
and are also listed throughout this guide. Their resources have
provided a tremendous self-education opportunity in all of the topics
included here, both for myself and for so many others. I hope you
take advantage of them.
If you find the resources of these ministries to be a benefit
to you, I encourage you to contribute to them. They have made an
eternal impact on many, and are educating others to be able to
make an eternal impact as well. This resource guide would not
have been possible without the information they and others have
generously provided, much for free, through their websites and
through the websites of others.
One specific area which many of these resources have
provided numerous evidences for is the Bible. These evidences
have effectively disproven claims you might have heard. Claims
that the Bible is an ancient document full of myths, that it contradicts
science, and that it cannot be trusted. What is proven well beyond
a reasonable doubt is that the Bible is amazingly accurate, and has
been confirmed by science, archaeology, and prophesy.
Through these confirmations, and especially that it is not
only 100% accurate on very detailed prophesies but also indicates
scientific principals in some cases thousands of years before they
would ever be confirmed by modern science, it is also the only work
demonstrating that it could have only come through God. And since
the Bible is foundational to Christianity, it confirms the truth of
Christianity. If you have had doubts or have questions about the
trustworthiness of the Bible, I encourage you to read the section on
the Bible to see just a few of the evidences proving its truth and
origin.

11

 Considering this guide to a great degree is a compilation of

information from the ministries indicated, and that these ministries
have provided so much information freely, there will never be a
charge for this guide. You have my full permission to share this
guide. Ive created it in PDF format so that it doesnt need to be
printed and it is in a very common format, enabling the links to be
clickable as well as enabling the easy emailing to others.
If you have any suggestions of additional content and/or
suggestions to better clarify the information and make it more
informative, please email your suggestions to the email address on
the title page. Please also let me know if you have any questions
which are not answered by the current content, and if this guide has
been helpful to you in your quest for the truth about Christianity.
Thank you,
Hugo Schraer

As indicated at the bottom of the TABLE OF CONTENTS, this

guide is in PDF format which will enable you to read it on your
computer, tablet, and smartphone. If you enable the
bookmarks feature on your PDF reader, you will be able to
quickly access the different sections of the guide. All the links
can be clicked to go to the linked webpage if you are reading
it on a computer. If reading on your phone or tablet, you may
need to manually enter the links into the address bar in the
browser of your device.
My apologies for any grammar and punctuation mistakes you
find. Ive read and re-read through this guide multiple times,
but as I am not degreed in English nor Literature, Im sure that
Ive missed a number of them. My primary desires have been
to provide the information included here so that it will
strengthen the foundation of Christians, correct many of the
common errors believed by both Christians and non-
Christians about Christianity, and provide non-Christians
actual evidences showing that Christianity is worth giving their
serious consideration. Thank you for looking past any
grammar and punctuation errors you find and focusing on the
content. Thankfully, the validity of the information isnt
determined by grammar errors I have or havent caught.

12

 Introduction
Have you ever really thought about what will happen to you
after this life? Have you really thought about why you believe what
you believe about what happens after this life? If you have thought
about either of these questions, have you really investigated the
evidences you are basing your conclusions on to these two
questions? Many people have beliefs theyve accepted without
ever really checking to see if there are evidences for those beliefs.
I remember that when I was in high school I didnt give much
thought to the reasons for the beliefs I had, including the beliefs that
had to do with what happens after we die. At that time I believed
that God would weigh my good works against my bad, and if my
good outweighed my bad, I would get to go to heaven. Kind of like
GRADING ON THE CURVE. I accepted many of the beliefs I held
because I was raised with them. While in high school, I started to
think about what I believed, and also the reasons I had to justify
what I believed. I wanted the reasons for my beliefs to be more
than just because I was raised with them. Have you thought about
the evidences for what you believe?
Since high school, Ive found evidences which have
changed some of my beliefs, especially my belief about going to
heaven and my good outweighing my bad. Ive also found
evidences which have confirmed other beliefs. Maybe you have
started to think about what you believe, and why. If you havent yet
started to think about the reasons you believe what you do, I hope
the information in this guide will motivate you to consider the
importance of what you believe, to really consider the evidences
you have to believe what you believe, and to consider the
implications of your beliefs.
You may be wondering, Why is what we believe
important? That is a great question! The reason that what we
believe is so important is because most of us live consistent with
what we really believe, even if we dont consciously think about the
13

connection between our beliefs and our actions. Beliefs - or ideas

- have consequences, and the consequences of some beliefs can
last for all eternity.
If the teachings of Christianity about what happens after this
life are true, then all of us will spend eternity in one of two places.
If there is even the slightest possibility that all of us will go to one of
two eternal destinations, isnt it important to consider the evidence?
The major difference between my life now and back when I
was in high school is the Internet. The Internet didnt exist until
about 15 years after I graduated from high school. During my high
school years, the only place I could go for information was the local
library, and that was five miles away. How much more information
is available now through the Internet then what is available in a
small city library? The existence of Wikipedia.com and its ability to
be updated, for good or for bad, has almost eliminated the
relevance of print or CD encyclopedias. When was the last time
you accessed a print or CD encyclopedia? Now, try to imagine not
having the Internet till 15 years from now. Where would you go to
do research, and to find answers to the questions you might have?
There are vast numbers of resources available through the
Internet. As such, you dont have the limitation of only having
access to one library as I once did. With the information and links
in this guide you dont need to go to the library, leave your house,
or even your tablet or smart phone. You can access so much more
information than was available to me when I was in high school!
The quantity of information is far greater than I thought would ever
be available, and so easily accessible too. The Internet truly is
amazing!
With access to so much information though I see two
potential problems. The first, is that with this amazing access to so
much information, it can sometimes be difficult to find specific
answers to specific questions. I think the saying that I indicated
earlier really illustrates this:
Its like trying to take a drink of water from a fire hose
This is equally true whether the questions are important or
not so important. If youve not thought about some of the important
14

questions of life or are not quite sure what some of them are, here
are a few to get you thinking:
WHY AM I HERE? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE?
WHERE DID I COME FROM? WHERE AM I GOING WHEN I DIE?
IS THERE A GOD? IS THERE LIFE AFTER DEATH?
Have you ever thought about any of these questions? Most
people spend more time thinking about a vacation destination than
they spend thinking about their eternal destination.
Check www.questionsoflife.com
The second problem is, how do we know that the
information we find is accurate? How can we be sure the
information is true? Many people still believe that simply finding
information on a website is proof that the information is true. This
is confirmed by what some had heard was a new feature of the new
iPhone 6, allowing it to be QUICK CHARGED in a microwave in just 90
seconds. Many new owners didnt realize the claim was a hoax,
because the website where they found the claim looked so
professional. These owners placed their phones in a microwave to
charge the phones. Instead of a charged phone, they ended up
destroying their phones. The following is one article bringing
attention to this hoax:
www.loadthegame.com/2014/09/22/hoaxers-claim-iphone-6-microwave-
charging-feature
This and the following are some of the reasons why I
created this guide. I want to show why its important to consider
these important questions of life, present answers to these
questions, and provide verifiable evidences for the truths of the
answers presented. Answers which go BEYOND A REASONABLE
DOUBT.

I want to show evidences for the existence of God, the

accuracy and reliability of the Bible, and the significance of the
central person of the Bible - Jesus Christ. It is my intention that if
you already believe that Christianity is true, the evidences in this
guide will provide you with greater confidence in your beliefs and in
the truths of Christianity.

15

 If you dont currently believe that Christianity is true, I hope

the evidences in this guide will answer some of the questions or
challenges you may have had with Christianity, and give you
reasons to seriously consider the truths of Christianity as well as
the implications of these truths. When Greg Koukl of STAND TO
REASONwww.str.org speaks to a non-Christian audience, he tells
them that he is not there to try to convert them. He tells them that
he wants to Put a stone in their shoe, by giving them something
to think about. I hope this guide gives you something to think about
too. Im confident that after youve read through the information,
you will find that Christianity is really worth considering.
There is a lot of incorrect information about Christianity, and
there are many who believe this incorrect information. It is
understandable how non-Christians would hold incorrect beliefs
about Christianity, and why they would continue to do so. However,
I was surprised when I found that many Christians believe incorrect
information about Christianity as well. With the information in this
guide, I hope to correct any misinformation about Christianity you
have come to believe as truth, and also save you from needing to
spend many long hours researching answers to some of the
important questions of life as I once did. I encourage you to verify
the Biblical passages and the information Ive included here, so that
you can be confident I have included everything accurately and in
its correct context.
This FIRST section is a SELF-TEST to see how good you
are. Most of us typically see ourselves as GOOD, because we
compare ourselves to the world around us. It isnt difficult go get
the impression that were pretty good by using this method. But are
we really as good as we think we are? This SELF-TEST will show
us how good we really are when using a standard almost everyone
is familiar with, but a standard which most dont normally use or
think about.
The SECOND section looks at WORLDVIEWS. Worldviews
are how we view the world around us. They are the framework into
which we put the evidences we find, to validate the beliefs we hold
and what we believe is true and important. This second section will
also show how a worldview can often bring us to false conclusions
16

as to what is actually true. We have a tendency to make the

evidences we find fit our worldview rather than have our worldview
fit the evidences. This is because we are quite often more
committed to our worldview, our belief about what is true, then we
are about what is actually true.
The misinformation believed about Christianity is a good
example of this. The misinformation that people have come to
believe as true often supports their beliefs, and since they like their
beliefs the way they are, they arent motivated to correct the
misinformation they believe. If youve not heard the term
WORLDVIEW before, this 2nd section will cover worldviews and show
why they are so influential to our determining what we believe as
true.
The THIRD section contains a number of the major claims
and statements which challenge the truths of Christianity. An
example of one of these claims is, There is no Truth. This
means that we cant really know with any confidence that anything
is true. The statement infers that if you cant know anything is true,
then you cant know Christianity is true. Statements like these can
seem very challenging to the claims of Christianity if we dont know
how to respond to them. As you will see though, there are problems
with these statements which become obvious once the statements
are examined. The statements actually work against themselves
rather than against Christianity. This third section answers many of
these challenging statements and claims.
The FOURTH section is called APOLOGETICS. Apologetics
means TO PROVIDE A REASON FOR. When we have a belief,
apologetics is the reason BEHIND THE BELIEF, the WHY behind the
WHAT. This section shows why it is important to not only know that
evidences exist for what we believe, but to also know some of the
actual evidences as well.
The FIFTH section contains many of the actual evidences
for the claims of Christianity. There are some who say that
Christianity is built on BLIND FAITH. Essentially, they are saying that
those who believe the claims of Christianity believe them only
because they want to believe them, not because there is any real

17

evidence. Some will also say that CHRISTIANITY CONTRADICTS

SCIENCE. This FIFTH section shows actual evidences supporting the
major claims of Christianity, and also how Christianity is actually
verified extremely well by science, and is very compatible with
science.
I should clarify the usages of the word FAITH in this guide.
Many people have come to believe that having faith is the same as
HAVING A HOPE IN WHAT WE KNOW ISNT TRUE. They believe that to
have faith means to have no evidence, and that the person who has
faith is exercising wishful thinking. This isnt the Biblical definition
of the word faith.
FAITH, as a verb in the Bible and in this guide, is having
confidence in what you have good reason to believe. If you have
faith in what you expect a good friend to do, it is because the good
friend has proven themselves FAITHFUL in the past. Similarly, a
Christians FAITH in the future is based upon GODS FAITHFULNESS
in the past. The following quotes illustrate this Biblical meaning.
Lee Strobel states, "Faith is a step in the direction the evidence
already points." And J.P. Moreland states, Faith is trust in what
we have reason to believe. The other meaning for the usage of
faith is as a noun, to indicate a persons religious belief, as in when
we say, They are of the ______ faith.
There is a saying that goes,
"The heart cannot accept for long what the mind rejects."
Evidences give confidence to the mind, and ultimately to the
heart. The challenges made against Christianity can be answered
effectively. Many of the evidences in this fifth section will be
evidences youve possibly not seen before.
If you are a Christian, once you have read through these first
five sections you should have a solid foundation for the truths of
Christianity. If you dont currently accept Christianity as true, I hope
the presentation of the evidences in this guide show Christianity as
being worthy of serious consideration.
Whatever beliefs you hold, you should have solid evidences
for believing them. As to the significance of evidences, whether you

18

are Christian or not, do you really want to believe something not

supported by the evidence? And especially concerning the beliefs
of what happens after this life, do you really want to base your
eternal destination on a belief which is not supported and possibly
proved wrong by the evidence?
The SIXTH section looks into whether Christianity has
benefitted the world or not. Can an argument be made for a positive
influence of Christianity on the world? And if Christianity has been
beneficial to the world, would this be enough of a reason to consider
its possible truth?
The SEVENTH section will give you a few ideas as to how to
get others to seriously think about their belief as to how good they
are and where they could spend eternity. Many Christians avoid
bringing up the subject of life after death with others. This is usually
because they feel they will make the person they are talking with
feel uncomfortable. Or they think that they themselves will come
off looking narrow-minded and foolish. The seventh section shows
very effective ways to bring up the subject of existence after this
life; with family, friends, and others. And these methods shouldnt
make either you or the person youre talking with feel awkward. You
will see tools in this section which will give you confidence in
motivating those you share with to start thinking seriously about life
after death, and the consequences of ignoring it. And if those you
share with raise challenges, section seven also shows how to
respond to many of the typical challenges you are likely to
encounter.
These sections together provide many evidences for
Christianity as well as answers to the main challenges made
against Christianity. They also provide methods to discuss these
subjects with others.
The EIGHTH section provides a detailed look at the subject
of SALVATION. Ive arranged this section in a QUESTION AND
ANSWER form, with many of the questions being ones Ive heard
from others and/or originally had myself. Verses from the Bible are
provided to answer the questions, presenting the Bibles
perspective and include additional clarifications. This way you will

19

have as full an understanding of the subject of Salvation as I can

think to provide within the limits of this guide.
The NINTH and last section provides numerous websites,
covering all of the subjects presented here as well as other
subjects. There is also a list of leading Christian speakers, authors,
and philosophers, as well as their websites, and a list of many terms
common to the teachings of Christianity. The information in this
ninth section will enable you to research the topics covered in this
guide in much greater depth, as well as the additional topics found
on the different websites and not included in detail here. As well,
these websites will allow you to research the answer to any
question not discussed here, and find answers to those questions.
Considering terminology, when you think about the different
areas of knowledge; whether a school subject, a particular sport, or
an industry or process, knowing the definitions of the different terms
used gives you a greater understanding and appreciation of that
subject area. In Mathematics, there are the QUADRILATERAL
EQUATION, BISECTED ANGLE, and PARALLELOGRAM. In Football,
there are the CONVERSION, INTERCEPTION, FALSE START,
TOUCHBACK, TOUCHDOWN, etc.

If you are not familiar with some of the specific terminology

for a subject, you are at a disadvantage in being able to have as
complete an understanding of the subject as you do when you have
a knowledge of the terminology. As well, dont you typically enjoy
learning about a subject more when you understand the terms
specific to that subject?
Some of the terms specific to Christianity and evidences
are; RELATIVISM, POST MODERNISM, and ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT.
Ive provided a listing of many of the terms, and definitions for some.
Having this knowledge and the links in this guide will give you the
ability to search for and learn more about the specific terms.
While knowing this terminology is important. It is equally
important to realize that many of these terms are likely to confuse a
person you are talking with if they dont know them. I touch a little
more on this, and some of the concerns in the section, SHARING THE
TRUTHS OF CHRISTIANITY.
20

 Two specific terms you will see used in this guide, are
ARGUMENT and PROOF. The way ARGUMENT is used here is not as
a quarrel or heated disagreement. In this guide these terms are
used in the LEGAL sense, similar to a courtroom. In a courtroom,
the attorneys present ARGUMENTS about the guilt or innocence of
the defendant. They then provide evidence or PROOFS to support
their argument. Greg Koukl of www.str.org found this very
humorous illustration of this EVIDENCE / PROOF type of argument.
Here is the link to the YouTube video:
ARGUMENT CLINIC - JOHN CLEESE AND MICHAEL PALIN - Monty Python
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUIA40uLlKw
Here are additional sites on evidences and logic:
LOGICAL FALLACIES www.logicalfallacies.info
FALLACY FILES www.fallacyfiles.org/taxonomy.html
FALLACY DETECTIVE http://christianlogic.com
STRAIGHT THINKING www.reasons.org/explore/type/straight-thinking
LOGIC PRIMER
www.apologetics315.com/2009/05/basic-logic-primer.html
I think the most accurate way to view this guide is to view it
as a TOOLBOX, and the different resources as TOOLS. My desire is
not only that you know that tools exist, but also that you have
methods to increase your proficiency with the various tools. This
way you can be encouraged in what you believe as a Christian, be
able to share these truths effectively with others, and also be able
to defend against challenges to what you believe.
Think about taking tests in school. When was the last time
you enjoyed taking a pop-quiz or looked forward to a test or a final?
If you werent confident in your knowledge of the subject, you
probably werent excited at all. But what if you had studied well and
had confidence in your knowledge? You might have actually looked
forward to taking the quiz, to be able to demonstrate your
proficiency of your knowledge. Knowledge gives us confidence!
When we are prepared, we do well. When we arent prepared, we
rarely do well. The same is true with questions about and
challenges to Christianity. When you are prepared to respond to
questions and challenges raised against Christianity, you can

21

effectively reply to those challenges, and respond in a way that is

respectful of the other person and not insulting to them. There is a
great military quote regarding being prepared:
The more you sweat in training,
the less you bleed in battle.
William Lane Craig indicates that being prepared also allows
you to remain calm when challenged. What he has found is that
when you know the answer, you can remain calm in the discussion.
As an example, if someone claimed that 2+2=5, you wouldnt get
upset because you know what the truth is, right? Greg Koukl gives
greater insight to the importance of our remaining calm as it relates
to conversations about Christianity. He says,
When talking with someone, if either of you get upset,
you lose. If they get upset, you lose. If you get upset,
you lose.
While this guide has many tools and links to tools, you will
need to invest time if you want to learn to use them and become
proficient with them. Hopefully, you will become excited once you
see the tools and see their effectiveness. Hopefully this will be a
motivation to learn them. As with learning anything, once you start
to use these tools, you will become much more comfortable in their
usage and confident in presenting them effectively.
Please realize that it has taken more than a few years for
me to discover these TOOLS so dont feel overwhelmed by the
number of them nor discouraged that you would need to learn all of
them in a short period of time. If I can encourage you, I still feel I
have a much better knowledge of these tools than I have a
proficiency in their usage. Whatever our ability, we can all strive to
become more proficient in everything we do. With greater usage of
any knowledge comes greater proficiency. These tools are no
different. The following link shows that God really honors those who
are diligent and work hard. www.openbible.info/topics/hard_work
Even many of the speakers Ive reference in this guide
continue to pursue learning, even though many of them have
Masters and Doctorate degrees. In different speakers recordings,
I periodically hear the speaker reference something they are
studying or learning. If you are a Christian, learning should be a
22

lifestyle and not just a short term goal. The reason for this is
illustrated by the phrase Use it or lose it.
1 Peter 3:15 indicates Always be prepared.
Think back to previous classes you have had. If you had to
take the same tests now that you took then, would you do as well
on the test as you did then? Probably not, right? Me neither.
However, what if you kept familiar with the knowledge? You would
probably do as well, maybe even better. And would it take much
time to stay familiar? Not once youve learned the information. If
we are to Always be prepared, we need to be staying familiar with
information which can have an eternal implication for the people we
talk with.
One professor I reference in this guide is Jay Wegter. In his
audio recordings he describes initiating conversations with others
so that he can motivate them to think about eternal matters, and
also answer challenges they might have. His accounts dont give
the impression that he is hesitant when approaching others. His
proficiency gives him confidence. It is natural for us to have feelings
of hesitation when thinking of talking with others about these
subjects. However, with specific knowledge and practice, the
prospect of talking with someone about these subjects becomes far
less intimidating. It certainly sounds this way for Jay Wegter.
I believe the thought that motivates Jay above all others and
excites him about speaking with others, is that he realizes that God
has placed him there at that moment in time, in that encounter with
this other person. Jay knows that he might be the last person God
uses to bring this person to the point of thinking about where they
are, and where they might spend eternity.
One of the things you can do to improve your knowledge
and confidence is to read and re-read sections in this guide. As this
guide is more a reference guide and not a novel you would read
through once, you will find value in reviewing sections youve not
yet become proficient in. Hopefully, with the table of contents as
well as the web links being clickable, you will be able to quickly go
to any section and/or access the web content of any link.

23

 When you think about a vehicle technician, they have many

tools which enable them to perform different services. Depending
on the service, they will use a specific set of tools. No one service
requires the usage of all the tools, however, the more tools they
have and are able to use effectively, the greater their ability to
perform a wider range of services. Similarly, each conversation we
have with someone will typically only require knowledge of a few of
the tools. Each situation is different though and the more
proficiency you gain with the tools in this guide, the more confident
and capable you will be in the varied conversations you are in.
Whatever your passion; playing a particular sport or
instrument, a game console, drawing, cooking or another, havent
you found that it took dedication and an investment of time to
become proficient at that ability? Just as an investment of time is
required to improve any ability we have, learning and becoming
proficient in the usage of the tools in this guide will require your
decision to do so and a time investment. There is no getting around
the fact that some effort is required to become better in anything we
do. In the end though, isnt the investment of time learning these
tools worth it, when you realize that you might make a difference in
someones life and their eternal destination?
Even with becoming proficient with the tools in this guide,
you will still encounter scenarios where you are presented with a
question or challenge with which you havent yet learned how to
respond. This will happen as it is difficult to think of all possible
questions, objections, and ways they will be presented, and prepare
for all possible questions and objections ahead of actually being
presented with them. This guide should go a long way toward
preparing you for the most common questions and challenges.
As Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason (www.str.org) says,
Its OK not to know the answer to a question you
havent been asked before. However, its NOT OK to not
know the answer the second time you are asked.
Gregs encouragement is that you find the answer to a
question or challenge afterward, so that you are prepared to
effectively respond the next time you are presented with that

24

question or challenge. Check out the TACTICS section for some

great information on this.
Before going further, it is important that we not get any
mistaken impression that our ability is what is most important to
God. While out ability is very important, our availability is far more
important. If we decide to be available to God, he will enable us to
develop the ability. The saying that shows this reality is:
God doesnt need your ability but your availability
ABILITY OR AVAILABILITY
https://ruach.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/ability-or-availability/
NOT ABILITY, BUT AVAILABILITY
www.christianpost.com/news/not-ability-but-availability-75891/
AVAILABILITY VS. ABILITY
www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/insights-from-bill-
bright/availability-vs-ability-august-24.html
I hope your desire is to be involved in an effort which has an
eternal impact and results in eternal rewards. I hope this TOOLBOX
is an encouragement and an aide to your efforts toward this. I
believe the following quote effectively illustrates this point
concerning what we decide is worthy of our efforts,
"Only one life, twill soon be past.
Only what's done for Christ will last."CTStudd.

25

 1. SELF-CHECK - How Good Are You?

The true test of a mans character is what he does when
no one is watching. - John Wooden

Be more concerned with your character than your

reputation, because your character is what you really
are, while your reputation is merely what others think
you are. - John Wooden

How would you respond to the following?

How good are you?
How would you feel if your most secret
thoughts became public knowledge?
What do you want people to remember about you
after you have passed from this life?
_______________________

Ive placed this SELF-CHECK section at the beginning of the

guide. The reason for this is by going through this section first, you
will see the information in the following sections in proper context.
Most people think they are pretty good. Dont they? You
think you are pretty good, dont you? I know I used to. Dont we
feel this way because we compare ourselves to others who we view
as worse than we are? If we look throughout history or even just
the evening news, we can see numerous examples of people who
are worse than we are. Doesnt comparing our lives to them make
us feel much better about ourselves, and give us confidence that
we really are pretty GOOD?
But is the standard for GOOD simply being better than those
we consider worse than we are? If it is, then couldnt someone be
good enough to be considered better than we are, and thus
rendering us as not good? Do you see how subjective this standard
is?
26

 Considering that this standard cant be relied upon to

evaluate every person as to being good, what kind of standard
could we rely upon to accurately evaluate whether we or anyone
else is GOOD? What about the standard of living a perfect life?
Thats a standard everyone could look at and consider anyone who
met the standard as truly good. Right? The only problem with this
standard is that no one could ever be perfect, could they?
If a real standard of GOOD isnt PERFECTION, then how good
do you think we need to be to be considered GOOD? Have you ever
really thought about it? What would your standard for GOOD be? If
you have a standard for good, have you ever been able to actually
live your own standard which you have determined for yourself,
100% of the time? If were honest with ourselves, we all know that
weve never been able to keep any standard, even one weve set
for ourselves, have we?
Think about the possibility of Heaven. If there really is a
Heaven would we be considered good enough to enter? If you are
not a Christian, you may not believe Heaven exists. But lets for a
moment consider the possibility that Heaven might actually exist.
Since most people are familiar with the Ten Commandments, What
about using them as the standard of good. Would we be able to
meet this standard?
Ask yourself,
Have I obeyed all of the Ten Commandments?
When asked this question, most people respond,
Well, Ive broken one or two, but nothing too serious
like murder, etc.
That is how I used to answer the question. So lets consider
just a few of the Commandments and see how we do.
Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
To Bear false witness is the legal terminology for telling
a lie about someone. Have you ever told a lie about someone, even
a small one? Have you ever lied to someone when talking about
yourself, your abilities, what you promised to do, etc.? How many
murders does one have to commit to be a murderer? Just one,
27

right? So telling one lie makes one guilty of lying, right? The Bible
warns that all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire (Revelation
21:8). If youve told even one lie, what does that make you? That
makes you a liar, right? Guess what? I am too.
Exodus 20:15 "You shall not steal"
The basic definition of stealing is taking something that
doesnt belong to us. Have you ever taken something that belonged
to someone else; taken from work, from school, from your parents,
etc.? Have you ever download music, movies, or software without
paying for them? If you have taken anything that doesnt belong to
you, you have stolen, right? Even if it was very small, taking
something not belonging to use is still stealing. The value of the
thing taken doesn't matter does it? Petty theft is still theft. If you
have ever stolen anything, what does that make you? That makes
you a thief, right? Guess what? Im guilty of that one also.
Exodus 20:12 "You shall not commit adultery" Jesus warned, "You
have heard... 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you
that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already
committed adultery with her in his heart."
The Bible mentions both adulterers and fornicators (those
who have had sex before marriage), as being in the same dilemma.
Have you ever looked at another person with lustful thoughts?
What does that make you? That makes you an adulterer or
fornicator, right? And yes, Im guilty of this one also. What about
pornography? Have you viewed pornographic pictures and had
lustful thoughts toward the persons in the pictures?
If we are honest, we have to admit that we have broken all
three of these commandments. In breaking just these three
commandments, by definition, WE ARE LYING THIEVING ADULTERERS
AT HEART. If God were to judge us, would He find us innocent or
guilty? I know I would be found guilty. What if we looked at how
successful weve been in obeying the other seven commandments?
Would this help us? If youre like me, then almost surely no. Most
of us have broken almost all of the Ten Commandments too
because the Bible indicates that we are not only guilty because of
our actions, but also guilty because of our thoughts and motivations.
28

 You may not use the Ten Commandments as your standard

for GOOD. If not, thats fine. What is your standard then? How do
you want others to treat you? Dont steal from you, dont lie to you,
dont murder you, etc.? Hmmm, those standards are pretty similar
to the Ten Commandments, arent they?
Jay Wegter proposes a scenario to consider. He asks,
Could you claim to love and care for one of your
friends, and at the same time hate them in your heart,
slander them, steal from them, lie to them, treat them as
a sex object, and plan their murder?
Of course you cant. You know that its impossible to claim
that you love and care for your friend, while also doing the other
things to them too. Right?
Now think about this. Do you need to be told that claiming
you love them and feeling the other ways described is completely
contradictory, or do you know this instinctively? You dont need to
be told, do you? Jay Wegter points out that the big surprise about
this question is that when you look at it closely, you will see that six
of the Ten Commandments are referenced in it. Surprised? When
you really think about this, you know these things instinctively.
Deep down dont you want others to live by these commandments,
at least in how they treat you? When you consider the above
scenario wouldnt it be fair to conclude that even if you are not a
Christian, you really do consider the Ten Commandments, (or at
least the six commandments referenced), a constructive standard
which we could all benefit from living consistent with?
Something else to think about, if you have determined your
own standard of good for your life. Again, have you ever truly lived
up to that standard 100%, every single day? You see, whichever
standard for good we try to reach, even when it is a standard we
create for ourselves, if we are honest, we cant live up to it 100%.
As much as we want to be good, we cant be good enough. Is that
surprising? Its not surprising to God.
The Bible indicates that God knows that we cant be good
enough. Romans 3:20 states, No one can be found innocent by
obeying the law. The law was given to show us how sinful we are.
29

 Many believe that the closer they live up to the standards in

the Bible, the closer they are to going to heaven. However, this
verse shows that OUR EFFORTS WILL NEVER MAKE US GOOD ENOUGH.
The second part of Romans 3:20 actually shows the purpose of the
law: The law was given to show us how sinful we are. Many
people mistakenly look to the Bible as a standard to try to live up to,
to show how good they need to be.
So, one of the purposes of the Bible is not to show us how
good we need to be, but to actually show us how bad we already
are. Think about using a mirror to get ready for the day. When you
look into it, are you looking to see how perfect your appearance is
or are you looking to see what in your appearance needs
improvement? What needs improvement, right? The Law given in
the Bible is similar to the mirror in that it shows us our true sinful
condition. The difference is that unlike our appearance in the mirror
we cant change our sinful condition.
A quote I heard some years ago shows the reality of the
deceptiveness of sin,
Sin will take you farther than you want to go,
it will keep you longer than you want to stay,
and it will cost you more than you want to pay.
While we will not consider any evidences for the Bible or
Christianity at this point, lets look at some of the teachings of the
Bible as it relates to sin.
Romans 3:23 indicates, "All have sinned and fall short of
the Glory of God". Romans 6:23 states, The wages of sin is
death. These two verses show how widespread sin is, ALL HAVE
SINNED, and also the penalty we earn for our sin, DEATH.

What do you think of when you hear the word WAGES? At a

job, wages are what we earn for the work we do, right? DEATH is
separation from God forever. So, being guilty of sin, the WAGES we
have all EARNED is eternal separation from God forever. Since God
is everywhere except for hell, HELL is the only place a person can
be sent to be separated from Him. We have a big problem, dont
we? If hell is what we deserve then what hope do we have?

30

 The second part of Romans 6:23 actually shows us hope,

. . . but the gift of God, is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord
Think about the phrase, The gift of God. Can we earn a
gift? No. A gift is something that can only be given and received.
We cant earn it, only accept it. Looking at Isaiah 64:6 But we are
all like an unclean thing, And all our works are like filthy rags. It is
clear through this verse that nothing we try to do can earn us eternal
life, according to the Bible.
Think about someone you gave a gift to. How would you
have felt if when you handed the gift to them they tried to pay you
for it? Would you have considered their attempt to pay you for the
gift a compliment or an insult? An insult, right? John 3:16 states
For God so loved the world, that he GAVE HIS ONLY SON, that
whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life. To
believe in Jesus means that we believe Jesus is God, believe what
He said about our sinful condition, believe how He said we need to
live, and to accept THE GIFT of His dying on the cross as payment
for our sin. If we try to earn this gift offered by God, its like paying
Him for His gift. We insult God.
Jesus paid the penalty we deserve, and if we Believe on
Him (accept His gift of paying for our sin by dying on the cross,
which we cant earn, and then turn away from our sin), we will be
saved from that separation! When we try to EARN our salvation, we
are telling God that Jesus death on the cross wasnt enough, and
that we need to do something to EARN it. Essentially, this is like us
trying to PAY God for his gift, and also telling him the gift He provided
isnt enough. Were telling him that we need to do something more.
Can you see how insulting this is to God? If when you gave a gift
to someone they responded with, Oh, I was really hoping for
something more, would you feel complimented or insulted?
Again, some believe that the Bible shows a list of the
standards we need to meet to go to heaven. And again, Romans
3:20 states: Therefore no one will be declared righteous in Gods
sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become
conscious of our sin. The LAW in the Bible is not something to
strive toward, as many people mistakenly believe, it is the mirror we
31

hold up to our lives which shows us our true sinful condition in light
of Gods standard.
God has indicated that none of us are good enough nor can
we be, because we are not qualified to pay the sin debt we owe.
He is the only one qualified to pay our debt. His payment is based
solely on our acceptance of it. It is not dependent on how good we
are, how intelligent, how capable, how much money we have, how
much power, etc. His gift is freely available to all, regardless of what
we have to offer. Everyone can freely choose to receive His gift.
This is only possible because Jesus is God, and He is qualified to
pay our sin debt. He did everything necessary to pay the debt.
So, the question we must answer is,
Are the claims of Christianity true?
If not true, then none of this matters. You may be reading
this and truly believe that Christianity isnt true. Is there any
possibility that you could you be wrong? If there is even the
possibility that Heaven and hell exist and that everyone will go to
either heaven or hell after this life, isnt it worth investing a little time
to consider the evidences and the implications of the evidences?
You might be thinking the same question of me. Is it
possible that I could be wrong? I would answer Yes. I fully admit
that there is that possibility I could be wrong.
You may wonder then, Why would I try to persuade
others about a belief which could be wrong? That would be a
very fair question, and one Ive asked myself in the past.
The answer I would give has to do not with my beliefs, but
with the evidences. The evidences confirming the truths of
Christianity, God, Jesus, and the Bible are so overwhelming to me
compared to any evidences proposed against them or for any other
belief. If there was a belief other than Christianity which better fit
the available evidences, I certainly would change to that belief
instead of Christianity. The reason I am trying to persuade people
to check out the evidences for Christianity is because of the
implications if Christianity is true, and my concern that everyone is
subject to these implications.

32

So the question is,

Can a case be made in support of Christianitys claims,
and are you willing to invest some time to consider
such a case?
Rather than make a decision based on what people hope is
true, and even my claims that Christianity can be supported by
evidences, lets consider evidences which can actually be verified.
Before we do, I want to clarify some misunderstandings many have,
and show the difference between BELIEF and TRUTH.
Some BELIEVE there is nothing after this life, others BELIEVE
in reincarnation, and still others BELIEVE everyone will go to either
heaven or hell when they die. Obviously the TRUTH is that only one
of these beliefs can be TRUE. Think about it, if there is nothing after
this life, then there cant be a heaven or hell. If reincarnation is true
then there is something after this life, but it isnt heaven or hell. And
if heaven and hell actually exist, then the other two options cant be
TRUE. If the Bible is true, then the years spent here on Earth are
only a brief moment compared to an existence lasting all of eternity.
Again, if the existence of heaven and hell are a possibility,
shouldnt we spend just a little time considering the evidences for
this possibility? And if the evidences are convincing, shouldnt we
then consider what determines each destination, and then, which
destination we are likely to go?
There was a game show on TV a few years back called
DEAL OR NO DEAL. If youve not heard about it, do a search on
YouTube. The first part of this game show would have contestants
choosing between 20 brief cases based upon what monetary
amount they believed was in the cases. The object was to win up
to $1 million. During the game the contestants would often jump up
and down and scream and strain. Watching the show you got the
impression that the contestants actually believed their EFFORT
would result in a particular dollar amount in the case. Ultimately,
did it really matter what the contestant or the audience did or didnt
do to try to change the amount that was in a case? It made for good
TV, but whatever they did had no effect on the contents of the
cases. What was in each case WAS what was in each case.

33

 In the same way, whichever belief about the afterlife is true,

it is TRUE regardless of how strongly we believe it, or how popular
or not that belief is. Also, any belief other than what is TRUE is
automatically false. If there is nothing after this life then there is no
eternity in heaven or hell. However, if there is a heaven or hell, it
doesnt matter how much one might want to believe that there isnt.
Some state There is no truth, that we cant know
anything with any real confidence. Think about the statement
though. The person making the statement is essentially stating the
TRUTH that THERE IS NO TRUTH. Since we cant possibly have a
statement be true if the statement claims there is no truth, the
statement contradicts itself and cant possibly be true. As such, this
contradiction proves that truth does exist. And since Truth exists,
we can discover whether some things are true, and others false.
If we think about our lives, there are many truths we deal
with every single day; that I did or didnt study enough for the test,
the actual time I woke up, that it is day or night, etc. Since truth
exists, we can evaluate ideas and beliefs as to whether they are
true or not. We can evaluate the truthfulness of the different beliefs
that people hold. It is good to remember that two or more
contradictory beliefs cannot all be true. Considering that truth does
exist, when you have two or more contradictory beliefs, only one
can be true and the other(s) are automatically false.
Whether you are a Christian or not, I encourage you to read
and consider the 44 questions at the link below. They will start to
give you a little insight into the evidences in support of Christianity.
And if you dont currently accept Christianity as true, there are some
things to consider which you may not have considered previously.
Greg Koukl of STAND TO REASON www.str.org mentions that the
evidences supporting Christianity are the reasons he believes it, not
that he likes everything about Christianity. He says that if he were
to choose a belief based upon what he liked, he would choose
something different because Christianity is often inconvenient.
However, Greg adds that he doesnt get to change what is
true just because he doesnt like some things about that truth. He
said that if the evidence proves Christianity to be true, he has no
choice but to accept it. After examining the evidences for

34

Christianity in this guide, I believe you will see the great truthfulness
of Christianity as compared to any other belief system.
44 QUESTIONS FOR THE NOT-YET-A-BELIEVER
http://christiananswers.net/q-aiia/questions-for-
skeptics.html

35

 2. WORLDVIEW and PHYLOSOPHY

"The unexamined life is not worth living." - Socrates
Most critics are not well-equipped to defend their own
faith. They have rarely thought through what they
believe and have relied more on generalizations and
slogans than on careful reflection. Francis J. Beckwith
How would you respond to the following?
WHY AM I HERE? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE?
WHERE DID I COME FROM? WHERE AM I GOING WHEN I DIE?
IS THERE A GOD? IS THERE LIFE AFTER DEATH?
____________________
If you are not familiar with the term WORLDVIEW, it is simply
the way a person VIEWS THE WORLD. A WORLDVIEW is the collection
of ideas which frame how a person concludes what is true about
the world. You might also consider this as the belief framework that
helps us make sense of the information we see about the world.
For many, their worldview is based upon what they really want to
believe, and not always based upon good evidences. As seen in
the last section with the game show, the truth of something isnt
determined just because someone wants it to be true.
www.thefreedictionary.com gives the following definition:
WORLDVIEW: A collection of beliefs about life and the Universe
held by an individual or a group.
Ive included this section to give you a better understanding
as to why people often come to accept the beliefs and ideas that
they do. Considering the reasons why people believe what they
believe, and that a persons worldview can be such an influence to
their beliefs and ideas, I believe this is one of the most important
sections in this guide. You might find it surprising that the beliefs
many people have are as much determined by how they view the

36

world as they are determined by the evidence. Often you will find
that a persons worldview is even more influential to their beliefs
than the evidences, and how strong they hold to their worldview will
determine how motivated they are to actually consider evidences
for other beliefs.
Another word close in meaning to WORLDVIEW is
PHILOSOPHY, or way of thinking. www.thefreedictionary.com gives
two of the definitions for PHILOSOPHY as:
A personal outlook or viewpoint.
Any system of beliefs, values, or tenets.
Any system of beliefs are the ideas we hold as true. A
good phrase to become familiar with is, Beliefs and Ideas have
consequences. Beliefs throughout history have caused great
good or great harm to people affected by those beliefs. Two belief
systems which clearly show this are Nazism and true Christianity.
One of the foundational ideas of Nazism was the elimination of
inferior peoples and the creation of a super race. Two of the
teachings of Christianity are to Love your neighbor as yourself
and Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
One belief system has killed 12 million people, and the other has
been a transformational force in the world for the last 2 thousand
years.
Can you see in these two observations of just these two
belief systems that ideas truly do have consequences? If you can
see these consequences, can you see how important it is to argue,
(in the legal sense), against some ideas and argue to promote other
ideas? This could be why the Bible emphasizes that we be careful
as to what beliefs we choose to accept.
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by
philosophy and empty deceit, according to human
tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world,
and not according to Christ.
A quote from CS Lewis that really seems to apply is:
Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad
philosophy needs to be answered.

37

 Everyone has a worldview, even if they dont realize that

they have one or what that worldview is. Yes, that goes for you and
me as well. What may surprise you is that most movies, TV
programs, commercials, books, and songs promote a worldview; a
value system for ones life. When we watch or hear something, one
of the goals we should have is to determine which worldview is
being promoted, what that worldview indicates as valuable, and
what evidence there is for the worldview being promoted.
One example of a worldview in a commercial is a Lexus
commercial I saw some years back. It showed a Lexus driving
down a street and then pulling into a driveway. Toward the end of
the commercial, the narrating voice in the commercial said,
On the road to success, let your neighbors know that
youve arrived ahead of schedule.
In this commercial, what was the worldview being
presented? What was shown as an indication of value in life? The
worldview being promoted was that our success is shown by the
possessions we have, and in this commercial, specifically which car
we own. There was a song titled ITS ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS
(a reference to $100 bills). The worldview presented was that value
in life is shown by how much money we have.
When watching commercials, see if you can determine if a
worldview is being presented and what that worldview is. How
many messages like these can you find in what you watch and
hear? Then think about how these messages compare to value and
success as indicated by the Bible.
HOW DOES THE BIBLE DEFINE SUCCESS?
www.gotquestions.org/success-Bible.html
THE BIBLICAL MEANING OF SUCCESS
http://byfaithonline.com/the-biblical-meaning-of-success
WORLDVIEW 101: WHY IT MATTERS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-keXVCla1M
ANSWERING FOUR QUESTIONS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2olRR3zu4TY

38

 Each persons worldview is one of the most significant

factors in the major decisions they make and how they live their
lives. To illustrate this, think about just two different worldviews,
Atheism and Christianity. Atheism is the belief that there is no God.
Christianity is the belief that there is a God; a God who has
communicated an absolute standard of right and wrong, who knows
everything we do or think, and a God who we are accountable to for
our thoughts and actions. Can you think of the logical
consequences of these two worldviews?
With Christianity there is a God and there is one of two
eternal destinations after this life. There is an ultimate judgment or
reward after this life based upon choices we make. The logical
result for true followers of Jesus, is that what we do and think is
important because God knows everything we do and think. We
work to live differently because of this realization, and not just
because our beliefs have consequences in this life but our beliefs
have consequences in eternity as well.
If you consider yourself a Christian, does your belief in the
existence of God make a difference in your life, in what you think
and do? If it doesnt, you are calling yourself a Christian but not
living as a Christian, and not living according to a Christian
worldview. If you arent living according to a Christian worldview,
they by default, you are living according to a different worldview.
With Atheism, there is no God and nothing after this life.
Since there is no God there is no absolute standard for what is
RIGHT or WRONG, no ultimate judgment or reward. The logical
consequence is that it really doesnt matter how we live our lives
because there is no God and nothing after this life. Doing good or
bad, also called MORALITY, makes no ultimate difference because if
we will all ultimately die and there is nothing after this life, there can
be no ultimate right or wrong, no ultimate purpose for our lives.
Now, I didnt say that all Atheists live this way. In fact, most
Atheists live very moral lives. It might even be argued that many
Atheists live more moral lives than many Christians. However,
without God there can be no absolute standard for good or evil, right
or wrong. Without an absolute standard, nothing can be considered

39

truly good or evil. Without an absolute standard, what is the basis

for good and evil in Atheism? There has to be a standard of heat
before we can say what cold is, a standard of light before we can
say what dark is, and a standard of good before we can say what
evil is. Without a standard for good, we cant call anything evil.
If there is no God, any thought or feeling of good or evil is
just our own idea or preference. Someone else might have a
different belief about what is good and evil. Without God and any
absolute standard for good or evil, everything ends up being
someones subjective standard for good or evil. There can be no
objective standard if that standard is not founded by an ultimate
standard giver, which is outside our likes, dislikes, and preferences.
This LOGICAL CONCLUSION of Atheism has existed for many
years as a challenge to evolution and Atheism. If there is no
standard for right or wrong, there is no explanation for the existence
or origination of morality. When you think about it, you know that
there are RIGHT and WRONG or GOOD and BAD motivations, and you
know without having to be taught. We all know this inherently.
Considering that most Atheists live consistent with a moral
standard, even if it is one they have determined, it is evidence of
their recognizing of right and wrong.
The death of an attacker by one protecting the one who is
being attacked is a motivation to do GOOD, while the death of
someone innocent through the pre-meditation by another shows a
motivation to do BAD. While the death of an individual is the end
result in both examples, it is the MOTIVATION behind the action that
is important. Motivations are very important. Penalties in our legal
system are based on a persons motivations. Again, this RIGHT and
WRONG shows MORALITY.

Ive seen articles written by Atheists, and interviews and

debates with Atheists arguing for their position. When the subject
of absolute morality is brought up, they will reason that they dont
need God to be moral. Even as a Christian I would absolutely
agree. The existence of God is absolutely not necessary for a
person to be moral. The question is not whether someone needs
God to be moral, the question is where does the standard of

40

absolute morality come from? An Atheist certainly can be moral,

but what are Atheists basing their standard for morality on? Like a
standard for light giving us the ability to determine dark and a
standard for hot giving us the ability to determine cold, there has to
be an absolute standard for morality that is outside the preferences
and feelings of any individual. Otherwise morality is determined by
our feelings and what we decide. This standard is not absolute, but
subjective.
IS THERE AN OBJECTIVE MORAL LAW? - Frank Turek
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOJeseNJneg
There is a recent challenge by Atheists to the belief that the
basis for morality is evidence for God. Their challenge is that
morals can be explained through evolution; that evolution is not only
sufficient to explain biological developing in organisms, but
developing morality as well. According to Atheists this EVOLUTION
OF MORALS challenge eliminates the need for God. If evolution truly
can explain morals then this challenge is a very strong argument
against the need or existence of God. In the CAN EVOLUTION
EXPLAIN MORALITY? section, I go into additional detail about this,
and provide links to resources relating to this recent Evolutionary
argument. These resources will allow you to gain a much better
understanding of this recent argument, as well as the arguments
against this evolutionary explanation for morality.
Again, the Christian Worldview is one where there is a
perfect God who sees everything we do, who knows every thought
we think, who knows our motivations, and we are ultimately
accountable to this God for our thoughts, actions, and motivations.
This accountability should cause us to be concerned about what we
think and do because these motivations, thoughts, and actions have
eternal consequences.
If we call ourselves Christians, we are representatives of
Christ in this life. If we are representatives of Him, do we evaluate
our motivations, thoughts, and actions as compared to those who
dont accept Christ as their savior? As followers of Christ, we
should be good and true representatives of Christ. If you call

41

yourself a Christian, are you living as a good representative of

Christ?
As mentioned above, some Atheists believe that to claim
that God is the basis for morality is the same as claiming that
Atheists cant be moral since they dont believe in God. This is a
misunderstanding of the claim. Again, Atheists certainly can live
with good morals, and most do. The question is not whether an
Atheist can be moral, but what is the basis for their morality. The
issue here is that anyone who holds to the Atheistic worldview, that
there is no God and then claim that certain things are wrong, is
using a THEISTIC WORLDVIEW of morality, not an ATHEISTIC
WORLDVIEW. They are not believing consistent with an Atheistic
worldview.
Everyone likes to believe that they live consistent with their
particular worldview and they will often say they live according to
one worldview but not respond to events consistent with that world
view. They respond consistently with a worldview they say they
deny, and they usually do this without realizing it. An example is a
person who doesnt believe in God and will say they dont believe
in Evil. If someone wrongs them or wrongs someone they know or
if someone steals from or assaults them, they will say that the act
of the offender is wrong. But it can only be wrong if there is evil in
the world.
How do Atheists justify the position that the act is WRONG?
IF there is NO GOD, then there is NO ABSOLUTE MORAL LAW. If there
is no absolute moral law, there can be no right or wrong. Without
an absolute moral law, there is ultimately no difference between
Mother Teresa and Hitler. Without an absolute moral law, morality
comes down to what we PREFER and DECIDE it is. While some call
this PREFERRED OR DECIDED STANDARD a moral standard, if it is a
standard which is PREFERRED or DECIDED by one or more persons,
it cant be an ABSOLUTE MORAL STANDARD. It would be a subjective
moral standard. A MORAL STANDARD based upon what is preferred
or decided can be changed based upon the preferences or
decisions of individuals or the majority. Since preference or
majority decision can be different between different people and/or

42

groups, then the standard cant be an absolute standard, applicable

to all persons at all times. It can only be a subjective standard.
At one time in our country, the majority decided that it was
acceptable for certain people to be owned, based on the color of
their skin. We look at that decision as wrong even though the
majority at that time and in that geographic area had decided that it
was the standard. The ABSOLUTE STANDARD OF MORALITY isnt
based upon what our preference is or what the majority in a group
decides. A LAW can only be given by a LAW GIVER, and an
ABSOLUTE MORAL LAW can only exist if there is a MORAL LAW
GIVER. This is logical and is clearly taught in the Bible.
Jeremiah 31:33 I will put my law within them,
and I will write it on their hearts.
A survey of college students by the BARNA GROUP is equally
as concerning as the 70% statistic indicated at the start of this
guide. The survey found that of those aged 18-23, only one half of
one percent hold to a Biblical Worldview! Thats only 1 in 200 of
those aged 18-23!
BARNA SURVEY EXAMINES CHANGES IN WORLDVIEW
AMONG CHRISTIANS OVER THE PAST 13 YEARS
https://barna.org/barna-update/transformation/252-
barna-survey-examines-changes-in-worldview-
among-christians-over-the-past-13-
years#.VkfNoLerTcc

I was amazed when I heard this statistic! I thought the

person indicating it had misread the survey, but I confirmed that
they did indicate the details correctly. This statistic is another
confirmation of the necessity for Christian students and young
adults to know not only what they believe but particularly why they
believe what they believe. Whether through this guide or another
source, knowing what and why you believe is critically important.
If you are a Christian student reading this, do you know what
a Biblical Worldview is? According to this Barna survey, 199 out of
200 young adults do not. If you are a Christian but you dont know
what a Biblical Worldview is, how can you have any confidence that

43

you are living consistent with a Biblical Worldview? You cant, can
you? And if you dont know what a Biblical Worldview is to be able
to live consistent with it then how do you also know that you havent
conformed to a non-Biblical Worldview? As we have seen, ideas
(or philosophies) have consequences. Read Colossians 2:8 again:
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by
philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition,
according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not
according to Christ.
See to it suggests that doing so is very important!
Think of your own life. If you are a Christian and you found
that to live consistent with a Biblical Worldview meant that you
would need to live differently than you do currently, would you be
willing to change how you live? Questions that effectively capture
this idea are,
If we call ourselves followers of Christ, will we make
the Bible flexible to our human reasoning; or will we
make our hearts, lives, and motivations flexible to the
Bible?
As a Christian, should a Biblical Worldview have an
effect on my life; in how I think and what I do?
You may be thinking, But if my lifestyle is the same as
the other Christians I know then doesnt that mean that Im
living as a Christian? Think back to the Barna survey. If only 1
in 200 of those age 18-23 even know what a Biblical worldview is,
isnt it highly probable that you and your Christian friends are part
of the 199 out of 200 who dont know what a Biblical worldview is
and not the 1 in 200 who does? If you are part of the 199 of 200,
how would you ever know you are living as a true Christian
consistent with a Biblical Worldview?
It is easy to forget that most of us live in a sort of bubble. Its
easy to think that if we live like our friends, we are all living
consistent with our shared worldview. If our friends claim to be
Christian and we live like them, we think of ourselves as living
consistent with a Christian worldview. However, even if you are a
44

Christian, living like your Christian friends is not the same as living
with a Christian worldview. If you are a Christian, have you ever
questioned the lifestyle you and your friends accept and live? Think
about your non-Christian friends. How does your lifestyle compare
to theirs?
CHRISTIAN VS. NON-CHRISTIAN - WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
http://ezinearticles.com/?Christian-VS-Non-Christian---
Whats-the-Difference?&id=3905340
If you and your friends are most likely in the 99% who dont
know what a Biblical Worldview is, wouldnt the moral standard
youve all become comfortable with be one you and your friends
have decided is right by passively accepting it? And remember, is
a standard which you have decided and agreed upon an absolute
standard? No, it is subjective. And isnt this true even if you and
your friends havent actually discussed the standard but have just
accepted it? Think about the idea of a Biblical Worldview. Is a
Biblical Worldview one that is indicated by the Bible or decided by
us? I heard a speaker indicate that many Christian youth act as if
being a Christian is nothing more than buying one of the latest
Christian music CDs, or having a ringtone of a Christian song.
To gain an understanding as to what a Biblical Worldview
actually is and how close your worldview is to a Biblical Worldview,
take the following worldview quizzes.
WORLDVIEW QUIZ Self Test to Determine My Worldview
http://worldviewweekend.com/test/test.php
www.christianet.com/bible/worldview.htm
Something else to consider regarding this. When we invite
Christ to be our Lord, He will convict us of our sin. If you call
yourself a Christian and are living no different than your non-
Christian friends, and you are not feeling any conviction about
aspects of your life which are unpleasing to God, you should really
question whether you have truly accepted Christ, or whether you
have only repeated a phrase.
God knows our thoughts, motivations, actions, and He
especially knows our heart. You can say any phrase you want, but
if your life hasnt changed from before you made a decision to
45

accept Him, He is fully aware of the truth. If this describes you, you
should really consider that you may not have truly accepted Him as
your Lord and Savior.
Hopefully you are starting to understand the significance of
having a Biblical Worldview and you are now evaluating your life in
light of the Biblical Worldview. With the information you now have
lets consider those two questions again:
Will we make the Bible flexible to our human reasoning,
or will we make our hearts, lives, and motivations
flexible to the Bible? and Should a Biblical Worldview
have an effect on my life; in how I think and what I do?
WHY THINK OF WORLDVIEWS
www.crossway.org/blog/2014/01/why-think-worldviews
WORLDVIEW & BASIC BELIEFS REVIEW
http://truth4freedom.wordpress.com/modern-society-
engulfing-philosophies/basic-beliefs-and-worldview-review
SUMMIT MINISTRIES WORLDVIEW CHART
www.summit.org/resources/worldview-chart
A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW HAS A RADICAL EFFECT ON A PERSON'S LIFE
www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/131-
a-biblical-worldview-has-a-radical-effect-on-a-
persons-life#.VFct_yLF_E0
WORLDVIEWS IN THE MOVIES
www.worldvieweyes.org/resources/CIY-Conference-
Materials/WVs-in-movies.htm
(A good list of questions to think of when watching
movies, TV, commercials, listening to music, etc.)
DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES
www.preparetheway.us/Resources/downloads/default.aspx
WORLD MAGAZINE
www.worldmag.com/topic/worldview/
NATURALISM: BUMPING INTO REALITY
www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/Solid%20Ground%20
9-2014%20Materialis-Bumping%20into%20Reality-1.pdf
46

 NATURALISM: BUMPING INTO REALITY - Greg Koukls video presentation

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgoOBUQE_OA

* WORLDVIEWS AND COLLEGE

Think again about the survey by the Barna Group. Only 1
in 200 18-23yr old young adults have a Biblical worldview. Combine
this with the statistic on the first page that 70% of the students who
are Christian will abandon what they believe before the end of their
freshmen year in college and you should see the real concern.
I believe the primary reason Christian students abandon
what they believe is that even though many may have been taught
WHAT Christianity believes by their parents, churches, and youth
groups, approximately 70% were never taught the reasons WHY
they could believe it. They were never taught evidences for the
truths of Christianity. These two statistics show that most students
will go all the way through high school and beyond without ever
learning many of the evidences for Christianity, without learning the
reasons why Christianity can be believed as truth.
In the book SOUL SEARCHING, sociologists Christian Smith
and Melinda Denton found that 32% of former believers said they
left because of intellectual skepticism:
"It didn't make sense anymore"
"Some stuff is too farfetched for me to believe"
"I think scientifically and there is no real proof"
"Too many questions can't be answered"

You can preview this book at Google Books:

https://books.google.com/books?id=AN85V20yRmQC&prints
ec=frontcover&dq=%22soul+searching%22&hl=en&sa=X
&ved=0ahUKEwiTmdajrd_JAhVSzWMKHWeQDr0QuwUII
DAA#v=onepage&q=%22soul%20searching%22&f=false

Of course, there are other reasons why students abandon

Christianity in college. It could be that they never really were a
Christian and they were just trying to look like a Christian and fit

47

in. They wanted others to think they were a Christian. Some

students may have turned away from Christianity because it never
become their faith, because they were never shown evidences.
Another reason could be that once in college, without the RULES
they were required to follow when they were at home, the
temptation of unrestricted freedom when combined with the peer
pressure in college, was too strong for them to resist.
There is another aspect to colleges and universities which
can also be a potentially significant factor in contributing to a
Christian student abandoning what they believe. This factor
concerns some of the professors at colleges and universities, and
the persuasive influence they have because of their position of
authority. It is reasonable for a student to assume that a professor
will teach true information about the subject that the professor
teaches. Many students however mistakenly conclude that claims
made by the professor in a subject area the professor doesnt teach
are also true.
If a students professor makes a claim similar to the
following: There is no God, The Bible is full of myths,
Jesus was just a man, or Jesus never existed, the student
may begin to believe that these claims are correct. This is logical
because as we have seen, most students have never seen
evidences proving the truths of Christianity that prove these
professors claims incorrect. If a student only has the claims of the
professor to consider and isnt aware that there are evidences
proving the claims wrong, and much less, doesnt even know any
of these evidences, the professors claims will seem quite
convincing. If youve ever seen a mystery movie or read a mystery
book where you didnt have all the facts until the end, you
undoubtedly came to wrong conclusions until the end, when you
finally had all the facts to base your conclusion on.
As indicated above, students mistakenly conclude that the
professors challenges are true because of their position as a
student in the class as compared to the professor. This starts to
make sense when we realize that students have the mindset that
they are there to learn, and since a professor has already gone
through school, the professor is the educated one. The student
48

comes to the conclusion that the professor must be right, because

of their limited education compared to the professors.
Two friends Ive known since grade school went to the same
church I did. This was before the time churches thought about
teaching evidences for Christianity and before most people were
really aware that there were evidences. Both of these friends
graduated with degrees from U.C. Berkeley. Since they had never
been taught any evidences for what they were brought up believing
about the existence of God, etc., they graduated from this well-
known university as Atheistic Evolutionists. They were never
taught any reasons why they could believe in the Bible, God, or
Jesus, so they had no reason to doubt any professor indicating the
opposite of what they believed. I believe that the impacts of the
university environment indicated above, and their not knowing
evidences contributed to them abandoning what they believed.
If you are wondering if many professors have this
perspective about religious beliefs and Christianity, consider the
following results of studies.
Studies of professors beliefs indicate the following:
1. College Professors are 2-3 TIMES more likely to be atheists
than the general public.
2. More than half of professors have UNFAVORABLE feelings
toward Evangelical Christians.
3. Only 6% of professors say the Bible is the actual word
of God.
4. Almost 50% of professors say the Bible is an ancient
book of fables, legends, history & moral precepts.

ARE AMERICAN COLLEGE PROFESSORS RELIGIOUS?

http://blogs.bu.edu/mrbott/2010/10/12/are-american-
college-professors-religious/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amarnath-
amarasingam/how-religious-are-
america_b_749630.html

49

 AM I LOSING MY FAITH?
www.westernseminary.edu/transformedblog/2012/08/0
9/am-i-losing-my-faith/

You may be thinking that the worldview of a professor

doesnt influence their teachings. But couldnt it?
The following are a few quotes from professors. See if you
can tell their worldviews in their statements. And also see if you
can detect any motivation on their part to challenge what
Christian students believe.
They will see me as just another liberal professor trying
to cajole them out of some of their convictions, and they are
dead right about that thats what I am, and thats exactly
what I am trying to do. Daniel Dennett Tufts University
. . . we try to arrange things so that students who enter
as bigoted, homophobic, religious fundamentalists will
leave college with views more like our own . . . So we are
going to go right on trying to discredit you (the parents) in
the eyes of your children, trying to strip your fundamentalist
religious community of dignity, trying to make your views
seem silly rather than discussable . .
Richard Rorty Stanford University
"I personally feel that the teaching of modern science is
corrosive of religious belief, and I'm all for that! If
scientists can destroy the influence of religion on young
people, then I think it may be the most important
contribution that we can make.
Steve Weinberg U of T Austin
When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called
insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is
called Religion. If this book (The God Delusion) works as
intended, religious readers who open it will be Atheists
when they put it down. Richard Dawkins Oxford University
From his book The God Delusion
These professors statements show the worldviews many
Christian students might encounter in college. And do you now see
that the worldviews of many professors influence their motivations
50

toward the beliefs of Christian students? The above professors

comments show that at least some professors feel it is their
responsibility to eliminate any belief in God a student has. They
actually look at doing this as an honorable endeavor.
Richard Dawkins has had a major influence with his book the
God Delusion, as indicated by the numerous positive reviews on
Amazon:
www.amazon.com/The-God-Delusion-Richard-Dawkins/product-
reviews/0618918248/ref=cm_cr_pr_btm_link_2?ie=UTF8&showViewp
oints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending&pageNumber=2
While there are numerous positive reviews, there are also
critical reviews similar to the MOST HELPFUL CRITICAL REVIEW
shown at the top of the page. From these it is clear that some are
not convinced by some of Richard Dawkins arguments. Could it be
that some of those writing the well-reasoned critical reviews have
additional knowledge not known by some of those writing positive
reviews, and leading them to different conclusions than those
writing the positive reviews? I also found a few critical comments
about the book THE GOD DELUSION outside of Amazon.com:
"The God Delusion makes me embarrassed to be an atheist
Michael Ruse - Atheist
To call The God Delusion sophomoric would be an insult to
sophomores Alvin Plantinga of Notre Dame

This is why the APOLOGETICS and EVIDENCES sections are

so important. Knowing evidences for what you believe gives you
confidence in what you believe, and knowing how to present the
evidences gives you even greater confidence. The more evidences
you know, the stronger your foundation will be for what you believe
and the less likely you are to abandon what you believe, or be
swayed by anothers claims. Clearly, the college students in the
70% statistic did not have a confidence in what they believed.
When you know evidences for what you believe, you can have the
confidence the 70% didnt!
Regarding evidences, even though evidences will give you
greater confidence as a Christian, evidences contradictory to ones
non-Christian worldview will not often bring that person to a point of
51

seriously considering a change to their belief, much less cause

them to immediately accept Christ and Christianity.
Think about your own beliefs. What evidences against
Christianity would you need to see to cause you to doubt your
beliefs about God, Jesus, the Bible, etc., much less give up those
beliefs completely? They would need to be significant and very
convincing, right? It is highly doubtful that just hearing a few things
that seem to prove what you believe wrong would make you change
your beliefs. This is the same for someone who doesnt accept
Christianity, and the strength with which they hold to their beliefs.
The primary reason a worldview is often more influential
than evidences alone is because a persons worldview is often the
main factor in how they view the evidences and what those
evidences prove to them. Evidence looked at through the lens of a
persons worldview will often look to that person to prove the
conclusions of their worldview. Think about the beliefs of Evolution
and Creation. The same facts are available to those of both beliefs
and a number of those same facts are used as evidence to support
each belief.
You may be wondering how the same fact could be used as
evidence to support two contradictory beliefs. This is possible when
a fact can be explained in more than one way. If more than one
explanation can be given for a fact, the fact can be viewed as
evidence supporting different, even contradictory conclusions.
An example of a fact that can have two different
explanations is strata layers in rock. The evolutionary explanation
is that each layer represents long time frames, so it is considered
evidence for evolution taking long periods of time. The creation
explanation is that the layers were all caused by a huge flood.
During the Mt. Saint Helens eruption, the depositing of soil and
subsequent erosion taking place created a canyon effect with strata
layers having been created within 72 hours of the eruption. So with
this example of rapid geologic change, the strata layers provide
evidence for very short periods of time, and thus, evidence for
Young-Earth creation. Does this mean that layers couldnt form
over long time periods? No. However, the Mt. Saint Helens

52

eruption is one instance where strata layers were formed very

quickly, supporting a Biblical Young-Earth creation explanation
better than an Evolutionary one.
I hope through this section that you now see that everyone
has a worldview, even if they have never thought about what their
worldview is. Even if you did not know until now what a worldview
is, I hope you now see its influence over a persons life and actions.

I hope as a Christian you also see the importance of

knowing what a Biblical Worldview is and the importance of living
consistent with it. It should affect every area of your life. If it
doesnt, youre probably living according to a non-Biblical worldview
as 199 out of 200 do in the 18-23yr age range. A person can only
live truly consistent with one worldview.
So what worldview are you living consistent with?

AN OPEN LETTER TO GRADUATES Sean McDowell

www.conversantlife.com/life-with-god/an-open-letter-to-
graduates Pt.1
www.conversantlife.com/belief/an-open-letter-to-
graduates-part-2 Pt.2
HOW SHOULD YOUTH LEADERS PREPARE STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE?
www.conversantlife.com/theology/how-should-youth-
leaders-prepare-students-for-college
WHO'S WAITING FOR YOUR KIDS?
www.conversantlife.com/belief/whos-waiting-for-your-kids
WHY KIDS LEAVE THE CHURCH IN COLLEGE Frank Turek
www.youtube.com/watch?v=msIXv3_0xTA
INTELLECTUAL PREDATORS ON CAMPUS Frank Turek
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_LgIFbtuf4
EQUIPPING YOUTH WITH A BIBLICAL Worldview Sean McDowell
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiTFoQP1vVg
YOUTH APOLOGETICS TRAINING
http://youthapologeticstraining.com/
http://youthapologeticstraining.com/apologetics-podcast-
archive/
53

WORLD-PROOF WORKSHOPS - SESSIONS 1-3 2014 Jay Wegter

http://gospelforlife.org/sermons
TESTING WORLDVIEWS
http://testingworldviews.com
THE POWER OF THE CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW IN PAGAN EVANGELISM
http://truthxchange.com/media/2007/01/21/the-power-
of-the-christian-worldview-in-pagan-evangelism
WORLDVIEW WEEKEND ONLINE ACADEMY
www.worldviewweekend.com/academy/topics.php#topic84
BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW:
Introduction (1/12) www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm3_M3WxIF0
Theology (2/12) www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MSCtIyD7sE
Philosophy (3/12) www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gZRe_LW4-A
Ethics (4/12) www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6NbPdm6-Hc
Biology (5/12) www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO6NskZ9UdI
Psychology (6/12) www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ5LEgk1fKo
Note: There are no indication that videos 7-12 were completed.

SITES ON WORLDVIEWS:
http://allaboutworldview.org
www.xenos.org/classes/papers/5wldview.htm
www.summit.org/resources/worldview-chart
www.bibleculture.org/text/worldview/worldview_comparis
on_chart.pdf
www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/christian_worldview/whats
_a_christian_worldview.aspx
www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/christian_worldview
/why_is_a_christian_worldview_important.aspx
www.worldmag.com/topic/worldview/
http://understandingthetimes.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/02/UTT-Worldview-Chart.pdf
HOW SOME POSTMODERN KIDS USED LOGIC IN BERKELEY
www.conversantlife.com/theology/how-some-
postmodern-kids-used-logic-in-berkeley

54

CHRISTIAN STUDENT VS. ATHEIST PROFESSOR COLLECTION

http://walkingasjesusdid.blogspot.com/2012/04/christian-
student-vs-atheist-professor_3470.html
www.ecclesia.org/truth/professor.html
REAL LIFE CHALLENGES ON CAMPUSES
http://campusreform.org
www.c-span.org/video/?193268-2/political-correctness-
diversity-campus
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cross-
examined/id402803400?mt=2
(Cross Examined October 29, 2014: Getting Ready for Campus)
GETTING PREPARED FOR COLLEGE
THE CHALLENGES COLLEGE STUDENTS FACE ON SECULAR
CAMPUSES
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Challenges-College-
Students-Face-on-Secular-Campuses&id=9920
THE CHALLENGES FACING YOUNG CHRISTIANS
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/the-challenges-facing-
young-christians
CHRISTIAN COLLEGE STUDENTS: TOP 10 CHALLENGES FACED
www.hearitfirst.com/blog/christian-college-students-top-10-
challenges-faced
TOP 10 CHALLENGES CHRISTIAN STUDENTS FACE IN COLLEGE
www.cedarville.edu/eNews/ParentPrep/2012/Challenges-
Christian-Students-Face-in-College.aspx
CHALLENGES FACING CHRISTIAN STUDENTS AT UCLA
www.dts.edu/thetable/play/social-and-intellectual-
challenges-facing-christian-students-at-ucla
ARE U.S. COLLEGES HOSTILE TO CHRISTIAN STUDENTS?
www.beliefnet.com/News/Home-Page-News-and-
Views/Are-US-colleges-hostile-to-Christian-
students.aspx
COLLEGE PREP COURSE
http://crossexamined.org/college-prep-course

55

 PREPARING STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE

www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/students.html
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR ANTI-CHRISTIAN HOSTILITY
http://faithoncampus.com/blog/preparing-students-for-anti-
christian-hostility
PREPARING YOUR STUDENT FOR SECULAR COLLEGE
https://answersingenesis.org/college/preparing-your-
student-for-secular-college
SUMMIT MINISTRIES
SUMMIT STUDENT CONFERENCES
www.summit.org/conferences/student
SUMMIT STUDENT INSTITUTE
www.summit.org/institutes/semester
POSTURES OF THE MIND, AFFECTIONS OF THE HEART
Short video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg2VXB-V8c0
Full presentation - http://rzim.org/?s=postures+of+the+mind
This is a great presentation to high school students by Ravi
Zacharias on the importance of our minds, the power of external
influences, and suggestions to keep from being negatively influenced.
NURTURING CHRISTIAN STUDENTS AS THEY ENGAGE THE
CHALLENGES OF ATHEISM
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2014/nurturing-christian-
students-as-they-engage-the-challenges-of-atheism
12 BIBLE VERSES FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS
www.christiancollegeguide.net/article/Bible-Verses-
College-Students
6 WAYS NOT TO LOSE YOUR CHRISTIANITY IN THE UNIVERSITY
CLASSROOM (Video at bottom of page)
www.credocourses.com/blog/2015/6-ways-not-to-lose-
your-christianity-in-the-university-classroom-video/
ALREADY COMPROMISED Book showing how Christian
Universities have become compromised Link to preview
https://books.google.com/books?id=_xNVJfr90qoC&prin
tsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

56

 ** THE ATHEIST CHALLENGE - Sean McDowell, PhD

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNql36qIExA
THE ATHEISTS CHALLENGE link is an excellent
presentation by Sean McDowell. Sean takes the roll of an
Atheist to demonstrate some of the very effective sounding
arguments against God you are likely to face. Sean spends
the 2nd half of the video answering the arguments he
presented in the first half of the video. This video does a great
job of showing how unprepared most Christians are to defend
their faith against some of the very effective sounding
arguments used to challenge Christianity.
In a few of the arguments Sean presents in the video, he
references two of the latest scientific discoveries being used
to challenge Christianity and the existence of God. They are
the discovery of the HIGGS BOSON PARTICLE and PLANCK
TIME. The links below show why they are not the challenge to
Christianity as they first sound, and also how to respond to
someone presenting these two challenges.
HIGGS BOSON PARTICLE
HIGGS BOSON
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higgs_boson
HIGGS BOSONTHE "GOD PARTICLE"?
www.apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=1&issu
e=977&article=1500
THE GOD PARTICLE AND THE TRUMP CARD
http://flatlandapologetics.blogspot.com/2012/07/god-
particle-and-trump-card.html
PLANCK TIME
PLANCK TIME
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planck_time
IN SCIENCE WE TRUST
www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=1
2&article=4758
IS GOD REAL? DOES SCIENCE ANSWER "IS THERE A GOD?"
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/is_god_real.html
57

 3. CHALLENGING STATEMENTS
FOR CHRISTIANS
Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an
extraordinary destiny... C. S Lewis

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity;

an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
Winston Churchill

How would you respond to the following?

There is no truth All roads lead to God
You cant know anything for sure
We dont allow the view of Christianity,
we allow all views.
Christians shouldnt be so intolerant
Christians shouldnt judge.

In this section, we will look at some of the statements made

to Christians; statements which can seem quite challenging at first.
In this section particularly, I want you to remember John 13:34-35.
John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you
love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love
one another. By this all men will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another."
It is easy to feel personally insulted when our beliefs are
challenged, and negative toward those making the challenge, but it
is important to remember that ultimately it is God who is being
challenged and not us. We must remember that God doesnt need
our help to defend Him. However, if we have developed the skills,
which this guide and other resources will help with, He does offer
us the privilege of being involved in the process. A process not so
much to defend Him, but to present truth and correct error. And
58

unfortunately there is much error in the beliefs people have about

Christianity, both by non-Christians and even Christians.
If we are prepared, there is no challenge to Christianity that
should upset us. If we find ourselves upset we need to increase
our knowledge on the subject and remember Greg Koukls
statement,
When talking with someone, if either of you get upset,
you lose.
This section will provide you with information to be able to
improve your skills in responding to the challenging statements
made by others. This way, you dont need to feel unprepared to
respond to someones challenge or possibly end up feeling insulted
or upset by their challenge.
I believe some of the reasons some people make these
challenges against Christianity are personal. Some may have felt
let down by an experience they had in a church. They could have
been offended or hurt by an individual in that church and then
associate the actions of that person with Christianity. Maybe others
were convinced by professors who persuaded them that God
doesnt exist and that the Bible isnt from God.
Those who have been persuaded that there is no God may
look at the collections taken by churches and religious ministries as
a rip-off. Whatever the reason, theyve decided to challenge what
they now believe is a lie, possibly thinking they are actually doing
good because they believe they are exposing what they believe is
false. Can you also see that a person who has been convinced to
turn away from what they now believe is a lie, will need to be
persuaded to consider possibly significant evidences before they
might reconsider their decision. After all, who wants to be wrong
twice?
I believe the best way to answer the challenges made by
others is not to get defensive, or even offensive for that matter, but
to present truths which correct the incorrect information others
believe and thus persuade them with truth. This way, not only do
you answer their false challenge, but in doing so you may motivate
them to not repeat the false challenge to others now that they know
59

it is false. This may also bring them to a point where they honestly
consider the teachings of Christianity. If providing a reasoned
answer to a challenge causes the challenger to not make the
challenge further, this can be beneficial even further in that other
Christians who dont know the answers to the challenges are
possibly less likely to be confronted with these challenges. It can
also be beneficial in that there will be fewer non-Christians hearing
these false challenges and then repeating them to others.
It is important when answering challenges that you do so
with an attitude of love and respect. Our Biblical mandate as
Christians requires that we do all we can to reach others and to do
so with love and respect. We are to share truths to correct the
errors of those who repeat these challenges in such a way that does
not disrespect them and doesnt embarrass them for using these
challenges.
I see two important reasons to be respectful and non-
embarrassing to those raising challenges against Christianity. One
reason is because most dont realize that most of these challenges
have been proven false. I believe it is very important that those who
make these statements be given the benefit of the doubt in their
motivations for saying them. It is highly probable that they have
never heard responses to the challenges which show the falsehood
of the claims. If they have never heard an answer to their challenge,
they have never had a reason not to believe the challenge and
repeat it. The second reason is that if we show respect for others
and strive to keep from embarrassing them, they might be willing to
consider our reasons and evidences for what we believe.
Many Christians often avoid challenges because they dont
have answers to the challenge. We also dont want others to see
us as confrontational or defensive. We hesitate to speak up
because we dont want to put ourselves in a position where we can
be embarrassed because of our inability to accurately defend what
we believe. As well, we avoid challenges because we want to avoid
the possibility of embarrassing others. Weve all heard about
situations where Christians have been confrontational, defensive,
or lacking in answers and have put Christianity in a negative light

60

with non-Christians. When you are properly prepared you

significantly reduce the instances of these situations taking place.
So lets consider some of the challenging statements you
are likely to hear. The statements in this section can cause a
Christian great concern if they havent learned the problems with
the statements and how to respond to those making the statements.
When you first hear these statements they can sound very
convincing. However, when you examine the statements
considering additional information, you will quickly discover the
inconsistency in each of them. As you will also see, the
inconsistency in the challenge can be brought to the attention of the
person making the statement showing the error of the statement,
and also done so in a way that is not offensive or rude.
I stress again that it is very important to be able to respond
to challenger with respect because as Christians we are to be
winning hearts, not winning ARGUMENTS to the point of silencing
those who are raising the challenges. The ARGUMENTS I refer to
here are the ARGUMENTS of the non-legal type, the type of
ARGUMENTS you find in a heated discussion. Just because you
have silenced a person doesnt mean you have changed their heart.
There is a saying that captures this idea quite well, A person
convinced against their will is of the same opinion still. When
a person feels silenced and disrespected they may become even
more determined to hold onto their belief. So, do you want to
disrespect them and win an argument or be respectful and possibly
win their heart?
The inconsistencies in the challenging statements typically
come from the statements being what are called SELF-REFUTING or
SELF-CONTRADICTORY. That means that the statement REFUTES its
own claims, it CONTRADICTS itself. It cant pass its own claim. The
following few statements are simple examples of self-contradictory
statements. If youve not worked with these types of statements
before you should be able to start to understand the concept.
What is wrong with the following statements?
I can't speak a word of English.
No sentence can have more than three words.
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 It should be easy to see that these statements contradict

themselves. If youre still new to this, you may not be sure how they
contradict. So lets examine them.
The first statement contradicts itself because a person
stating it is using English to state that they cant speak English. The
second statement contradicts itself because it is a sentence having
more than three words stating that no sentence can have more than
three words. You should see by these examples that self-
contradictory statements are automatically false. There is no
possibility that they can be true.

Now, consider these statements:

There is no truth There are no absolutes
Can you tell whats wrong with them? The contradictions
are a little harder to identify, right? Again, these statements are
usually made by people who have heard them stated by others but
who have not examined the statements truthfulness. Havent we
all been guilty at times of doing this? Think about yourself. Have
you ever repeated something youve heard without verifying
whether its true or not? I know I have.
The surprising thing is that these statements are sometimes
made by professors who one would think would know better. Some
professors who know better might be motivated to repeat the
statements knowing they are false, because they know that many
Christians havent learned how to respond to them. Weve already
seen in the WORLDVIEW section the motivation of some professors.
Lets cover these statements so that you will know how to respond
to them when you hear them.

* THERE IS NO TRUTH
As indicated earlier, the statement There is no truth
infers that we cant know anything with any real confidence. If we
cant be sure about anything, we cant be sure about Christianity,
the existence of God, etc.

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 When someone states, There is no truth, they are stating

THE TRUTH that THERE IS NO TRUTH, also called MAKING A TRUTH
CLAIM. This is a clear contradiction because there cant be a TRUE
statement about there being NO TRUTH, if TRUTH doesnt exist. If
there is no truth, then the statement There is no truth cant be
true. Do you see how this statement contradicts itself?
When someone states, There are no absolutes, they are
stating the ABSOLUTE, that there are NO ABSOLUTES. Another
contradiction.
Again, I believe that some professors will make these claims
to cause Christian students to doubt what they believe. I believe
the professors who do this do so because when you as a student
doubt what you believe you are much easier to persuade to believe
differently. Or if you are not persuaded to believe differently, at
least you will probably be less motivated to persuade others to
believe in Christianity. Think about yourself. If you are less
confident that Christianity is true, are you more motivated or less
motivated to persuade others to believe it? Check this Frank Turek
video:
WHY CHRISTIAN KIDS LEAVE THE CHURCH IN COLLEGE - Mins 1-8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=msIXv3_0xTA
HOW DO WE KNOW? EPISTEMOLOGY
http://arcapologetics.org/objections/how-do-we-know-
epistemology

When you think about the concept of TRUTH, if there is no

truth then nothing can be known for sure. If there is no truth then
Jesus statement in John 14:6 I am the Way, THE TRUTH, and the
Life, cant be true. If the statement isnt true, Jesus is not who he
claimed to be, and is either a lunatic or a liar. If there are no
absolutes then there can be no MORAL ABSOLUTES. Since the Bible
presents moral absolutes, this statement challenges the legitimacy
of the Bible.
Are you starting to see how effective these statements are
at challenging the foundational teachings of Christianity and the
beliefs of Christian students?
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 Lets for a moment look at one of the sentences in the last

paragraph. You may have been surprised or offended that I said
that if Jesus wasnt The Way, The Truth, and the Life, he was
either CRAZY or a LIAR. My apologies if I offended, but lets consider
a few things. Have any of your friends, family, or teachers ever
claimed that they were God and that they could forgive sin? If they
did and were sincere in their claim, would you consider them a good
moral teacher? Of course not. Youd think they were crazy or lying.
If Jesus is not God and only a person, for him to say the things He
did would prove that he was a liar or a lunatic.
Many who refuse to believe that Jesus is God consider him
just a good moral teacher. But did He leave this as an option? If
He was just a man and was claiming to be God and forgive sin,
would He be a good moral teacher? No. He would either be a liar
or a lunatic. He left no other option. This is referred to as the LORD,
LIAR OR LUNATIC TRILEMMA. Check the YouTube video of an
excerpt of C.S. Lewis book Mere Christianity.
C.S. LEWIS - LORD. LIAR OR LUNATIC
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynyl0hCUIcs
So, how do we respond to these two challenges?
There is no truth and There are no absolutes
Here are a few possible responses which should bring the
person to the realization of the problems with the claim. When
someone states, There is no truth, ask them, Is that the
truth? When they say There are no absolutes, ask them Are
you absolutely sure? If they state, There are no moral
absolutes, let them know that they are actually stating a moral
absolute.
The response to a self-contradictory statement will start to
show the person making the statement the contradiction in their
statement. People making these contradictory statements have
usually heard someone else make the same statement but without
the statement being responded to. The statement initially sounded
convincing, and since it wasnt responded to they themselves never
questioned it. Because of this they now repeat the statement
because theyve never had a reason to question the statements
validity.
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 Do you see that responding to a self-contradictory statement

primarily requires recognizing that the statement is self-
contradictory? It only takes a little knowledge and practice to get
good at doing this. And as you will see later, a significant benefit of
asking questions over making statements is that questions are less
confrontational so they better allow the person to keep their self-
respect. I stress again, our job is to persuade minds and win hearts,
not win arguments of the non-legal kind, and shut them down.
Another observation about these statements. If someone is
claiming There is no truth, they are suggesting that NOTHING
CAN BE KNOWN FOR SURE. As such, the claim of the person stating
There is no truth cant be known for sure, and so it cant be true.
If the person saying this is an Atheist, anything they write or say
about God not existing, cant be true either. If someone states,
Nothing can be known for sure, you can ask, Well how then
can they know THAT for sure?
One of the increasingly common phrases which is similar in
meaning to There is no truth, is Thats true for you, but not
true for me, or Im glad you found a truth that works for you,
implying that different people can believe different TRUTHS which
are contradictory to each other. When you say something like,
The Bible says . . . a person might respond, Im glad the Bible
is true for you, but it is not true for me. Think about the
statement. Can the Bible be both TRUE and NOT TRUE at the same
time? Do you see how this is self-contradictory?
Here are a few more statements. See if you can determine
how to answer them? Ill give the answers at the end of this
subsection.
We should doubt everything!
We cant know the truth about reality
True for you but not for me.
Truth statements must either be
analytically or empirically verified.
We must deconstruct all truths.
Truth is always changing.

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 All of these statements demonstrate relativism, where the

statement is relative to the person saying it. Its like each person
having their own truth. There is a name for this type of truth. Its
called SUBJECTIVE TRUTH. SUBJECTIVE TRUTH is based upon the
SUBJECT, on the person and their preference, not the object. This
would be similar to which type of ice cream a person believes is the
best. Not that that ice cream, the object, is actually best, but that it
is the preference of the person, the subject making the claim.
The other type of truth is OBJECTIVE TRUTH. OBJECTIVE
TRUTH is true for all people at all times. It isnt determined by each
persons preference. An example of a statement of objective truth
is that insulin is the best treatment for diabetes. This statement is
a statement about insulin, the object, and not the preference of the
person, the subject.
You will see these concepts of differing truths presented in
more detail in the TRUTH section.
Two specific terms to be familiar with for this subject are
RELATIVISM and POSTMODERNISM.
RELATIVISM is the philosophy (belief system) that the
different points of view people have are all valid and true.
That a persons point of view is true if they believe it is true.
RELATIVISM http://carm.org/relativism
POSTMODERNISM is the philosophy (belief system) that
centers on there being no ABSOLUTE TRUTH. As you can see,
they are closely related concepts.
POSTMODERNISM
http://carm.org/dictionary-postmodernism
https://carm.org/emerging-church-postmodernism
There are some who believe that since Einstein proved the
Theory of Relativity, then RELATIVISM has been proven. They
believe that RELATIVITY and RELATIVISM have similar meanings,
since the words look very similar. They do not have similar
meanings. The following audio will give you a good understanding
of both terms and their differences.
PAUL COPAN AUDIO INTERVIEW: RELATIVISM
www.4truth.net/fourtruthpbnew.aspx?pageid=8589952825

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Remember the Bibles warning about the philosophies

Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by
philosophy and empty deceit, according to human
tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world,
and not according to Christ.
The following links also have great information in this area.
They will allow you to gain a much better understanding of these
concepts. This will help you to learn more and give you the ability
to more readily recognize a persons worldview and any
contradictory statements they might make.
http://carm.org/relativism
www.asa3.org/ASA/education/views/wva.htm
www.apologeticsindex.org
www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=12&article=269
www.cslewisinstitute.org/Relativism_BAC_Video
www.cslewisinstitute.org/Postmodernism_BAC_Video
MORAL RELATIVISM: FEET FIRMLY PLANTED IN MIDAIR
https://vimeo.com/9026899
RELATIVISM: FEET FIRMLY PLANTED IN MID-AIR Great video on relativism!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s98Z4tlunA
Relativism Playlist:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s98Z4tlunA&list=PLvzo3iwPHi
9hlb5Jdy4OLlDRVIrZbTWqg
TACKLING RELATIVISM WITH GREG KOUKL
http://vailchristian.com/podcast/category/message-series/tackling-
relativism-with-greg-koukl
THATS JUST WHAT YOU THINK: RESPONDING TO RELATIVISM
www.reasonsforgod.org/2012/07/thats-just-what-you-think-
responding-to-relativism/
SEVEN THINGS YOU CANT DO AS A MORAL RELATIVIST
https://llamapacker.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/seven-
things-you-cant-do-as-a-moral-relativist/
CHRISTIANITY: BOLTED TO REALITY
www.str.org/articles/christianity-bolted-to-reality

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 Here are the questions to ask when presented with those earlier
self-contradictory statements:
We should doubt everything!
A) Should we doubt this statement?
We cant know the truth about reality.
A) How can they know that they know this?
Note: If you can't know the truth about reality, you could
never make this statement.
True for you but not for me.
A) Is this statement true for you but not for me?
Or is true for me and not for you?
Truth statements must either be analytic or empirically
verified.
A) Can this statement be either analytically or empirically
verified?
We must deconstruct all truths.
A) Should we deconstruct this truth?
Truth is always changing.
A) Is this truth always changing?

* CHRISTIANS SHOULDNT BE SO INTOLERANT

Another statement commonly made to challenge Christians
is, Christians shouldnt be so intolerant. This is one of the
current and popular challenging statements because of our culture.
In todays culture if you disagree with someones belief, you are
often labeled intolerant.
Christians are frequently referred to as INTOLERANT. This
claim is usually made because Christians believe that Jesus is the
only way of salvation, (believing an absolute truth), and that there
is only one way to God. Because of this, some believe that
Christians arent open minded to other beliefs as to other ways to
salvation, (a subjective belief), and that Christians shouldnt share
their beliefs with others. People who use the term INTOLERANT to
describe Christians believe that Christians dont consider others
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beliefs to be as valid as their own Christian beliefs. The statement

initially sounds pretty convincing, right? As we shall see, people
who make this statement typically misuse the term INTOLERANT.

Consider one of the definitions of INTOLERANT:

Unwilling to grant equal freedom of expression especially
in religious matters.
By this definition Christians dont fit the definition of
INTOLERANT, do they? No. The majority of Christians by definition
are TOLERANT, not INTOLERANT. Most Christians, while disagreeing
with non-Christian beliefs, are certainly not unwilling to grant equal
freedom of expression. One of the definitions of TOLERANCE is:
The attitude of someone who is willing to accept someone else's
beliefs, way of life, etc. and allow them to hold that belief, even if
they disagree with them. So by definition, most Christians certainly
are tolerant.
Our culture, and increasing numbers of people in the world
it seems, have changed the definition of TOLERANCE to mean the
ACCEPTANCE AND AGREEMENT of anothers different beliefs as truth,
even if those beliefs contradict ours. If we dont consider as true
anothers beliefs which are contradictory to ours, we are considered
INTOLERANT. This is because many believe that no one can know
anything for sure (POSTMODERNISM), and to claim to know
something for sure, according to them is very arrogant. This is
especially true when it comes to the belief of where one will spend
eternity.
Can you see the contradiction in the statement, Christians
need to stop being intolerant? The statement is actually a
statement of intolerance made by the person who is saying it. The
person making the statement is not just disagreeing with the
Christians belief, they are urging that Christians not share what
they believe.
If youre not quite clear yet as to why the statement is
intolerant, lets look at it a little more closely. Doesnt the statement
show that the person making it is disagreeing with what a Christian
believes as truth? If they disagree with what the Christian believes
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as truth, then they are not accepting of the beliefs of the Christian
holds as true, are they? If they dont accept as truth what the
Christian believes as truth, arent they then being intolerant,
according to their definition of intolerant? The statement shows that
they are doing the exact thing they are criticizing Christians for.
Have you ever heard a Christian say that a person of
another belief shouldnt be so intolerant just because they believe
different than the Christian? Ive never heard a Christian say this.
When you think about it, doesnt everyone have a belief they
accept? By the cultures definition of intolerance, any two people
who have contradictory beliefs are automatically intolerant of each
other. If anything, Christians are the ones showing TOLERANCE,
because we allow all beliefs. We just dont consider beliefs that
are contradictory as TRUE. This fulfills the definition of tolerance.
The person stating that Christians need to stop being
intolerant really believes that Christians shouldnt share their
belief. After all, they wouldnt say it if they didnt believe it. So, can
you see how the person saying it is trying to impose their belief on
the Christian, that the Christian shouldnt share their Christian
belief? The statement is self-contradictory because the person
stating that Christians need to stop being intolerant is
demonstrating an intolerance to the beliefs of Christians. The
person making the statement is demonstrating a misunderstanding
of the word INTOLERANT.
When a person claims that you are intolerant, they do so
because they are offended that you think you are right. As we have
seen, the truth in this situation is that they think they are right too,
otherwise they wouldnt criticize you, would they? Greg Koukl of
Stand To Reason (www.str.org) uses the following conversation
example to demonstrate how to respond to someone claiming that
you are intolerant. This should effectively show them that they are
the ones actually demonstrating intolerance.
Challenger: Youre intolerant!
You: Can you tell me what you mean by that? Why would
you consider me an intolerant person?

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 Challenger: Well, its clear you think youre right about

(FILL IN THE BLANK), and you think everyone who
disagrees with you is wrong.
You: I guess I do think my views are correct. Its always
possible I could be mistaken, but I dont think I am. But
what about you? You seem to be disagreeing with me.
Dont you think your views are right?
Challenger: Yes, I think Im right, too. But Im not
intolerant. You are.
You: Thats the part that confuses me. Why is it when I
think Im right, Im intolerant, but when you think
youre right, youre just right? What am I missing?

Greg Koukl also indicates that when asked for your opinion
about a controversial subject when in a conversation with someone
hostile to Christianity, you can be labeled intolerant if your response
is not given skillfully.
He recommends that you not give your answer without first
asking a few questions. The questions will then provide you the
ability to offer your answer without being cornered by the person
asking you your opinion.
The following conversation example shows this technique
and is taken from the article at the following link. Greg was
asked by a friend how she might to respond to her boss, who
had asked her point of view about homosexuality. The boss of
the friend was a lesbian. Greg was able to give her the excellent
counsel indicated in the article.
www.str.org/blog/how-to-defuse-the-accusation-of-intolerance
www.str.org/articles/how-to-get-out-of-a-corner-2
(longer version of the same article)
If youre placed in a situation where you suspect your
convictions will cause you to be labeled intolerant, bigoted,
narrow-minded, or judgmental, then turn the tables. When
someone asks for your personal views about a moral issue,
preface your remarks with a question.

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 Say to the person, You know, this is actually a very

personal question youre asking. I dont mind
answering, but before I do, I want to know if its safe to
offer my views.
So let me ask you a question: Do you consider
yourself a tolerant person or an intolerant person? Is it
safe to give my opinion, or are you going to judge me
for my point of view? Do you respect diverse points of
view, or do you condemn others for convictions that
differ from your own?
Now when my friend gives her point of view, its going to
be very difficult for her boss to call her intolerant or
judgmental without looking guilty, too.
This response capitalizes on the fact that theres no
morally neutral ground. Everybody has a point of view she
thinks is right and everybody passes judgment at some point
or another. The Christian gets pigeon-holed as the
judgmental one, but everyone else is judging, too. Its an
inescapable consequence of believing in morality.
The New Tolerance and Moral Relativism - Jay Wegter
www.masters.edu/media/414782/world-proof%20tolerance.pdf

* ALL ROADS LEAD TO GOD

A similar but less confrontational statement that also shows
intolerance is, All roads lead to God. This statement infers that
any attempt to reach God will be honored by God, and considered
valid by God. For Christians to claim that there is only one way to
God is looked at by our culture as very intolerant. Basically, our
culture views Christianity as not letting someone believe what they
want. Remember, to disagree with someones belief is to not
consider their belief true, and is considered by our culture as
insulting and intolerant.
Think for a moment about the statement. You should notice
that it is also a TRUTH CLAIM. When someone makes this statement,

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they undoubtedly believe it. And if they make the statement, do you
think they are reasonably confident in their belief that it is true? Do
you think they are any less confident about their belief that all roads
lead to God than the confidence you have that there is only one way
to God? Greg Koukl points out that anyone who makes the claim
is doing so because they believe what they are claiming.
The statement also doesnt work when looked at logically.
A similar statement sometimes made to convey the same meaning
is, All roads lead to Rome. When you think about it though, do
all roads lead to Rome? If you get on the 405, or Interstate 5, or
any other road here in California or any road in the rest of the
country, could you get to Rome? Of course not. The person making
the statement All roads lead to God is claiming that they know
what God requires to get into heaven, and that God will allow
anyone into heaven who makes any attempt to reach Him. Doesnt
this sound like a very brave claim?
While the statement infers that God will provide anyone
salvation, as long as they are sincere in whatever belief they have,
it certainly doesnt fit the Biblical message of salvation.
There is another way to consider the claim All roads lead to
God that is consistent with the teachings of the Bible. This is not
the way a person making the statement means it though.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what
is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or
evil.
Romans 14:10-12 Why do you pass judgment on your
brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For WE
WILL ALL STAND before the judgment seat of God; for it is
written,
As I live, says the Lord, EVERY KNEE shall bow to me,
and EVERY TONGUE shall confess to God.
So then EACH OF US will give an account of himself to God.

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 According to the Bible, everyone will reach God on whatever

road they have chosen. And considering this verse, the question is
not whether we all will make it to God, but when we get there, what
determines our eternal destination?
Another statement similar to All roads lead to God, is the
statement, We allow all views. Doesnt this sound very
agreeable and accepting of ALL views? However, when a person
who makes this claim is asked if they allow the view of Christianity,
they will often say something like, We dont allow that view. We
allow all views. With this response it is clear that they allow all
views except Christianity, and in doing so they dont really allow all
views. And why dont they allow Christianity? They dont allow the
view of Christianity because of the exclusive truth claim Christianity
makes which indicates that some beliefs are wrong.
Christianity teaches that there is only one way to God, is
exclusive, and that contradictory beliefs cant be true. If those who
allow all views allow the Christian view, they would be allowing
the view that they are wrong. If there is only one way to God, the
belief of Christianity automatically excludes any other contradictory
belief as being true.
Can you see how the All roads . . ., and All views . . .
statements are not accepting of all views and are self-contradictory
statements? As well, the last statement is one of intolerance,
because they dont want Christians sharing their beliefs. Again,
Christianity allows all views. It just doesnt agree that all views are
true. Christians dont try to keep those who believe non-Christian
teachings from believing them, as is sometimes claimed about
Christians by those who dont believe the teachings of Christianity.
In a nutshell, the NEW definition of Tolerance is to treat all
views as TRUE, not just to be accepting of all views. Again, for non-
Christians to have this new view of tolerance would require that they
believe that Christianity is true, as well as all the other beliefs that
others consider true. But Christianity teaches that beliefs
contradictory to Christianity are false. The non-Christians who
claim that Christians are intolerant DONT THINK THAT CHRISTIANITY
SHOULD BE ALLOWED primarily because Christians believe that

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beliefs contradictory to Christianity are false. Non-Christians who

believe this statement believe that Christianity is false and not true,
as is evidenced by their disagreement with its teachings. Since they
dont consider Christianity true and they believe that Christians
shouldnt share their beliefs, they are actually the ones showing
themselves to be intolerant. As well, while Christians fully allow
people to hold views we believe are wrong, these non-Christians
dont even want the Christian view allowed. So who is really
demonstrating intolerance?
Is Christianity Arrogant (Parts 1-4) - Michael Ramsden
http://rzim.org/?s=arrogant
One of the illustrations sometimes used by those holding the
belief that ALL ROADS LEAD TO GOD, is THE BLIND MEN AND THE
ELEPHANT, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_men_and_an_elephant.
If you are not familiar with this Indian proverb, it is used to
illustrate the limitations of our ability to come to the complete truth
about something. This is because we usually dont have all the
information in a situation. Remember earlier where I wrote about a
mystery movie, and not always being able to arrive at the right
conclusion if we dont have all the facts? In The Blind Men and
the Elephant proverb there are 6 blind men who encounter an
elephant for the first time. They are trying to determine what the
elephant is like, and each is near a different part of the animal.
The one touching the leg claims the elephant is like a tree.
The one touching the tail claims the elephant is like a rope. The
one touching the side claims the elephant is like a wall. The one
touching the tusk claims the elephant is like a spear. The one
touching the ear claims the elephant is like a fan. The one touching
the trunk claims the elephant is like a snake. The six men get into
a heated argument (the non-legal type) as to what the elephant is
like, because each man insists that he is right. A wise man passing
by sees them arguing. He tells them that all of them are partially
right, but since each was touching a different part of the elephant,
each of them only had part of the truth, indicating that none of them
had all the truth.
When someone uses this Indian proverb to claim that a
Christian cant know the truth, it initially sounds reasonable. It is
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true that we dont have all knowledge and that not having all
knowledge it seems fair to apply the proverb. But is the proverb
accurate when used about different beliefs, particularly
Christianity? And is it reasonable for someone to use it about
Christians?
When a person uses this illustration to argue against
Christian teachings, we must keep in mind that the person using it
doesnt have all knowledge either. Using the illustration, they are
implying that the reason Christians shouldnt share their convictions
is because Christians dont have all knowledge, because no one
has all knowledge. But since they are proposing the proverb arent
they inferring that they DO have all knowledge? Arent they inferring
that they have full knowledge and can see that everyone else,
particularly Christians, only have a limited perspective and limited
knowledge. Using this proverb, they are actually believing
themselves to be in the position of the wise man who has all the
facts, while also claiming that no one has all the facts.
That is why it is self-contradictory for someone to use this
proverb against a Christians claims of truth. They are saying that
THEY HAVE ALL KNOWLEDGE TO KNOW THAT NO ONE HAS ALL KNOWLEDGE. If no
one can have all knowledge, then they cant have all knowledge to
know that no one has all knowledge. The other detail not
considered, is that the God of the Universe does have all
knowledge, and if He truly has communicated truths and proven
himself true, we can rely on his information even if we dont know
everything. Since God has revealed himself both through
supernatural evidences and in the Bible, we can know things that
we wouldnt otherwise be able to know through our limited
perspectives. Youll see these evidences in the EVIDENCES FOR
CHRISTIANITY section.

Here is a great video showing the problem with this illustration.

CHALLENGE RESPONSE: THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO-25yKxQ9M#t=47
THE CHEAP SHOT OF "INTOLERANCE"
www.christianity.com/blogs/trevin-wax/the-cheap-shot-of-
intolerance.html

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 THE INTOLERANCE OF TOLERANCE

www.conversantlife.com/theology/the-intolerance-of-tolerance
The previous example is an excerpt from the EXCELLENT book Tactics by
Greg Koukl. A more thorough examination of this excerpt is at:
http://adozenseconds.com/2013/04/03/intolerance
To preview a few chapters of Gregs excellent book, go to:
http://books.google.com/books?isbn=0310574757
To hear a presentation by Greg Koukl on Tactics, check out:
Pt 1: http://server.firefighters.org/catalog/2003/17053.mp3
Pt 2: http://server.firefighters.org/catalog/2003/17054.mp3
ARE CHRISTIANS INTOLERANT? - Greg Koukl
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHQV_QsA_f0
THE INTOLERANCE OF TOLERANCE
www.str.org/publications/the-intolerance-of-tolerance
TRUTH AND TOLERANCE - Articles
http://docsfiles.com/pdf_truth_and_tolerance.html
Hopefully, you can see the self-contradictory nature of the
statement Christians shouldnt be so intolerant. To see a
few eye-opening examples of intolerance exhibited toward
Christians, check the following YouTube videos:
WRETCHED: ANTI-CHRISTIAN INTOLERANCE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YQs0I6AQxw
WRETCHED: SHUT UP, CHRISTIAN!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4ofS4N2RK8
ANTI-CHRISTIANS VANDALIZE PRO-MARRIAGE SIGNS IN MAINE
http://en.gloria.tv/?media=359104
GAY'S ATTACK CHRISTIANS IN SEATTLE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI9ckQ6494k
ATTACKED BY TOLERANCE -- HOW SAME-SEX "MARRIAGE" HURTS PEOPLE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za0ZvliA3AM#t=32

Here are a few more stories demonstrating this intolerance

toward Christians, this time by the government:

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 US GOVERNMENT IS NOW FORCING FIVE AMERICAN PASTORS

TO TURN IN THEIR SPEECHES
http://shoebat.com/2014/10/20/us-government-now-
forcing-five-american-pastors-turn-speeches-
homosexual-sharia-continues
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT TO CHRISTIAN PASTOR: DO A
HOMOSEXUAL WEDDING OR GET THROWN INTO PRISON
http://shoebat.com/2014/10/20/american-government-
christian-pastor-homosexual-wedding-get-thrown-prison/
MARK HARDING THE LAST CANADIAN STANDING
http://evangelistsofcanada.ca/ec/?p=38
ISLAM: WHAT THE WEST NEEDS TO KNOW - MARK HARDING
www.billionbibles.org/sharia/mark-harding.html
GOVERNMENT TO PASTOR: RENOUNCE YOUR FAITH!
www.wnd.com/2008/06/66704/

It is important to realize that some non-Christians have used

names such as intolerant, homophobe, racist,
judgmental, etc., because theyve heard these names effectively
used to challenge Christians. This is because most Christians
havent responded effectively to these names. This is very similar
to the way the other statements in this section have been used.
There is something else to realize when some call names.
When you are called a name, you will feel compelled to defend
yourself against the name youve been called. This will divert you
from the subject you are discussing. Whether intended or not by
the one calling the name, you end up no longer discussing the
subject and are now forced to defend yourself against the name.
As an example, if you are called Intolerant you are now
forced to defend yourself against the charge of being intolerant,
instead of talking about the subject you are discussing. Again, I
believe that many of the people who call others these names dont
even realize they are using this diversion since so many repeat
claims theyve heard, claims which are not usually challenged or
responded to. And since most Christians havent been taught how

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to deal with this practice of name-calling, the action is very effective

at shutting down or diverting the conversation.
You will also find that some people will call others names
when they dislike the conclusions presented by others. This is
usually because they have a weak argument or no argument with
which to respond to the presentation they believe is wrong. This is
unfortunately somewhat common, and you will see when some
people dont have a response to another persons argument, they
will start attacking the person rather than deal with the persons
arguments.
If a person resorts to name calling they are already acting in
an aggressive way, so being a little more direct is very fair. Some
responses to a person calling you a name could be,
Calling me a ______ doesnt really deal with the evidence or
conclusion Ive presented. Do you have a challenge to the
evidence/conclusion other than calling me names?
or, Whether Im a _____ or not doesnt really answer the
evidence or conclusion Ive presented. Creative name
calling isnt evidence and isnt a challenge to the evidence.
So why dont you respond to the evidences rather than
calling me a name?
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH NAME CALLING?
www.str.org/blog/how-do-you-deal-with-name-calling
HOW DO YOU HANDLE NAME CALLING IN A WINSOME WAY?
www.str.org/blog/how-do-you-handle-name-calling-in-a-
winsome-way-video
A way to quickly response to the claim You shouldnt be
so intolerant would be to first use the previous example we
showed. Then ask, If I am being so intolerant of anothers
views as you claim, and we shouldnt be intolerant, then why
are you being intolerant of my views and why is that OK? You
might be the first person to effectively answer their claim, and bring
them to a realization to the truth of their self-contradictory position.
Again, people usually make these statements because
Christians claim their beliefs are the truth. Others see this as
intolerance of the non-Christian beliefs of others. They believe that
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Christians are judging other beliefs as NOT THE TRUTH. (see the
section on TRUTH, and the following YouTube video:
LAW OF NON CONTRADICTION
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWVzHOhGSC0

The main reason people push back against the claims of

Christianity is that they dont like it when they feel that theirs or
anothers beliefs are judged by Christians. When we make truth
claims like Christianity is true, or Jesus is the only way,
others think, You Christians think youre better than others,
because you think you are right, and others wrong. They see
it not as a criticism of the belief of the person but a criticism of the
person themselves. They see it as a personal attack.
But arent those who are making these claims against
Christians doing what they are criticizing Christians for? Dont they
themselves believe they are right and that Christians are wrong?
Arent they judging the beliefs of Christians? Many non-Christians
who are critical of Christians in this way dont realize the actual
reason Christians make these statements. Most Christians make
these statements, not because they think they are better than other
people, but because Christians believe that these statements are
true, they believe TRUTH matters, and they believe that the
implications of these truths are eternal.
Think of the illustration of a burning house. Suppose you
were out very early one morning and you saw a house that had
caught fire, and you knew the family was home asleep. If you woke
them up to tell them their house was on fire and they refused to
believe you and get out of the house, would it be intolerant of you
to keep trying to convince them to get out of the house? To claim
that a Christian is intolerant is similar to claiming that you were
intolerant for trying to persuade the family to believe different about
their situation than what they were comfortably believing.

A Christian in this illustration might be considered persistent

but certainly not intolerant. Christians continue to try to reach
others because they believe there is an eternal destination for all
persons who live on the Earth. Once a person has died, there is no
further opportunity to persuade them to consider possibilities they
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may not have previously considered; possibilities about what is after

this life they may have not previously considered.

* YOU SHOULDNT JUDGE

Criticisms similar to Christians shouldnt be so
intolerant are You shouldnt judge or Christians are so
judgmental. When they claim You shouldnt judge, they are
doing so again because you as a Christian think you are right. Think
about those who believe differently than Christianity, and make the
claim You shouldnt judge. Dont they think they are right?
When someone states, You shouldnt judge, isnt that a
judgment about the person they are stating it to? You shouldnt
judge is in fact a judgment. They are judging Christians for what
they believe is the Christians judgement of others beliefs.
You shouldnt judge is another example of a self-
contradictory statement and can be responded similarly to
responding to the claim that Christians are intolerant. The response
to this criticism could be, If it is wrong to judge, then why are
you judging me?
If you had more time, you could respond similar to the
following dialog example which Greg Koukl has used when
someone has made the statement to him:
Non-Christian: You shouldnt judge
Christian: Why not?
Non-Christian: Because you think you are right, and you
think others are wrong
Christian: Do you think you are right?
Non-Christian: Yes
(What are they going to say, that they are wrong? No.
If they thought they were wrong, they wouldnt complain.)
Christian: Why when I think Im right, Im judgmental,
but when you think youre right, youre just right?
This again is a very similar response to being called
intolerant.

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 This criticism against Christians about their judging typically

comes from Matthew 7:1. Since those who criticize Christians
typically misread this passage, they have turned it into a criticism
against Christians. It is a popular one among those looking for
ammunition against Christians:
Matt 7:1 Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
This verse is used by many in our tolerant culture to
promote the perspective that Christians dont have the right to judge
anything because Jesus said that we shouldnt judge. You may
have noticed the irony in this especially since weve already looked
into the idea of someone saying that we shouldnt judge, showing
that they are doing what they criticize Christians for. The way they
use this verse seems to almost be permission for them to judge
Christians, while Christians are to remain silent.
So, is this a true and correct understanding of this verse and
are we as Christians obligated to follow the verse the way it is
presented by those using it in this way? Often a single Bible verse
can be used to justify something opposite what the Bible actually
means. The following answers this challenge and shows the
correct understanding of the verse.
THE VERSE THE CULTURE MISQUOTES MOST REGULARLY IN AN
EFFORT TO QUIET CHRISTIANS - J. Warner Wallace
www.str.org/blog/the-verse-the-culture-misquotes-most-
regularly-in-an-effort-to-quiet-christians#.VDA_rmddXE1

* CHRISTIANS ARE HYPOCRITES

Another criticism is, Christians are hypocrites. Notice,
this is NAME CALLING OF A GROUP. In this instance the name calling
is of Christians. Some people indicate hypocrisy as the reason for
not being open to considering Christianity. They say this because
they see those who call themselves Christian, whether on TV or
maybe people they know, who demonstrate characteristics in their
lives opposite of what that person feels a Christian should be
demonstrating.

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 The early 1900s Christian preacher Donald Barnhouse

made the following statement,
There are two reasons people dont become Christians.
The first is that they dont know any,
and the second is that they do.
To see the significant impact our character has on the
perceptions of non-Christians, we only need to see two comments
Gandhi made. He stated,
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your
Christians are so unlike your Christ,
and also,
If Christians would really live according to the
teachings of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India
would be Christian today.
What a condemnation of the way many Christians live.
I know the student president of the Christian Club of one of
the high schools in our area. She told me that pictures had been
taken of a few of the students from the Christian Club while they
were at a party. Evidently the pictures showed these few students
acting inconsistently with how others normally expect Christians to
act. One person who saw the pictures commented to the president
of the Christian Club
The pictures prove that the club is full of hypocrites!
They all were going to burn in hell!
Can you imagine how the clubs president felt after hearing
this? These were pictures of only a few students, yet the person
who made the comment associated what they saw objectionable in
the pictures with all of the students in the Club. If you are a
Christian, how is your Christian life and commitment perceived by
others, and by others on social media sites? Is there anything in
your life which if discovered by others would be embarrassing for
you and damaging to the image others have of Christians and
Christianity?
Can you also see how the actions of a very few can
significantly influence the impression others have of a group,
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particularly Christianity, and another Christians ability to

communicate further with them? When you see a company vehicle
driving in an unsafe manner, do you limit your negative impression
to the driver or do you also look at that company negatively? Dont
you feel that if a company is going to hire someone like that, then
Im not going to give them my business? That is why how we
represent Christianity is so important. The unfortunate truth is that
some people are looking for Christians to mess up. They are only
too happy to have their expectations confirmed by a small
percentage of Christians who dont think beyond their own
convenience to see how they represent Christianity to others.
Something else to think about. What do you tell more
people about, something good you experienced or something bad?
I was working for a company a number of years ago, and they
referenced a study about customer experiences. The study showed
that statistics showed that a customer who has a good experience
with a company will tell on average 4 other people, while a customer
who has a bad experience will tell on average 13 other people!
If we are honest, we realize that everyone demonstrates
hypocrisy at times, regardless of what they believe. I was privileged
to hear an interview with Dr. Jerry Root, who is a professor at
Wheaton College` and C.S. Lewis Scholar. He spoke on this
subject. It is the best presentation Ive heard on the subject of
hypocrisy. It is one of the STAND TO REASON podcasts. The audio
is at the following link, but Ive transcribed it just in case the link
becomes unavailable:
Dr. Jerry Root - C.S. Lewis Scholar
http://www.str.org/podcasts/weekly-audio/dr.-jerry-root---
c.s.-lewis-scholar (the following starts at 1hr40minute mark)
Dr. Root states,
When they say they're not interested in spiritual things,
especially Christian things because they've seen too many
hypocrites in the church. Ive said to them, That's really
insightful of you. Obviously your powers of observation
are pretty good. Nobody in the church has it together"
If we judged any segment of society by its worst
examples, nobody could stand. We can always find
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 examples of bad pastors, bad students, bad lawyers, and

bad car salesmen, whatever it might be."
But, when I say to the person, It's insightful of you to
see that there are hypocrites in the church, I say to them,
Here's how I know what you're saying is true. I'm one. I
believe in the high ideal of love, but there have been times
I've had sharp words with people I say I love most in the
world. I believe in justice, but there have been times I've
been unfair. I did not set out to be unfair, but realized it
after the fact. Now I know there are hypocrites in the
church, because I'm one."
With only one exception, hundreds and hundreds of
times I've had that conversation, the person has responded to
me as openly as I've been unguarded with them. And they've
said "When you put it like that, I struggle with these things
too." Now the issue of hypocrisy is not the barrier that keeps
us from talking about matters of faith, the barrier actually
opens the door, so that we can get to the issues of faith.
"So I say to them, Now as a pilgrim on the same road
with them, As a struggler in life, knowing I don't have it
all together, what's helped you?" And they say to me,
"Well, I struggle . . . I say, "Can I share with you what
helps me?" And I'm then able to go and talk with them about
the love of God. The God who knows me, knows all of my
goofiness, knows my lack of life skill, knows my
inconsistencies, and hypocrisies. He knows me and he loves
me. And that gives me the encouragement then to pick myself
up from my failures, and have a reason to go on, in the light
of that love. Not only that, He forgives me of those things,
which in a sense is a fresh start, a second chance". And I
think that's brilliant stuff, and we all long to be fixed. Anyone
whos honest with themselves at least longs to be fixed.
CS Lewis says in his essay Christian apologetics,
"Before the Gospel can be Good News, its got to be bad
news". Lewis says, "Nobody comes to faith in Christ,
without acknowledging their need for Christ, without
coming to some awareness of sin. That the way to
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 awaken a person to their sins, is probably not to be

condescending and condemning.
CS Lewis adds, There's a better way. That way is to
talk about our own struggles this last week, and often that
kind of honesty, will allow the other person in our
presence to be equally honest. Now we can get to some
good places.

* SCIENCE IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN KNOW REALITY

Lets look at this statement about science which initially
sounds quite valid. There have been so many scientific advances
that many people have been convinced that science is the only way
to know the truth about the world. They will make the claim, You
cant know anything outside of what can be proven by
science. This is another statement that sounds valid but has
usually not been examined by many of those who use it.
Additionally, it is often repeated because it is another claim rarely
challenged.
Many mistakenly claim that the Bible is contradicted by
science and that you either believe in science or you believe in the
Bible/religion. Unfortunately, when many Christians are confronted
with this claim theyve been persuaded by it and been silenced.
When you check out the EVIDENCES FOR CHRISTIANITY section you
will see that the Bible is supported extremely well by science. This
is the exact opposite of the incorrect claim about science being the
only way to know anything. If you dont know about the evidences
though its really easy to be deceived into thinking that this claim is
true.
So, what is wrong with the claim? When someone makes
the claim, Science Is the only way we can know reality, they
are essentially saying that one can only gain a knowledge of reality
through SCIENCE and no other area of study. So if nothing can be
known other than by SCIENCE and through THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD,
we cant then know anything about reality through any other area of
learning. As such, we cant know anything through Literature,
Philosophy, History, Art, Psychology, or other areas of study.

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 So how do we answer this claim? While the claim is that

Only science gives us a knowledge of reality, can this claim
be known through the scientific method? Greg Koukl (www.str.org)
observes that the statement Only science gives us a knowledge
of reality, is not a statement of science because it cant be proven
using the scientific method. It is actually a statement of belief (or
philosophy) about science, also called a STATEMENT OF
PHILOSOPHY. So you could respond to the person, Your
statement cant be proven using the scientific method.
J.P. Moreland makes a great observation about this. He
states, The statement itself cannot be known through science.
So essentially, it is a statement of philosophy. It is a statement
of philosophy that says that you cant trust statements of
philosophy. What is this type of statement called? Thats right,
a SELF-CONTRADICTORY STATEMENT. Here is the link to his
recording answering this statement:
Has Science Made Belief in God Unreasonable? (audio)
www.apologetics315.com/search?q=Has+Science+M
ade+Belief+in+God+Unreasonable
Reconciling Science and Scripture
www.apologetics315.com/2009/12/reconciling-science-
scripture-mp3-audio.html
In this second audio above JP Moreland also very creatively
answers a person who states, If you cant test it and quantify
your data and measure it in a laboratory, its nothing but a
bunch of idle speculation and hot air.
Check out some of the outstanding audio recordings of JP
Moreland on this subject. Evidence for Christianity, Reconciling
Science and Scripture, and others at:
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/J.P.%20Moreland
Audio Resources from J.P. Moreland
http://thinkingmatters.org.nz/2010/02/audio-resources-
from-j-p-moreland
Preparing Students for College Jerry Solomon
www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/students.html

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 I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist - Frank Turek

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTmjnxzK3gQ
This has answers to many challenging statements.

* HAS ANYONE SEEN OR HEARD GOD?

In one of Greg Koukls radio call-in programs he mentioned
an encounter between a professor and a student who Greg knew.
The professor used a line of reasoning to prove to the students in
the class that God didnt exist. This line of reasoning initially
sounded valid. The professor gave the following reasoning to the
class this student was in:
Professor: Does anyone believe in God? - a few hands raise
Professor: Has anyone seen God? - Silence
Professor: Has anyone heard God? - Silence
Professor: Has anyone interacted with God? - Silence
Professor: Since no one has seen, heard or interacted with
God, I shall conclude that God must not exist.
After the professor finished talking, a student raised his hand, and the
professor acknowledged him.
Student: Can I ask the students a few questions?
Professor: Go ahead.
Student: Has anyone seen the professor's brain? - Silence
Student: Has anyone heard the professor's brain? - Silence
Student: Has anyone interacted with the professor's brain?
Student: Using the professor's own logic, the professors brain
must not exist.
Greg Koukl indicates that you want to have a very good
relationship with your professor before you attempt such an answer
to this type of challenge by your professor, but it effectively
demonstrates the faulty logic of the professors claim. If you are in
a similar situation and you dont want to give the impression that
you are challenging your professor you could make your point
effectively by asking questions similar to the following:
Professor. Are the only evidences for the existence of
something being that we be able to see, hear, or interact
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 with it? Wouldnt it be valid for someone use the same

reasoning to question the existence of a persons brain?
How Some Postmodern Kids Used Logic in Berkeley
www.conversantlife.com/theology/how-some-postmodern-
kids-used-logic-in-berkeley

* GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD AND ISNT WORTHY OF WORSHIP

Some have objected to the verses where God states that He
is a jealous God.
Exodus 20:5 "You shall not bow down to them or serve
them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God."
Exodus 34:14 "For you shall worship no other god, for the
Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."
In the video at the link below video Oprah tells how she
rejected the idea of the God of the Bible because of this description
of God being jealous.
OPRAH REALLY BELIEVES GOD IS JEALOUS OF HER
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxao4LmTMfU&spfreload=1
When we think of the human emotion of JEALOUSY it is
understandable that some would come to the same conclusion
Oprah has. www.thefreedictionary.com uses the following words in
its definition of JEALOUS: ENVIOUS, RESENTFUL, FEARFUL, and WARY.
It seems almost ridiculous to even think of applying these words to
God as he is represented in the Bible. That the God of the Universe
would experience any of these emotions seems absurd. Is there
another way to consider this term as used by God of Himself?
www.thefreedictionary.com lists the 5th definition of jealousy
as: Intolerant of disloyalty or infidelity; autocratic: a jealous god.
Ezekiel 39:25b states, "and I will be jealous for my holy name.
When we consider this definition and this verse from
Ezekiel we get a much more accurate understanding of the kind of
JEALOUSY God is indicating. According to this definition God is
jealous, or intolerant of disloyalty or infidelity, for His holy name.
This makes perfect sense when thinking of the God of the Bible.
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God is intolerant of our disloyalty or infidelity or anything which

would contribute to intolerance or disloyalty to Him. This is fully
consistent with the character of God as He is described in the Bible.
Greg Koukl explained to a caller that since God has created
us and done so much for us, he is jealous for us and against
anything that would take our affections from him. God isnt jealous
OF us but FOR us, and for what is best for us.

A verse which shows this clearly is Deuteronomy 13:5

Deuteronomy 13:5 "That prophet or dreamer must be put to death,
because he preached rebellion against the LORD your God, who
brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery;
he has tried to turn you from the way the LORD your God
commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among
you."
The illustration Greg used is that of a couples relationship.
Think about a couple you know. Would one of the two people have
the right to be jealous if they found out that the other person was
having romantic feelings for someone other than them? Think
about yourself. If you have a boyfriend or girlfriend, would it be OK
to be jealous if they were showing more than a friendly interest in
someone other than you? Of course it would. You have something
special with that person, and for them to be this inconsiderate would
be to show a lack of concern and respect for the relationship they
have with you.
Gods jealousy is similar to this but not quite the same.
Since God has created us and paid the price for our salvation he is
fully justified in being jealous for us when he knows that any other
thing we try to find fulfillment in can never come close to the
fulfillment that He can provide for us. He is truly interested in our
best and he knows He can provide infinitely better for us than any
other person or thing we might turn to.
In the video with Oprah, Opera asks God is jealous of
me? I think it is much more accurate to see that God is not jealous
OF Oprah or OF us but that God is jealous FOR Oprah and FOR us.
Hopefully this gives you a better way to look at this objection.

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* CHRISTIANITY IS JUST A CRUTCH

Christianity is just a crutch. This is said to imply that
Christians are weak and gullible and that we believe Christianity
simply because we want it to be true. We believe that we NEED a
God because we cant handle life on our own. Couldnt the same
be said about the beliefs of those who criticize Christianity?
Couldnt we claim Atheism is just a crutch, or any other belief
as just a crutch also? After all, its really not about whether
someone has a crutch, (what the person wants or doesnt want to
be true), but which crutch that person is using.
Whether a person is an Atheist, Muslim, Mormon, etc., they
want their belief to be true. Even an Atheist is hoping that their
belief that there is no God to be true, and they are resting on what
they believe. Everyone, whether a Christian or not, relies on
something. Everyone is basing or supporting the foundation for
their life on something. Do you remember in the section on
worldviews, where many will believe the world is a certain way
because they want to believe it, not just because the evidence?
Is Religion a Crutch?
www.rzim.org/just-thinking/is-religion-a-crutch
The article covering this and many other criticisms of
Christians as well as responses, can be found at:
Common Criticisms of the Bible and Their Weaknesses
www.freesundayschoollessons.org/systematic-
theology/apologetics/lesson-6-common-criticisms

* BELIEFS ARE DUE TO CULTURE AND GEOGRAPHY

Jay Wegter mentions in the following recording: about a
Wellesley College class which was taken by the wife of one of his
mentors. http://gospelforlife.sermon.net/main/main/10072576
In the first class session the professor of the class drew
attention to the mentors wife, Janice. The professor mentioned to
the class that Janice had indicated that she was a born again
Christian. The professor then pointed out another student, Alicia,
and that Alicia was a Muslim and had grown up in Saudi Arabia.

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 He then asked Janice if she had grown up in a Christian

home, and asked Alicia if she had grown up in a Muslim home.
When they both acknowledged that they had, the professor stated,
Lets face it, your religious affiliation is a geographical
coincidence. Janice, if you had been born in Saudi
Arabia youd be a Muslim, and Alicia, if you had been
born in a Christian family, youd be a Christian. So
lets drop our exclusivism. Lets just drop the topic of
whos right and whos wrong.
How would you handle a situation like this where the
professor singled you out about what you believed and made the
statements they did? How intimidated would you feel?
Janice waited until all the students had left and gently
confronted the professor. She said,
You spoke this morning as if you were speaking from
a place of total objectivity. You didnt own your
worldview. You had fun with my worldview but you
didnt own yours. What is your worldview and how
does it weigh objectivity? She then said I want
respect from you, and I want respect for my Christian
worldview. Otherwise, Im going to ask you to own
your worldview in front of the class.
Her response took the professor completely off guard. He
changed his perspective and from then on showed respect for
Janice and her beliefs. For the rest of the semester when the class
was discussing a topic, he would say,
Janice, if you could tell us what the Biblical worldview
is on this topic that would be great.
Jay indicates that, He showed her complete respect and
actually invited her input to share from a Biblical worldview.
Notice that Janice didnt try to embarrass him in front of the
students. She waited until everyone was gone so that she wasnt
putting him on the spot, which allowed her to be more direct.
Janices professor had probably never had a Christian
student point out the inconsistency of the professors statements
before. How do we respond when someone claims that we only
believe in Christianity because we were brought up in a Christian
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culture and/or household, and why was Janices response to this

professor so effective?
It wasnt immediately apparent to me what the contradiction
was in what the professor said, but taking some time to think about
it made it more clear. What Janice pointed out to her professor was
that he was really claiming that beliefs are only based upon culture
and geography, and not on truths. Like The Blind Men and the
Elephant parable, he implied that he saw the topic from a position
of full understanding and objectivity and implied that Janice and
Alicia only had a partial understanding. Considering the professors
statement, Lets just drop the topic of whos right and whos
wrong, the professors belief is that no one can be fully objective
about which belief is right and which belief is wrong. However, he
is implying this while he believes himself to be fully objective.
By calling on Janice and Alicia and asking the questions he
asked and making the statement he did, he implied that he was the
only one who was objective, which contradicts his implication that
no one can be objective. His comments show that what he believed
to be true was that religious beliefs are really only based upon
where a person is born and raised, and the culture they live in. He
gives no indication that he is religious, but does imply that he IS able
to be objective.
A few other observations about someone holding this
perspective. If they are an Atheist, did they grow up in an Atheist
home? Ive read that many atheists actually grew up in religious
homes. If the person posing these questions about geography and
culture is an Atheist but they grew up in a religious household, their
conclusion from their questions would contradict their own
experience. Since they grew up in a religious home, they should
be religious and not an Atheist.
GEOGRAPHY AS THE MOST IMPORTANT PREDICTOR OF RELIGION
www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&
article=2789
www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&
article=4133

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JAY WEGTERS WORLDPROOFING WORKSHOP 2013

PT 1 EXPOSING THE LIES OF OUR PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
http://gospelforlife.sermon.net/10072576
PT 2 IS EVOLUTION A SCIENTIFIC THEORY OR A RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY?
http://gospelforlife.sermon.net/10072577
PT 3 THE NEW TOLERANCE, CALLING GOOD EVIL AND EVIL GOOD
http://gospelforlife.sermon.net/10072578
JAY WEGTERS WORLDPROOFING WORKSHOP 2014
PT 1 BIBLICAL COSMOLOGY; THE FOUNDATION OF THE GOSPEL
http://gospelforlife.org/s/WorldproofingWkshop-I-Biblical-
Cosmology-Gospel-Foundation-2014-awnd.mp3
PT 2 DECONSTRUCTING THE IDOLATRY IN EDUCATION (ROMANS ONE)
http://gospelforlife.org/s/Worldproofing-Wkshop-II-
Deconstructing-Idolatry-in-Ed.mp3
PT 3 CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS; ANSWERING A CULTURE OF SKEPTICISM
http://gospelforlife.org/s/Worldproofing-Wkshop-III-
Answering-a-Culture-of-Skepticism.mp3
JAY WEGTERS OTHER EXCELLENT RECORDINGS
http://gospelforlife.org/sermons/
http://thesermonnetwork.com/sermon-search
Enter Wegter in last name of Advanced Search and click Go

* IF I DONT ACCEPT JESUS, WILL I GO TO HELL?

One of the statements I believe is important to be able to
respond to is actually a question. While its not a self-contradictory
statement, it can still be quite challenging when asked. While I
believe some ask the question honestly seeking an answer, I
believe others will ask it in an attempt to trip up Christians. They
look to use what they believe the Christians probable answer will
be as evidence of how narrow minded the Christian is and how petty
God is.
The question is: If I dont accept Jesus, will I go to hell?
While the question initially seems challenging, I have
provided information from Greg Koukl as to how to respond to this

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below, as well as in the SHARING THE TRUTHS OF CHRISTIANITY

section.
When you think about the question, you can see that if only the
single word answer yes is given the person will leave with the
impression that they are going to hell simply because they picked
the wrong preference of religion. If only the single word answer
no is given, the person will have a misunderstanding of salvation
according to the teachings of the Bible. It will seem to them very
trivial on Gods part that they might have lived a GOOD life and are
still going to hell.
Since it is impossible to provide an adequate answer to this
question using only a single word answer, a question like this needs
to be answered very tactfully. This way, the person asking the
question comes to a full understanding of the importance of their
question. A single word answer cannot provide this needed
understanding and perspective.
Greg Koukl stresses that if someone presses you for a single
word answer and is not willing to give you the time necessary to
give them a full answer then you are not obligated to answer at all.
You could respond, The subject is much too important to give
a single word answer to. If you are really interested in an
answer rather than just a quick response, Im happy to talk with
you. If you wont give me the time to show your question the
respect it deserves then you must not be that serious about
the question, and the answer must not be that important to
you.
Review Greg Koukls effective method of responding to this:
AM I GOING TO HELL? www.str.org/articles/am-i-going-to-hell

* IF GOD IS ALL POWERFUL CAN HE MAKE A ROCK SO BIG . . . ?

There is one question that is almost always asked to stump
those who believe in God. It is rarely asked because the person is
seriously looking for an answer. I believe it is another example of a
question that the one asking has heard, that they thought sounded
good, and hadnt heard a credible response from a Christian.
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 The question is, If God is all powerful can He make a

rock so big that he cant lift it? It is posed as a challenge to the
concept of an ALL-POWERFUL GOD.
When you initially hear the question, it does make you
wonder how the question can be answered. The underlying
challenge in the question is:
If God is all powerful, he could make a rock so big that
he cant lift it, but then he couldnt be all powerful
because he couldnt lift it. If he could lift any rock that
he could make then he isnt powerful enough to make a
rock too big for him to lift. Either way, God is lacking
power in some way.
The answer to this challenge has to do with the nature of
God. God has made a logical world, where two or more concepts
cannot be both true and contradictory at the same time. The
question is similar to someone asking, Can God make a square
circle? It is a logical impossibility. The rock question is another
example of a logical impossibility.
Greg Koukl states in the following video,
God is ALL-POWERFUL, which means He has all the power
needed to do anything that requires power to accomplish,
but there are some problems power cant solve.
GREG KOUKL - IF GOD IS ALL-POWERFUL, WHY DOES EVIL EXIST?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jRMWKz4hbw
IF GOD, WHY EVIL? - SEAN MCDOWELL
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH8hJ8V4sTY

Have you ever thought that God cannot do certain things?

The idea that there are things He cant do may surprise you.
However, considering the nature of God and His character; we see
that God cannot lie, that He cant act contradictory to his nature,
that He cant violate laws of logic, and that He cant learn. His
nature will never change. The idea that God cant learn kind of
surprised me when I first heard it because of my initial
understanding about God being able to do anything. It does make
sense though when we realize that God has all knowledge, He
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knows everything. There is nothing that he doesnt know. Believing

that God can learn implies that he doesnt know everything, and this
would be actually contradictory to his nature.
While these may initially seem like limitations, they actually
enable us to have great confidence in God, in His integrity, and in
His promises.
Malachi 3:6 "I, the Lord, do not change."
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday and today and forever.
We can have confidence in God, because He doesnt
change. Since God doesnt change we know that we will be able
to depend on the promises he has made. Knowing that he cannot
lie and will never act contradictory to his nature should give
Christians great confidence in God.

* JESUS IS A COPY CAT SAVIOR AND

CHRISTIANITY IS A COPY CAT RELIGION
This challenge is not commonly encountered, but it can
catch you off guard if youve never heard it before, or how to
respond to it.
The following are the details about a deity, told to J. Warner
Wallace http://pleaseconvinceme.com, by a man he spoke with.
See if you can guess who is indicated by these details this man
gave.
He was born of a virgin, born in a cave.
His birth was heralded by a star, and attended by shepherds.
He had 12 disciples, did interesting things, and preached a
sermon on the mount.
He preached to save the masses and died to save the world.
Three days later he rose from the dead.
His birth is celebrated on Dec 25th, and his resurrection is
celebrated on Easter.
Afterwards His disciples started meeting on Sundays, and
celebrated the Lords Supper with communion.
And he was called the way the truth the light.
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 Who do you think this describes? Would you be surprised

to learn that according to the man J. Warner Wallace spoke with
that you would be wrong if you said Jesus?
The man told J. Warner Wallace that these details are about
Mithra, a God from Persia worshipped 400 years before Jesus.
Followers even worshipped alongside the new Christians who the
followers of Mithra believed to have stolen Mithras identity, called
him Jesus, and built the Christian basilicas in Rome on the
foundations of the Temples of Mithra.
If someone presented this challenging information, and you
had never heard it before, what kind of impact do you think it would
have on your confidence in what you believe, especially to find that
these are actual details of the Greek and Egyptian gods of Horus,
Mithras, Krishna, and Dionysus?
Was Jesus a Copy of Horus, Mithras, Krishna,
and Other Pagan Gods?
http://beginningandend.com/jesus-copy-horus-mithras-
dionysis-pagan-gods
In the following video, J. Warner Wallace, the cold case
detective (http://pleaseconvinceme.com), recounts one of the first
annual trips he took with Bret Kunkle (www.str.org), where he talks
about the conversation with the man indicated above. Each year
they take a group of students to Berkeley or Salt Lake City to give
the students exposure to philosophies contradictory to Christianity.
They do this so that they can prepare students for the sometimes
very effectively expressed arguments presented against
Christianity. In this video he talks about the presentation by the
Atheist given to the group of students in Berkeley, who presented
the details about Mithra I referenced at the start of this sub-section.
Is Jesus a Copycat Savior? - J. Warner Wallace
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORTkCONbYFo
The following sites should give you additional information on
this challenge, and how to respond to it. I have attempted to find a
number of sites on this challenge because of the impact this claim
can have on Christians, if theyve never heard it before.

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IS CHRISTIANITY A COPYCAT RELIGION? - Sean McDowell

www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/apologetics/is-christianity-
a-copycat-religion
DOESN'T THE RELIGION OF MITHRA PROVE THAT CHRISTIANITY IS FALSE?
http://carm.org/christianity/bible/doesnt-religion-mithra-prove-
christianity-false
IMPOSSIBLE FAITH NON-PARALLEL #1: MITRHAISM
www.tektonics.org/uz/yeswayjose1.php
THE MITHRAS MYTH-MAKERS
www.canadianapologeticscoalition.com/the-mithras-myth-
makers
EXPLODING THE MITHRAS MYTH: CHRISTIANITY DID NOT
BORROW ITS BELIEFS FROM A ROMAN MYSTERY RELIGION
www.jonsorensen.net/2013/04/17/exploding-the-mithras-
myth-christianity-did-not-borrow-its-beliefs-from-a-
roman-mystery-religion
WAS CHRISTIANITY STOLEN FROM MITHRAISM?
http://1peter315.blogspot.com/2011/03/was-christianity-
stolen-from-mithraism.html
DID CHRISTIANITY STEAL FROM MITHRAISM?
www.comereason.org/mithraism.asp
IS THERE ANY VALIDITY TO THE ZEITGEIST MOVIE?
www.gotquestions.org/zeitgeist-movie.html
WAS THE STORY OF JESUS RISING FROM THE DEAD BORROWED FROM PAGAN MYTHS?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI4m4tj_A3E
THE JESUS MYTH THEORY: INVESTIGATING CLAIMS OF COPYING
www.apologeticsguy.com/2011/07/is-jesus-a-myth-mithras-
osiris-theory-christianity

*JESUS NEVER EXISTED

One of the challenging statements that is somewhat
common currently is that Jesus Never Existed. Obviously, if Jesus
never existed, then none of the evidence presented for His

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existence has any validity, and doesnt need to be considered. As

with all claims, claims are always easier to make then to prove.
Ive included a few links here to enable you to research
answers to this claim. Answers to this claim are covered in more
detail in the Jesus sub-section of the Evidences For Christianity
section, as well as additional links. The reason I cover this in more
detail in the Jesus sub-section is so that you have the opportunity
to read the sub-sections on Truth, the evidences for God, and the
evidences for the Bible being from God. After reading through the
information in just these three sections, you will see the strength of
the evidence for the existence of Jesus, and also how improbable
the truth of this claim is.
Here are a few of the links with information answering this claim:
www.apologetics315.com/2008/12/jesus-never-existed-
resources-for-study.html
www.tektonics.org/jesusexisthub.php
http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2012/09/common-objection-18-
jesus-never-existed.html

* THE BIBLE IS DEROGATORY TO WOMEN

Some claim that the Bible is derogatory to women. The
following sites show that while many of the ancient world and even
certain countries today treat women as second class citizens, it is
the Bible which has elevated the value of women.
DOES CHRISTIANITY OPPRESS WOMEN?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRxAK8ApMkg
IS CHRISTIANITY OPPRESSIVE TO WOMEN?
www.christianitytoday.com/ch/news/2004/mar5.html
THE BIBLICAL PORTRAIT OF WOMEN: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
www.gty.org/resources/articles/A265/The-Biblical-Portrait-of-
Women-Setting-the-Record-Straight
CHRISTIANITY: THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO WOMEN
https://bible.org/article/christianity-best-thing-ever-happened-
women

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* THE BIBLE PROMOTES SLAVERY

Some claim that the Bible promotes slavery. Is this true?
When you examine the Biblical passages in context which are cited
to make this claim, you will see a completely different story.
DOES THE BIBLE CONDONE SLAVERY?
www.gotquestions.org/Bible-slavery.html
THE BIBLE AND SLAVERY
www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&
article=1587
YOU SAY THE BIBLE ADVOCATES SLAVERY?
www.christianapologeticsalliance.com/2012/10/20/you-say-the-
bible-advocates-slavery
WHY IS SLAVERY PERMITTED IN THE BIBLE?
https://carm.org/slavery
SLAVERY IN THE BIBLE
https://bibleapologetics.wordpress.com/slavery-in-the-bible-25
SLAVERY IN THE BIBLE: 8 QUICK RESOURCES
www.apologetics315.com/2011/06/slavery-in-bible-8-quick-
resources.html

I would like you to be aware of one additional challenging

statement. I cover it as well as the response to it at the end of the
SHARING THE TRUTHS OF CHRISTIANITY section. The statement is:
* I CANT BELIEVE IN A GOD WHO WOULD CREATE ME
KNOWING I WOULD SIN, AND THEN HOLD ME GUILTY FOR SIN
HE KNEW I WOULD COMMIT.
A close friend told this to me some time ago. When they
made the statement it was a surprise to me and I didnt have an
answer at that time. The reason I am not covering it completely
here is that the statement touches on a few different sections
detailed later in this guide. I believe that it is important to have read
through the sections on TRUTH, EVIL, and EVIDENCES, to gain the

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necessary perspective to fully appreciate this challenge and be able

to provide answer to that challenge.

* IF CHRISTIANITY IS TRUE, THEN WHY DO SO MANY

INTELLIGENT PEOPLE NOT BELIEVE IT?
I heard Greg Koukl mention this challenging statement as
one that he has heard. Here is his very simple answer:
The reason so many intelligent people dont believe
that Christianity is true is the same reason that so
many not so intelligent people dont believe it!
Think about Nazi Germany, and how so many intelligent
people believed Hitler! Both not-so-intelligent and intelligent people
have beliefs, motivations, and biases. Intelligence is not the only
determining factor as to whether or not someone believes
something. It is how the person uses their intelligence and if they
will openly consider all the evidence and where the evidence
logically leads that determines the accuracy of a belief.

* REVISIONIST HISTORY
A non-question challenge to Christianity and related to
some of the misinformation we have already looked at is what is
called HISTORICAL REVISIONISM. Historical Revisionism is the
revising of the historical record about the past so that people will
believe a certain way or believe certain information in the present
and in the future. This can be done either by changing the details
and facts of the historical record, or by leaving out critical details.
This revisionism can influence a person to accept or reject ideas
and/or practices they would feel the opposite about before their
exposure to the revisionist information.
One example of a claim an increasing number of people
make because of Historical Revisionism is that the United States
was not founded on the principles of the Bible, and Judeo-Christian
principals. If this is what many uninformed people have been
convinced is true, then their perspective will be that Christians have
no right to object when we see growing percentages of the country
embracing non-Christian values.
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 There is much misinformation about the significant influence

of Christianity on the foundation of the United States, about its
founders, and significant events in history. Some say that the
United States wasnt founded upon Christian values and that the
Founding Fathers were mostly Deists, Agnostics, and Atheists.
Like other misinformation, many people will repeat misinformation
because they dont know it is misinformation and because it
sounded valid when they first hear it. And if they never hear any
facts to correct the error, their conclusion that the point is valid is
confirmed.
As in other challenges, people repeat this misinformation
simply because they arent aware of the facts due to not having
researched the accuracy of the information. I believe that the
people who have created the misinformation have knowingly done
so to change what people believe happened in the past, and thus
what people now believe in the present.
If a population can be persuaded to believe certain things
as true, they can be persuaded to act in certain ways. One only
has to look to Nazi Germany and the leaderships persuasion of the
German people to see a horrific end result happen through
misinformation. The German population at that time had been
convinced that Jewish people were inferior and needed to be
eliminated. This link showing the percentage of Jewish recipients
of the Nobel Prize certainly corrects this misinformation of Jewish
people being inferior:
LIST OF JEWISH NOBEL LAUREATES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jewish_Nobel_laureates
The following quotes illustrate how effective misinformation is:
He who controls the past, controls the future. George Orwell
A people without a heritage are easily persuaded. Karl Marx
He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future! Adolf Hitler
If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will
eventually come to believe it." Joseph Goebbels
Nazi Minister of Propaganda

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GONE IN ONLY ONE GENERATION

https://answersingenesis.org/culture/gone-in-only-one-
generation
WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF REVISIONIST HISTORY?
http://society-politics.blurtit.com/295492/what-are-the-
dangers-of-revisionist-history-
Check the following links to see some of the ways history
has been revised and some of the current efforts to revise our
history.

HISTORICAL REVISIONISM
WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF HISTORICAL REVISIONISM?
www.probe.org/what-are-some-examples-of-historical-
revisionism
WHO DO YOU BELIEVE, THE REVISIONISTS OR THE FOUNDING FATHERS?
www.revolutionarywararchives.org/revisionist.html
THE FOUNDING FATHERS: FAITH OR FICTION?
http://god-and-logic.blogspot.com/2010/04/founding-fathers-
faith-or-fiction.html
RELIGIOUS FOUNDERS? READ THEIR WRITINGS
www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=161
WAS GEORGE WASHINGTON A CHRISTIAN?
www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=127
THE BULLET PROOF PRESIDENTGEORGE WASHINGTON
https://hitchhikeamerica.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/the-bullet-
proof-president-george-washington/
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS AND THE BIBLE
https://loopyloo305.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/feb-21-jqa-
the-bible
CONFRONTING CIVIL WAR REVISIONISM: WHY THE SOUTH WENT TO
WAR
www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=92
IS PRESIDENT OBAMA CORRECT: IS AMERICA NO LONGER A
CHRISTIAN NATION?
www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=23909

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EDUCATIONAL REVISIONSIM
HISTORIC FAIL? GREATEST AMERICANS MISSING FROM PROPOSED CURRICULUM
www.foxnews.com/us/2014/08/07/historic-fail-greatest-
americans-missing-from-proposed-curriculum
AP DOWNGRADES HISTORY
www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3201737/posts
MY COMMENTS ON THE U.S. HISTORY STANDARDS
www.facebook.com/notes/marjorie-holsten/my-comments-on-
the-us-history-standards-please-help-me-keep-this-from-
becoming-t/226981890650639
COMMENTS ON US HISTORY STANDARDS FROM AN ATTORNEY AND
TEACHER OF THE CONSTITUTION
http://edlibertywatch.org/2011/05/403
STUDENTS WALK OUT OF CLASS - PROTEST SCHOOL REWRITING
OF HISTORY: "YOU CAN'T CHANGE HISTORY"
http://freedomoutpost.com/2014/09/students-walk-class-protest-
school-rewriting-history-cant-change-history
REVISIONISM: HOW TO IDENTIFY IT IN YOUR CHILDREN'S TEXTBOOKS
www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=112
COLORADO TRIES TO FOLLOW TEXAS & STOP APUSH, LEFT
HIJACKS NARRATIVE OVER PATRIOTISM.
www.breitbart.com/texas/2014/09/27/colorado-tries-to-follow-
texas-stop-apush-left-hijacks-narrative-over-patriotism
WHY THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TEACHES REVISIONIST HISTORY
http://westernconservatory.com/articles/why-public-school-system-
teaches-revisionist-history
PROMOTING ISLAM
ISLAM, ANTI-SEMITISM SNEAK INTO TENNESSEE TEXTBOOKS
http://political-conservatives.blogspot.com/2014/11/what-are-
we-doing-with-our-education.html
ISLAM IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL
www.wnd.com/2014/01/islam-in-a-public-school

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 THE ISLAMIZATION OF AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN

www.thecommonsenseshow.com/2014/12/29/islamization-
american-public-school-children
HOW HISTORIC REVISIONISM JUSTIFIES ISLAMIC TERRORISM
www.christianpost.com/news/how-historic-revisionism-
justifies-islamic-terrorism-107816/

Individuals using the challenges indicated in this section

knowingly or unknowingly attempt to marginalize the validity of
Christianity because of their beliefs against the absolutes taught in
Christianity. It is important to realize with these challenging
statements, that most of them dont do anything to disprove the truth
of the claims of Christianity. People will use them primarily to
silence unprepared Christians, and unfortunately, they have been
effective at doing this. This is confirmed by the number of
Christians unprepared to answer these challenges. When
Christians are unprepared to answer the challenges, those raising
the challenges avoid having to deal with the truths of Christianity
and the answers to those challenges.
Hopefully you see how these challenges can be responded
to effectively using examples in this guide. These answers apply to
the challenges whether or not the persons using these challenges
knowingly use them as diversions or that they have only heard
others use the challenges and not investigated the truth of the
challenge for themselves.
Use these additional websites to gain greater knowledge of
many of the techniques used by challengers and how to answers
them.
IF GOD IS ALL-POWERFUL, WHY DOES EVIL EXIST? - Greg Koukl
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jRMWKz4hbw
WHO ARE YOU TO FORCE YOUR MORALITY? Greg Koukl
www.str.org/articles/who-are-you-to-force-your-morality-2
65 APOLOGETICS QUESTIONS EVERY CHRISTIAN PARENT NEEDS TO
LEARN TO ANSWER
http://christianmomthoughts.com/65-apologetics-questions-
every-christian-parent-needs-to-learn-to-answer

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CHALLENGE AND RESPONSE VIDEOS BY STR

www.apologetics315.com/2012/09/featured-resource-
challenge-response.html
FOUR-SELF-REFUTING-STATEMENTS-HEARD-ON-COLLEGE-
CAMPUSES-ACROSS-AMERICA
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/four-self-refuting-
statements-heard-on-college-campuses-across-america
SELF-DEFEATING STATEMENTS PEOPLE (UNWITTINGLY) USE
EVERYDAY!
http://adamlickey.com/2012/09/13/self-defeating-statements-
people-unwittingly-use-everyday
SKEPTICISM AS SNOBBERY
www.conversantlife.com/belief/skepticism-as-snobbery
HOW TO ANSWER TOUGH QUESTIONS - CONVERSATION STOPPERS
SERIES
http://evangelism.intervarsity.org/how/apologetics/conversati
on-stoppers-series
6 COMMANDMENTS FOR ANSWERING TOUGH QUESTIONS
http://evangelism.intervarsity.org/how/apologetics/6-
commandments-answering-tough-questions
"SHORT ANSWERS TO BIG QUESTIONS" - Andy Bannister
https://vimeo.com/rzimcanada/videos/page:3/sort:date
This is a great series of 3 minute videos answering many questions.
ANSWERING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS with Michael Ramsden
PART I - www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQFzpiTc6j8
PART II - www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHHQDD1nnuU
ANSWERING QUESTIONS NON-CHRISTIANS ASK - Michael Ramsden
www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9K0QyUTmHU

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4. APOLOGETICS To Make A Defense For/Of

Christianity has been successfully attacked and
marginalized because those who professed belief were
unable to defend the faith from attack, even though its
attackers arguments were deeply flawed.
- William Wilberforce

How would you respond to the following?

Why are you a Christian?
Isnt Christianity just another way to God?
Ill worry about making a decision when Im dying.
Hasnt science disproved the Bible?
How do you know God exists?
______________________

This section covers the reason for and the importance of

providing evidences for Christianity and the Bible. Providing
evidences for a belief is called APOLOGETICS, and the person
providing evidences is called an Apologist. There are Christian
Apologists, Muslim Apologists, Atheist Apologists, etc. This guide
includes information and links on Christian Apologetics.
Christian Apologetics came into being out of the need for
Christians to defend against the challenges against the claims of
Christianity being made by non-Christians. Being that Christianity
makes exclusive claims, There is a God, Jesus is the only
way of salvation, etc., some non-Christians take offense and
make challenges against these and other claims of Christianity.
It is important to realize that the effectiveness of Apologetics
is not just in giving people evidences for Christianity, but often in
the way the evidence is presented. If you have not yet read through
the section on Worldviews, I cover why a persons worldview is a

108

major factor in how they view the evidence. If you have not read
that section yet, I encourage you to do so.
Apologetics is effective not only because of evidences, but
also in how you present the evidences as well as the character we
convey. The reason the presentation of the evidences is so
important, is because evidences can sometimes be presented in
two different ways. As indicated in the WORLDVIEW section, the
same evidence will be used to support both of the opposite sides of
an issue.
One example of the same evidence being used to support
two different positions is with Evolution and Creation. Some of the
evidences are the strata layers in geologic formations and the
fossils found in the strata layers. Evolutionists present the evidence
of strata layers in geologic formations in such a way that they
support long time frames necessary for Evolution. Creationists
present strata layers in geologic formations in such a way that they
support the layers forming quickly and trapping organisms quickly
as evidence of a global flood.
The following sections websites show the same evidence
being used to support two opposite positions. We have THE SAME
EVIDENCE but TWO DIFFERENT EXPLANATIONS with TWO DIFFERENT
CONCLUSIONS.

EVIDENCES PRESENTED IN SUPPORT OF EVOLUTION

Evolutionists claim that the strata layers seen in locations
like the Grand Canyon formed slowly over millions of years, with the
less complex organisms found in the lower strata layers and the
more evolved organisms found in the upper strata layers. I believe
the following link gives a basic but accurate representation of the
Evolutionary explanation of the strata layers and fossils being
evidence for long geologic times. If youve not seen a presentation
regarding the age of the earth before, I think these videos are a fair
and accurate representation of the Evolutionary explanation.
ROCK LAYERS: TIMELINE OF LIFE ON EARTH
www.prehistoricplanet.com/news/index.php?id=48
WHAT ARE FOSSILS AND HOW DO THEY FORM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_DCP4cLVNg
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 Here are a few question to think about in reference to long

ages being evidenced by strata layers and fossils:
Have there been examples of strata layers forming slowly that
one can observe happening, so that this explanation can be
verified?
Has strata layering ever been observed to happen quickly
challenging the Evolutionary explanation?
How is the age of the layers and fossils determined in the
Evolutionary explanation of long time frames?
If slowly forming strata layers are an explanation of Evolution,
then why do many of the types of fossils look the same as
current living organisms if the fossilized examples of the
animals died millions of years ago?

EVIDENCES PRESENTED IN SUPPORT OF CREATIONISM

Creationists claim that the strata layers and the fossils are
evidence of creationism and that the strata layers formed very
quickly through the rapid laying down of rock layers by water
through a global flood. Creationist argue that fossils cant form over
long time frames in the method described by Evolutionists because
the pre-fossilized organisms would decompose and be consumed
by predators long before they could be buried in a very slowly
forming strata layer, and then fossilized.
Think about the questions above applied to the Creation
explanation.
Have there been observable examples of strata layers
forming quickly that one can observe happening, so that this
explanation can be verified?
Has strata layering ever been observed to happen slowly,
challenging the Creation explanation?
How is the age of the layers and fossils determined in the
Creation explanation of short time frames?
How do the many types of fossils which look the same as
current living organisms support the Creation explanation?

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 HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO FORM GRAND CANYON?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqbRbjM_B68
IS EVOLUTION ACCURATE SCIENCE OR CONCEALED HUMANISTIC
PROPAGANDA?
http://strateias.org/evolution.htm
I GOT EXCITED AT MOUNT ST HELENS!
http://creation.com/i-got-excited-at-mount-st-helens
MOUNT ST. HELENS: EXPLOSIVE EVIDENCE FOR YOUNG EARTH
CREATION
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0f4URsDWy0
One of the commenters, edgardo bassi, commented:
A religious creatard explaining science? You are an idiot.
The guy in the clip is a scientist? Coal made in 30 years?
You are or an idiot or a liar. At your own choice....
Its interesting in this last link that this commenter refers to
the speaker in the video as being a Creatard (Creationist Retard),
and questions the validity of the speaker being a scientist and being
able to explain science. Remember earlier where we looked at the
practice of some people calling other people names when they
dislike the conclusions the other people offer. This is often done
because they have no argument to respond to the position
presented by the person they are disagreeing with. This is
unfortunately somewhat common, and you will see times when one
person doesnt have a response to the other persons argument
they will start attacking the person rather than offer an explanation
to answer the persons arguments.
The commenter above uses this practice of attacking Dr.
Austins degree because they dont agree with his conclusion. It
isnt enough for some to believe different. They feel the need to
attack the person while not producing any kind of credible response.
The following links show the credentials of the speaker Steve
Austin. STEVE AUSTIN - BIO
http://creationwiki.org/Steve_Austin#Videos
http://donotbedeceived.org/dr-steve-austin-bio

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 Heres a video showing an Evolutionist scientist claiming that

Creationist scientists arent scientists, because they come up with
conclusions different than Evolutionists.
SHORTEST SCIENTIST VS CREATIONIST DEBATE EVER.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=txzOIGulUIQ

NOTE: Im not implying that all or even most Evolutionary

scientists do this, but it is important to realize that there are
some who do. They believe that only evolutionary
explanations are credible explanations and that Creationist
explanations do not need to be taken seriously because
Creation Science is not real science. Most who believe like
this wont even consider the evidence a Creation scientist
presents because the evidence is presented by a Creationist.
It is also important to realize that Christians are not innocent
of ever doing this. If you as a Christian choose to call names
of others holding views opposite yours, you do injustice to
Christianity and other Christians.

The following video shows how to simulate the forming of

strata layers quickly by using a jar, water, and some dirt. I call it
NOAHS FLOOD IN A JAR. I worked doing soil compaction testing on
construction sites some years ago, and this was a recommended
method to see the approximate makeup of the soil as to the amount
of clay to silt to sand.
TESTING SOIL FOR CLAY CONTENT
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh211b8b5FE
HOW FAST?
https://answersingenesis.org/fossils/how-are-fossils-
formed/how-fast
The first video below shows how circular reasoning is used
by Evolutionists to date fossils and strata layers. The 2nd and 3rd
videos are by Evolutionists demonstrating the circular-reasoning
mentioned in the first video.
EVOLUTIONISTS DATE ROCKS & FOSSILS WITH CIRCULAR REASONING
www.youtube.com/watch?v=efcJEIV2RAk
HOW DO WE KNOW HOW OLD FOSSILS ARE?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2GNJ6tfbY0
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 AGE, ROCKS, AND INDEX FOSSILS.MP4

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydDuT5V9zwM
The following links show what are referred to as
POLYSTRATE FOSSILS. Polystrate fossils are those fossils which
cross between two or more strata layers. Creationists point out that
for the item to be fossilized, it would need to be buried quickly.
Since the part of the organism that extended beyond the lowest
strata layer would have been exposed to the elements and not
buried for hundreds and thousands or years, they wouldnt have
survived to be fossilized over millions of years as claimed by
Evolutionists.
POLYSTRATE FOSSILS
www.earthage.org/polystrate/polystrate_fossils.htm
http://youngearth.com/topics/polystrate-fossils

I think the following video by an Evolutionist shows a well

thought out Evolutionary explanation of how polystrate tree fossils
could have formed over long time frames. I dont hold to the
conclusion that the narrator of the video presents, as the conclusion
presented is not presented with verifications or evidences. As such,
it is only an explanation. I have included it to show an example of
a person using a credible argument rather than name calling, and I
commend the person for this. Calling names never makes as
effective an argument as a well thought out reasoned response, and
we shouldnt call names. I would like to add that many and possibly
all scientific explanations start out without evidences. It is as we
find evidences that we are then able to validate, invalidate, or revise
an explanation.
HOW CREATIONISM TAUGHT ME REAL SCIENCE 04 POLYSTRATE TREES
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJdLu9CgvVY
My apologies at the length of this example of evidences
being used to support opposing beliefs in this section, but I wanted
to make sure that you had an effective example of the same
evidences used to support two opposing beliefs. I believe this
shows why Apologetics is necessary and why THE WAY THE
EVIDENCES ARE PRESENTED is almost as important as the evidences
themselves. You might call it MY APOLOGETIC FOR APOLOGETICS.

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*THE IMPACT OF OUR CHARACTER

The other main consideration in Apologetics is our character
and how our character impacts how willing others are to seriously
consider the information we communicate. If others dont believe
that we have integrity, they wont consider the information we
present as credible, and they wont take what we say seriously and
truly consider it.
Three of the definitions for Character at www.dictionary.com are:
MORAL OR ETHICAL QUALITY:
Ex: A man of fine, honorable character.
QUALITIES OF HONESTY, COURAGE, OR THE LIKE; INTEGRITY:
Ex: It takes character to face up to a bully.
REPUTATION:
Ex: A stain on one's character.
The way you present information and your character can
have a big impact, positive or negative, as to how receptive a
person is to considering the information you present. Ive already
mentioned the impression at least one person had of the entire
Christian Club at one of our local high schools. And this was after
they had only seen one instance of just a few members of the
Christian Club demonstrating very poor character, character they
saw as inappropriate for a Christian.
Something else to consider related to how others see our
character. A saying I heard a long time ago is, It only takes one
Oops to wipe out a whole bunch of Great job!s. It only takes
one mess up to ruin the impression others have of us, even if we
had established a positive impression through many positive
efforts.
A real-life example of the impact of character is that of Kent
Hovind. He is a Creationist, and has a video series called the
CREATION SEMINAR. Even though other creationists question some
of the content, the series has a lot of great information and I believe
it is very good. Here is a link where you can see the videos online:
CREATION SEMINAR - Kent Hovind
www.truthingenesis.com/creation-seminar-by-dr-kent-hovind

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 Even though the information is presented very effectively,

many wont even consider the evidences for Creation which Kent
presents, because he was sent to prison for supposed tax-evasion.
Some people believe that a lawyer convinced him that he wasnt
legally obligated to pay the taxes in question. The result of his
situation is the ridicule of both Creationism and Christianity. Even
though some have this negative belief about Kents work I think you
will still find much value in the content of his videos.
KENT HOVIND IS STILL IN JAIL
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/03/17/kent-
hovind-is-still-in-jail-a

The following link gives additional information about Kent

Hovinds situation, and the inconsistent way that he has been
treated compared to others who have been accused of violating
tax laws. I wonder if this inconsistent treatment he is
experiencing is due to his being a committed Christian? Hmm.
KENT HOVIND: POLITICAL PRISONER?
www.westernjournalism.com/kent-hovind-political-prisoner/

As indicated previously, we need to remember that even

with what we might consider great evidences, a person will
sometimes still not be willing to consider the evidence because of
their worldview. Remember the question from earlier?
What evidences against Christianity would you need to
see to consider giving up your beliefs about God, Jesus,
the Bible, etc.?
The more evidences we know for what we believe, the
harder it is for others to persuade us to believe differently. This the
same whether the evidences we believe are for or against
Christianity. Many of those who do not accept Christianity and the
Bible feel as strongly about what they believe as Christians do
about what we believe, and they will not readily be open to
considering contradictory evidences we present.
When someone has heard misinformation about Christianity
which hasnt been effectively answered, they can be convinced of
the misinformation and it will be more difficult to bring them to a
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point of considering Christianity as reasonable. They have more

reasons not to believe than to believe. These reasons are
barriers to considering the evidences. Until these barriers are
removed, evidences supporting Christianity wont be considered
and Christianity wont be viewed as a legitimate belief system.
Another benefit to the Apologetic process is that it helps us
discover those barriers a person might have to the evidences so
that we can present the evidences in such a way that helps to lower
those barriers. Once again, this must be done with love for the
individual and a respect for what they currently believe is true. This
way the evidences we share might make it to the point of being
considered by the person were sharing with and not rejected by
them.
You may find it beneficial to check out information in support
of beliefs contradictory to Christianity to become familiar with
arguments non-Christians present against Christianity. If you are
planning on talking with someone who holds to a non-Christian
belief system, you may find it helpful to learn information on the
belief they hold so that you can speak intelligently on the belief and
how it compares to Christianity.
Non-Christian beliefs or worldviews are contradictory to
Christianity so anything indicated as an evidence for a view
contradictory to Christianity will very probably be a challenge to
Christianity. Before investigating arguments supporting other
beliefs though, I highly recommend first reading through this guide.
This way you will have a good foundation of the evidences for
Christianity. As well, this will reduce the possibility of finding
yourself in a situation similar to the 70% of college students
unprepared for challenges theyve not known about, and so never
prepared for them.
And similar to the CHALLENGING STATEMENTS section where
you can start learning how to respectfully respond to the challenges
others will make, you may find it worthwhile to search for evidences
indicated as proofs against Christianity so that you will see what
non-Christians actually consider as evidence against Christianity.
Again, I recommend strongly before doing so, that you read through

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the rest of this guide and various websites of Christian Apologetics,

so that you will first learn some of the excellent evidences
supporting Christianity. This way you will have a firm foundation for
what you believe.
I cant stress enough the importance of having a firm
foundation for what you believe before getting into some of these
good sounding presentations of evidences, some of which may
seem quite convincing against the beliefs of Christianity. The more
you know about the challenging evidences though and how to
respond to them and the way those evidences are presented, the
easier it will be to see the flaws in the evidences and the
presentation being used as evidence against Christianity.
After learning the challenges in this guide you will probably
find some of the arguments presented against Christianity to look
pretty irrational, but some arguments will also initially sound quite
convincing. They will seem convincing at first, much like the
CHALLENGING STATEMENTS do, until you see how to respond to
them. To be fair, some Christians still use phrases like, You just
need to have enough faith when trying to persuade others to
consider Christianity. This is foolish. Like building a house, you
want to make sure you have a very strong foundation before
exposing yourself to the winds and storms of these supposed
evidences against Christianity.
Section 5 covers many of the evidences for Christianity.
After reading through this guide and then searching for evidences
for other belief systems you will be amazed at the amount of
evidence for Christianity as compared to any other belief system.
Possibly the most important reason to learn and understand
the importance of apologetic information is so that we can know why
we believe what we do and have confidence in what we believe. As
already indicated, the more confident you are in what you believe,
the more effective you can be in answering the misinformation
presented by others as truths about Christianity and the more
persuasive you can be presenting actual truths about Christianity
and the Gospel.

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 Using the method demonstrated in the SELF-CHECK - HOW

GOOD ARE YOU? Section, a person can be shown that they are a
sinner and not as good as they originally thought, as are we all.
Even when a person realizes they are a sinner, they will still
probably resist considering Christianity as a legitimate belief system
because they may still believe mistruths about Christianity, and
unfortunately there are many. Again, I believe that most of those
who believe the mistruths about Christianity typically do so because
they have never been shown the evidences for Christianity or truths
to correct those mistruths.
As indicated by the statistic in the beginning of this guide,
only 30% of Christian students still hold to their beliefs after their
first year in college. And the Barna poll revealed that only half of
one percent of 18 to 23 year olds have a Biblical worldview. These
low percentages clearly show that most Christian students have
never learned evidences for why they can believe Christianity as
true. Considering this, should we conclude that non-Christians who
are inclined to believe against Christianity would have learned
about any of the evidences which validate the truths of Christianity?
And considering the effectiveness of the challenges weve covered,
should we then expect that non-Christians would have become
Christians based upon the misinformation many non-Christians
(and Christians) believe to be true?
Many believe that science has disproved the existence of
God, that the Bible is full of errors, and thus concluded that
Christianity is not worth considering. Similar to the non-Christians
who believe the unanswered challenges they have heard presented
against Christianity, many who believe that science has disproved
the Bible do so primarily because they have heard others make
these claims without the claims being answered. Its likely not
because they have been shown actual evidences nor that they
themselves have investigated the challenges to the Bible.
They also think that if God actually exists and there is a
heaven, as long as they are sincere in what they believe God will
accept their sincerity. What many dont realize is that one can be
sincere but be SINCERELY WRONG. Take driving. A person may run
a stop sign in an intersection believing they see no cross traffic.
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They are sincere in their belief that there isnt any cross traffic, but
they dont see everything, are sincerely wrong, and they cause an
accident, and possibly the injury or death of another or themselves.
The truth isnt determined by their sincerity.
Magic is an example of something showing that we can
sincerely believe that we saw something happen, and at the same
time knowing full well that what we see couldnt happen as we see
it presented. Thats part of the appeal of magic. We dont believe
that the magician can fool us and we feel amazed that they were
able to. When we learn how a trick is performed, (learning the
evidence), the trick loses its intrigue, but all the details make sense.
Christianity is an example of something some can sincerely
disbelieve, because of the misinformation they believe about it. And
they can confidently disbelieve Christianity without ever having any
knowledge that any of the misinformation they believe as fact is
actually wrong. Since theyve only seen information challenging the
truth of Christianity and theyve not seen anyone respond to the
challenges, they have no reasons to believe differently. Why would
they believe that there is any truth to Christianity if the only
information they know of it is wrong, and they dont know the
information they believe as fact is wrong?
With magic, everyone knows there are hidden details which
make the illusion possible. With Christianity, those who dont
believe there are evidences proving Christianity have no reason to
consider that any supporting details might exist, and so they DONT
KNOW about any of the evidences supporting the truths of
Christianity. This is where our ability to effectively present these
evidences comes in.
When you are able to effectively provide and present
evidences for Christianity to someone who has questions or doubts,
you demonstrate the truths of Christianity and eliminate doubts they
have. Learning the truths of Christianity doesnt guarantee that a
person will then accept Christianity but it may bring them to the point
where they are open to considering Christianity as actually worth
considering.

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 As already mentioned, think about yourself and the

evidences you would need to see against Christianity to abandon
what you believe. Those who dont accept Christianity believe what
they believe as strongly as we believe Christianity. And again, this
is usually because they have never seen any evidences that would
encourage them to consider Christianity as true. This contributes
to their non-Christian worldview.
Changing a persons worldview is sometimes a long
process. In some cases, it may seem almost impossible. It may be
that the person isnt ready to really consider the evidences. There
are those who havent seen evidences supporting the truths of
Christianity so theyve never really had an opportunity to objectively
consider the evidences Christianity. There are also people who
unfortunately have decided that no one will ever be able to show
them enough evidence to change their belief about Christianity.
They have already made up their mind that they wont consider any
evidence we might share with them.
When a person is not willing to accept Christ, even when
they cant dispute the evidences, their commitment to their
worldview or commitment to lifestyle they dont want to give up are
major factors. They like their life as it is and are not willing to
change. Frank Turek will ask a person, If Christianity is true,
would you become a Christian? He indicates that if they
hesitate when answering, their objection to Christianity is not an
intellectual one but one of the heart.
We must realize that when a person asks for evidences,
they may not actually be interested in evidence and they may not
accept the evidences we provide anyway. They may be trying to
stump us hoping that we wont be able to reply. If they are
successful in stumping us, they will be more confirmed that their
beliefs are correct. And remember, just providing evidences
doesnt mean that a person will accept those evidences. If they are
trying to stump us, they are most likely happy with their conclusion
and arent really interested in considering evidences. The
conviction to their worldview may be stronger than the strength of
any evidences we provide. We also dont know which evidences
they will be willing to accept. Hopefully this should help you
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understand why evidences are not always as convincing to others

as we might initially think.
If you are a Christian however, these evidences will be very
beneficial in giving you much greater confidence in your own belief
in Christianity and in the Bible. If you are not a Christian but are
willing to consider the evidences, these evidences should give you
reasons to consider Christianity and correct misconceptions you
might have about Christianity.
If youve ever seen someone speak knowledgably about a
subject youve probably noticed how confident they appeared and
how comfortable they were sharing their knowledge. You can have
that same confidence by investing some time learning this
information. Wouldnt you agree that when considering the
potential impact to another persons eternal destiny, its hard to
think of another endeavor more important or rewarding?
At this point you may be thinking that you dont have the
time to learn evidences and ways to present them. Right? It is easy
to say that we just dont have enough time when starting something
new. But in truth we are able to find the time for those things we
think are important enough to spend time on. Right? When you
think about it, none of us will ever have enough time to do
everything we want to do in this life. It ultimately comes down to
how we choose to spend our time. As Ive told my sons, When
you choose to spend your time doing something, you
automatically choose not to spend that same time doing
something else.
So, when we choose to spend time; watching TV, gaming,
texting, surfing, listening to music, etc., we have automatically
chosen not to spend that same time reading our Bible, praying,
learning the evidences for our convictions. Its not a matter of not
having enough time, its how we choose to spend the time we have
been given. Again, dont we always make or find the time for what
we want to do and what we feel is important? When was the last
time you thought, I just dont have time to eat today. or I just
dont have time to shower or get dressed today?
What is important to you? What do you find is the easiest
activity to make time for? I remember someone saying, What you

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spend your time on is what controls you. The following video

shows the average time spent on various daily tasks. I hope you
are as surprised at the end of the video as I was. It really gives
perspective as to how much time we actually waste each day.
HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv5zNYZlNFI
Also concerning time, what we spend the greatest amount
of time doing is often what we consider the most important thing in
our lives. It is what drives us, what fulfills us, in some cases it might
be considered what we worship. If it is more important than
anything else in our life it might even be considered our god.
Granted jobs, careers and education take our time, but what is our
motivation in spending time on a career or education? Are we
ultimately looking to acquire money, power, fame, etc. through a
career or education toward that career? The following is a great
video showing how we turn different things into gods in our life.
COUNTERFEIT GODS - TIM KELLER
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mK65lpveSM
With all of this in mind, think about how you spend your time.
Would God be more honored by you changing your priorities or
keeping the ones you have? God wont force you to change what
you do, but realize that once youve passed from this life, the one
thing you will never again have the opportunity to do is to reach
others for Christ. Hopefully this should prompt us to think about our
priorities and how we spend our time.
When you think about the resource of time, have you ever
wondered where we get time from? Have you ever thought of the
resource of TIME as being a gift that God has given to each of us?
If God were to consider your job as being how you use the time He
has given you, what kind of JOB EVALUATION would He give you for
how youve SPENT His time? Would you receive a promotion, a
disciplinary write-up, or would you deserve to get fired? I regularly
think about how I spend HIS time and I hope you will start to think
about this now too.
The key verse in the Bible about Apologetics is: 1 Peter 3:15
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being
prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason
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for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.
Notice that the end of the verse emphasizes with gentleness and
respect.
Again, our task is not to embarrass another or put them in
their place and win an argument, (the non-legal type of argument).
Our task is to win their heart for Christ, to provide them with reasons
to consider and possibly choose to accept Christ, and His offer of
salvation and eternal life. It is important to remember that people
who have beliefs contradictory to Christianity often hold to these
beliefs as strongly as we hold to what we believe. They SINCERELY
BELIEVE what they believe just as you sincerely believe what you
believe. Remember however, sincerity is not the same as truth.
As mentioned previously, think about the evidences you
would need to see to abandon what you believe. Do you
understand now why a person may not immediately accept
Christianity when they first start to learn about the evidences
confirming the truths of Christianity? It may take them time to
consider this new information especially in light of their current
beliefs. That is why the most important task is to show where the
evidence leads, and to do so with gentleness and respect.
You may have heard the saying, A person doesnt care
how much you know till they know how much you care. If
those with whom we share the truths of Christianity feel that were
just trying to win a debate or argument, just trying to add a mark to
a scorecard, do you think they will believe that we sincerely care
about where they spend eternity?
Another saying you may have heard, A person convinced
against their will is of the same opinion still. You can win the
immediate argument and effectively silence someone with your
knowledge but in the end turn them off to considering Christianity.
If people we talk with believe we dont respect that they have beliefs
they hold as true, because weve made fun of or light of what they
believe, we lose any credibility with them.
And like the saying I mentioned earlier, It only takes one
oops to wipe out a whole bunch of great job!s Any comment
giving that person the idea that we dont respect what they believe
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is true will eliminate any good impressions they might have had of
us previously, and virtually eliminate them considering what we
believe.
A good friend of mine was a police officer for 25 years. Early
in his career I shared with him about Christ and Christianity, but
without most of the evidences I know now. After a number of my
SHARING EFFORTS he strongly insisted that he did not want me to
talk to him anymore about Christianity. He stated that he would find
out the truth on his own. Being that he was 61 and weighed about
230 pounds, he was very convincing visually in his request for me
to stop sharing my beliefs with him. As if some police officers arent
already VISUALLY CONVINCING.
Some months after the last time I had tried to share the
message of Salvation with him, while still early in his career as a
police officer, he found himself at the point of committing suicide.
In his police work, he had witnessed pretty horrific things and he did
not feel that he could take it anymore nor the images his memory
reminded him of. He told me that at the point he was about to pull
the trigger, he was stopped by the realization that committing
suicide wasnt what God wanted for his life. He believed this
because even though he hadn't accepted Christs gift up to that
point, he still believed in God.
Something to realize is that a belief in God doesnt mean
one has accepted Christs gift of salvation. This is confirmed by the
Bible in James 2:19:
James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even
the demons believe-and shudder!
This verse shows that belief in God doesnt equate to having
accepted Christs sacrificial gift. You see, demons believe in God,
even though they will never be able to accept Christs priceless gift
of salvation.
Two of the officers my friend worked with were Christians,
and they had been sharing evidences for Christianity with him.
They shared with him prophesies from the Old Testament about a
Christ to come and showed how these prophesies were fulfilled by
Jesus Christ in the New Testament. The day after my friend almost
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pulled the trigger and then came to his senses, these officers led
him to make the choice to accept Christ as his savior, saving his life
and confirming his eternal destiny. I truly believe it was because
these officers had showed my friend evidences that he did not kill
himself.
As Christians, it is easy to come to the mistaken conclusion
that since we have accepted Christ there is something special about
us. Some Christians may even think they did something to deserve
salvation. Remember, the ONLY THING that makes us different
from those who havent accepted Christs payment on the cross for
our sin is just that. They havent chosen to accept Christs payment
for their sin, and we have. Absolutely nothing else!
The truth we frequently forget is that none of us deserve
salvation, are worthy of salvation, or ever could be. There is
absolutely nothing better, holier, more deserving, or worthier about
one who has chosen to accept Christs sacrifice as compared to a
person who hasnt chosen to. The gift of Christ's payment for our
sin by dying on the cross is exactly that, a GIFT. Jesus did
everything to provide this gift. We have done nothing to deserve
His GIFT, nor is there anything we can do to EARN this gift.
Once again, think back to what I wrote about a GIFT in the
SELF-CHECK section. Can you earn a gift? If you could EARN it,
it wouldnt be a gift, would it? You cant earn a gift. Since what
Christ offers is a free gift being that Christ has done all the work
by his sacrifice on the cross to pay for our sin - there is NOTHING we
can do to take any credit for our salvation. There is NOTHING that
we can point to in ourselves that makes us deserving of this gift.
The ONLY thing we can point to as the reason we have eternal life
is what Christ accomplished on the cross, NOTHING ELSE, because
he did everything! Remember, it is a free gift. The only thing we
can do is either accept His gift or reject His gift.
REALITY PAUL WASHER SERMON JAM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygf3MWEbd3w
In the next section we will look at some of the numerous
evidences that exist for Christianity as a defense of the claims of
Christianity. Once again, APOLOGETICS is giving a defense for what
one believes. Giving a defense for the claims of Christianity is

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called CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS. And again, the key verse in the

Bible for the defense of Christianity is 1 Peter 3:15:
1 Peter 3:15. But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as
holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone
who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do
it with gentleness and respect
As a Christian, there are significant reasons why we should
learn the solid evidences for what we believe. Ive found the
following as reasons to know why we believe what we believe.
These include reasons Brett Kunkle of Stand to Reason and Lee
Strobel have both mentioned in recordings Ive heard.

* REASONS TO LEARN EVIDENCES FOR CHRISTIANITY

1. The knowledge gives you confidence in what you believe.
Just like knowing 2+2=4, when you are faced with challenges
to your belief, you can be confident that there are answers to
those challenges and you wont find yourself questioning if
your beliefs are true or not. You may not have an answer for
every challenge or question you may be asked, but you can
have confidence that answers exist.
2. This confidence has an impact on your Christian life. You
will be more dedicated toward living as a Christian because
you will have confidence that it is true. You will have a
stronger prayer life because you have confidence that God
will hear you. When you know the truths of God and the Bible
you will have a greater desire to share these truths with
others, and you will have greater confidence in sharing.
3. Solid reasons help you to face challenges from
professors in college and others. As we have seen, there
are some professors who openly try to destroy the confidence
Christian students have in the Bible and the existence of God.
You will also have confidence when challenged by friends and
other people you talk with.
4. Apologetics chips away at the bad arguments of others
and their denials of the truths of Christianity. Good
arguments may not convert the person raising the objections

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 but it may bring them one step closer to honestly considering

Christianity, and possibly an eventual decision for Christ. This
is similar to Greg Koukls reference of putting a stone in
their shoe. You will see some of these arguments later in
this guide.
5. Good apologetic arguments change the perspectives
non-Christians have about Christians. You will be seen as
a very rational clear thinking Christian, which is not the picture
most people seem to have of Christians. Atheist Philosopher
Thomas Nagle said, I want atheism to be true and I am
made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent
and well-informed people I know are religious believers.
Some Christians have said things like, You just need to
have enough faith. This makes Christians look like they
have no valid reasons to believe what they do, like a person
thinking that they can accomplish something if they just
believe it enough. To illustrate the problem with this idea,
could Shaquille ONeil ever be a successful professional
horse jockey just by having ENOUGH FAITH? It also makes
Christianity look weak. After all, if Just having enough faith
is the best reason we can give a person to consider
Christianity, then we must not have much reason at all.
6. Apologetics contributes to the common good of society.
You are able to demonstrate that abortion, homosexuality,
embryonic stem cell research, and other cultural issues, are
not just a persons preference. Apologetics can show others
how these things negatively impact our society.
7. It may save someones life and possibly their eternity.
I wrote earlier about my friend who almost committed suicide.
His co-workers shared evidences for the truth of Christianity
and the reliability of the Bible. This not only saved his life but
changed his eternal destination.
8. Because God commands it: Lets look at 1Peter 3:15 again:
Always being prepared to make a defense. This is not an
option. God wants us to not only be confident in what we
believe, He also wants us to be able to provide others with
reasons for our beliefs when we are asked or challenged.

127

9. Ricochet Witnessing: This is what Lee Strobel called it in

an audio recording I heard. Lee said that when you are giving
a person reasons for what you believe, others may be
listening but not saying anything and not giving you any
indication that they are listening. Lee indicates that you might
have an impact on these other people without even knowing
it. A great example of this is in the college environment. Not
only can this have an impact on other non-Christian students
but also other Christian students who arent familiar with the
evidences. The information you share will encourage them as
well!

Remember earlier the quote from CS Lewis on answering

bad philosophy? Here is the full quote:
If all the world were Christian, it might not matter if all the
world were uneducated. But, as it is, a cultural life will exist
outside the Church whether it exists inside or not. To be
ignorant and simple now not to be able to meet the enemies
on their own ground would be to throw down our weapons,
and to betray our uneducated brethren who have, under God,
no defense but us against the intellectual attacks of the
heathen. Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason,
because bad philosophy needs to be answered.
And seeing the full quote, the following could be added,
Good Christian Apologists must exist, if for no other reason,
because far too many Christians have little if any knowledge
of why they believe what they believe, and are unable to
defend what they believe.
When it comes to being a witness for Christ we don't
really have a choice.
Isaiah 43:10 states You are my witnesses.
This verse shows that we WILL be witnesses for Christ.
The only thing we get to decide is whether we will be good
witnesses or bad witnesses for Him.

128

 What about our CHARACTER in communicating the truths of

Christianity? How do we represent Christ to others? As witnesses
for Christ, does the integrity and character of our lives help others
to accept Christianity, or does it cause them to reject Christianity?
How would you feel if you found out that you were the reason
someone rejected Christianity? Are there things about your life
which if found out by others might cause them to reject considering
Christianity? I mentioned about the few students in the Christian
Club of one of the local high schools who were questionable in their
character causing another person to comment that everyone in the
Christian Club would burn in hell. How would you like that on your
conscience?
And remember Gandhis comments
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your
Christians are so unlike your Christ, and also If
Christians would really live according to the teachings
of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India would be
Christian today.
Again, what a condemnation of the way many Christians live, and
the negative impression they have made on non-Christians.
When someone who doesnt have much or any knowledge
about Christ finds out that we represent Him, they look at our lives
to see what Christ is like. It has been said of the followers of Christ
that,
We may be the only Christ that someone may ever see, and
We may be the only Bible that someone may ever read.
A teacher in a class I took asked a great question, which we
all should ask ourselves regularly. The question is:
Whos likeness do people see when they look at me?
Charles Spurgeon said,
A Christian should be a striking likeness of Christ.
Charles Spurgeons full quote:
https://anglicanprayer.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/lent-quotes-
charles-spurgeon-being-living-biographies-of-christ/
http://sufferforchrist.blogspot.com/
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 YOU MAY BE THE ONLY JESUS SOMEONE SEES

http://makeeverybreathcount.blogspot.com/2010/11/you-
may-be-only-jesus-someone-sees.html
YOU MAY BE THE ONLY JESUS SOME PEOPLE EVER SEE
www.faithgateway.com/you-may-be-only-jesus-people-
ever-see/#.Vn4lBfmAOko
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT CHRISTIAN CHARACTER?
www.gotquestions.org/Christian-character.html
CHRISTIAN CHARACTER TRAITS
www.discipleshiptools.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articlei
d=37084&columnid=4166
HOW GOD DEVELOPS CHRISTIAN CHARACTER
www.crosswalk.com/1259416/

Lastly, there are some Christians who argue against

Apologetics against presenting evidences - because they believe
that Apologetics makes faith unnecessary. They see Apologetics
eliminating the need for FAITH since Apologetics answers the
challenges to Christianity.
I believe an expression that demonstrates THEIR idea of faith
is, I believe it; that settles it! But is this accurate to the Bibles
presentation of FAITH? Isnt a phrase like this essentially the same
as the phrase we looked at earlier, You just have to have faith?
Its as though having FAITH is what makes the difference, and not
what you have that FAITH in.
Remember the two quotes:
"Faith is a step in the direction the evidence already points."
Lee Strobel
Faith is trust in what we have reason to believe.
J.P. Moreland
Considering the proper understanding of FAITH; it is not a
matter of how much faith you have in something but what you have
placed your faith in. It is not faith by itself but the object of that faith.
When I think of my wife, I have faith that she loves me. Do I have
this faith because I have convinced myself after 25 years of
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marriage that she loves me or do I have this faith because I have

the evidences of all of the things she has done in 25 years proving
that she loves me, even during those times when I didnt deserve
her love? Is it only my FAITH or that she has proven her love for
me?
The following is a simple but effective illustration Ive heard
to show the Biblical concept of faith. Suppose you saw a performer
pushing a wheelbarrow across a tight-rope above Niagara Falls.
You watched the performer repeatedly perform the feat, day after
day, never faltering even once. If someone were to ask you if you
believed the performer could do it again what would you say?
Probably Yes, correct?
Now, what if the performer asked you to get into the
wheelbarrow and they would push the wheelbarrow with you in it
across the tightrope to the other side. Would you do it? If you say
no, you only have a belief that they can do it. You dont have faith
that they can do it. It is only when you place your full reliance on a
person that you have truly put your faith in their ability to accomplish
what theyve demonstrated they can do. Remember, it is not your
FAITH that makes the persons claims possible, its what they have
proven they can do.
FAITH IN CHRIST is like this. It is not because Ive decided
to believe in Christ nor how much I believe in Him that justifies my
acceptance of him. It is that He has proven himself capable and
faithful to do what he has promised. We can have faith in who He
is and what He has claimed, because He has proven He is God.
How has he done this? By predicting He would die and rise from
the dead, then actually being put to death on the cross and rising
from the dead three days later. What makes him God and gives
substance and credibility to our faith is that He can actually do what
He has claimed.
When we look at the Bible, what example do we see? Did
Paul ask people to just have faith in his message or did he use
reasons to convince them?
Acts 17:2 And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and
for three Sabbaths REASONED with them from the Scriptures.
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 Acts 18:4 And he REASONED in the synagogue every Sabbath,

and TRIED TO PERSUADE Jews and Greeks.
Acts 18:19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but
he himself went into the synagogue and REASONED with the Jews.
As these verses and others show, it was the practice of Paul
to REASON with others, to give them evidences and reasons to
persuade them to consider the message of Christ. You wont find
one verse showing Paul recommending others to JUST HAVE
ENOUGH FAITH.

PAULS MARS HILL APPEAL

www.letusreason.org/Current56.htm
In the following Truth is Not Ice Cream audio, Greg Koukl
shows that the definition of Faith has changed from the original
meaning, and is now thought by many as a kind of wishful thinking.
Some look at the idea of Faith as believing something that you have
no reason to believe or even believing something that you know
isnt true.
Because of the way the word Faith is misunderstood today,
Greg suggests using different words or phrases instead of the word
Faith. He recommends the words, TRUST, COMMITMENT,
CONVICTION; or the phrase ACTIVE TRUST. These capture the real
biblical meaning we want to convey to others when we talk about
our beliefs and convictions. Using these terms instead of the word
Faith will allow others to understand us more accurately, and
reduce misunderstandings some might have by us using the term
Faith.
Go to 40:40 in the following audio to listen to Gregs longer
talk on this subject, and his recommendation of the word we should
use. After listening to this section, then listen to the rest of this great
recording.
TRUTH IS NOT ICE CREAM audio - Greg Koukl
http://vailchristian.com/podcast/?powerpress_pinw=27-podcast
(If you click the PLAY button below the title instead of downloading and
playing the file, the window will only show you the remaining time of
the recording. 40:40 into the recording is the same as -23:40)
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 At -19:30 in the recording Greg talks about what the Bible

has in mind when it comes to Biblical Faith. He indicates
the logical progression of Evidence Knowledge Action.
EVIDENCE - is adequate to give confident Knowledge.
KNOWLEDGE - is the thing that people act with trust regarding.
ACTION - is what is taken based upon the knowledge one
receives.
One example of this progression which we use every day,
would be sitting in a chair that you havent sat in before:
EVIDENCE is what you have of the chair:
Knowing whether or not someone else has sat in the chair and
their experience.
Having yourself sat in another chair of the same design.
Seeing the chair being built and knowing the joint design.
Others giving you information about the chair.
KNOWLEDGE of the evidences gives you the confidence to make a
decision as to sitting in the chair.
ACTION is what you now take based upon the knowledge you now
have.
This is the link to his three part series, TACKLING RELATIVISM
http://vailchristian.com/podcast/category/message-
series/tackling-relativism-with-greg-koukl

So, what kind of witness will you choose to be? Even if your
witness did not convert a committed non-Christian, wouldnt you like
to create the same reaction in those you communicate with as that
of Atheist Thomas Nagel? Remember his comment?
I want atheism to be true and I am made uneasy by
the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-
informed people I know are religious believers.
Again, what kind of witness for Christ will you choose to be?
WHEN KIDS QUESTION THEIR FAITH
www.conversantlife.com/belief/when-kids-question-their-
faith-part-1
www.conversantlife.com/belief/when-kids-question-their-
faith-part-2
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 STOP TEACHING YOUNG CHRISTIANS ABOUT THEIR FAITH

http://coldcasechristianity.com/2015/stop-teaching-young-
christians-about-their-faith/
WHY APOLOGETICS IS CRITICAL FOR YOUTH MINISTRY
http://rebootchristianity.blogspot.com/2013/11/why-
apologetics-is-critical-for-youth.html
THE IMPORTANCE OF APOLOGETICS FOR EVERY BELIEVER
AND EVERY CHURCH
http://www.watermark.org/message/2188
WE LIVE AT THE MERCY OF OUR IDEAS
www.conversantlife.com/theology/we-live-at-the-mercy-of-
our-ideas
IDEAS HAVE CONSEQUENCES
www.theologytools.com/PDF/MR/7014_Ideas_Have_Cons
equences_1_Final.pdf
http://solidjoys.desiringgod.org/en/devotionals/ideas-have-
consequences
AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST - Greg Koukl
** Very important presentation showing how our character can
affect the impression others have of Christ)
http://vimeo.com/13049510 (video - shorter)
http://christianaudio.com/ambassadors-for-christ-gregory-koukl
AMBASSADOR TRAINING SERIES
www.objectivegospel.org/equip/ambassador
FROM TRUE BELIEF TO CONFIDENT KNOWLEDGE
www.conversantlife.com/theology/from-true-belief-to-
confident-knowledge
WHAT IS APOLOGETICS: ARGUING EVANGELISM
www.str.org/articles/what-is-apologetics-arguing-
evangelism
WHAT IS APOLOGETICS AND WHY?
www.apologeticsbible.com/apologetics-resources/what-is-
apologetics

134

 DO APOLOGETICS STILL WORK?

www.conversantlife.com/theology/do-apologetics-still-work
DO APOLOGETICS MATTER ANYMORE?
www.conversantlife.com/life-with-god/do-apologetics-
matter-anymore
WHY APOLOGETICS? - 121 Quotes on Why We Need Apologetics
www.thepoachedegg.net/the-poached-egg/why-apologetics
THINK FOR A MINUTE
A great short video (2-3 minutes) series introduction of apologetics.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAFlmuiA-
eE&list=PLi3Emd5KCgRz7sJDJHnwlwBoqEODTmuOe
SURVEY OF CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS
12 part video presentation by the Clear Thinking Christianity YouTube channel
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCqM21hWRtY&list=PLyryMVVZ
EmUhf6W4NZML6xP3swnup1GCT
This is a great overview of apologetics and will give you a solid foundation.
In the audio of the second video the presenter indicates that the video series
is based upon the book I Dont Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist.
FIRST APOLOGETIC CLASS
45 part video presentation by the same speaker. Each video is 8-9 minutes.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRYMKuxRqUk&list=PLyryM
VVZEmUg4QuTXkyOrI-9yjwCWqEpN

NO NEED FOR APOLOGETICS? POSTMODERNISMS EFFECT ON

CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS
www.xenos.org/essays/no-need-apologetics-
postmodernisms-effect-christian-apologetics
APOLOGETICS AND CHRISTIAN LIVING
http://theologyandworship.com/2011/09/08/apologetics-
and-christian-living/
BEING A WINSOME APOLOGIST - John Lennox
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwOpsOudaA8
CONVERSATIONAL APOLOGETICS - Michael Ramsden
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL33OkQOGTk
www.bethinking.org/apologetics/conversational-apologetics
Same presentation on another date, and text of presentation
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 APOLOGETICS WITHOUT BRUISES

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVjU60kVY68
WHAT AN APOLOGISTS JOB IS NOT - Melissa Cain Travis
http://hcchristian.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/what-an-
apologists-job-is-not
REGARDING APOLOGETICS, AN APOLOGY
www.str.org/articles/regarding-apologetics-an-apology
NO APOLOGIES
www.str.org/blog/no-apologies
WHY APOLOGETICS HAS A BAD NAME - Sean McDowell
www.conversantlife.com/belief/why-apologetics-has-a-bad-
name
WHY WE MUST TEACH APOLOGETICS UNAPOLOGETICALLY
www.outreachmagazine.com/features/5486-why-we-must-
teach-apologetics-unapologetically.html
WE NEED KNOWLEDGE, NOT JUST BELIEF
www.str.org/articles/we-need-knowledge-not-just-belief
IS FAITH BLIND? Greg Koukl
www.str.org/podcasts/thinking-out-loud/is-faith-blind
WE NEED TO GET RID OF FAITH
www.str.org/articles/we-need-to-get-rid-of-faith
INTELLECTUAL FAITH?
www.str.org/articles/intellectual-faith
THE REASONABLE, EVIDENTIAL NATURE OF CHRISTIAN FAITH J Warner Wallace
www.str.org/blog/the-reasonable-evidential-nature-of-
christian-faith
TEN BAD ARGUMENTS - Greg Koukl
http://server.firefighters.org/catalog/1999-2000/01148.mp3
Bad Arguments AGAINST RELIGION Greg Koukl
www.watermark.org/message/2204
WHY SHOULD I DEFEND MY FAITH? (Video)
www.str.org/blog/why-should-i-defend-my-faith-video

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 FAITH & WISHING

www.str.org/publications/faith-wishing
TRUTH IS NOT ICE CREAM audio - Greg Koukl (FAITH starts at 40:40)
http://vailchristian.com/podcast/?powerpress_pinw=27-
podcast
MORE THAN A FEELING
www.conversantlife.com/theology/more-than-a-feeling
THE ESSENCE OF APOLOGETICS - Os Guinness
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Os%20Guinness
THE VISION OF LITERARY APOLOGETICS
www.conversantlife.com/writing/the-vision-of-literary-
apologetics
Apologetics for a New GENERATION
Book by Sean and Josh McDowell
www.openisbn.com/preview/0736925201/ - Preview of Book
Free Study Guide To The Book
http://seanmcdowell.org/pdf/Apologetics%20Study%20Gui
de.pdf
APOLOGETICS FOR A NEW GENERATION - Video - Sean McDowell
http://vimeo.com/15733653
5 REASONS TO RETHINK APOLOGETICS
www.apologeticscanada.com/2013/05/22/5-reasons-to-
rethink-apologetics/
GOD AND COSMOLOGY VIDEOS
www.youtube.com/user/tacticalfaith/videos
HOW TO GET APOLOGETICS IN YOUR CHURCH
www.apologetics315.com/2010/09/how-to-get-apologetics-
in-your-church.html
COMMON OBJECTIONS
http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/search/label/Common%20O
bjections

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ANSWERING COMMON OBJECTIONS TO CHRISTIANITY FROM SKEPTICS

www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/qa_steve_hay
s02.html
HOW TO RESPOND WHEN THEY SAY . . .
www.christiananswers.net/evangelism/responses/home.html
HOW CAN I BE PREPARED TO DEFEND MY FAITH?
www.reasonsforgod.org/2013/04/prepared-to-defend-christianity/
WHY APOLOGETICS HAS A BAD NAME
www.equip.org/article/why-apologetics-has-a-bad-
name/#christian-books-2
APOLOGETICS RESOURCES FOR KIDS
http://ratiochristi.org/blog/post/apologetics-resources-
for-kids#.VfuRBPlViko
14 WAYS I TEACH APOLOGETICS TO MY 5-YEAR-OLDS
http://christianmomthoughts.com/14-ways-i-teach-
apologetics-to-my-5-year-olds/
APOLOGETIC RESOURCES FOR SMALL GROUPS
http://thinkingmatters.org.nz/2010/02/apologetic-
resources-for-small-groups/
APOLOGETICS BASICS FLASHCARDS
www.cram.com/flashcards/apologetic-basics-1851908
CASE (Christian Apologetics Search Engine)
A place to search for apologetic and theological terms
https://cse.google.com/cse/home?cx=00543696252645
9497738:nktistqgjuw
PRESUPPOSITIONAL APOLOGETICS: A SUMMARY
http://thecripplegate.com/presuppositional-apologetics-
a-summary
UNBELIEVABLE CONFERENCE - videos
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=%22unbelievable+con
ference%22&go=Submit&qs=n&form=QBVLPG&
pq=%22unbelievable+conference%22&sc=3-
25&sp=-1&sk=
138

 A WALLET, A DOLLAR, THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

Pt.1 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vi-FsaEb3Q
Pt.2 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjHschcUIQE
Pt.3 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpVVczuWqtc

PAGE LISTING A NUMBER OF GREAT LINKS:

https://sammylopez.wordpress.com/apologetics/

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 5. EVIDENCES For CHRISTIANITY

"Ultimately, the problem with man is not the absence of
evidence, it is the suppression of it." - Ravi Zacharias
How would you respond to the following?
How do you know God exists?
Wasnt Jesus just a good man?
How do you know that the Bible is true?
Hasnt science proved the Bible wrong?
______________________
The evidences in this section are presented in the following order:
TRUTH GOD THE BIBLE JESUS CHRIST
Ive presented the subjects in this order because I believe
this order is the most logical progression when covering these
subjects. The following should demonstrate the reasoning for this:
If there is no TRUTH then we cant know that GOD exists.
If we cant know GOD exists then we cant know that the
BIBLE or any other religious writing is from GOD.
If we cant know the BIBLE is from GOD then it doesnt
matter about the person of JESUS CHRIST.
Conversely:
If there is TRUTH then we can evaluate different beliefs
about GOD as to their TRUTHFULNESS.
If a belief about GOD proves TRUE then any contradictory
belief is automatically false, according to the LAW OF
NON-CONTRADICTION.
If God exists and He has communicated to us, then which
volume claiming to be from Him shows evidence of this?
If the BIBLE, which claims to be from God, proves to be
from God then any volume which contradicts the BIBLE is
automatically false, according to the LAW OF NON-
CONTRADICTION.
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 If the Bible proves to be from God, we then have a

decision to make about the central personality of the
Bible, JESUS CHRIST. And since Truth isnt based upon
what we like, dont like, or our sincerity, we have to make
the decision to accept or reject Jesus Christ whether we
like it or not.

When you think about proving something using evidences,

you could liken this to a court trial and the requirements of the
EVIDENCE used as proof in a trial. I was privileged to be on a jury
trial last year, and realized that a jury trial is a very accurate
illustration as to the usage of evidence in proving facts. With
respect to the evidence in the trial, both the prosecuting attorney
and defense attorney emphasized the phrase beyond a
reasonable doubt. Neither of the attorneys ever stated the
phrase, beyond all possible doubt. When considering
evidence we look at the most logical explanation, and then
determine the most reasonable conclusion proved by the evidence.
Some will disregard an evidence or evidences for
Christianity because they can imagine a scenario, no matter how
unlikely, where the evidence wont support Christianity. In their
belief all they need to do is to just come up with a story about the
evidence to explain it away, regardless of how unrealistic the story.
Greg Koukl states, "A story is not an argument". He has
heard many people come up with a story to explain something or
explain a different something away, but they provide no
reasonable argument using evidences supporting a reason for their
explanation. They only have a story. In a courtroom you wont hear
a story presented as actual evidence. In the courtroom, you will
hear a conclusion presented by the prosecution or defense which
they are trying to prove based upon the evidence. The outcome of
the trial is determined by the evidence and not a story. Any
conclusion in a courtroom must be consistent with the evidence
presented during the trial. This is how we should arrive at
conclusions about God, Jesus, etc. By using evidence and not
stories, we arrive at far more accurate conclusions.

141

 Taking the idea of a STORY further, some have even

invented ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS to refute a conclusion a
person doesnt like. On the subject of the existence of God, one
example of an ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATION is the FLYING SPAGHETTI
MONSTER. This is something invented by a few Atheist professors
who hold to the belief that there is absolutely no evidence for God
(according to them). Since they believe there is no evidence for
God and that people believe in God, then why not believe in
something else that has no evidence and is equally unrealistic?
They have proposed what they believe is an equally unrealistic
object of belief. They have thought up the FLYING SPAGHETTI
MONSTER. They even have a name for the followers of this pasta
invention. They refer to followers of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
as PASTAFARIANS. Greg Koukl states that like the STORY, an
ALTERNATE EXPLANATION isnt an argument either.

So, is it fair to say that there is no evidence for either God

or this Spaghetti invention? After reading this section you will see
the difference in that while there isnt any evidence for this pasta
invention and creation of the colander there is great evidence for
God. The mistake many make is that when they see evidence they
dont like which supports Christianity, they dont consider it
evidence or they consider it insufficient to prove the validity of
Christianity. Think again about a court trial. As a juror you are
instructed to follow the evidence where it leads, not ignore evidence
when it doesnt lead to the conclusion you like. Check Greg Koukls
commentary on this and these additional articles.
THE FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER (Video)
www.str.org/blog/the-flying-spaghetti-monster-video
INVISIBLE PINK UNICORN, FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER,
SANTA CLAUS AND GOD
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/unicorns.html
A BRIEF REBUTTAL TO "THE FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER"
http://articles.faithwriters.com/reprint-article-
details.php?article=14769

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* TRUTH ICE CREAM OR INSULIN?

Have you ever thought about TRUTH as being like ice
cream? I know this sounds like a strange question but it will make
sense shortly. You may have never given much thought to the idea
of TRUTH before but many people regularly demonstrate confusion
as to what TRUTH really is. When considering the concept of TRUTH
It is important to be aware of the two primary types of TRUTH, which
we covered briefly earlier. Those two types of truth are SUBJECTIVE
TRUTH and OBJECTIVE TRUTH. Greg Koukl (www.str.org) uses ICE
CREAM and INSULIN to effectively illustrate the difference between
Subjective Truth and OBJECTIVE TRUTH.
Truth Never Gets Old - with Brett Kunkle
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q17wLBbdxMs
There are many people who think about truth in an ICE
CREAM kind of way. No, they dont think TRUTH is actually chocolate
or rocky road but they think about TRUTH in the same way as they
think about a flavor of ice cream.
Lets look at one scenario. When a person states, Rocky
road ice cream is the best, do they believe that everyone should
think Rocky Road is the best, or do they believe that it is the best
for them? They dont necessarily expect YOU to believe its the best,
do they? If you do thats fine, but if you dont, thats fine too. And
whichever flavor you believe is the best, that person doesnt feel
uncomfortable with you stating it, even if they dont believe it is the
best flavor.
Lets look at a second scenario. What if a person claimed a
particular flavor was the best and you disagreed with them. Then
the person called you a sinner for not believing that flavor was the
best, and that you would go to Hell because you didnt believe their
flavor was the best flavor. It would be very strange for someone to
do that, wouldnt it?
In the first scenario, the statement I think this flavor is
best, and you think a different flavor is best, is an example of
a SUBJECTIVE TRUTH claim. It is a truth about the SUBJECT, about
the PERSON and THEIR PREFERENCE of ice cream flavor, not the ice
cream itself, not about the object. In this example it is the truth
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about whoever is claiming that their flavor is the best. It is about

their personal likes and dislikes, not about an actual property of the
ice cream.
When many people look at different beliefs they look at them
subjectively, like a flavor. Christianity is your BELIEF FLAVOR and it
works for you, but they have a different BELIEF FLAVOR that works
for them. They are happy for you whether or not your belief flavor is
their belief flavor. They are fine with you having a different BELIEF
FLAVOR. That is unless of course you insist that your belief flavor is
the BEST FLAVOR or THE ONLY TRUE FLAVOR, and then go on to tell
them that if they dont believe your BELIEF FLAVOR is the only true
BELIEF FLAVOR, they will go to Hell.
The second scenario above is an example of OBJECTIVE
TRUTH. It is a truth about the OBJECT, about the ice cream itself. It
is about the object the claim is about, and not the preference of the
person making the claim. When we state that Christianity is the
truth, we mean it OBJECTIVELY, that it is actually true for all people
everywhere not just that we LIKE it best. Many look at our claim
about the truth of Christianity as a SUBJECTIVE TRUTH, as an Ice
Cream kind of truth, our FLAVOR and not theirs.
Remember earlier when we looked at why some people will
consider Christians intolerant because they see Christians as
criticizing what others believe as true? These people think we are
arrogant, that we believe our convictions are the only ones which
are true, and that we insult others when we convey that their beliefs
are wrong. Can you see how these people see the truth of beliefs
held by persons as subjective and not objective? It is important to
realize this if you are in a discussion with someone on the idea of
truth, and you are both disagreeing with each other. While you both
are talking about truth, they may be thinking about subjective truth,
while you are thinking about objective truth.
Gregs effective illustration for OBJECTIVE TRUTH is to see it
like insulin and not like ice cream. Think about one of your family
having diabetes, and taking insulin. What if one day they decided
that they were switching from insulin to chocolate ice cream as the
best treatment for diabetes because they liked the flavor? Would
you have any hesitation in trying to convince them that they were
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wrong? Of course not. Would you think it appropriate to try to talk

them out of this CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM treatment? Of course.
You can see in this scenario that the focus is on the
treatment of the diabetes, not what someones personal preference
of treatment is. With beliefs, like medical treatments, we want to
choose beliefs that work, beliefs that are true.
Greg Koukl states,
When it comes to ice cream, we choose what we like.
When it comes to diabetes, we choose what works.
Greg also states,
Subjective truth is NEITHER right nor wrong.
Objective truth is EITHER right or wrong.

Why are beliefs important? Because BELIEFS HAVE

CONSEQUENCES. Remember earlier when we covered this and
looked at the historical consequences of the ideas some people
have lived out?
With the TREATMENT OF DIABETES example above we see
different consequences depending on the actual treatment
someone uses, not on what the person thinks about any particular
treatment. In just the last hundred years we have seen the
consequences to the world due to the beliefs held by Hitler, Stalin,
and Mao Zedong. The consequences are that over 100 million
people were killed because of the beliefs and philosophies of just
these three people.
I believe that deep down most of us really want to know the
truth, but when we are challenged to face up to the fact at times that
we are wrong our pride gets in the way. We like living in the BELIEF
BUBBLE weve become happy with, and we dont like the idea of
anyone disturbing our bubble. Ive been guilty of this too. Just ask
my wife if Ive ever been resistant to change when shes brought
me to the reality of a wrong decision. There is a phrase I like which
you may have heard. This phrase illustrates our wanting to keep
our beliefs just the way they are: Dont confuse me with the
truth, Ive already made up my mind.

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 Does it make sense now why people dont have an issue

when we say, Insulin is a treatment for diabetes, but they do
have an issue when we say, Jesus is the only way?
When we tell them that Jesus is the only way to eternal life,
they think were trying to force them to accept our BELIEF FLAVOR
as THE BEST FLAVOR. They are looking at the claim of Jesus being
the only way as OUR belief flavor. They have a different belief
flavor, and they dont want us trying to get them to switch their flavor
for our flavor. They have MADE UP THEIR MIND about which belief
flavor they like and they dont want anybody challenging that belief.
Its important to realize that when a person looks at beliefs
as if they are merely FLAVORS of ice cream we choose, that this is
part of their worldview. Their BELIEF FLAVOR is that a persons
PREFERENCE OF BELIEF is the TRUTH, (SUBJECTIVE TRUTH), and not
that SOME BELIEFS ARE ACTUALLY TRUE FOR EVERYONE (OBJECTIVE
TRUTH). Again, when in conversation with others its very important
to remember this difference of understandings and even get a
clarification on this difference with those you talk with. There are
some very effective techniques for clarifying a persons
understanding of TRUTH later on in the TACTICS section.
One very effective question to get a clearer understanding
of a persons belief and the first question in the TACTICS section is,
What do you mean by that? If they were to say something like
All roads lead to heaven, you could ask,What do you mean
by All roads?
Truth is Not Ice Cream audio - Greg Koukl
http://vailchristian.com/podcast/?powerpress_pinw=27-podcast
Look at the following statements and see if you can tell whether
they are SUBJECTIVE (ICE CREAM) or OBJECTIVE (INSULIN).
1. 2 + 2 = 4
2. Disneyland is better than Magic Mountain.
3. The 2011 Toyota Camry is ugly.
4. 99% of U.S households have at least one TV set.
5. Television is more important than anything else to poor people.
6. Apple only allows company approved apps to be installed on
iOS devices.

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 7. 53% of Americans pay federal income tax.

8. God exists.
9. Premarital sex is immoral.
The answers (O = objective, S = subjective):
1:O, 2:S, 3:S, 4:O, 5:S, 6:O, 7:O, 8:O, 9:O
Are you surprised to find that statements 8 and 9 are
OBJECTIVE statements? Many students will initially answer that both
are subjective. Statement 8 is easier to see as objective when we
realize that God either exists or doesnt exist, and since the
statement has to do with God and not our belief about Him it is an
objective statement. Statement 9 is a little more difficult in that
many will answer based on how they FEEL about premarital sex and
not consider MORALS to be truly objective. Similar to actual truths
being objective and not subjective, morals are also objective and
not subjective because RIGHT AND WRONG are determined by God
and not our likes or dislikes. Morality will be covered more shortly.
This video by Frank Turek demonstrates the concept of objective
moral law, and will give you a better understanding.
IS THERE AN OBJECTIVE MORAL LAW?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOJeseNJneg
Now think about a situation where youre in a conversation
with someone and you make the statement, Jesus is the only
way . . . If the person responds with Im glad youve found
something that works for you but that is your truth and I have
a different truth. Would their claim be a claim of OBJECTIVE TRUTH
or a SUBJECTIVE TRUTH? HINT. Is their claim about Jesus, the
object, or what their personal preference is, the subject?
So, with their response where do we go? We must go to the
foundation of everything. That foundation of everything is
ABSOLUTE TRUTH. As a Christian you may be thinking, Isnt God
the foundation of everything?, and you would be right. God is
the foundation of everything. Consider though John 14:6.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am The Way, THE TRUTH,
and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through
me.
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 Jesus claimed to be THE TRUTH, not just A TRUTH. He is

ULTIMATE TRUTH, so when you point to TRUTH as the foundation for
everything you are actually pointing to God as that foundation.
With OBJECTIVE TRUTH we can evaluate beliefs and
teachings as to their truthfulness. Whichever belief proves to be
OBJECTIVELY TRUE, any beliefs that contradict that true belief are
AUTOMATICALLY FALSE. IF there is ONE GOD, the teachings of many
Gods, no God, God is All, and any other contradictory beliefs about
GOD are automatically false. IF there is NO GOD, then the teaching
of One God, many gods, and God is All are automatically false. The
same is true for any of the other options about the truth of God(s)
existence or non-existence. This is the same with most areas of
knowledge. Think about most math problems. All the given
answers can be false but only one answer can be true. And
whichever answer is true, the other answers are automatically false.
CAN YOU PASS THE OBJECTIVE / SUBJECTIVE TRUTH TEST?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lipb2kDTKjs
This aspect of the truthfulness of something is called,
THE LAW OF NON-CONTRADICTION:
THE LAW OF NON-CONTRADICTION:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_noncontradiction.
THE LAW OF NON-CONTRADICTION states that Contradictory
statements cannot both be true in the same sense at the same
time. As an example the two propositions A is B and A is not
B are mutually exclusive. Ravi Zacharias illustrates this law
very effectively in this YouTube video
LAW OF NON-CONTRADICTION
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWVzHOhGSC0
Its important to realize that this is the LAW of Non-Contradiction and
not the THEORY of Non-Contradiction. This means that it is proven
and not just a theory, and this law applies to the world regardless
of our acceptance of it.
Considering the LAW OF NON-CONTRADICTION, when there is
a scenario where there are multiple possible contradictory answers
you will find that while all the answers given can be false only one

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answer can be true. Again, math is a great example of this: 2+2=4,

not 57, -5, 273, or any other number. Whichever answer is true,
anything contracting that true answer is automatically false. One
way to think about TRUTH is that it is exclusive and intolerant. It will
not allow for a wrong answer and it will not tolerate a wrong answer.
Think about the importance of truth. Remember, if there is
no truth you cant know anything with any certainty. If you cant
know anything with certainly, you can't know for sure that there is a
God, or that Jesus is God, or that He is the only way of salvation.
And again, if someone says there is no truth, then their statement
cant be true either. Truth is proven to exist through this statement.
John 14:6 states that Jesus is THE truth. Once again,
some professors will state There is no Truth. Do you see the
subtle ramifications of this statement? If there is no TRUTH, Jesus
can't be the TRUTH. This means that the verse John 14:6 is false
and that the Bible has errors. If the Bible has errors, it can't be from
a God who knows everything. When students hear a professor
state, There is no truth, most don't think the professors
statement through to its logical conclusion. Again, if there is no truth
then nothing can be known with any certainty. And if nothing can
be known with any certainty, then the professors claim that THERE
IS NO TRUTH can't be known with any certainty either. Anyone
making this statement cant have it both ways. They cant try to
convince you that their statement is true while also stating that there
is no truth.
Knowing this reality about OBJECTIVE TRUTH and the LAW OF
NON-CONTRADICTION we can be confident that OBJECTIVE TRUTH
exists. Since OBJECTIVE TRUTH exists we can be confident in being
able to evaluate beliefs and claims as to their TRUTHFULNESS. As
such, we can evaluate the truthfulness about beliefs and teachings
about God, Allah, the Bible, the Quran, Jesus, Buddha,
Mohammad, etc.
When you consider OBJECTIVE TRUTH, any truth is true no
matter; its popularity, whether somebody really wants it to be true,
and whether it is believed; no matter how sincerely or strongly.
Weve already looked at SINCERITY, (Magic and driving), and DESIRE

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(Deal or no Deal), as not having any bearing on truth. What about

CONFIDENCE?

The Super Bowl is a good example of individuals exhibiting

great confidence in a future outcome. I think we can reasonably
conclude that the majority of the people who watch the Super Bowl
REALLY believe one of the two teams will win. What they BELIEVE
or WANT doesn't change the truth of the outcome of the game, no
matter how strongly they believe it or want it. Ultimately, only one
team will win and in upwards of 50% of the fans will be wrong.
One of our son's previous teachers bet $1600 on a team in
the 2013 Super Bowl! Considering that he bet $1600, how
confident do you think he was that his team would win? If you had
$1600 would you bet it all on a team if you werent fully confident
they would win? He was so confident in his choice before the game
started that he was willing to bet $1600 dollars on the outcome.
What was the outcome? His team lost and he lost $1600! Do you
think he would have made the bet if he had any thought that his
team would lose? How did CONFIDENCE work out for him?
With the 2014 Super Bowl, the owner of a furniture company
was so convinced that the Denver Broncos would beat the Seattle
Seahawks that he held a promotion for anyone spending more than
$6,000 on furniture and having it delivered before game day. The
Denver Broncos lost the Super Bowl and the promotion he ran
ended up costing him 7 million dollars!
Texas Furniture Store Owner Loses $7 Million In Super Bowl Bet
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMAfl8PQA1w
Think about the Earth. According to history books, before
1492 it was believed with great confidence that the Earth was flat.
What was the belief about the Earth after 1492? Eventually almost
everyone now believes the Earth is spherical. Was the earth flat
before 1492 because people believed it was flat and then in 1492,
because of Columbus, the Earth became spherical because people
changed their belief? Or was it always a sphere? Did it matter that
at one time almost the entire world believed the Earth was flat? No.
So truth is not based upon the number of people or percentage who
believe or have confidence in something, is it?

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 So you see, truth is not dependent on how much confidence

one has in something or how popular the belief either.
It is my understanding that there are over 20 religious
volumes which claim to be inspired by God. According to the LAW
OF NON CONTRADICTION if one volume proves to be from God any
other book contradictory to that proven volume is automatically not
from God.
Lets consider the Bible and some of the consequences if it
is true. The Bible speaks of the person Jesus the Christ. It indicates
that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the debt for the sin we
have committed, and He did this so that everyone might have the
opportunity to receive eternal life. The Bible also indicates that
none of us can do anything to be worthy of receiving this gift he
offers.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousness are as filthy rags.
If everything we try to do is described as FILTHY RAGS then
we can have no hope in anything we do, but only in one who actually
has the qualifications and ability to pay the debt we owe. Our only
hope is to accept Christ's payment for our sin, (which we don't
deserve and cant earn), so that we can receive Gods gift of eternal
life. If the Bible is true, we have no choice but to make a decision
about this person Jesus Christ, about His claims to divinity, and
about His claims to be able to take away sin. Can you see that if
we choose not to choose we have still made a choice? Not choosing
is actually making a choice to reject his gift. So the question is, Is
the Bible true?
Think again about the idea of TOLERANCE, the idea that what
everyone believes as true is TRUE (subjective), even where one
persons belief contradicts another persons belief. If what
everyone believes as true is TRUE then what about the different
beliefs in God? What about those who don't believe in God? Is
Gods existence based upon how strongly someone does or doesnt
believe in His existence? If so, God would exist for those of us who
believe He exists and not exist for those who believe He doesnt
exist. He would both exist and not exist at the same time. You see

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the obvious contradiction here. Only one of these two beliefs can
be OBJECTIVELY TRUE. Oh, and a person living like God doesnt
exist is not the same (subjective) as God truly not existing
(objective).
God exists or doesn't exist, because He does or doesn't
exist (objective), not because people choose to believe or not
believe in His existence (subjective). So you see, TRUTH is not
based on the strength of a persons BELIEF.
IS TRUTH KNOWABLE? - Frank Turek
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNuULwwSMzg
DOES TRUTH EXIST - IS IT KNOWABLE? - PT. 1
www.youtube.com/watch?v=APwu8c9JLXQ
Sites on Truth: www.knowtruth.com/truth
www.letusreason.org/Apolo1.htm
www.gotquestions.org/absolute-truth.html
www.allabouthow.com/is-there-absolute-truth.htm
http://coldcasechristianity.com/?s=truth
http://pleaseconvinceme.com/?s=truth
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES - Greg Koukl
http://server.firefighters.org/catalog/1999-2000/00925.mp3
WHY THE CORRESPONDENCE THEORY OF TRUTH IS SUPERIOR
http://clearlens.org/2013/03/23/why-the-correspondence-
theory-of-truth-is-superior
THE USUAL SUSPECTS- RESPONSES TO "NOTABLE" SKEPTICS
http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2009/07/usual-suspects-
responses-to-notable.html
THINKING CLEARLY - Greg Koukl - 4 part series
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcLIDtrKzpg&list=PLGzZYVI
D5fAHoXiLf_l16gUtc4dToNEOu
This is a great comprehensive series on thinking
clearly and logically!
A BASIC LOGIC PRIMER
www.apologetics315.com/2009/05/basic-logic-primer.html

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 STRAIGHT THINKING
www.reasons.org/explore/type/straight-thinking
COUNTER CULTURE NIGHT - TRUTH OR TRAGEDY?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO7Aa08GQpI
COUNTER CULTURE NIGHT - TRUTH OR TRAGEDY Q&A
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxeiaZWlrBM Q&A
THE NATURE OF TRUTH
http://trinityclassicalacademy.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/11/HANDOUTS_The-Nature-of-
Truth.pdf

* GOD
Now that we have a better understanding of OBJECTIVE
TRUTH and can see that objective truth exists, we can apply this
understanding to the different beliefs about God(s).
Some of the major beliefs about God are: 1) There is one
God, 2) There are many gods, 3) There is no god, or 4) Everything
is god. The following link will give you much greater detail about
the options.
FOUR MAIN BELIEFS ABOUT THE NATURE OF GOD
www.religioustolerance.org/tran_imm.htm
Whichever teaching about God or gods is true, any
contradictory belief or teaching to the true teaching is automatically
false. Can you see that whichever belief is true the other beliefs
are automatically false? If there truly is no God then the teaching
of ONE GOD, MANY GODS, or EVERYTHING IS GOD are automatically
false. The same is true for any of the other beliefs about God.
Consider the existence of the Universe. The three major
possibilities for the existence of the Universe are:
1. It has always existed
2. It created itself
3. It was brought into existence by a being outside of time,
space, and matter.

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 Einstein was one of the scientists within the last 100 years
who proved conclusively that the Universe (TIME, SPACE, MATTER),
had an origination point at sometime in the past. Einstein proved
that the Universe had a beginning at some point in the past, and so
it cant have always existed. So the first option, that THE UNIVERSE
HAS ALWAYS EXISTED, that it is eternal, HAS BEEN DISPROVED.

The links below will give you the reasons and evidences for
the Universe not having always existed.
IS THE UNIVERSE ETERNAL?
www.gotquestions.org/Universe-eternal.html
THE UNIVERSE IS NOT ETERNAL, BUT HAD A BEGINNING
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/beginning.html
ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE Quotes from well-known scientists
www.veritas-ucsb.org/library/origins/quotes/Universe.html

The second option is that the Universe brought itself into

existence. For the Universe to bring itself into existence the
Universe would already need to exist first to be able to bring itself
into existence. Essentially, IT WOULD NEED TO EXIST BEFORE IT
EXISTED. Does that sound logical to you? To say that the Universe
created itself is philosophically and logically impossible.
This also violates THE LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT , also
called THE LAW OF CAUSALITY. This is a LAW and not a THEORY, like
the LAW OF NON CONTRADICTION. This law states that for anything
that has come into existence, which is the effect, there must be a
cause. Notice that it doesnt say For anything that exists. As well,
the cause must be at least as powerful as the effect and must exist
outside that effect.
So, whatever was the cause of the Universe, TIME, SPACE,
MATTER, the LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT requires that the cause of
the Universe be at least as powerful as the entire Universe, and be
outside of TIME, SPACE, MATTER.
To get an idea of the immensity of the Universe, lets look at
some of the facts about the Universe. Think of the mass and energy
of all of the suns in the Universe which are contained in an
estimated 100 billion galaxies, with each galaxy containing an
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average of 100 billion stars. The cause of the Universe is greater

than this incomprehensible amount of energy and mass! Think
about this very interesting fact illustrating the magnitude of these
numbers. The human heart will beat about 2 billion times during an
entire lifetime of approximately 80 years. There are an average of
100 billion stars in each of an estimated 100 billion galaxies.
Think about what would be necessary to cause the mass of
just a single star and then multiply this times 100 billion (the average
number of stars in each galaxy) times 100 billion (the estimated
galaxies in the Universe)! 100 billion times 100 billion is 1x1022.
This means that there is an almost incomprehensible estimated
10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 suns! Absolutely staggering to
even try to imagination isnt it?
This is too much to try to comprehend, right? How about if
we consider just one other sun besides our own. Our own sun is
over 860,000 miles in diameter. Thats almost 1 million miles in
diameter! Even at this size it is not one of the largest suns in our
own galaxy.
One of the largest suns discovered in the Milky Way galaxy,
VY Canis Majoris, is just a little bit bigger than our sun. How
big? Think about our sun being almost a million miles in diameter.
Would 10 times that diameter be big? What about 20 times? What
about 50 times in diameter or approximately 50 million miles in
diameter? That would be big, wouldnt it?
Now think about the distance from the Earth to the Sun,
93,000,000 miles. Now think about the diameter of the orbit of the
Earth around the Sun, 186 million miles in diameter. What if VY
Canis Majoris was that large in diameter? That would be huge,
wouldnt it? Well VY Canis Majoris is even bigger than that! VY
Canis Majoris is so huge its diameter is not just the same as the
diameter of the Earths orbit around the Sun. The diameter of VY
Canis Majoris is almost as large as the diameter of the orbit of
Saturn around the sun!
This one star is so incredibly massive, that its diameter is
larger than the diameter of the orbit of all of the inner planets inside
the orbit of Saturn, including Jupiter! Since Jupiter is 493 million
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miles from the sun, the diameter of the orbit of Juipiter around the
sun is double that, or almost 1 billion, 1,000,000,000 miles in
diameter! VY Canis Majoris is 1,228,000,000 miles in diameter! It
is so huge that if placed at the center of our galaxy it would swallow
up every planet closer to the sun than Saturn!
Now think about the Law of Cause and Effect again. What
kind of mass and energy would be necessary to bring into existence
a star of this magnitude? Even this is almost impossible to
comprehend. And remember, VY Canis Majoris is only one star out
of approximately 100 billion stars in only one of 100 billion galaxies!
Only one star among 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars!
MIND BLOWING! EARTH COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Eh5BpSnBBw
SCALE OF EARTH, SUN, RIGEL, AND VY CANIS MAJORIS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8CgDGhYKe8
THE LARGEST STAR - VY CANIS MAJORIS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=smmNP8G69vc
Up until recently VY Canis Majoris was the largest known
star in the Milky Way galaxy. Another star has taken its place now
as the largest star discovered. It is UY Scuti. Remember that VY
Canis Majoris is 1,228,000,000 miles in diameter. UY Scuti is
1,500,000,000 miles in diameter! 1,000,000 Earths could fit inside
our own sun and UY Scuti is 5 billion times larger than our sun! That
means that 5 billion times 1 million Earths could fit inside UY Scuti!
Now think about the Law of Cause and Effect again. Are you
starting to get the idea how incredible the cause of this must be?
LIST OF BIG STARS-FROM OUR SUN TO UY-SCUTI
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMWMtLGGg6o
SUN COMPARED TO UY SCUTI - ZOOM OUT
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7766bCYMa0
THE LIGHT OF OTHER SUNS
www.youtube.com/watch?t=57&v=RN8_vwVOoHg
www.rhysy.net/other-suns.html

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 I indicated earlier the estimated 100,000,000,000 galaxies.

You may be wondering how they discovered this. The Hubble
telescope was pointed for over 10 days at a very dark, very small
area of sky, just to see what was out there. The area of sky was so
small, it is described as an the area of sky that would be covered
by a grain of sand in your fingertip held at arms length, The picture
is called the Hubble Deep Field and is described in the following
video:
THE HUBBLE ULTRA DEEP FIELD IN 3D
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAVjF_7ensg

When we consider the three possible explanations for the

existence of the galaxy, the first two have been disproved. The
Universe cant have always existed nor brought itself into existence.
The third option is the only reasonable option left. This explanation,
where the Universe was brought into existence by a cause outside
of time, space, and matter, and has power equivalent to or greater
than all the power in the Universe, is the only logical option.
ORIGINS OF THE UNIVERSE. A PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE
www.johnanning.com/origins.html.
Greg Koukl, of Stand To Reason (www.str.org) states humorously,
If there was a big bang, there must be a big banger!
Think about the scientific implications of the first verse in
the Bible, Genesis 1:1:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and
the earth.
In the beginning - - - - - - - - TIME,
God created the heavens - - SPACE,
And the earth - - - - - - - - - - MATTER.
This simple 10 word verse, the first verse in the Bible, is
describing a cause outside of time, space, and matter; and more
powerful than time, space, and matter; bringing time, space, and
matter into existence. This fits the only logical explanation of the
origin of the Universe. This is a scientifically accurate statement
written 3500 years before science could confirm that the Universe
actually had a beginning!
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 This first verse indicates that the God of the Bible is more
powerful than the entire Universe (time, space, and matter), and
also existing outside the Universe (time, space, and matter), 100
billion galaxies of 100 billion stars each. This description of the
Biblical God is fully compatible with science and shows that the
Bible was scientifically accurate on the origin of the Universe 3500
years in advance of this confirmation by modern science.
Think now about just this information on the incredible size
of the Universe.
1. It is comprised of an estimated 100 billion galaxies with an
average 100 billion stars each.
2. The Law of Cause and Effect mandates that with any
EFFECT, the CAUSE OF THE EFFECT MUST BE GREATER THAN
THE EFFECT. With the Universe being the EFFECT in this
case, the CAUSE of this universe coming into existence must
be greater than the Universe!
Do you have a new and far greater perspective on God than
you had previously to reading this section? Or asked another way,
how big was your God and how big is your God now?
GOD OF WONDERS www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvVt4lDSPeY
If you dont believe in the existence of God, does this mean
that you have to accept it now? No. but you are left trying to explain
where everything came from. Greg Koukl makes an effective
observation about this in his article and video presentations at the
following links, which are also included in the Worldview section,
The Nothing-Caused-the-Universe option is worse
than magic. In magic, a magician pulls a rabbit out of a
hat. In this case, though, theres no hatand no
magician. Theres just a rabbit (the universe, in our
case) appearing out of nowhere.
NATURALISM: BUMPING INTO REALITY
www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/Solid%20Ground%209
-2014%20Materialis-Bumping%20into%20Reality-1.pdf
NATURALISM: BUMPING INTO REALITY - Greg Koukls video presentation
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgoOBUQE_OA

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 This description of the Universe having a beginning, and

requiring a cause is called THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT. One
way to remember this could be to think of the word CAUSE, as
having the same sound as the first syllable in the word
COSMOLOGICAL.
J.P. Moreland gives evidences for the existence of God in his
audio presentation,
EVIDENCE FOR CHRISTIANITY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AU-R7cKo-U (video)
www.apologetics315.com/2011/03/evidence-for-christianity-
by-jp.html (audio)
HOW DO I KNOW GOD EXISTS - Dinesh D'Souza
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ien2Ah3lEY
WHAT'S CONSCIOUSNESS?.. AND EVIDENCE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF
THE SOUL - J. P. Moreland
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNZhk_bDicA
SITES ON GOD:
www.godandscience.org www.allaboutgod.com
www.everystudent.com/menus/existence.html
www.evidence.info/html/Evidences (use capital E)
www.gotquestions.org/questions_God.html
www.alwaysbeready.com (Click God, Evidence for at left)
If you receive an Unsupported Browser, click HOME at lower left.
THE FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER.
http://www.str.org/blog/the-flying-spaghetti-monster-video
Greg Koukl effectively illustrates the difference between
NO EVIDENCE and EVIDENCE NOT ACCEPTED in this video.

ARGUMENTS FOR GOD'S EXISTANCE

www.inspiringphilosophy.org/arguments-for-god-s-
existence.html
This is a site/author Ive recently discovered, who is looking to build
the largest apologetic video library on the Internet. The videos are
very thought provoking and some may be difficult to understand just
watching them once. Even so, they are great videos covering many
different topics. I highly recommend them. He is looking to make
an additional video every month!
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* PRIMARY ARGUMENTS FOR THE EXISTANCE OF GOD

THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT
THE ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT
THE TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT (also called Argument from Design)
THE MORAL ARGUMENT
THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT for the existence of God, is the
CAUSE AND EFFECT argument weve already looked at briefly, of the
Universe having a beginning and requiring a cause outside itself.
www.allaboutphilosophy.org/cosmological-argument.htm
THE TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT for the existence of God is also
referred to as the ARGUMENT FROM DESIGN and the FINE TUNING
ARGUMENT. The Universe shows amazing design, in that there are
so many aspects of it which must to be absolutely incredibly fine-
tuned to an amazing degree, before life could exist.
THE TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT (What it really says)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yt7hvgFuNg
THE FINE TUNING OF THE UNIVERSE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpIiIaC4kRA
INCREDIBLE FINE TUNING WILLIAM LANE CRAIG FINE TUNING
www.reasonablefaith.org/finetuning
FINE-TUNING ARGUMENT
http://wiki.ironchariots.org/index.php?title=Fine-tuning_argument
THE MORAL ARGUMENT for the existence of God states that if
objective morality exists, then God exists. If objective values and
obligations do not exist, then God doesnt exist. If God doesnt
exist, then everything is relative which means that there is no
standard of right or wrong.
RICHARD DAWKINS CONFIRMS MORAL ARGUMENT FOR GOD'S EXISTENCE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQYGiccUUKw
ANY OLD GOD WONT DO - Greg Koukls
http://server.firefighters.org/catalog/2003/17127.mp3
GOD EXISTS - J.W. Wartick
http://jwwartick.com/god-exists

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 HITCHENS' PRESUMPTION OF MEANING

www.conversantlife.com/theology/hitchens-presumption-of-
meaning
WHAT SKEPTICS WANT CHRISTIANS TO KNOW
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/atheism/what-skeptics-
want-christians-to-know
A WALLET A DOLLAR AND THE EXISTANCE OF GOD William Wallace
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vi-FsaEb3Q
WHY I AM NOT AN ATHEIST Ravi Zacharias
http://rzim.org/?s=why+i+am+not+an+atheist

Also check these arguments for God at:

www.allaboutphilosophy.org In the MATTERS OF THOUGHT section
www.peterkreeft.com/topics-more/20_arguments-gods-
existence.htm
www.gotquestions.org/does-god-exist.html
www.reasonsforgod.org

THE TRUTH PROJECT

This is an excellent program to gain an understanding of
the truths of the world around us, the Universe, and how we
fit into it from a Biblical perspective. If you have the
opportunity to attend these series of classes, I highly
recommend doing so. Use the website below to find a group.
THE TRUTH PROJECT Website:
www.thetruthproject.org
The description of THE TRUTH PROJECT indicates:
Each lesson discusses in great detail the relevance and
importance of living the Christian worldview in daily life.
This is the list of the lessons:
1-What is Truth? 6-History, 10-The American
2-Philosophy and Ethics 7-Sociology, Experiment,
3-Anthropology 8-The State, 11-Labor: Created
4-Theology 9-Am I Alone? to Create,
5-Science 12-God Cares; Do I

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Click the following link to see one of the lessons:

TRUTH PROJECT LESSON 7 SOCIOLOGY: DIVINE IMPRINT
http://vimeo.com/71233946
THE TRUTH PROJECT LEADER GUIDE
www.thetruthproject.org/en/downloads/~/media/files/P
DF/ttp-leader-guide-final.ashx
THE TRUTH PROJECT - Find a Group
www.mytruthproject.org/small_group_support/search_g
roups.aspx

* EVIL, SUFFERING, AND PAIN

I was initially hesitant about including this section
because there are so many who have experienced pain
through various circumstances and often through the
malicious actions of others. This pain, particularly pain
caused by the malicious acts of other people, seems to be
best labeled as EVIL. I sincerely hope that if you have
experienced pain in your life, that after reading this you will
realize that my intent is not to cause you to re-live this pain.
If through including it I have caused painful memories to
resurface, I am truly sorry and hope that you will forgive me.
The reason I have added this section is because the
EXISTENCE OF EVIL is considered one of the strongest
challenges to the existence of God. I believe that after
reading this section you will see the existence of evil in a way
that you hadnt previously, and that the existence of evil is
actually one of the best proofs FOR the existence of God
rather than being a strong challenge to Gods existence. I
realize that this probably wont provide you much consolation
for the pain you have suffered and Im sorry again if this
section causes you any pain.
It seems almost impossible at times to make sense of the
meaningless violence, unprovoked assaults, and other very
senseless events we see every day on the news. These events
have caused people to question God as to why a circumstance has
happened to them or a friend or loved one, and then caused them

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to question if God actually exists because of the circumstance. I

can only make an attempt to understand what someone has going
through who have experienced this kind of pain. If you have
experienced evil in your life, my prayers are with you and I hope
this section provides you with some understanding which you
might not have had before.
While this section is not intended to make sense of the evil
that people experience due to anothers actions or because of
events like disasters, it is included to provide a greater
understanding as to the challenge made that the existence of Evil
proves that God does not exist and provide an answer to that
challenge. I may not understand what you are going through but I
hope the included links will help to bring you some understanding
and comfort.
Many who don't believe that God exists believe this
because of the existence of evil. Essentially, their logic is as
follows:
1. If God is all-loving, He would want there to be no evil.
2. If God is all-powerful, He would be able to eliminate evil.
3. Since evil exists, God either lacks the will to save us from
evil or the ability to save us from evil.
4. If He lacks the will, He is not all-loving.
5. If He lacks the ability, He is not all-powerful.
6. Therefore, the existence of evil stands as evidence that
God cannot be both all-loving and all-powerful, or it is
evidence that God doesn't exist at all.
This argument seems very logical and convincing at first,
because the only options considered as proof or disproof of the
existence of God in reference to EVIL are the ones given. What if
there is another option in the way to look at the issue of EVIL?
Greg Koukl, (www.str.org) gives insight into this subject.
When you look at the above references to EVIL the underlying
assumption in the statements is that EVIL is an ACTUAL THING, that
it is a substance that has material properties which can be
measured. The statements are valid if evil is an actual thing. But
that is the question. Is EVIL a thing?

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 Lets look at a few illustrations which should answer the

question. One of Greg Koukls illustrations for the concept of EVIL
is HOT AND COLD. When we say that something is COLD, are we
using the description of COLD to indicate an actual substance or
property of something? No. To say something is COLD we are not
referring to cold as a substance in and of itself, but as a description
of a lack of HEAT ENERGY. Heat energy can be measured, but there
is not a measurement for COLD ENERGY because there is no such
thing as cold energy.
Another illustration he uses is LIGHT AND DARK. The same
is true with the concept of DARK as the concept of COLD. DARK
doesnt exist in and of itself. DARKNESS is a description of the
absence of something, the ABSENCE OF LIGHT. You can measure
LIGHT but you cant measure DARK.
My favorite illustration from Greg Koukl is that of a donut.
Think about a regular glazed donut with the opening in the center.
What is the opening is called? A DOUGHNUT HOLE, right? Now
think. Have you ever eaten a donut hole? Not the small pieces of
dough that are sold at donut stores, but have you ever eaten the
opening in the center of a donut called the DOUGHNUT HOLE? You
havent, have you? You see, the DOUGHNUT HOLE in the center of
a regular donut is not a substance itself. The name DOUGHNUT
HOLE describes the absence of something. It describes where the
DOUGHNUT is not. Greg Koukl humorously illustrates this ABSENCE
description by saying, Cold is the absence of heat, darkness is
the absence of light, and the donut hole is the absence of
donut.
EVIL is like this. It is not a substance that can be measured.
It is not something in and of itself. It is the name for the ABSENCE
OF SOMETHING. What is that something that is absent? That
something is GOOD.
Lets look back to the argument that God cant exist
because the existence of EVIL. Again, this is the misunderstanding
that EVIL is a thing. If there is no God then there is no standard for
GOOD. If there is no standard for GOOD then nothing can be
considered GOOD. Without GOOD nothing can be called EVIL,

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because there is nothing to compare it to, nothing to contrast it

with.
If there is no standard for GOOD, nothing can be described
as EVIL. Just like there cant be cold without heat; and there cant
be dark without light; and there cant be a donut hole without a
donut; THERE CANT BE EVIL WITHOUT GOOD. If there is no God,
there is no good or standard for good, and without good, there can
be nothing called evil.
Recognizing EVIL in the world is only possible because we
recognize a standard of GOOD to compare it to. A standard of
GOOD is only possible if God exists, and only with a standard of
GOOD can things be recognized as EVIL. So when we understand
this relationship between EVIL and GOOD we understand that the
existence of evil is actually one of the best evidences for the
existence of God rather than an evidence for His non-existence.
Jeremiah 31:33 shows that God has instilled this recognition of
right and wrong within each of us
Jeremiah 31:33 I will put my law in their minds and
write it on their hearts.
Hopefully this section has brought greater understanding
to this subject and shows an effective answer to the objection of
evil. What about pain though? Is there any explanation for the
existence of pain and suffering in our lives? And is the pain and
suffering we experience somehow evidence proving that God
doesnt love people as the Bible indicates He loves people? Or
could God have a purpose in allowing pain and suffering? Could
pain and suffering in our lives actually be used by God toward a
greater end purpose?
Ive heard the following quote that gives one reason for pain
that made it more understandable for me.
God will take us where we dont want to go so that He can
create in us what we could not accomplish on our own.
Long term good can sometimes only be attained through
earlier pain and discomfort. Like a medical or dental procedure,
short term pain can bring about a long term benefit. When we dont
have perspective, as in a young child getting an immunization shot,
we misunderstand the usage of pain by God.
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 When I look back at the times Ive experienced pain I

realize that in most of those circumstances the pain actually
caused me to change what I was doing, stop doing something that
I was doing, or take action when I was avoiding doing so. If we are
honest, pain is one of the more effective motivations in our lives.
Can you think of times in your life when pain caused you to make
a change? Maybe change a relationship or a situation?
You might still wonder why God allows evil to happen to
good people. Doesnt this thought assume that there are good
people? But is anyone actually good? In our eyes, yes, but what
about from Gods perspective? Think back to the questions in the
SELF CHECK section. We realize that none of us are as good as
we want to be. This is also confirmed by Jesus quote to the rich
young man,
Mark 10:18 "Why do you call me good? No one is good
except God alone." It is clear that no one is truly good.
I remember Greg Koukl mention in one of his programs an
illustration showing good reason for some of the discomforts we
experience. Greg gave the example of Arnold Schwarzenegger
when Arnold was a body builder. Greg asked if Arnold had been
born with the physique that he had when he won the Mr. Universe
competitions. The obvious answer is that Arnold hadnt. He was
born with the ability because of his genetic makeup so he had the
particular physiology necessary to eventually win the Mr. Olympia
contest, and win it seven times, but he wasnt born with his Mr.
Universe physique. Arnold had to train many hours a day for a
number of years to develop his physique.
Greg then said,
God wants to change us into the type of people
he wants to spend eternity with.
God wants to change us to have the qualities and
characteristics we dont currently have or dont have to the degree
he desires; characteristics of patience, forgiveness, thanksgiving,
long-suffering, etc. Some people think that by God allowing pain
and evil in our lives is proof that he doesnt really love us. He does
though. God wants to develop us into persons with characteristics
like Jesus, and it doesnt make sense to us that He can actually
use these negative situations to do this.
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 Have you ever thought about how we acquire these

characteristics of forgiveness, thankfulness, and the others? Like
Arnold Schwarzeneggers physique, God cant just make us more
patient, or forgiving, or thankful, or any of the other characteristics
we value in ourselves and others. To acquire the characteristic of
patience we must go through a circumstance that causes us to
exercise patience. Just like building muscle tissue requires
exercise, we only increase in these characteristics by exercising
them. The only way for us to exercise these characteristics is for
God to allow us to experience troubles and difficulties which
require us to use these characteristics. Arnold developed his
physique through actively working against the difficulty of the force
of the weights. It is only in those times when we actively work
against the difficult and inconvenient circumstances that we
develop those valued qualities.
The characteristics which God wants to develop in us are
those characteristics we value in others and ourselves too.
However, they are things which God cannot simply create us with.
Like the SQUARE CIRCLE mentioned earlier, God cannot do certain
things. He cant automatically make us to be thankful. We only
develop thankfulness by going through a situation where we
choose to express thankfulness. Greg indicates that the only way
to develop forgiveness, is to experience a situation where we are
wronged and then choose to demonstrate forgiveness to those
who wronged us. Similarly, the only way we can develop these
other qualities is to experience difficult circumstances, even painful
at times, which give us the opportunity to exercise and choose to
develop those qualities as well.
Think about the CHARACTERISTIC of PATIENCE. Have you
ever heard anyone say, Lord, give me patience and give it to
me now? It is only in times of impatience and inconvenience that
we can develop patience. The same is true for any other
characteristic. Have you ever been moved to develop any of these
characteristics when everything was going well? Undoubtedly not.
It seems almost counter-intuitive, but the reality is that when we
are comfortable we rarely make changes on our own which would
cause us any discomfort.
An experiment with plants illustrates how difficulties
develop strength and desirable characteristics. Take two of the
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same type of young outdoor plant and grow one inside a house
where the environment is comfortable to the plant and grow the
other outside forcing it to bear the elements. After months of
growth, place the plant grown in the house outdoors to grow with
the other plant which has been outside the entire time. What you
will find is that the plant that has only grown inside will not grow
well and might even die while the plant that has already been
growing outside does just fine and continues to grow larger. The
plant that has grown outside the entire time has developed a
stronger structure because of the harsher circumstances it has had
to endure. People are very similar in this respect.
Something else to consider when thinking about the
qualities God is developing in us. Think about those you know who
have been given things theyve not had to work for. Havent you
noticed that they dont appreciate as much what theyve not had to
work for as compared to those who have had to work for what they
have? Its human nature to value something that has cost us
something and see less value in something that has cost us
nothing, that we havent worked for and have nothing invested in.
Have you ever heard someone say of another, They are not
invested in the situation? We place a much higher value on
those things that require an investment of something we value,
whether time, money, effort.
Its the same with the desirable characteristics God wants
us to acquire. We wouldnt value them if we didnt have to invest
effort, and since this seems to be the way God has provided for
their development, it is probable that only through difficult
situations is the development of these characteristics even
possible. Isnt it worth it though? Think about your closest friends.
Dont they have characteristics that you admire? Isnt your
relationship with them closer because of these valued
characteristics they demonstrate? This is why God wants to do
the same work in us, so that we will have that same close
relationship with Him, having developed those characteristics of
value to Him.
The limitation in all of this though is that since these
characteristics are developed through work, difficulty, pain, and
discomfort, we only have this life to develop them for God. Once

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we pass from this life we will never again have the opportunity to
develop these characteristics further, except for THANKFULNESS.
And one last reason for difficulties in our lives. Have you
ever thought as to why some Christians seem to experience
difficulty and others lives seem to be free of most difficulties? If
you were Satan, would you harass those not doing much for God,
or would you harass those who are doing great works for God? It
should be obvious. Satan is only going to spend time harassing
those individuals who are being effectively used by God. If you are
not experiencing much in the way of pain and difficulty in your life,
could it be that you are no threat to Satan?
1 Peter 2:20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are
harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you
do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this
finds favor with God.
2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I am well content with
weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions,
with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I
am strong.
23 BIBLE VERSES ABOUT SUFFERING FOR CHRIST'S SAKE
http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Suffering-For-Christ~s-Sake

I believe the following links may assist if you are or have

experienced pain that has caused you to doubt Gods love or His
existence. They also provide perspectives on evil which have not
been considered by those who use evil as an argument against the
existence of God.
WHY SUFFERING?: FINDING MEANING AND COMFORT WHEN LIFE
DOESN'T MAKE SENSE Google book preview:
https://books.google.com/books?id=19sNAwAAQBAJ&print
sec=frontcover&dq=ravi+zacharias&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0
ahUKEwjpp836u4PKAhUMyGMKHUl3AQIQuwUIJjAB#v
=onepage&q=ravi%20zacharias&f=false
CRIES OF THE HEART Google book preview:
https://books.google.com/books?id=6rGmC_V63F8C&prints
ec=frontcover&dq=%22cries+of+the+heart%22&hl=en&s
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 a=X&ved=0ahUKEwiGuaPTu4PKAhVOwGMKHUrcA9Q
QuwUIITAA#v=onepage&q=%22cries%20of%20the%20
heart%22&f=false

I recently heard about a new book by Ravi Zacharias,

called WHY SUFFERING? I believe the synopsis of the book can
be summed up by a quote by Ravi on suffering,
"What about the Naturalistic explanation of this? What
about the Muslim? What about the Pantheist? What
about the Buddhist? All these worldviews have to give
an answer for the problem of evil, pain, and suffering.
Not just the Christian. . . When Christianity is compared
to these different world views in answering the
questions about evil, suffering, and pain, it has the most
coherent and comprehensive answer that there is."
WHY SUFFERING?: FINDING MEANING AND COMFORT WHEN LIFE
DOESN'T MAKE SENSE Ravi Zacharias
https://books.google.com/books?id=19sNAwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover
&dq=%22why+suffering%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwigjcjl2-
3KAhVHyGMKHRVnBbUQuwUINDAA#v=onepage&q=%22why%20sufferi
ng%22&f=false Google Book Preview
7 THINGS NOT TO SAY TO A GRIEVING PERSON
www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/7-things-not-to-say-
to-someone-who-is-grieving.html
IF GOD, WHY EVIL? - SEAN MCDOWELL
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH8hJ8V4sTY
THE PROBLEM OF EVIL Peter Kreeft
www.peterkreeft.com/topics/evil.htm
HOW CAN A GOOD GOD ALLOW EVIL?
www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/evil.html
GOOD GOD & EVIL WORLD - Paul Copan
http://vimeo.com/12216276
THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
www.reasonablefaith.org/the-problem-of-evil

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CAN WE BE GOOD WITHOUT GOD? William Lane Craig

www.reasonablefaith.org/can-we-be-good-without-god
DOES PAIN AND SUFFERING PROVE THERE IS NO GOD?
www.str.org/articles/does-pain-and-suffering-prove-there-is-
no-god
BROKENNESS 101
http://wednesdaydevotional.com/2014/07/23/brokenness-101/
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU RESPOND TO THE PROBLEM OF EVIL (Free Bible Insert)
www.conversantlife.com/belief/resources-to-help-you-respond-
to-the-problem-of-evil-free-bible-insert
Sites on God and Evil:
http://users.binary.net/polycarp/evil.html
www.str.org/articles/a-good-reason-for-evil
http://carm.org/why-there-evil-and-suffering-world
www.str.org/articles/the-strength-of-god-the-problem-of-evil
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jRMWKz4hbw&playnext=1&list=PL9
5016912C8EE1E87&feature=results_video
If Gods all powerful, why does evil exist?
www.comereason.org/god-and-evil.asp Isaiah 45:7
HOW DOES CHRISTIANITY EXPLAIN EVIL AND SUFFERING?
John Stonestreet Summit Ministries
Pt1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIcFqq2cvRU
Pt2 www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XfhUpq708M
Pt3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooz_bDMcVP4
Pt4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS3V6w4zbX0

* WHAT ABOUT THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS?

One might raise this as an objection similar to that of evil.
The objection is based upon the reality of the persecution of
Christians around the world. Why would God allow individuals
who have chosen to accept his payment for their sin and follow
him to be persecuted?
When initially considered, the objection sounds
reasonable. After all, if these Christians have already dedicated
themselves to God, wouldnt God protect them if He really

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existed? It would seem that the possibility of being persecuted

would cause those who havent become Christians to be more
resistant to the idea of becoming a Christian.
What is interesting though is that when you look at the
growth of Christianity around the world, you find that Christianity
typically has grown faster in areas where its persecution is
greater. Looking at the western countries where we have the
highest standard of living and persecution of Christians consist of
little more than that our beliefs are criticized, we find that the
growth of Christianity is typically much lower than other areas of
the world. It seems to our human reasoning that the reality would
be that Christianity would grow fastest where it experiences the
least amount of persecution, but it isnt.
I believe it is natural that when things are going well for us
to be motivated to keep things as they are. Comfort in life is a
strong distraction from thoughts toward God. However, when we
experience difficulties and pain, we usually are prompted to think
about God, or think more about Him, even if it is only to wonder
why we are experiencing the pain we experience. We are looking
for a resolution to what we are going through, and we know deep
down that the only resolution possible would need to come from
God. Do you find that you think more about God when things are
going well or when you are experiencing difficulties? Having this
understanding of our own human nature doesnt necessarily
mean that we will understand the reason for every difficulty and
pain we have or will experience, and maybe not even understand
the reason for more than a few if any of these experiences.
We must realize that God is far more interested in our
eternal destination - Heaven, than our temporary destination
here. If by God allowing persecution of Christians, larger numbers
of people will choose His eternal destination, it is then
understandable and logical that God would allow persecution. It
does seem to be the opposite of what makes sense to us, but the
reality is that Gods knowledge and reasoning are complete and
lacking nothing, while our knowledge and reasoning are usually
very limited.

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 GROWTH OF CHRISTIANITY IS 'EXCESSIVE', SAYS CHINESE

OFFICIAL
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/growth.of.christianit
y.is.excessive.says.chinese.official/36726.htm
CHRISTIAN GROWTH AND PERSECUTION IN CHINA
https://juicyecumenism.com/2013/04/27/christian-growth-
and-persecution-in-china/
GROWTH OF CHRISTIANITY IN IRAN 'EXPLOSIVE,' ACCORDING TO
OPEN DOORS
https://www.opendoorsusa.org/newsroom/press-
releases/tag-news-post/Growth-of-Christianity-In-Iran-
Explosive-According-to-Open-Doors/
THE GROWTH OF CHRISTIANITY IN IRAN
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bihUguIFigg
DESPITE SEVERE PERSECUTION, A HISTORIC CHRISTIAN REVIVAL
IS TAKING PLACE IN IRAN!
https://voiceofthepersecuted.wordpress.com/2013/01/20/
despite-severe-persecution-a-historic-christian-revival-is-
taking-place-in-iran/
PERSECUTION IN THE EARLY CHURCH
www.religionfacts.com/persecution-of-early-church
CHRISTIANITY IS THE FASTEST GROWING RELIGION.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzmTvm4I-OE

Does the Bible show instances of believers being persecuted?

PHILIPPIANS 1:12-14 I want you to know, brothers, that what
has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial
guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord
by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word
without fear.
Here is a link to additional verses on Persecution:
PERSECUTION: www.openbible.info/topics/persecution

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 PERSECUTION IN THE EARLY CHURCH

www.religionfacts.com/persecution-of-early-church

* CAN EVOLUTION EXPLAIN MORALS?

While the existence of evil is a fairly compelling proof of
Gods existence, there is a recent challenge to the concept that
EVIL and the existence of OBJECTIVE MORALS are evidence for God.
This section covers this new challenge to the existence of God.
In the WORLDVIEW section I indicated a more recent
challenge to the existence of God, and that being the Atheistic
explanation as to where morality comes from. For many years the
existence of objective morality and evil have been two challenges
to evolution and Atheism, which have been difficult for
Evolutionists and Atheists to answer. Since the beginning of this
century however, Evolutionists and Atheists have proposed a new
theory. This theory is that objective morals can be accounted for
through evolution. I believe the following video is a fair and
accurate presentation of this position:
MORALITY COMES FROM EVOLUTION
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLuRfUU4sYM
This has been one of the more challenging topics for me to
gain a good understanding of, so dont be discouraged if you find
it slightly confusing at first. I hope that I have given an effective
and understandable overview in the limited space given. I strongly
encourage you to explore the links provided as they will connect
you with many of the resources I found for the topic. Like the other
topics in this guide, these sources will allow you to not only access
more information on the topic but also see the explanations given
by the speakers themselves. With this topic especially, I believe
that reading this content more than once and exploring the
additional links, is very important to gaining as good an
understanding as possible.
If youre not quite clear on what morality is, it is what we
call Right and Wrong. To be moral means to do what would be
considered the RIGHT thing to do in a situation. It relates to RIGHT
AND WRONG. An example of doing whats right or doing whats

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moral would be to not steal something, or to not cheat someone,

etc. Not doing these things would be the RIGHT and MORAL thing
to do even if you could do the opposite without anyone ever finding
out. Another term for morality is ETHICS.
It is important to realize that with MORALITY there is more
than one definition. Like truth, there is OBJECTIVE MORALITY and
SUBJECTIVE MORALITY. Remember in the section on Truth where
we used Greg Koukls illustrations of ice cream and insulin to
represent the two different classifications of truth: SUBJECTIVE
TRUTH, and OBJECTIVE TRUTH? MORALITY is very similar.

SUBJECTIVE MORALITY is like ice cream in that it is that

morality which we choose or decide upon for ourselves. It is what
we prefer and decide is right, and others can prefer and decide
differently and still be right. You may have heard someone say the
phrase, "I don't care what anyone does as long as it doesn't
affect me." This is a statement symbolizing SUBJECTIVE MORALITY
more accurately than any other I can think of.
OBJECTIVE MORALITY is like insulin in that it is a standard
which exists outside of anyones preference or what any individual
or group decides. It is the same for all people at all times, whether
1000 years ago or 1000 years from now. Rape has always been
wrong and will always be wrong, regardless of any feeling or
preference of any person or teaching by any culture. Greg Koukl
uses the phrase Its the difference between REAL BAD and FEEL
BAD to illustrate the difference between the two definitions of
MORALITY .

J.P. Morelands presentation EVIDENCE FOR CHRISTIANITY

(referenced earlier) www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AUR7cKoU
shows evidences for objective moral laws at 21:50 minutes. He
uses the example of TORTURING BABIES FOR FUN, and KINDNESS
and HONESTY. Without anyone telling you, you automatically know
which of these three examples is bad and which is good. In his
presentation above, J.P. Moreland also shows a very creative way
to respond to a moral relativist. A moral relativist is one who
believes that all morals are relative or subjective.

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 SEVEN THINGS YOU CANT DO AS A MORAL RELATIVIST

https://llamapacker.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/seven-
things-you-cant-do-as-a-moral-relativist/

When someone makes a statement about morality, it is

important to determine whether they are referring to objective or
subjective morality. Hopefully you are starting to see the difference
between someone making an objective claim and a subjective
claim, and the significance between the two. As in the previous
TRUTH section, determining which morality a person is referring to
is very important when in conversation with them. The TACTICS
section provides methods of determining what a person means
without being insulting. The TACTICS methods can also be used
so that the person you are talking to doesnt assume that you mean
something you dont.
Once again, Evolutionists are now making the claim that
morals can evolve. They indicate that the evidence for this can be
seen in nature. As shown in the video at the link above, animals
seem to show a SOLIDARITY in the way the members of their
community interact with one another. This observed solidarity is
pointed to as an evidence of a NATURAL MORALITY.
The author of the video points to the fact that animals in the
community behave the way they do because it is ultimately better
for the community, and thus better for the members of the
community. It is better for the members to be more MORAL to each
other so that the community has a better chance of survival and is
able to maintain larger populations.
Referring to the Mexican Beaded Lizard, the author
indicates, Natural selection seems to be the only thing
that explains the necessity of this sort of behavior.
Referring to the spectacled Cayman Alligators where one
female remains behind at the nursery pool, he states, The
survival of the population greatly outweighs the
inconvenience of the lone adult female. The author
states that Complex courtship rituals provide an
advantage over rape in the ability of the species to thrive.
Toward the end of the video he gave a current example
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 showing the benefit of teamwork over independence, and

illustrated this through his playing CAPTURE THE FLAG with
other students when he was in college.
I believe that this video provides a fair example of the
concept that EVOLUTION CAN BRING ABOUT MORALITY. While the
examples the author gives seem to be good evidence to support
his conclusion, I believe there is information critical of his
conclusion which needs to be considered as well.
Fortunately when I first saw the video, the comments below
from both Sam A and James Wallace existed. They were no
longer there the last few times I checked. I dont know if they were
deleted because they were effective at showing the limitations of
attributing OBJECTIVE MORALITY to the behaviors of animals or not.
Unfortunately the majority of comments currently on the video
page are not worth viewing, and are primarily insults to other
commenters.
Sam A writes, If we get our morals from Evolution that
means what is morally correct could change, since the
word Evolution itself means 'to change.
And Rape takes place all the time in the animal
kingdom, does this mean it came from Evolution and
that it is justified?
Sams comment that Evolution itself means 'to change
is very accurate of the Evolutionary principal of CHANGE OVER
TIME. If objective morals dont change, but evolving morals do,
then evolution by definition cannot be an adequate explanation for
OBJECTIVE MORALITY. Claiming that evolution can bring about
objective morality is the same as saying that Change over time
can produce something that doesnt change over time. This
qualifies as self-contradictory, and would be a better example of
SUBJECTIVE MORALITY not OBJECTIVE MORALITY.

Brett Kunkle of www.str.org demonstrates this effectively in an

interview with Bobby Conway, in this ONE MINUTE APOLOGIST
video.

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 CAN EVOLUTION EXPLAIN MORALITY?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLC-Rx5F6WE
Sam, the commenter of the first video also mentions that
rape takes place all the time in the animal kingdom. Sam presents
this as an argument against the idea of morality coming from
evolution. Im not sure of the number of species which do this, but
I found that male Mallard ducks will gang up on a female Mallard
to mate with her. Since male Mallard ducks also engage in
complex courtship rituals as well, should we conclude that this
GANG activity found in mallards is of less evolved members of the
group?
This video shows mallard ducks in a courtship ritual.
MALLARD DUCK MATING DANCE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=drK2bwzjY9c
This video shows this GANG activity by male mallard ducks.
MALE MALLARDS FORCE FEMALE WITH DUCKLINGS TO MATE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uI2CKCOwQc

Maybe this is why a group of ducks is not referred to as a

FLOCK, but can be referred to as a BADLING. Could the ducks in
the second video be described as Ducks behaving BADLING?
Sorry, I couldnt resist.
While the CAN EVOLUTION EXPLAIN MORALITY? video
suggests that animal morality has evolved so that animals now
engage in courtship rituals, the second video of mallard ducks
demonstrates that members of at least this animal species dont
act morally in every instance, as is evidenced by the first video
where the ducks demonstrate complex courtship rituals. This
seems to contradict the idea that evolution is a sufficient
explanation for the origin of morality. Could there be other species
which behave similarly?
James Wallace writes, Animals exhibit moral behavior,
they don't exhibit ought to behavior like we
choose to do.
And, I ought to be unselfish because it is better for the
group, which is better for the species, which is better
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 for me. So why ought I be unselfish? Because it is

better for me. But looking at what is better for me, is
selfishness. So all of this so-called description of
where morality comes down to, gets reduced to this
ludicrous statement: I morally ought to be unselfish
so that I can be more thoroughly selfish . . . . Morality
is something altogether different. We may debate
about all that moral views and understandings entail,
but one thing we can all agree on, I think, is that when
we are looking for a definition of morality, we know it
isn't about selfishness. It is about not being selfish,
just the opposite. That's why these explanations don't
work. They either smuggle morality into the equation
by describing the behavior that is meant to be
explained by evolution so they depend upon morality
to do the job, or else the descriptions and explanations
end up being reduced to selfishness, which isn't what
we're trying to explain. We're trying to explain why one
ought not to be selfish, not why one ought to be
selfish.
James makes a great observation. He shows that the
reasoning given by Evolutionists, while sounding logical, is
contradictory when brought to its logical conclusion. That
conclusion being that ACTING UNSELFISH as indicated in the video
IS IN ACTUALITY ACTING SELFISH.
Something else to think about is that even ants and other
insects demonstrate a type of COMMUNITY in the way their colonies
seem to work and in the way the colony defends against predators.
Even insects demonstrate courtship rituals.
COURTSHIP RITUALS IN INSECT MATING
http://insects.about.com/od/matingreproduction/p/courtshi
p_rituals.htm
Courtship Behavior of a Jumping Spider
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dw3-w4JyyI
If community and courtship rituals in higher level species
are pointed to as evidences of morals evolving then dont the same
community and courtship rituals in lower level insects argue

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against those rituals as being evidences of morals evolving? After

all, if lower level species have courtship rituals just like higher level
species, then has Evolution - CHANGE OVER TIME - truly been
demonstrated? And if Evolution isnt demonstrated by mating
practices since those mating practices are evidenced in both
higher and lower level species, might there be a better explanation
than Evolution?
The narrator of the video at 1:29 states: A species which
is overly violent with each other is going to have a hard time
maintaining a large population. If this is the correct
understanding then how do we explain the female Black Widow
and Praying Mantis, and how the female will regularly eat the male
right after the mating process? How do we factor this into an
explanation of morality originating through Evolution? Since the
regular consuming of the male during mating process reduces the
population of the male of the species, and obviously the ability for
the species to attain larger populations, is there any explanation
which could show a benefit to the species as a whole as is
proposed by Evolutionists? It doesnt seem so. Considering there
appear to be major problems with this Evolutionary explanation,
might a more simple explanation be found?
Since this explanation of objective morality coming through
evolution has valid criticisms, shouldnt another simpler
explanation be considered? Wouldnt it be valid to conclude that
all of these behaviors demonstrate nothing more on the part of the
animals/insects than an example of INSTINCT? Greg Koukl has
written a great article on this subject as to whether animals actually
demonstrate NATURAL MORALITY.
MONKEY MORALITY: CAN EVOLUTION EXPLAIN ETHICS?
www.str.org/articles/monkey-morality-can-evolution-
explain-ethics
What Greg aptly indicates in the article, which isnt
addressed by this evolutionary theory, is that MORALITY HAPPENS
BEFORE THE ACTUAL ACTION. This is like a persons MOTIVE in a
crime. In a courtroom the motivation of a person who does a crime
is of primary consideration in the punishment of that person.

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 Consider the two following news reports where a person is

killed in each of two different traffic accidents. While a person was
killed in both accidents, the motivations of the two drivers are very
different. In the first event the man clearly determined what he was
going to do before he did it. In the second event the death was
determined to be an accident.
LAKE COUNTY JURY FINDS MUNDELEIN MAN GUILTY OF MURDER
www.dailyherald.com/article/20140926/news/140928658
DEATH FROM ROUTE 145 WRECK RULED AN ACCIDENT
www.lehighvalleylive.com/lehigh-
county/index.ssf/2014/04/death_from_route_145_wrec
k_rul.html
The man in the first video was guilty of murder while the
woman in the second video wasnt prosecuted. Since a person
died in both crashes, what is the only difference that determined
the different court findings? The different motivations between the
two drivers.
Since only the physical action can be observed in animals,
and not their motivations, there is no way to determine the
motivation of the animal before the physical action takes place. To
attribute morality to animals overlooks this critically important
point.
In the following video, Greg Koukl speaks on the difference
between OBJECTIVE and SUBJECTIVE morality. He shows that the
most Evolution can do is to make us feel that a particular action is
wrong. It cant make that action OBJECTIVELY wrong. I think his
quote really illustrates this well.
Its the difference between Real Bad, and Feel Bad.
HOW DO MORAL ABSOLUTES PROVE THAT GOD EXISTS? - Greg Koukl
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZWiqK3wl_k
WHY ARE YOU SO AFRAID OF SUBJECTIVE MORAL REASONING?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0218GkAGbnU
In the following interview between Sean McDowell and
Atheist Michael Shermer, Michael Shermer contends that right and
wrong would still be recognized in a world without God. But isnt

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this really speculation on his part, and isnt this also an assumption
as to what is right and wrong, (subjective)? And as an Atheist, isnt
this an assumption by Michael Shermer?
OBJECTIVE MORALITY | CROSS EXAMINATION | EP. 6
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvxJVkcK6aM
OBJECTIVE MORALITY 2 | CROSS EXAMINATION | EP. 7
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfARUVDSXjE
Check the other great CROSS EXAMINATION videos on YouTube!
Begin with this one below and find others in the series in the
column at the right.
INTELLIGENT DESIGN | CROSS EXAMINATION | EP. 1
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aW5wnlqxqM
As we have already seen in Jeremiah, the Bible states
that we know that EVIL and RIGHT AND WRONG exist previous to us
ever being told.
Jeremiah 31:33 I will put my law in their minds and
write it on their hearts.
Children quite early in life demonstrate this knowledge of
right and wrong through their actions and statements. Some of the
statements Ive heard from children are, He hit me! and She
took my toy! The child of a friend of my wife and I actually made
the following comment about her brother when they were in their
car driving, Hes looking out my window!
GROUNDING MORALITY - Greg Koukl
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz6HBn1ZwK0
MORALITY FROM SCIENCE? - Greg Koukl
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rw4MLqGuvc
OBJECTIVE MORALITY - Greg Koukl
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki5YVNwJR9c
IS THERE AN OBJECTIVE MORAL LAW? - Frank Turek
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOJeseNJneg
WHY MORALITY MUST BE OBJECTIVE
http://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2014/10/why-
morality-must-be-objective.html

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 FROM A MORAL LAW TO A MORAL LAW-GIVER - Dr. Ravi Zacharias

http://resplect.com/from-a-moral-law-to-a-moral-law-giver/
OBJECTIVE MORALITY Search at www.str.org
www.str.org/Search?q=objective+morality
RAVI ZACHARIAS ON THE EVOLUTION OF MORALITY BY RICHARD
DAWKINS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGy_mGogXxM
ATHEISM AND MORALITY - William Lane Craig vs Lewis Wolpert
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKkcZ9ZSI5o
WHERE DO OBJECTIVE MORALS ORIGINATE IN THE UNIVERSE?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmg720wO6tY
IS THERE AN EXPLANATION FOR MORAL OBLIGATION ON ATHEISM?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSLxh4FpmW8
5 COMMON OBJECTIONS TO THE MORAL ARGUMENT
www.apologetics315.com/2013/08/5-common-objections-to-
moral-argument.html
AMERICA ADRIFT YOU CANT LEGISLATE MORALITY D
James Kennedy
www.truthimpact.me/index.php/2014/01/america-adrift
DID MORALS EVOLVE? - Greg Koukl
www.bethinking.org/morality/did-morals-evolve
SHAME
www.str.org/articles/shame
GUILT AND GOD
www.str.org/articles/guilt-and-god
GOD, EVOLUTION, AND MORALITY - Greg Koukl:
This is an EXCELLENT ARTICLE in STRs Solid Ground publication!
Pt1.www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/Solid%20Ground
-God,%20Evolutino,%20Morality%20May%202014-1.pdf
Pt2.www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/Solid%20Groun
d-God,%20Evolution,%20Morality%202%207-2014-1.pdf
In the above 2-part article, Greg states, Exactly how
does this work? How does a mechanistic process
produce a moral obligation? In what sense is
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 goodness or badness a physical quality? Genes

might determine behavior, but how do they
determine beliefs about behavior when it comes to
right and wrong? Greg adds, Remember what
makes a behavior good or bad is not in its
chemistry or physics. Right and wrong, virtue and
vice, values and obligations are not material
things.
I encourage you to read and re-read this EXCELLENT article
for the additional points Greg makes, to answer this proposed
Evolutionary challenge to the existence God!
Considering there are very effective arguments against this
new theory that Evolution can explain morality, its clear that the
EVOLUTIONARY MORALITY theory, while an initially convincing
explanation, doesnt stand up to analysis. At least not the
supporting points presented in this video. Hopefully, you now have
a better understanding of some of the claims, as well as the
contradictory evidences relating to this topic.

* WHO CREATED GOD?

One of the other challenges made to the existence of God
is the question, If God created the Universe, then who created
God? This makes the assumption that everything has had a
beginning. According to this belief, if God created the Universe
then God must have had a beginning also. This then raises the
question Who created whoever created God?, and then the
question Who created whoever created whoever created
God? and so on. As you can see you never arrive at the
beginning. This is called an INFINITE REGRESS, where you spend
an infinite number of steps backward in time, regressing back in
time, and still never arrive at the beginning.
Think back to the Universe having a beginning - the EFFECT
of TIME, SPACE, and MATTER - We saw that the only logical
explanation for the Universe coming into existence and consistent
with the LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT, is that it was CAUSED by a
being outside of time, space, and matter, and a being as great as
or greater than time, space, and matter.
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 Look again at the definition of THE LAW OF CAUSE AND

EFFECT. This law states that for anything that has come into
existence there must be a cause. Notice that it indicates For
ANYTHING THAT HAS COME INTO EXISTENCE, there must be a
cause. It does not indicate, For ANYTHING THAT EXISTS there
must be a cause.
Everything that exists is not an EFFECT. If everything was
an effect the LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT would also apply to the
scenario Who (THE CAUSE) created God (THE EFFECT)? This
means that according to the LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT the WHO
would have to be as GREAT AS OR GREATER than God. Then in the
Who created whoever created God the WHO would have to be
AS GREAT AS OR GREATER than the WHOEVER, and the WHOEVER
would be AS GREAT AS OR GREATER than God. Isnt this starting to
sound illogical? Can you see how this scenario still needs an
ETERNAL FIRST CAUSE which/who has always existed?
Since it has been proven that the cause of the Universe,
(TIME, SPACE, AND MATTER), existed OUTSIDE OF TIME, SPACE, AND
MATTER, and BEFORE TIME, SPACE, AND MATTER EXISTED. AN
INFINITE, ALL POWERFUL, AND ETERNAL GOD WHO EXISTS OUTSIDE
OF TIME, SPACE, AND MATTER is the only logical explanation for the
existence of the Universe, and is fully consistent with the law of
cause and effect.
Something else to consider. If the God of the Bible were
created by another greater God and the God of the Bible is still
powerful enough to create the Universe out of nothing, we would
still need to satisfy the requirements of this first God, wouldnt we?
It seems that those who would ask the question, If God created
the Universe then who created God? use this as their
justification for God not existing, or possibly that there must be a
greater God out there, so I dont have to worry about this lesser
(according to them) God.
As weve seen, an INFINITE REGRESS of Gods going back
through time past isnt a logical possibility and violates the LAW OF
CAUSE AND EFFECT. You would never arrive at a first cause.
INFINITE REGRESSION
www.conservapedia.com/Infinite_regression

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 WHAT CAUSED GOD?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yOLUzuHVEo
WHO CREATED GOD?
www.str.org/blog/who-created-go
Lets for the sake of argument say that they are right, and
that there is a greater God than the God who created the Universe.
Where does that leave us? Wouldnt we still need to answer to the
God who created the Universe? We dont have the option of
bypassing the God of the Bible, do we? What if we decided not to
fulfill the requirements of the God who created this Universe and
decided to wait for the God who created the God who created the
Universe?
Wouldnt this be like the President of the United States
sending a representative to a person, and that person saying that
they wouldnt meet with the representative of the President, that
they would only talk with the actual President? Ignoring an
audience with the representative of the President and only talking
with the President would be a huge insult to the President.
Showing respect to the representative and taking seriously the
representatives message would be expected by the President. In
the same way, it would be insulting and foolish to wait for a
possible God who was the creator of the God who created the
Universe. We still need to answer to the God who created the
Universe. Do you see how foolish it is to think this way, especially
considering the numerous evidences for God?
As well, having a GOD WHO created God would be in
conflict with the Bible, it would prove the Bible wrong, and also
violate the LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT.
1 John 3:20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God
is greater than our heart, and He knows everything.
Isaiah 44:6 I am the first and I am the last; besides me
there is no god.
These verses show that GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING, that HE
IS THE FIRST GOD AND THE LAST GOD, AND BESIDES HIM, THERE IS
NO GOD. As you will see in the next section on the evidences for
the Bible being from God; if the Bible shows evidence that it is from
God, and thus is true, and the above verses are in the Bible, then

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the above verses are by default, true. Since He knows everything,

and knows that there is no other God, then according to the Bible
there cant be another God who created Him. This is a valid and
logical conclusion.

WHO CREATED GOD?

www.gotquestions.org/who-created-God.html
http://christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c039.html
www.comereason.org/exst_god/exs010.asp
http://whocreatedgod.net/
www.compellingtruth.org/who-created-God.html
www.doesgodexist.org/Pamphlets/WhoCreatedGod.html
What about someone who might say,
Since no one was there at the beginning of the Universe
then no one can really say whether there was a God or
not?
Is it necessary that we see the creative act taking place to
know that there is a cause? As an illustration, do you need to see
a painting being painted to know that a painter painted it? If you
found a watch on the beach would you think it just happened by
accident through the movement of the waves and sand over time?
What about Mount Rushmore? If you never knew anything about
its construction would you conclude that the rain and wind over
time shaped the faces of the presidents in the side of the
mountain? None of these would be logical conclusions, would
they?
There are a vast number of things in our world which we
have never seen being created or built, yet we still know there was
a person or persons responsible for the existence of those things.
As such, does it logically follow that since we havent see the
creative act then we cant logically conclude that a creator was
responsible for the existence of these things? The other thing to
realize is that if God is the most logical cause of the Universe and
the Bible is shown to be written by God and indicates that God
created everything, then there WAS someone at the beginning of
the Universe who was the FIRST CAUSE. The logical conclusion is

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that God was there at the beginning and He has provided

information for us about the beginning that we can trust.
Revelation 10:5-6 And the angel whom I saw standing on
the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and
swore by HIM WHO LIVES FOREVER AND EVER, who created
heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the
sea and what is in it.
Think about the Atheist belief that there is no God in light
of the proof that the Universe came into existence in the past. The
logical conclusion consistent with Atheism is that the entire
Universe came about out of nothing with no help whatsoever. It
sprang into existence from nothing. A fairly direct statement that
illustrates this idea effectively is, Nothing times nothing equals
everything. This is a theory actually promoted by some Atheistic
physicists, that the Universe could come into existence from
nothing, with no help from a Creator.
They propose that quantum mechanics or other forces
could generate something out of nothing. How logical does this
sound in light of the Law of Cause and Effect? In a recent book by
Steven Hawking, Steven Hawking claims that with gravity the
Universe will come into existence on its own, out of nothing, so
there is then no need for God.
But doesnt their proposed theories ultimately mean that
you have either eternal God or eternal gravity, or you have eternal
God or eternal quantum mechanics? This would also apply to
anything else any scientist indicates could bring the Universe into
existence without God. If gravity has always existed then were
faced with the question, Where did gravity come from? The
existence of ETERNAL GRAVITY or ETERNAL QUANTUM MECHANICS
doesnt qualify as NOTHING existing at the beginning as some have
claimed, does it?
Another possible problem with having gravity or quantum
mechanics eternal seems to be similar to the idea of the universe
being eternal. Gravity and quantum mechanics dont wind down
in the way the Universe demonstrates. However, similar to the
realization that everything would have taken place a long time ago
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if the Universe was eternal, wouldnt the same be true of the gravity
or quantum physics lasting forever? If the Universe could come
about with only gravity or quantum physics, wouldnt the Universe
come into existence a long long time ago, and have already have
wound down? If gravity and quantum physics havent existed for
all eternity and came into existence at some time, then wouldnt
they be subject to the law of cause and effect? If so, there would
need to be an uncaused cause for gravity and quantum physics.
John Lennox illustrates a major problem with this
Gravity/Quantum Physics theory using the illustration of a JET
ENGINE in the link below. He states that the laws of physics can
describe HOW a jet engine works but it doesnt answer WHY the jet
engine exists. He adds that LAWS may be able to answer the HOW
question dealing with function but they can't describe WHY the jet
engine was invented. John Lennox indicates that even with
physics and the inventors mind you still need matter. He states,
Matter is humble stuff, but it cannot be produced by laws".
I believe John Lennox also made the following quote which
provides an additional clarification of this idea, Science nor
scientific theory didn't, in fact couldn't have brought the
Universe into existence. The sun rises in the east and sets in
the west, but science can't cause the movement of the sun.
When considering the evidence that the Universe had a
beginning and then looking at the two options that there is a God
or there is no God, which option is more logical to believe?
Remember, dont choose based upon what is more popular or
what you might really want or prefer. Choose the most logical
conclusion based on the evidence.
A MATTER OF GRAVITY - Prof John Lennox
This answers the challenge of Stephen Hawking
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xy4gMVlUCE
BETHINKING 2/6: JOHN LENNOX ON STEPHEN HAWKING'S "THE GRAND DESIGN"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eHfhbP1K_4
WHY DO SOME PHYSICISTS TALK NONSENSE ABOUT NOTHING?
http://maverickphilosopher.typepad.com/maverick_philoso
pher/2012/01/why-do-physicists-talk-nonsense.html

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RAVI ZACHARIAS ANSWERS STEPHEN HAWKING Parts 1 and 2

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wMyMmjPgLs
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHUh9S6Kg7Y
CAN QUANTUM MECHANICS PRODUCE A UNIVERSE FROM NOTHING?
www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=12&article=4584

* THE BIBLE
As previously indicated, the Bible is one of over 20 religious
works claimed to be inspired by God. There are the Hindu Vedas,
the Quran, the Book of Mormon, etc. If the evidence proves the
Bible as actually being from God then any other religious book
which contradicts the Bibles teachings is automatically false and
not from God.
Bank tellers are trained using a very exacting method
enabling them to quickly spot most forgeries. This very exacting
method is simply the extensive physical handling of authentic
currency. They handle so much authentic currency that they
become VERY familiar with it; with its feel, thickness, smell, sound,
bendability, etc. They become so familiar with the authentic that
when a bill which is a forgery simply passes over their fingertips,
the teller knows almost immediately that something about the
forgery is different from the authentic. They dont need to be
trained in all the different forgery techniques, they just need to be
VERY familiar with the authentic.
www.bankersonline.com/security/gurus_sec1001d.html
This is why in this guide we will primarily look at the
evidences for the Bible and not so much the specific challenges to
the bible, nor specific differences between Christianity and most
other religions. The exception to this are the religions indicated in
the subsection CHALLENGES FROM OTHER RELIGIONS. I indicate the
reasons for including them there.
Similar to truth being applied in the previous examples, if
the Bible is proven to be from God then any other book claiming to
be from God and contradicting the Bible is automatically false. We
then only need to be accurately educated on the Bible to detect
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contradictions in other works. This doesnt mean that these books

dont contain ANY truth, but if the Bible is from God and doesnt
have error and these other volumes contradict the Bible in specific
areas, that means that these other volumes have errors and cant
be from God. For further study on the differences between
Christianity and other religions check this link:
www.patheos.com/Library/Lenses/Side-By-Side.
This will allow you to compare the teachings of different religions
and Christianity side-by-side.
While we wont be covering most other religions in any
detail, it is important to address a claim some people make. The
claim is that most religions are basically the same. Many believe
that if all the different religions teach a belief in god then they are
essentially teaching the same belief. And if they teach the same
in this major detail, the differences must have to do with minor
points. This sounds reasonable, right?
Greg Koukl uses the illustration of aspirin and arsenic to
illustrate what is truly important when considering differences. He
states that while aspirin and arsenic are both white and come in
powdered form, it is not the similarities but the differences that
matter.
THE CHRISTIAN STORY Greg Koukl
www.str.org/articles/the-christian-story
When studying religions, the point is not to focus on the things that are
similar, because its the differences that really matter. - Greg Koukl
Frank Turek (http://crossexamined.org) indicates this as
well. He mentioned in his December 12, 2015 podcast that most
people say that all religions teach basically the same thing, that we
should love one another. Frank indicates that while most religions
do, some dont. He said Satanism doesnt teach that we should
love one another. As well, some Muslims would say that Islam
doesnt, and they use the Quran to justify jihad, and kill
unbelievers-non-Muslims. An interesting thing to think about as to
Muslims of this mindset and killing, is Proverbs 8:36,
Proverbs 8:36 But whoever sins against me destroys himself;
EVERYONE WHO HATES ME LOVES DEATH.
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 Again, most people believe that all religions teach basically

the same thing, and that they only disagree on the minor things.
The exact opposite is the true. They agree on vary small aspects
and they disagree on the essentials. In the same podcast, Frank
mentions an article by writer Steve Turner. Frank mentions that in
his article, Steve states,
Most religion teach to love one another. They only
disagree on the nature of man, the nature of God, sin,
salvation, heaven, hell, and creation.
Frank ads,
Most religions dont coexist because they come from the
same God. They coexist because morality comes from the
same God.
The following links will provide much greater insight into this.
ARENT ALL RELIGIONS THE SAME?
http://revstephenj.com/2014/05/22/arent-all-religions-the-same
RELIGIOUS STEW
www.equip.org/articles/religious-stew
ALL RELIGIONS ARE BASICALLY THE SAME
www.str.org/blog/all-religions-are-basically-the-same
Some of the main challenges to the Bible are that is
contains contradictions. Those committed to challenging
Christianity and Christians
If you are interested in finding out about many of the
supposed contradictions in the Bible, and answers to those
contradictions, check this link:
SOLUTIONS TO BIBLE ERRORS
http://defendinginerrancy.com/bible-difficulties
A few more links for Bible Contradictions Resolved
http://christiananswers.net/q-comfort/contradictions-bible.html
https://answersingenesis.org/contradictions-in-the-
bible/scripture-index/
http://contenderministries.org/discrepancies/contradictions.php

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 The answers to these contradictions when combined with

all the evidences presented in this guide should go a long way
toward giving you greater confidence in what you believe as a
Christian, and also answering the challenges raised against the
Bible.
Remember the concept of TRUTH, that if something can be
proven true then anything that contradicts that truth is
automatically false? If the Bible proves to be true then you can
have confidence in it. And even if you dont have an answer to a
challenge someone might make you can still have confidence that
there is an answer.
If you look at the evidence supporting the Bible and apply
the same standards to any other religious book then you will see
the tremendous amount of evidence in support of the Bible which
is lacking in any other book claiming to be from God which
contradicts the Bible.

The evidences for Bible being from God which we will briefly
examine are in four areas:
1. ARCHEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES: The accuracy of history, places,
and people indicated. Does the findings of archeology confirm
or contradict?
2. PROPHESY AND STATISTICS: The probability of predicting the
future, with very specific details. What are the odds?
3. MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE: The evidence for the credibility of the
original documents and the consistency of those documents
with each other. How close to the original manuscripts are our
current Bibles?
4. SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCES: The scientific accuracy of historical
writings. Verifiable scientific principals are indicated and
scientific concepts are described accurately well in advance of
them being discovered through more modern scientific
observations.
HOW ACCURATE IS THE BIBLE?
https://bible.org/article/how-accurate-bible
IS THE BIBLE FACT OR FICTION? Josh McDowell
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvNdqyrOVls

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 *ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES: Nelson Glueck is a

renowned Jewish archaeologist. He wrote: "It may be stated
categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever
contradicted a biblical reference."
http://christiananswers.net/archaeology
www.bibleevidences.com/archeology.htm
www.faithfacts.org/search-for-
truth/maps/archaeological-and-external-evidence
www.israelite.net/biblicalarchaeology.pdf
To compare other beliefs and religions to the Bible, perform an
internet search for xxxxx and archaeology, replacing xxxxx
with a religion or religious work: Bible, Quran, etc.

* PROPHETIC EVIDENCE:
As has been indicated previously, there are over 20
religious works considered by different people to be divinely
inspired. Of these 20+ religious works only the Bible contains
specific fulfilled prophecies. The Bible indicates an estimated
2500 prophesies with 2000 having been confirmed as fulfilled so
far, and no prophesy has been proven wrong by any archeological
discovery. The other approximately 500 prophesies speak of
events to take place in the future, which is why they havent been
fulfilled yet. In the later section on Jesus there are listed some of
the over 300 prophesies about Christ which were written in the Old
Testament.
The amazing fact about the specific prophesies of the Bible
is not just that the Bible is the only religious volume containing
specific fulfilled prophesies, but that all of these specific
prophesies were written hundreds and sometimes thousands of
years before they were fulfilled! And again, these prophesies were
not generic but they were very specific and detailed. There is no
other book like the Bible, which has been confirmed by fulfilled
prophetic evidence as proof of being from God.
Of course, if God is outside of time then He knows
everything that will happen at any point in time. God will know any
event that happens in the future and the prophesies will be 100%
fulfilled. The accuracy of very detailed prophecies and evidence
of these prophesies being written hundreds and thousands of
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years before they were fulfilled prove that the Bible could have only
come from a being who is outside of time. God is outside of time
and has given the fulfilled prophesies as one proof of His
existence!
Fulfilled Prophecy as Evidence for the Bible's Divine Origin
www.faithfacts.org/search-for-truth/maps/fulfilled-
prophecy-as-evidence
Fulfilled Prophecy: Evidence for the Reliability of
the Bible
www.reasons.org/articles/articles/fulfilled-prophecy-evidence-
for-the-reliability-of-the-bible
ADDITIONAL SITES SHOWING FULFILLED BIBLE PROPHESIES
www.100prophecies.org
http://bibleprobe.com/365messianicprophecies.htm
https://carm.org/prophecy-bible-and-jesus
Now compare the details of prophesies listed in the Quran
ISLAMIC PROPHESIES
www.alislam.org/library/articles/prophecies.html
www.islamreligion.com/articles/347
www.nairaland.com/225114/fulfilled-prophecies-holy-quran
http://worldview3.50webs.com/quranvbible.html

* MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCES:
Manuscript evidence deals with how accurate the oldest
manuscripts are to the original documents and to the documents
we have currently, called SOURCE DOCUMENTS. Manuscript
evidence also relates to how many of the source documents there
are, and the length of time between the manuscripts and source
documents.
As you would guess, the closer the copies to the original
manuscripts, the more accurate the copies. And the greater the
number of copies, the the easier they can be compared to each
other for accuracy.
The following chart illustrates these details as they apply to
both many unquestioned documents from ancient history, and also
to the New Testament documents. The chart shows the specifics
of each of the documents listed, and also allows for a comparison
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of the details of the New Testament to the other accepted works of

ancient literature.

New Testament Manuscripts vs. Classical works of Antiquity

www.biblicaltheology.com/Research/MartinezR02.html

Author Date Earliest Approx. Time Number Accuracy

Written Copy Between Orig of Copies of Copies
& Copy
Homer
900 B.C. 400 BC 500 yrs. 643 95%
(Iliad)
Herodotus 480-425 BC 900 AD 1300 yrs. 8 ?
Thucydides 460-400 BC 900 AD 1300 yrs. 8 ?
Plato 427-347 BC 900 AD 1200 yrs. 7 ?
Aristotle 384-322 BC 1100AD 1400 yrs. 49 ?
Pliny 61-113 AD 850 AD 750 yrs. 7 ?
Suetonius 75-160 AD 950 AD 800 yrs. 8 ?
New Less than
50-100 AD 130 AD 24,000+ 99.5%
Testament 100 years

This chart shows how the New Testament manuscripts and

partial manuscripts compare to some of the major ancient literary
works, both in the quantity of copies compared to these ancient
works as well as the amount of time that has passed from the
closest copy to the originals. This chart shows that the New
Testament manuscripts have far greater numbers of copies as
compared to the existing copies of major ancient works, and also
are significantly closer in time between the manuscripts and the
copies than the other works.
It is important to realize that the other works indicated are
well known documents from antiquity and are not questioned as to
the accuracy of the copies nor the time that has passed from the
original manuscripts. With the New Testament, however, even
with the overwhelming number of copies or portions that exist and
the closeness of the copies in time to the originals, the Bibles
accuracy is regularly challenged. It certainly seems that anyone
who quest/ions the accuracy of the New Testament either doesnt
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know how it compares to other ancient works or has decided that

the Bible cant be accurate regardless of the evidence.
As you can see by the chart above, the New Testament is
so incredibly confirmed by manuscript evidence that no other
ancient book, religious or otherwise, even comes close.
When comparing the number of partial or full manuscripts
of the New Testament to other unchallenged ancient documents
and also comparing the time distance between the copies and the
originals, there is absolutely no comparison, as shown by the chart
above. The quotes below illustrate the reality of the uniqueness of
the New Testament

F. F. Bruce: "There is no body of ancient literature in the

world which enjoys such a wealth of good attestation
as the New Testament."
William F. Albright: "Thanks to the Qumran discoveries,
the New Testament proves to be in fact what it was
formerly believed to be: the teaching of Christ and His
immediate followers circa. 25 and circa. 80 AD."

There is a person from history which shows God to have

a sense of humor. Believing God to have a sense of humor is
reasonable considering that his creation, people, have a sense
of humor.
Voltaire was a French philosopher (1694-1778) who is
said to have made the following quote, One hundred years
from today the Bible will be a forgotten book. The
humorous fact is that while not many remember Voltaire
anymore, The Guinness World Records indicates the Bible
as the best-selling book of all time with over 5 billion copies
sold and distributed.

* WHAT ABOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT MANUSCRIPTS?

As we have seen, the New Testament has remarkable
confirmation both in numbers of copies and the close distance in
time they are to the originals as compared to other ancient
documents.
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 The Old Testament in contrast doesnt have anything like

the manuscript/copy evidence of the New Testament, and until the
discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 the closest full or partial
copy of any manuscript of the Old Testament was over 1000 years
later. While the number of copies of Old Testament books are very
few, this ironically is actually one of the best evidences for its
accurate transmission over time. You will see why this is evidence
in the Reliability of Scripture video below. It has to do with what
was done with copies which show signs of aging, where errors
might creep in due to the text legibility degrading.
The printing press wasnt invented until 1439 by Johannes
Gutenberg. Previous to this, copies of manuscripts had to be
completed by hand. When we think of copying by hand today we
try to reproduce written information with the intent to be reasonably
accurate. When the Old Testament was hand copied, the scribes
implemented meticulous rules which virtually guaranteed an
identical copy.
One of the very specific rules they were required to follow
is that they could not copy from memory. To clarify, not only were
they not allowed to copy an entire phrase or word, they werent
allowed to copy even two characters at one time. They would need
to copy character by character. To give you an example, take the
first part of Genesis 1:1; In the beginning. If we were to copy as
they did, we wouldnt read from the manuscript In the beginning,
and then write, In the beginning. We would copy letter by letter:
I I n n (space) (space) t t h h e e- (space)
(space) b b e e g g i i n n i i n n g g.
The following text shows another meticulous rule they
followed when copying from an original Old Testament manuscript.
The text is from the following link:
HAS THE OLD TESTAMENT BEEN CORRUPTED?
https://carm.org/old-testament-corrupted
When these Jews copied various portions of the Bible, they
took extreme care to ensure the precision of their scribal
copying. In fact, in some cases, if there was one error between
a copy and the original, the copy was to be burned.
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 The following link goes into much greater detail showing a

number of the meticulous rules which were established showing
the amazing lengths the scribes went to verify that the copy of an
Old Testament book was essentially identical to the manuscript it
was copied from.
HOW THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS PRESERVED
http://dynamicchristianministries.org/Publications/Articles/Web1--
How%20the%20Old%20Testament%20Was%20Preserved.pdf
This last link is the Reliability of Scripture link I indicated
a few paragraphs earlier, and is a video of Josh McDowell
presenting these and many other meticulous rules which the Old
Testament scribes were required to follow when copying.
RELIABILITY OF SCRIPTURE ACCURACY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
www.josh.org/resources/apologetics/videos/

*BUT HASNT THE BIBLE BEEN TRANSLATED MULTIPLE TIMES?

Many people mistakenly think that the different translations
of the Bible are evidence that it has been translated many times;
that it was translated from the original language to a 2nd language,
then from the 2nd language to a 3rd language, then from 3rd to 4th,
4th to 5th, etc. Many translation steps. This would be much like the
TELEPHONE GAME:
How to Play Telephone
www.ehow.com/how_2044551_play-telephone.html
In reality, the Bible was translated into each language by
using the same original documents and then translating those
same original documents into each language. Only one translation
step.
www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/bib-docu.html
www.str.org/articles/can-we-trust-the-bible
THE PRESERVATION OF THE BIBLE
www.gospelway.com/bible/bible_preservation.php
Again, despite the overwhelming manuscript evidence for
the Bible as compared to other ancient works, the accuracy and

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reliability of the Biblical text is still challenged while these other

ancient works are not. I believe there are two primary reasons for
this. One reason is that misinformation about Christianity is
continuing to be repeated. The second is the desire by some to
create doubts in others about the authenticity and reliability of the
Bible and subsequently the truths of Christianity.

THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS

One of the amazing discoveries providing one of the best
confirmations of MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCES for the Bible is the
discovery of the DEAD SEA SCROLLS. The Dead Sea Scrolls were
discovered in 1947 in Qumran Israel, and are referenced in the
quote above by William F. Albright.
The DEAD SEA SCROLLS are manuscripts and portions of
manuscripts of both Biblical and non-Biblical works. The scrolls of
the Biblical works are almost all of the books of the Old Testament.
They have been described as the greatest manuscript discovery
of modern time.
Until the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in Qumran, the
oldest manuscripts of the Old Testament in existence dated to
approximately 800 years after Christ. When the Dead Sea Scrolls
were discovered, they were verified to be written about 200 BC,
approximately 1000 years before the oldest manuscripts available
till their discovery.
The amazing fact of the Dead Sea Scrolls is that when the
manuscripts which are dated 1000 years later were compared to
the Dead Sea Scrolls, the manuscripts were found to be nearly
identical. This verification proved wrong the critics who claimed
the Old Testament we have isnt accurate to the original
manuscripts, and proved wrong the critics claiming that over 100
prophesies regarding Jesus Christ in the Old Testament were
written after Jesus lived. This also proves the copying process
indicated above, and the meticulous rules followed to make an
almost identical copy. Since the prophesies referring to Christ
have now been shown to have been made centuries before He
was born, the Dead Sea Scrolls have proven these critics wrong.

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 WHAT ARE THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS?

www.biblica.com/en-us/bible/bible-faqs/what-are-the-
dead-sea-scrolls
WHAT ARE THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS?
www.josh.org/resources/study-research/answers-to-
skeptics-questions/what-are-the-dead-sea-scrolls
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS?
www.christiananswers.net/q-abr/abr-a023.html
THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
https://bible.org/article/dead-sea-scrolls
THE DIGITAL DEAD SEA SCROLLS
http://dss.collections.imj.org.il

* SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCES: Again, Scientific Evidences refer

to the scientific accuracy of historical writings when scientific
principals or concepts are indicated which can be verified. As well,
do the historical writings accurately indicate the scientific concepts
in advance of the concepts being discovered through more modern
scientific observations?
Like prophesy, if God is outside of time and has provided
us with the Bible, He would know every scientific discovery that will
ever be made by humans and the Bible would be fully accurate
scientifically. It is important to remember that the Bible is not a
science textbook, so you wont find specific complex scientific
details, however when it speaks on scientific concepts, it is
accurate even if the verse indicating the scientific principal is brief.
I believe one of the benefits of a brief description is that we can
immediately grasp the concept. Have you ever had a science
teacher distill a scientific concept into a sentence that makes the
concept understandable? The ability to describe a complex
concept in a single sentence is evidence of a superior intellect, and
the Bible is full of these great brief descriptions.
It can seem amazing to realize that these concepts were
written in the Bible long before modern science would discover and
accurately describe the concepts, but it is God who we should be
amazed by and not so much the documenting of these concepts

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well in advance of their discovery. If you were to look at a great

work or art, would you be more amazed by the work of art itself or
the artist who created it? These written recordings should increase
our amazement about God, and be a confirmation for us of His
existence and a confirmation that the Bible we have is from this
amazing God.
Weve already looked at Genesis 1:1 In the beginning,
God created the heavens, and the Earth. The following are some
of the other verses indicating major scientific concepts centuries
and millennia before modern science would confirm them.

ATOMIC STRUCTURE:
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the Universe was
created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out
of things that are visible.
This is an accurate description of the atomic structure of
matter, and was written 2000 years ago. The electron microscope,
necessary to view a molecule or atom, wasnt invented until 1930.
www.inplainsite.org/html/scientific_facts_in_the_bible.html
(In the Earth section)

BLOOD REQUIRED TO SUSTAIN LIFE:

Leviticus 17:11 The life of the flesh is in the blood
This was written 3000 years ago. Even up to almost the
early 1800s sick people would be BLED to resolve IMBALANCES,
sometimes resulting in death.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodletting

THE VAST NUMBER OF STARS:

Jeremiah 33:22 I will make the descendants of David my servant
and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars in
the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.
The earliest telescopes did not exist until the early 1600s.
Looking into the night sky one can count approximately 4000 stars.
This would be the approximate amount of stars anyone from before
the telescope back to the beginning of time would be able to count.

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Until the invention of the telescope, this verse was probably a point
of ridicule against those believing the Bible.
Jeremiah was written between 630 and 580BC. This was
2500 years ago and 2000 years before telescopes could give
modern science the tools to learn about the actual number of stars.
Check out the Hubble Extreme Deep Field in the next link and read
the description as well as the area of sky the picture represents.
Click any of the Image Formats in the right column for much larger
versions of the pictures. When looking at the pictures remember
that each spec of light in the picture is not a star but an entire
distant galaxy containing an estimated 100 billion stars!
THE HUBBLE EXTREME DEEP FIELD
www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic1214b
In 2014, scientists made a 3D model of the Ultra Deep Field:
THE HUBBLE ULTRA DEEP FIELD IN 3D
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAVjF_7ensg

HYDROLOGIC CYCLE THE WATER CYCLE:

Ecclesiastes 1:7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never
full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.
The hydrologic cycle wasnt recognized from a scientific
standpoint until the 1700s. This is more than 2700 years after this
verse was written.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_cycle
(check the 7.3 Precipitation alone section)
CLOUDS HOLDING INCREDIBLE WEIGHT OF WATER:
Job 26:8 He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do
not burst under their weight.
Have you ever stopped to think about the amount of water
stored in the clouds during a rain? To give you an idea of the
immense amount of water stored there, one inch of rain over one
square mile equals 17.4 million gallons of water weighing 143
million pounds (about 72,000 tons), or the weight of a train with 40
boxcars. Yes, this weight is suspended in the sky before a rain!
www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream//tstorms/ll_h2ocontent.htm

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 While I wasnt able to find a reference of the scientific

discovery of the clouds ability to hold this weight, it is still amazing
to think that this was referenced 5000 years ago in the Bible.

WATER EVAPORATION:
Job 36:27 He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain
to the streams
We usually look at water on the ground as drying and not
what it is actually doing, evaporating. Nils Wallerius 1706-1764
was a Swedish physicist, philosopher and theologian. He was one
of the first scientists to study and document the characteristics of
evaporation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nils_Wallerius

GENETIC CLASSIFICATION:
Genesis 1:21-31 v21 So God created . . . and every living thing
. . . according to their kinds, and every winged bird according
to its kind. v24 . . . according to their kinds . . . each
according to its kind. v25 God made the wild animals
according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds,
and all the creatures that move along the ground according to
their kinds.
This is a verse that speaks against the theory yes theory
and not fact of evolution. If the God of the Bible exists, who
knows everything, and the Bible is His revelation to us, and He
knows that all things are created according their own kinds, we
can have confidence in this verse.
The mule is a confirmation of this. The mule came about
because of the desire to have a work animal which had the positive
characteristics of both the horse and the donkey. This mule is the
resultant animal of the female horse and a male donkey. What is
interesting is that mules cant be mated with other mules to bring
about mule offspring. Mules are almost always sterile.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mule
Another interesting thing to realize is that a mule doesnt
happen naturally in the wild. It requires an input of intelligence to
make it happen. So considering that a mule is almost always
sterile and requires intelligence to bring about, do you think this
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process is a good example supporting a natural evolution or

against a natural evolution?
When looking at all species we realize that they all have a
limitation as to the range of physical characteristics of that species.
You will never find a dat (dog-cat), or cog (cat-dog), or any other
hybrid type of animal. And even when species are manipulated by
human science (like the mule), they are unable to reproduce
offspring according to its kind. This verse is confirmed by modern
science, and is a confirmation as to why we are able to study
genetics, because genetics shows these boundaries.
The modern science of genetics, seeking to
understand this process, began with the work of Gregor
Mendel in the mid-19th century
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetics
The study of genetics, and the limitations in the range a
species can change is one of the reasons why we can classify all
biological organisms into these different divisions; Kingdom,
Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. The science
of taxonomy providing this classification system has existed for
over 100 years, and all biological organisms have fit into it 100%.
Do you think this classification system that has existed is a model
for about a century better fits the evolutionary theory of one
species evolving into another, or the Bibles description of God
made . . . according to its own kind?

GLOBAL WIND PATTERNS AND GLOBAL OCEAN CURRENTS:

Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind blows to the south and goes around
to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits
the wind returns.
Believed to be written at the end of the 3rd century BC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecclesiastes
Have you ever heard of the Jet Stream? It is the major
pathway the wind takes around the globe, which was discovered
by Japanese meteorologist Wasaburo Oishi in 1926. He lived
1874-1950, was born in Tosu, Saga, and he is best known for his

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discovery of the high-altitude air currents now known as the jet

stream. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasaburo_Oishi
Psalms 8:8 . . the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
Matthew Fontaine Maury 18061873 nicknamed
"Pathfinder of the Seas". Maury made many important new
contributions to charting winds and ocean currents including ocean
lanes for passing ships at sea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Fontaine_Maury

AIR HAS WEIGHT:

Job 28:25 When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned
the waters by measure
Evangelista Torricelli began the first accurate
measurement of the pressure (or weight) of air, in 1644.
www.robinsonlibrary.com/science/science/biography/torricelli.htm

2ND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS (ENTROPY):

Psalm 102:25-26 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and
the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you
will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change
them like a robe, and they will pass away
Isaiah 51:6 . . . for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will
wear out like a garment,
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words
will not pass away.
Nicolas Lonard Sadi Carnot 1796 1832 was a French
military engineer and physicist, often described as the
"The Father of Thermodynamics"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_L%C3%A9onard_Sadi_Carnot

THE EARTH SUSPENDED IN SPACE:

Job 26:7 (Written 3000 BC) He spreads out the northern skies
over empty space; he hangs the earth on nothing.

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 This was written 4000 years ago. The beliefs of many

people even as recent as 1000 years ago was that the Earth was
supported on the backs of elephants, or on the back of a tortoise.
http://christianevidences.org/scientific-
evidence/astronomy/suspended-earth/
Something else to think about, is that most of the major
branches of science were founded by Christian thinkers. Similar to
the biological system of Taxonomy developed by Gregor Mendel,
most other branches of science were founded by Christian thinkers.
And similar to the defined biological limits within the classifications
of Taxonomy being unchanging, Christian Scientists recognized the
consistent unchangeable laws within the scientific principles,
enabling them to study these laws.
The following is a short list of these Christian Scientists and
the discipline of science they founded or provided significant
advancement in the study of. The list is just a partial listing taken
from the link below the list:
Antiseptic Surgery Joseph Lister
Bacteriology Louis Pasteur
Calculus Isaac Newton
Celestial Mechanics Johannes Kepler
Chemistry Robert Boyle
Comparative Anatomy Georges Cuvier
Computer Science Charles Babbage
Dimensional Analysis Lord Rayleigh
Dynamics Isaac Newton
Electronics John Ambrose Fleming
Electrodynamics James Clerk Maxwell
Electromagnetics Michael Faraday
SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES
http://christianevidences.org/scientific-evidence/information-
science/scientific-disciplines/
Here are a few additional sites giving greater information about
the foundation of many disciplines in science.
www.christianity.co.nz/science4.htm
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/sciencefaith.html
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 www.exploringchristianity.com/index.php?option=com_conten
t&view=article&id=213&catid=47&Itemid=270

* WHAT ABOUT CLAIMED SCIENTIFIC ERRORS IN THE BIBLE?

Many critics of the Bible claim that it cant be true because
science has proven the Bible wrong and that it has errors when
indicating scientific facts. Since critics claim the Bible has errors
they conclude then that it certainly cant be from God. After all, the
God of the Universe wouldnt make scientific mistakes because
God knows everything, right? This conclusion is true if the Bible
has scientific mistakes. What is true is that these criticisms have
been proven to be wrong themselves or misinterpretations of the
Bible. Weve already seen many of the ways the Bible is accurate
scientifically, and also indicated accurate science hundreds and
thousands of years before modern science would discover these
principals.
These sites list and answer many of the scientific criticisms of the
Bible.
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/sciencebible.html
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/bible_science_criticisms.html
www.faithdefenders.com/from-the-desk/inerrancyofthebible.html
Sites Showing Bible Evidences:
http://bibleandarchaeology.blogspot.com
www.everystudent.com/features/bible.html
www.alwaysbeready.com (Click Bible, Evidence for the Bible at left)
If you see Unsupported Browser, click the HOME link at lower left.
http://sciencespeaks.dstoner.net
THE BIBLE: HAS GOD SPOKEN? - Greg Koukl
http://server.firefighters.org/catalog/2002/14173.mp3
SCIENTIFIC FACTS IN THE BIBLE
www.inplainsite.org/html/scientific_facts_in_the_bible.html

Scientific, archeological, and prophetic evidences show that

God has proven Himself trustworthy in the things we can check so
that we can have faith in Him in the things we cannot check. These
evidences also show that the claim The Bible is scientifically
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inaccurate is made by those who have never actually

investigated the evidences or that the evidences dont confirm the
conclusion they have already decided.
Now that weve seen evidences for the Divine origin of the
Bible, we can be confident in the verses written therein.
2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God
and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and
for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be
complete, equipped for every good work.
It is clear through this verse and the confirmation of the
different evidences, (Scientific, Archaeological, etc.), that the Bible
contains everything to enable us to learn what God wants us to
know about Him, His will, and His plan for humanity. The Bible is
the ONLY religious work which has been proven to be from God
and the only reference necessary to answer the important
questions regarding God, our lives, our eternal destination, etc.
There are some religions which consider the Bible
authoritative but they use a slightly changed Bible. Or they
consider other religious works on the same level of authority as the
Bible, and use those works to support their unbiblical teachings.
This verse shows that this is not the position of God. If we think
about it logically we realize that it is foolish to think that this God
who is outside of time, who has created 100 billion galaxies out of
nothing, who knows everything, etc. would have left anything
necessary for us out of the book which He has provided for us. If
the Bible is true then the following verse is true, and it is true
whether we believe it or not.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful
for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work

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* AN ACADEMIC CHALLENGE TO THE BIBLE

The Bible has proven itself to be the word of God, and there
are many verses, 2 Tim 3:16-17 above included, claiming its truth
and perfection and that it will last forever.
John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of
our God will stand forever.
Matthew 5:18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass
away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is
accomplished.
John 10:35b Jesus answered them ". . . to whom the word of God
cameand Scripture cannot be broken"
2 Peter 1:21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of
man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the
Holy Spirit.
INERRANCY OF THE BIBLE ADDITIONAL VERSES
www.openbible.info/topics/inerrancy_of_the_bible
The Bible is described as the Word of God, is truth, is
profitable for teaching . . . for every good work, cannot be
broken and will stand forever. The God of the Universe knows
everything, has created all 100 billion galaxies out of nothing, and
is outside of time. If this amazing God has provided this incredible
resource for us shouldnt we conclude that He is also able to keep
his Word the way that he has intended? The answer seems
obvious!
If you are not familiar with the word INERRANCY, it has to do with
ERROR. www.thefreedictionary.com defines INERRANCY as: Freedom
from error or untruths; infallibility. When applied to the Bible it
means that the Bible is free from errors or untruths and is infallible.
Norman Geisler states:
If the Bible is the Word of God and God cannot err, then
the Bible cannot err. To deny the inerrancy of the Bible one

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 must either affirm that God can err or that the Bible is not
the Word of God.
Considering the definition and the Bible verses above, Norman
Geislers conclusion is logical and reasonable.
WHAT'S INERRANCY!? AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?
http://defendinginerrancy.com/why-is-inerrancy-important
PROOF INERRANCY IS HISTORICAL / BIBLICAL
http://defendinginerrancy.com/historical-evidence-for-
inerrancy
THE INERRANCY OF THE BIBLE
www.4truth.net/fourtruthpbbible.aspx?pageid=8589952767
BIBLE ACCURACY
www.4truth.net/accuracy
Here is Norman Geislers presentation at the VERITAS 2014
NATIONAL APOLOGETICS CONFERENCE:
DOES THE BIBLE HAVE ERRORS?
http://defendinginerrancy.com/does-the-bible-have-errors
The professors in many of the evangelical seminaries in current
time have signed STATEMENTS OF INERRANCY. This means that they
hold to the position that the Bible is without error. If you were going to a
seminary, would you want to learn under a professor who doesnt hold
that the Bible is without error?
Would you be surprised to learn that a number of these
professors who hold that the Bible is inerrant also believe certain
passages didnt happen as these verses indicate, that they were
myth, or that they were exercises in creative writing on the part of
the writer? Does this sound contradictory to Norman Geislers
statement? His statement again: If the Bible is the Word of God and
God cannot err, then the Bible cannot err. To deny the inerrancy
of the Bible one must either affirm that God can err or else that the
Bible is not the Word of God.
To see some of the statements of these professors, check the articles
at these links:
www.albertmohler.com/2011/09/14/the-devil-is-in-the-details-
biblical-inerrancy-and-the-licona-controversy

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 www.normgeisler.com/articles/Bible/Inspiration-
inerrancy/Blomberg/DenialOfMiracleStory.htm
www.normgeisler.com/articles/Bible/Inspiration-
Inerrancy/Licona/InerrancyWorse.htm
www.normgeisler.com/articles/Bible/Inspiration-
Inerrancy/Blomberg/2014-
ResponseToBlombergCanWeStillBelieveInTheBible.htm
www.normgeisler.com/articles/Bible/Inspiration-
Inerrancy/ETS/OpenTheistsAndInerrancy-
CPinnockOnBibleAndGod.htm
ALREADY COMPROMISED Book showing how Christian
Universities have become compromised Link to preview
https://books.google.com/books?id=_xNVJfr90qoC&pri
ntsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Also check out this excellent presentation by David Farnell
demonstrating the larger concern regarding the influence of professors
teaching this NEW INERRANCY in seminaries.
RESPONDING TO THE NEW ATTACKS ON SCRIPTURE - David Farnell
http://defendinginerrancy.com/responding-new-attacks-scripture

In the section covering the amazing number of fulfilled prophesies

I had also made reference to certain prophesies not having been fulfilled
yet. As well, many of the fulfilled prophesies could not be confirmed as
fulfilled until recent archaeological discoveries discovered the evidence.
Did archaeologists make up stories about the unfulfilled prophesies
while waiting for the archaeological discoveries to confirm details in the
Bible? No. Would it be fair to conclude that there are prophesies which
we will never be able to verify pending their discovery by
archaeologists? I could be wrong, but I believe this is reasonable.
It seems foolish that some professors would feel the necessity to
have an explanation for every possible Bible difficulty. I realize that
there are those who will use any unresolved Bible difficulty as evidence
that the entire Bible is fallible and that Christianity isnt worth
considering. However, when the few items in question are contrasted
to the OVERWHELMING amount of confirmed evidence for the Bible and
Christianity, it shows that those making the challenges are looking for

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any excuse to discount the Bible and shows that they seem to be less
interested in honestly considering the far larger supporting evidences.
Can one be a Christian without believing the Bible is fully
inerrant? Yes. However, you put yourself at risk. You leave
yourself open to the possibility that someone will come up with a
convincing sounding argument against an important part of the
Bible. Take for example the resurrection. What if someone came
up with a seemingly convincing argument against the resurrection?
Would this shake your convictions?
If we believe that one part of the Bible isnt reliably the word
of God, who is to say another more important part of the Bible wont
be questioned in the future? I point to Norman Geislers statement
yet again, and Colossians 2:8
If the Bible is the Word of God and God cannot err, then the
Bible cannot err. To deny the inerrancy of the Bible one must
either affirm that God can err or else that the Bible is not the
Word of God. - Norman Geisler
COLOSSIANS 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by
philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition,
according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to
Christ.
It is important to remember, if the Bible is Gods word and
God knows everything, it is we who dont have all the information,
not Him. To believe a challenge by someone to what is written in
the Bible, written by the One who knows everything when we dont
know everything seems somewhat short sighted.
It is important to realize that despite the position of the
professors who are changing the traditional definition of
INERRANCY pertaining to the different Biblical passages, many of
them have still done tremendous work in many other areas of
Apologetics. Because of this, you will see some of them included
in the LEADING SPEAKERS AND THINKERS section. Considering the
importance of inerrancy it is vitally important to check any speaker
or authors position on the inerrancy of the Bible when evaluating
any teaching about the Bible, regardless of that speakers or
authors effective teaching in other areas. Remember Acts 17:11
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 ACTS 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in
Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
My intention in including this section is so that you are aware
of what is being taught in many seminaries, especially if you are
planning on going into ministry and attending one of these
seminaries. Most of these seminaries were originally started by
their founders to provide an answer to this CHALLENGE TO THE
INERRANCY OF THE BIBLE back in 1914-15. 100 years later, this
challenge to inerrancy is being advanced now at these very same
seminaries.
I highly recommend David Farnells presentation on this subject:
RESPONDING TO THE NEW ATTACKS ON SCRIPTURE
http://defendinginerrancy.com/responding-new-attacks-scripture
HISTORY OF THE BIBLE: HOW THE BIBLE CAME TO US
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/bibleorigin.html
CHUCK MISSLER - HOW WE GOT OUR BIBLE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZsZLDWWZMs
WHY CAN THE BIBLE BE TRUSTED - Sean McDowell
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc2wqBfk20E
WHERE AND HOW DID WE GET THE BIBLE?:
Part 1: Design and Layout of the Old Testament
http://realtruth.org/articles/248-wahdwgtb.html
Part 2: Design and Layout of the New Testament
http://realtruth.org/articles/256-wahdwgtb.html
HOW WE RECEIVED THE BIBLE - Chapel @ The Master's College
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJkokXMd_Ao
CONFIDENCE IN GOD'S WORD, AS IT IS WRITTEN (MARK 16:1-8)
John MacArthur
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPhzjMOboQI
13 MINUTES ON THE RELIABILITY OF SCRIPTURE (John MacArthur)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToMMe_vrRXE
SEAN MCDOWELL THE RELIABILITY OF SCRIPTURE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQQlbHObi6k
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 BIBLICAL INERRANCY SUMMIT: BREAKOUT SEMINARS

http://thecripplegate.com/?s=inerrancy+summit

* JESUS
If the Bible proves itself as the only book truly inspired by
God then we can trust everything that is written there. If we call
ourselves Christians we also have no choice but to accept what is
taught there. As covered earlier, one category of proofs that the
Bible is inspired is PROPHESY. Fulfilled prophesy is a proof
exclusive to the Bible. No other book claiming to be inspired from
God shows evidence of detailed prophetic fulfillment like the Bible.
The following site compares prophesies between the Bible
and the Quran:
The Qur'an (Koran) vs. The Bible: Predictions of human actions show
which one is truly from God
http://worldview3.50webs.com/quranvbible.html

*THE CLAIM: JESUS NEVER EXISTED

As I indicated in the Challenging Statements for
Christians section, Ive provided in this section the basic answers
to this claim and also provide additional resources. If you have not
already done so, please read the sub-sections on Truth, the
evidences for God, and the evidences for the Bible being from
God. After reading through the information in just these three sub-
sections, you will see the overwhelming evidence for the existence
of Jesus, and also how improbable the truth is of this claim against
His existence.
Since Truth exists, and if the logical conclusion from the
evidence is that God exists and that the Bible is His word, it is very
reasonable to conclude that Jesus Christ existed and is the one
who the Bible indicates. After reading the information in this
section and especially reading the information at the links below,
you will see how this claim is so effectively answered.
It is easy to see the implications of this claim that Jesus
never existed. If this claim is true, then no evidences given for the
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existence of Jesus Christ matter at all; neither the evidences for

His claims to deity, for His providing salvation, or for anything else
about Him. Remember the four primary beliefs held about Gods
existence; that there is one God, many gods, Everything is god, or
there is no God? When we apply the LAW OF NON-CONTRADICTION
and TRUTH to these beliefs, we see that only one of these options
can be true, automatically making the others false. When we apply
this Law and Truth to the existence of Jesus Christ, we also find
that there is only one option. He either exists or doesnt exist, but
He cant have both existed and not existed at the same time.
As we have just covered the evidence for Truth and its
implications, as well as the evidences for the existence of God and
the evidences that the Bible is from God; it is easy to conclude that
anyone making the claim that Jesus never existed has either not
explored the actual evidences for the existence of Jesus, or they
have already decided that any evidences arent true and dont
matter. That saying again, Dont confuse me with the truth,
Ive already made up my mind.
In the TRUTH section, what impact did we determine that a
persons decisions have on TRUTH? Absolutely none! TRUTH is
true regardless of what we decide. Whatever is proven by all the
evidences; whether history, science, mathematics, etc., is true
regardless of what we decide. Remember, which kind of TRUTH is
based upon what a person decides is true? Thats right,
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH.
So which is true, the claims that Jesus Christ never existed
and was a myth, or that Jesus Christ actually did exist?
Some of the specific claims made as evidence for the main
claim that Jesus never existed are similar to the following ones
from the following Salon article:
www.salon.com/2014/09/01/5_reasons_to_suspect_that
_jesus_never_existed/
1. No first century secular evidence whatsoever exists to
support the actuality of Yeshua ben Yosef.

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 2. The earliest New Testament writers seem ignorant of the

details of Jesus life, which become more crystalized in
later texts.
3. Even the New Testament stories dont claim to be first-hand
accounts.
4. The gospels, our only accounts of a historical Jesus,
contradict each other.
5. Modern scholars who claim to have uncovered the real
historical Jesus depict wildly different persons.
These claims sound significant when first heard, but like all
claims, are easier to make than to substantiate. These claims are
answered by the following article:
DID JESUS EVER REALLY EXIST?
http://myocn.net/jesus-ever-really-exist/
I reproduce the answer to point one here. You can use the above
link to read the answers to the remaining claims.
Reason 1: No first century secular evidence whatsoever
exists to support the actuality of Yeshua ben Yosef (i.e. Jesus
son of Joseph; it sounds more scholarly in the Hebrew). That
is, as the article goes on to say, there is no mention of Jesus
at all by any of his pagan contemporaries, and there are no
birth records, no trial transcripts, no death certificates.

Answer to the Reason: This is an astonishing thing to say,

and reveals an immense ignorance of how history actually
works. For example, there are no birth records, trial transcripts,
or death certificate for Saul of Tarsus either (i.e. for St. Paul),
but no one seriously doubts that he was born, tried by the
Romans, and martyred in Rome in the sixth decade of the first
century. And since Jesus was born, lived, and died in a little
backwater of the Roman Empire known as Palestine, there is
no reason to imagine that any pagan historian would take
notice of Him until the movement He founded grew big enough
to become a problem.

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 But actually, one of Jesus contemporaries did mention Him

not a pagan contemporary, but a Jewish one. As any first-year
college student of the period knows, Josephus (born about 37
A.D.) mentions Jesus in his work Antiquities of the Jews. The
bit mentioning Jesus has been reworked by the Christians, but
most scholars say that the original text read as follows:

At this time there appeared Jesus, a wise man. For he

was a doer of startling deeds, a teacher of people who
receive the truth with pleasure. And he gained a following
both among many Jews and among many of Greek
origin. And when Pilate, because of an accusation made
by the leading men among us, condemned him to the
cross, those who had loved him previously did not cease
to do so. And up until this very day the tribe of Christians
(named after him) has not died out.

Josephus lived and died a Jew, and was never a Christian.

There is not the slightest reason to suspect his reporting at this
point, which accords well with the New Testament records
written independently about the same time. Josephus history
indeed constitutes first-century secular evidence supporting
the actuality of Jesus.

Check the following links as well for answers to these claims

and others similar to the above claim. Additionally, Ive included
links to the Google Books previews of three books answering these
claims.
WAS JESUS A REAL PERSON?
http://y-jesus.com/wp-content/tcpdf-pdf/1848.pdf
Other PDFs about Jesus: http://y-jesus.com/pdf-list/
JESUS NEVER EXISTED? RESOURCES FOR STUDY
www.apologetics315.com/2008/12/jesus-never-existed-
resources-for-study.html
DID JESUS EXIST
www.tektonics.org/jesusexisthub.php

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COMMON OBJECTION #18- "JESUS NEVER EXISTED."

http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2012/09/common-objection-18-
jesus-never-existed.html
DID JESUS EVEN EXIST?-THE PROBLEMATIC ARGUMENT FROM SILENCE
http://apologeticsuk.blogspot.com/2012/01/did-jesus-even-exist-
problematic.html
ANALYSIS AND RESPONSE TO THE ZEITGEIST VIDEO
www.alwaysbeready.com/zeitgeist-the-movie
THE JESUS MYTH? A RESPONSE TO RICHARD CARRIER
http://ratiochristi.org/uncg/blog/post/the-jesus-myth-a-
response-to-richard-carrier-part-1
http://ratiochristi.org/uncg/blog/post/the-jesus-myth-a-
response-to-richard-carrier-part-2
SHATTERING THE CHRIST MYTH - Book Preview
https://books.google.com/books?id=2XHysoHc2ksC&printsec=frontc
over&dq=%22Shattering+the+Christ+Myth%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved
=0ahUKEwiX4sfU3-
nJAhUMdD4KHccgD84QuwUIHzAA#v=onepage&q=%22Shatterin
g%20the%20Christ%20Myth%22&f=false
THE CASE FOR CHRIST - Book Preview
https://books.google.com/books?id=ydVw3pbYZbgC&printsec=frontc
over&dq=%22Shattering+the+Christ+Myth%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved
=0ahUKEwiX4sfU3-
nJAhUMdD4KHccgD84QuwUINDAE#v=onepage&q&f=false
THE HISTORICAL JESUS: ANCIENT EVIDENCE FOR THE LIFE OF CHRIST
Book Preview
https://books.google.com/books?id=pMMeqKHZIDkC&printsec=front
cover&dq=The+Historical+Jesus:+Ancient+Evidence+for+the+Life
+of+Christ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiC09uz4enJAhVMdD4KH
QmKB88QuwUIHzAA#v=onepage&q=The%20Historical%20Jesus
%3A%20Ancient%20Evidence%20for%20the%20Life%20of%20C
hrist&f=false

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 * PROPHECIES ABOUT JESUS

Below are just a few of the over 300 specific prophesies
written in the old testament about Jesus Christ during his life and
death. Jesus Christ fulfilled all 300+ prophesies!
A few of the Old Testament prophesies fulfilled by Christ:
He would be born of the seed of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3, 22:18),
Born of the tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10),
In the lineage of David (2 Samuel 7:12f).
He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
Hed come while the temple was still standing (Malachi 3:1),
He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14),
He would open the eyes of the blind, unstop the ears of the deaf, and
cause the lame to walk (Isaiah 35:5-6),
Hed be rejected by His own people (Psalm 118:22; 1 Peter 2:7).
The precise time in history when He would die (Daniel 9:24-26),
That He would rise from the dead (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27-32).
How He would die (Psalm 22:16-18, Isaiah 53; Zechariah 12:10)
The last prophesy in the list above is Psalm 22:16-18. It is
the oldest of the prophecies fulfilled by Christ, and it is the
prophesy indicating the type of execution Christ would suffer.
Psalm 22:16-18 For dogs encompass me; a company of
evil doers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet. I
can count all my bonesthey stare and gloat over me; they divide
my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
I found this prophesy to be particularly interesting. It is
dated at approximately 1000BC, 1000 years before Christs birth,
which is amazing in itself! However, it was also written 400 years
before crucifixion had even been invented by the Romans as a
form of capital punishment! It is a kind of DUAL prophesy, about a
future type of capital punishment, and also the method of Jesus
Christs death.
Now, let's take a closer look at the amazing probabilities of
these prophesies!
The odds of just 8 of over 300 prophecies being fulfilled
in any one individual by accident is 1 in 1017th power, (1 with
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 17 zeroes after it). This number, 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000

is a little hard to comprehend, but this illustration should help.
1017th power silver dollars would fill the entire state of Texas
2ft deep. If you marked one silver dollar and mixed it into
the rest, the odds of someone picking that marked silver
dollar out on the first try would be 1 in 1017th power. And this
is only 8 of over 300 prophesies. What would the odds look
like if we used a larger group? What about the odds of
someone accidentally fulfilling 48 prophesies?
The odds of 48 of over 300 prophecies being fulfilled by
accident in any one individual, (less than 1/6th of the total
number of prophesies), is 1 in 10157th power or one in 10 with
157 zeroes after it! The size of the known Universe is
estimated to be able to contain 1080th power atoms, a huge
number. However, this is a microscopically small number
compared to 10157th power.
If your recollection of exponents is a little foggy, each
increase of one in the exponent indicates 10 times the
number. So 1080thx10 = 1081st, 1081stx10 = 1082nd, etc.!
10157th atoms would fill not one Universe, but trillions and
trillions of Universes! Now pick one atom, mark it, mix it in
with all the others . . . You get the idea. Remember, these
odds only apply to the fulfillment of less than 1/6th of the
total number of fulfilled prophecies of Jesus, and Jesus
Christ fulfilled all 300+ of the prophecies!
I learned all of these probabilities from the work of Josh
McDowell. The following link is a great presentation from
Josh covering this amazing information:
PROPHECIES JESUS FULFILLED by Josh McDowell
www.youtube.com/watch?v=33buor5NfcU
FULFILLED PROPHECY: EVIDENCE FOR THE RELIABILITY
OF THE BIBLE
www.reasons.org/articles/articles/fulfilled-prophecy-
evidence-for-the-reliability-of-the-bible
THE LAW OF PROBABILITY
www.answering-islam.org/Walid/10probability.htm
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 BOREL'S LAW indicates that anything with odds beyond

1 in 1050th power has a zero probability of happening by
accident. Considering this, it is IMPOSSIBLE for someone to
have ACCIDENTALLY fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies.
No human has been able to foretell future events with any
specific accuracy but the Bible foretells specific details
about a large number of future events. In the life and death
of Jesus Christ alone the Bible prophecies date to in some
cases more than 1000 years before they were fulfilled in
Jesus Christ. Even if we dont consider any of the other
evidences, these prophecies by themselves provide
amazing proofs of the Divine origin of the Bible and that
Jesus Christ was God, because no human would ever be
able to predict future events with even vague detail, not to
mention the very specific details the Bible prophesies
contains.
GOD AND THE LAWS OF SCIENCE: THE LAWS OF PROBABILITY
www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12
&article=3726
MESSIANIC PROPHECIES FULFILLED BY JESUS CHRIST
www.thedevineevidence.com/prophecy_jesus.html
354 PROPHECIES FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST
www.accordingtothescriptures.org/prophecy/353propheci
es.html
JESUS IN PROPHECY - Ed Hindson
http://ffmp3.com/catalog/2001/13145.mp3
BIBLICAL PROPHECIES FULFILLED BY JESUS
www.cbn.com/spirituallife/biblestudyandtheol
ogy/jesus_prophecy_fulfilled.aspx

*ONE SPECIFIC PROPHESY

I believe it is important to cover one particular prophesy in
more detail. It is the resurrection of Christ prophesied in Psalm
118:22 and fulfilled by Christ. The reason becomes clear when we
look at the following passages:
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 Hebrews 9:22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is

purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no
forgiveness of sins.
We see through this verse that the shedding of blood is
absolutely necessary for sin to be forgiven.
1 Corinthians 15:17-19 And if Christ has not been raised,
your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also
who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we
have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
This verse shows that Christs rising from the dead is
absolutely necessary for the forgiveness of sins.
The Hebrews verse indicates the shedding of blood is
necessary to forgive sin while the 1st Corinthians verse indicates
Christs rising from the dead necessary. Does this mean there is
a contradiction between the two verses and showing that the Bible
has a mistake? The following should give you a better
understanding of this seeming contradiction.
COULD the Hebrews verse refer to the shedding of just
anyones blood? These following verses should answer this.
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence
to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son
cleanses us from all sin.
Going back to the 1st Corinthians verse above, we see that
it clearly shows that without Christs resurrection, our sins are not
forgiven and that others should pity us. So if the 1st Corinthians
verse is true then Jesus resurrection is one of the most important
events in the Bible. But Hebrews 9:22, 10:19 and 1 John 1:7, show
that only the shedding of blood of Jesus forgives and cleanses
us from sin.
And again, these two verses seem to contradict each other.
One verse indicates RESURRECTION is necessary while the other
indicates that THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD forgives us of our sin. How
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do we resolve the seeming conflict of one verse showing that the

shedding of blood is required for forgiveness and the other verse
showing that the resurrection is necessary to forgive sin?
It is easier to resolve when you realize that while the
shedding of blood is essential for the forgiveness of sin, only the
blood of one who can actually forgive sin is valid. Only God is
qualified to pay for sin, and to forgive sin.
Mark 2:6-7 Now some of the scribes were sitting there,
questioning in their hearts, Why does this man speak like
that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God
alone?
Luke 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to
question, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies?
Who can forgive sins but God alone?
ONLY GOD FORGIVES SIN
Pt.1 www.gty.org/resources/sermons/42-65/only-god-forgives-sin-part-1
Pt.2 www.gty.org/resources/sermons/42-66/only-god-forgives-sin-part-2
When you think about everyone eventually dying, what
would a person need to do to prove they were God? What would
be something that only God could do that no one has ever done
before or since to prove they were God? Wouldnt rising from the
dead, their resurrection, qualify as something that only God could
do? And with Jesus, not only was the resurrection proof that He
was God but Jesus foretold that He would rise from the dead.
Luke 9:21-22 And he strictly charged and commanded them
to tell this to no one, saying, The Son of Man must suffer many
things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and
scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
Do you see how these two verses actually work together?
Jesus Christs resurrection three days after dying on the cross
fulfilled the prophesy and proves that He is God. And being God,
His dying on the cross shows that His blood was sufficient to pay
the price for our sin.
EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION Josh McDowell
www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/josh2.html
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 There are those who challenge the validity of the Bible,

because of supposed contradictions similar to this one. Some want
the bible to be false so that they can feel more confident in their
belief that there is no reason to believe in the existence of God.
Supposed contradictions in the Bible are enough proof for
skeptics that the Bible has errors and cant be from God. Skeptics
dont try to find an answer for the supposed contradictions because
an answer would conflict with what theyve already decided to
believe. The supposed contradictions confirm their worldview, and
they arent interested in evidence that would challenge their
worldview.
Do a Bing search for: Bible Contradictions Answered, to
find many sites answering supposed contradictions in the Bible.
ALLEGED BIBLE CONTRADICTIONS: 5 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE
YOU ANSWER OBJECTIONS
www.thepoachedegg.net/the-poached-egg/2014/02/alleged-
bible-contradictions-5-questions-to-ask-before-you-
answer-objections.html
When all the evidence is considered, it is not difficult to
come to the conclusion that Jesus Christ is who the Bible says and
who He claimed to be - God in human flesh. Considering the
evidences demonstrating fairly conclusively the truth that Jesus is
God, do you want to be one who chooses to ignore these
evidences and the implications of rejecting His payment for your
sin?
SITES ON JESUS:
THE REAL FACE OF JESUS Amazing documentary on the Shroud of Turin!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNJPJ4JwHeE
If you find the video has been removed, do a Bing
video search for THE REAL FACE OF JESUS
JESUS FACT OR FICTION
www.jesusfactorfiction.com/journey.html
JESUS IN ALL THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
www.jesusplusnothing.com/jesus66books.htm
WHAT IS THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS?
www.compellingtruth.org/truth_Jesus.html

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Other Sites With Evidence About Jesus

www.allaboutgod.com/is-jesus-god.htm
www.christiananswers.net/jesus/home.html
www.everystudent.com/menus/jesus.html
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcJ9i_apd_E
www.jesusevidence.org
www.risenjesus.com/top-10-myths-about-jesus-
resurrection
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay_Db4RwZ_M
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iyxR8uE9GQ

One more point. There are some who believe that Jesus
never died and so He could never have been resurrected. They
conclude that, There cant be a resurrection from the dead, if
the body never died. This belief ignores a few major facts:
Rome had been performing crucifixions as a capital
punishment for hundreds of years. They were experts at
performing crucifixions and wouldnt have made the
mistake of allowing someone to survive the ordeal.
The Roman guards certainly didnt have any sympathy for
Jesus that they would have reduced the torture that Jesus
experienced. The guards wove a crown of thorns for Jesus
to wear since Jesus was being referred to as king, and they
beat him and pulled out parts of his beard. The Roman
guards probably enjoyed beating Jesus considering He
was a criminal of Rome and sentenced to death.
Check out the links below under the:
Medical Detail of Jesus Suffering

Jesus was killed by one of the most excruciatingly painful

forms of execution in all of human history. When I realized this I
started to wonder WHY. I didnt wonder, Why would Jesus
Christ choose to be sacrificed for our sin? I wondered,
Since Jesus Christ is God then why did he chose to enter
history in the time of one of the most excruciating forms of
execution ever invented?

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 After all, if Jesus Christ was God then couldnt he decide to

enter history during a time when a quicker much less painful
execution was the practice? What about being run through with a
sword during the Middle Ages? Wouldnt that be quick and much
less painful compared to being crucified, while still allowing him to
shed his blood? Im sure there are other times in history when
people were killed by methods causing far less pain as compared
to a crucifixion.
I believe the reason Christ chose the time in history that he
did is because He wanted us to know that not even the most
brutally excruciating execution would be enough to keep Him from
his mission, to pay the price for the sin weve committed and will
commit, so that we can spend eternity with Him in Heaven. And
why did He do this? Because He loves us so much!
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone
lay down his life for his friends.
A saying Ive heard illustrating Christs love and
commitment to us is:
I asked Jesus how much He loved me,
and He stretched out His arms and He died.
To see specific details of the incredible price Jesus paid
through scourging and crucifixion and the evidences of His death,
look at the medical description of His crucifixion:
MEDICAL DETAIL OF JESUS SUFFERING
http://the-crucifixion.org
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RptnOb-IFFM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC9krDwjfZE
THE RESURRECTION ARGUMENT THAT CHANGED A GENERATION OF
SCHOLARS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay_Db4RwZ_M
EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION - Craig Hazen
http://ffmp3.com/catalog/2001/13061.mp3
EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST IN A NUTSHELL
www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2011/04/evidence-for-
the-resurrection-in-a-nutshell/

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EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzNREgNC11k
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVoKR_cvJJM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iyxR8uE9GQ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pV5XxZQDLs
DID JESUS REALLY RISE? Dr. Phil Fernandez
` http://ffmp3.com/catalog/2009/45623.mp3
DID JESUS REALLY RISE FROM THE DEAD? - John Ankerberg
http://ffmp3.com/catalog/2001/13142.mp3
HOW DO THE TWELVE APOSTLES DEATHS PROVE EASTER?
http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2009/04/what-
happened-to-the-twelve-apostles-how-their-deaths-
evidence-easter/?nabe=6241452902318080:1
HISTORICAL EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION
www.desiringgod.org/articles/historical-evidence-for-the-
resurrection
APOLOGETICS CONFERENCE - EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocbtjLgUnQY
TESTIMONY OF THE EVANGELISTS - SIMON GREENLEAF
www.bibleteacher.org/sgtestimony.htm
IF JESUS WASNT GOD, HE DESERVED AN OSCAR John Ankerberg
http://ffmp3.com/catalog/2009/45551.mp3
RECLAIMING EASTER
www.josh.org/pages/reclaiming-easter
ESSAY SERIES: IS CHRISTIANITY TRUE?
www.apologetics315.com/2010/04/essay-series-is-
christianity-true.html
TACKLING TOUGH QUESTIONS - Sean and Josh McDowell
www.conversantlife.com/theology/tackling-tough-
questions-sean-and-josh-mcdowell-on-conversant-live
HOW CAN YOU TRUST THAT CHRISTIANITY IS TRUE
IF YOU HAVENT EXAMINED ALL THE ALTERNATIVES?
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2014/how-can-you-trust-
christianity-is-true-if-you-havent-examined-all-the-
alternatives/
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 It is important to realize that we will probably never have

evidences for everything pertaining to the Bible and God. There
will be things that are impossible to check, primarily because
archaeology hasnt yet discovered the evidences, and may never.
But remember again, archaeology has verified over 2000 of the
approximately 2500 prophesies listed in the Bible, and not a single
one has been proved wrong. The others havent yet been fulfilled
because they speak of events to take place in the future.
Considering this, I believe that the way to consider all of the
evidences God has provided for us - the scientific, archeological,
and prophetic evidences - is that he has proven Himself in the
things we can check so that we can have full faith in Him in the
things we cannot check.

* THE TRINITY
The Trinity is one of the doctrines of the Bible which most will
admit is difficult to understand. This lack of understanding has
caused some to determine that the doctrine cant be true. The fact
is that we will never fully understanding this doctrine because as
finite beings, we dont have the capacity to fully understand the
doctrine. Even so, we can accept it as true even if we dont fully
understand it, because it is clearly taught in the Bible.
The misunderstanding of this doctrine by the non-Christian
religions who deny the Trinity is even more magnified because of
their insistence to refuse to consider any conclusion other than
what theyve already concluded. Similar to those who hold to
worldviews contradictory to Christianity, these non-Christian
religions dont want to be persuaded to believe different than they
do.
If you dont feel you understand this doctrine, I believe this
section will bring you to a much better understanding than youve
had before. In the end as we will see, TRUTH is not determined by
our UNDERSTANDING of something, especially if the Bible teaches
this doctrine. See if the rest of this section provides you any clarity.

Christianity teaches that Jesus is one of three persons of the

TRINITY, also referred to as the GODHEAD. Jesus is co-equal with

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God the Father and also God the Holy Spirit. However, each of
the Persons of the Godhead have different roles.
Some claim that the Trinity isnt a Biblical concept because
the word TRINITY is not found in the Bible. It is true that the word
TRINITY is not found in the Bible, however, does a particular term
need to be in the Bible for the Bible to teach the concept? To
illustrate this, there are other terms referring to concepts taught in
the Bible which are not in the Bible either. The term
MONOTHEISM isnt found in the Bible either but few would deny
that MONOTHEISM is clearly taught in the Bible. Like Monotheism,
if the concept of the TRINITY is taught then does it really matter that
the Bible doesnt use a particular word to describe the concept?
What does the Bible teach about the Trinity?
www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html
Some will also claim that because they dont understand the
trinity then it cant be true. Remember, theTRUTH of something isnt
determined by our UNDERSTANDING of that thing. 25 years ago
Pastor Wayne Stockstill stated, If God were a God we could
understand, he wouldnt be much of a God, would he? Think
about Proverbs 3:5:
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do
not lean on your own understanding.
There are many things we use every day without
understanding that things complexity or functionality. So our full
understanding of something doesnt determine its existence, does
it? Do you need to have a complete understanding of how the fuel
system of a vehicle atomizes the fuel going into the cylinders, and
how the pistons and valves are synchronized to compress the fuel
air mixture, to be able to start the engine? Do you need to have
an understanding of how the hydraulic pumps in an automatic
transmission work to drive somewhere? Do you need to
understand how an LED screen displays an image to watch a
movie or TV program? Again, the TRUTH of something isnt
determined by whether we understand it or not.
One of the main criticisms of the concept of the Trinity is that
it violates logic. The criticism is that if God the Father is God, and
Jesus is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, then you have something
similar to the equation 1+1+1=1 or 3=1. If this is an accurate
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description of the doctrine then the critics are correct, and this
would violate logic. So, is this an accrete description of the Trinity?
Just as this equation isnt logical, it also isnt an accurate
description of what Christianity teaches about God. A more
accurate math equation is to describe the Trinity not as 1+1+1=1,
but 1x1x1=1. I believe when some people first hear the 1+1+1=1
analogy, they dont bother to think beyond the analogy. They
instead use it as a confirmation that Christians dont think logically
and that Christianity is illogical. It supports their already negative
impression of Christianity. This 1x1x1=1 may at first seem too
convenient and simple an answer, but if the relationship can be
shown elsewhere in our world, wouldnt that give the illustration
validity? So, does this 1x1x1=1 relationship exist elsewhere, and
is there a way to better understand this?
You may not have thought about the following examples
before in this 1x1x1=1 way, but our world has a number of
TRINITARIAN or 3 in 1 aspects to it. The following are three
examples:
TIME = PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE;
MATTER = SOLID, LIQUID, GAS; and
VOLUME = LENGTH, WIDTH, and HEIGHT.
In all of these there is a 3 in 1 relationship. In TIME; the past
is time, the present is time, and the future is time. They are 3
distinct aspects of time and they are all independent of each other,
but they are still 1 time. In VOLUME; length is volume, height is
volume, and width is volume. The same 3 in 1 relationship exists
with MATTER.
VOLUME is the most accurate illustration Ive heard for
understanding the relationship of the Trinity.
VOLUME = LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT.
When you look at an object from each view - LENGTH, WIDTH,
OR HEIGHT - arent you seeing the entire object? Yes. When you
look at the surface of an object representing the length, you are
seeing the entire object. When you change the position of the
object and look at the surface representing the width, you are
seeing the entire object. The same with the surface representing
the height. But are any of the three views the same as the other
two? No. But they are still of the same object, right? Yes. So you
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have LENGTH, and WIDTH, and HEIGHT the three dimensions -

each being the object. And LENGTH is not WIDTH, WIDTH is not
HEIGHT, and HEIGHT is not LENGTH. So, you have three separate
identities of an object each being different from each other, but all
being the one object.
This is the similar to the three persons of the Trinity being the
one God. When we look at each person of the Trinity, we see God,
but there is only the one God.
ANOTHER LOOK AT THE TRINITY
http://carm.org/christianity/christian-doctrine/another-look-trinity
SOLID GROUND - THE TRINITY: A SOLUTION, NOT A PROBLEM
www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/Solid%20Ground%
2011-2015%20The%20Tirnity-1.pdf Pt.1
www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/Solid%20Ground%
201-2015%20Trinity%20Part%202-1.pdf Pt.2
We must remember that any attempt to describe an INFINITE
God using FINITE illustrations will always fall short. However, this
is still the best illustration Ive heard. When you look at either
Jesus, God the Father, or the Holy Spirit, you are seeing all of God.
However, each is not the other. The link below will take you to a
great article going into some detail on the subject. There is also
one of the best diagrams Ive found illustrating the essential
characteristics of the Trinity.
Something I believe gives credibility of the Trinity being a
non-human concept, is that it is almost impossible to think of a
person inventing this almost incomprehensible idea. Remember
again Wayne Stockstills quote:
If God was a God we could understand,
He wouldnt be much of a God, would he?
I think similar to the Bible indicating complex scientific
principles using simple understandable descriptions, I believe God
gives us a very basic understanding of certain of his characteristics
using simple comparisons with aspects of His Universe.
Another criticism of the concept of the Trinity, is that it has
its origin in Paganism. As such, those critics say that it couldnt be
true or Biblical. At first, the challenge does seem to have some

232

merit. The examples these critics will give as supposed evidence

for this criticism are:
The Greek triad of ZEUS, ATHENA, and APOLLO;
The Hindu triad of BRAHMA, VISHNU, and SHIVA
the Egyptian triad of ISIS, HORUS, and SUB.
Once researched though the comparison doesnt work.
The reason is that in each of the above examples, what are
presented as evidences of a pagan trinity are actually three gods.
They are tri-theistic, three separate gods, and are not the Christian
representation of the TRINITY - THREE PERSONS IN ONE GOD. As
well, they have no unity as the unity indicated of the Trinity
described in the Bible. Here are two links which show that the
Trinity has no basis in paganism.
IS THE TRINITY PAGAN?
www.letusreason.org/Trin8.htm
TRINITY IS NOT BORROWED FROM THE PAGANS!
www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-pagan.htm

SO WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH?

If the Bible has come from God, then what is written there is
true. If the Bible indicates there is only one God, that God the
Father is God, Jesus is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, then there
are three persons existing as the one God, whether we understand
it or not. This is fully logical.
So, does the Bible teach the Trinity as has been described in
this guide; the concept that there is one God, and that God the
Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are each the ONE GOD?

THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING

1 John 3:20 "for whenever our heart condemns us,
God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything."
Isaiah 43:10 "Before Me there was no God formed,
and there will be none after Me."
Isaiah 44:6 "'I am the first and I am the last,
and there is no God besides Me."
Isaiah 44:8 "Is there any God besides Me,
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 or is there any other Rock? I know of none."

Isaiah 45:5 "I am Yahweh, and there is no other;
Besides Me there is no God."
Isaiah 45:14 "Surely, God is with you, and there is none else,
No other God."
We see through these verses that the Bible clearly teaches
there is one God and only one God. This, for the most part, is
acknowledged in Judaism, Islam, and even some Mormonism and
Jehovahs Witness teachings. This is consistent with the teaching
of GOD THE FATHER in Christianity. What is denied by these other
religions is the Christian teaching that while God is one, and God
the Father is God, but also that Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit
are each God also, that the one God consists of three persons.
Let us look at what the Bible teaches about Jesus and the
Holy Spirit. Once again, if the Bible is true and is Gods word, the
truth is not based upon our understanding of the truth and any
contradictory teaching to the truth is false.

ONE GOD IS REFERENCED IN THE PLURAL

Gen 1:26 Then God [singular] said, Let Us [plural] make man
in Our [plural] image, according to Our [plural] likeness...
Gen 1:27 So God [singular] created man in His [singular] own
image; in the image of God He [singular] created him; male and
female He [singular] created them.
In verse 26, God refers to Himself three times US, OUR
and OUR - in the plural while immediately following in verse
27 He refers to Himself in the singular, indicating - HIS, HE
and HE
Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name [singular] of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. [plural]
We are not baptizing in multiple names, but ONE NAME.
There is but one God and Lord to baptize in the name of.
But we are also to baptize in the one name of the three-
person Lord Father, Son and Spirit.
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1 John 5:7 For there are three who bear witness in heaven: the
Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one.
This verse states the concept clearly.
2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the
love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Amen.
This verse gives us a glimpse into the different rolls the
persons of the Trinity take.

THE BIBLE TEACHES JESUS IS GOD

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God
This verse references two Persons of the Godhead and only
one God.
John 1:3 "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not
anything made that was made."
Only God has always existed. If all things were made by
Christ, He has always existed, and so must be God
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he
saw it and was glad. The Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty
years old, and have You seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, Most
assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.
This shows that Jesus existed as God before His human life,
and also referencing God speaking to Moses in Exodus 3:14:
Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, I am who I am. And he said,
Say this to the people of Israel, I am has sent me to you.
Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son He says, Your throne, O God, is
forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your
kingdom.
God the Father refers to the Son as O God, and that the
Son has a kingdom.
Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and
forever.

235

 This verse shows that Jesus Christ doesnt change. God

the Father doesnt change. Both Christ and the Father are
the unchangeable God.

THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD

Acts 5:3-4 "But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your
heart to lie to the Holy Spirit . . . You have not lied to man but to
God.
Lying to the Holy Spirit is the same as lying to God
2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONHOOD

Some claim that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force, and
not God. These verses clearly teach a different understanding.
Can an impersonal force have the personal characteristics
indicated in the following verses?
Acts 20:28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the
flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for
the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
The Spirit is capable of MAKING.
1 Corinthians 2:10 "For to us God revealed them through the
Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things"
The Spirit is capable of SEARCHING
1 Corinthians 2:11 Even so no one knows the things of God
except the Spirit of God.
The Spirit is capable of KNOWING.
Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and overtake
this chariot.'
Acts 10:19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit
said to him, Behold, three men are looking for you.
The Spirit is capable of COMMUNICATING
Ephesians 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by
whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
The Spirit is capable of BEING GRIEVED

236

Romans 8:27 "And he who searches hearts knows what is the

mind of the Spirit, because[a] the Spirit intercedes for the saints
according to the will of God"
The Spirit has a mind, and is capable of INTERCEDING
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will
send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your
remembrance all that I have said to you.
The Spirit is capable of TEACHING
John 16:12-15 I still have many things to say to you, but you
cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will
guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own
authority, but whatever he hears he will speak"
The Spirit is capable of GUIDING and SPEAKS on Gods authority
Hebrews 10:29 ". . . and has insulted the Spirit of grace?"
The Spirit is capable of BEING INSULTED

The above verses clearly teach the concept of the Trinity;

that there are three distinct and separate Persons in the Godhead,
and that there is only one God. The Holy Spirit is clearly described
with characteristics of personhood. Each Person is not the other
person, yet they are all the one God. The truth of the Trinity is not
based upon our understanding of the Trinity. And if we are to
discount the teaching of the Trinity because of the criticism that the
word TRINITY isnt found in the Bible, we could discount the Biblical
teaching of One God because the word MONOTHEISM isnt found in
the Bible.

DIVINE TITLES, FUNCTIONS AND CHARACTER QUALITIES

ASCRIBED TO THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT
www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-definition-god-divine-
qualities-ascribed.htm
GOD THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
http://truth4freedom.wordpress.com/2014/03/09/theolo
gy-god-the-father-the-son-and-the-holy-spirit
HOW CAN ONE GOD BE THREE PERSONS?
http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t002.html

237

 UNDERSTANDING THE TRINITY

www.bethinking.org/god/understanding-the-trinity
THE GOD HEAD-TRINITY DESCRIBED BY RAVI ZACHARIAS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys326rDQTNY
What is the Trinity? - Inspiring Philosophy - playlist
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gCv-
FAjgps&list=PL1mr9ZTZb3TWpnOJV09MuEAwbbQ
NCS6Qf

238

6. HAS CHRISTIANITY BENEFITED THE WORLD?

The Church is the Church only when it exists for
others...not dominating, but helping and serving. It
must tell men of every calling what it means to live for
Christ, to exist for others. Dietrich Bonhoeffer
We are called to service in the kingdom of God. The
Christian life is not about what you claim. It is about
what you believe. True belief cannot be separated from
what we do. Tyler Edwards
How would you respond to the following?
Christianity promotes intolerance, and ignorance.
Christianity contradicts modern science.
Christianity promotes slavery
Christianity degrades women
Christianity is the cause of millions of deaths.
God commanded genocide in the Old Testament.
________________________

Some people believe Christianity has not been a benefit to

the world. They believe that if we could just get rid of Christianity
or at least the influence of Christianity, then the world would be a
much better place. They believe that the influence of Christianity
actually holds us back from progress, that it is the restrictions of
Christianity that keep us from achieving real freedom. This could
be one of the reasons why Atheistic professors make an attempt
to reduce and even eliminate the confidence students have in
Jesus and the Bible.
Remember many in the world look at Christians and
Christianity as being INTOLERANT. Weve already seen how this is
not true, that Christians are not intolerant. If the world truly would
be better without Christianity then many have good reason to
discount the evidences in the previous sections of this guide.
239

 Even though the Truth of Christianity isnt determined by

whether it has made the world better or not, is the claim that the
world would be better off without Christianity valid? Has
Christianity had an impact on the world, and if so, what has the
actual impact of Christianity been on the world; has it been positive
or negative?
To see the impact of Christianity, one need look no further
than the western societies based on Judeo-Christian values as
compared to the other societies in the world. Many are surprised
to find that Christianity has had a significant beneficial impact on
the world. Below are a number of the impacts of Christianity and
Judaism, as well as links to be able to research them further. Think
about how much you would want to live in a society where these
qualities didnt exist. Most of us take these benefits for granted
because weve never lived in a country that doesnt have these
benefits.
www.inplainsite.org/html/impact_of_christianity.html
MODERN MEDICINE. Not as modern as originally thought.
Medical principals were specified in the Old Testament, and
developed further by Christians
http://creation.com/modern-medicine
UNIVERSITIES. Began during the Middle Ages. In addition, most
of the worlds greatest universities were started for Christian
purposes.
www.tysknews.com/Depts/Educate/history_part3.htm
LITERACY AND EDUCATION for the masses.
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/56682
CAPITALISM AND FREE ENTERPRISE.
www.allaboutworldview.org/christian-economics.htm
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, particularly as it has been seen
in the American experiment.
www.faithfacts.org/christ-and-the-culture/the-bible-and-government
THE SEPARATION OF POLITICAL POWERS.
www.probe.org/the-declaration-and-constitution-their-
christian-roots

240

 CIVIL LIBERTIES.
www.reformationsa.org/index.php/history/the-reformation-
1517-1610/87-howthereformationchangedtheworld
THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY, both in antiquity and in more
modern times.
www.summit.org/resources/truth-and-
consequences/christianity-and-slavery
MODERN SCIENCE. Most of the major branches of science were
founded by Christian thinkers.
www.christianity.co.nz/science4.htm
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/sciencefaith.html
www.exploringchristianity.com/index.php?option=com_conten
t&view=article&id=213&catid=47&Itemid=270
THE DISCOVERY OF THE NEW WORLD by Columbus.
www.forerunner.com/forerunner/X0196_Columbus_Christian_C.html
THE ELEVATION OF THE POSITION OF WOMEN in Society.
https://bible.org/article/christianity-best-thing-ever-happened-
women
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Amazing-Things-Christianity-Has-
Done-to-Advance-the-Cause-of-Womens-
Rights&id=2661871
BENEVOLENCE AND CHARITY; the Good Samaritan ethic.
www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2013/05/08/3754498.htm
HIGHER STANDARDS OF JUSTICE.
http://creation.com/the-christian-foundations-of-the-rule-of-law-in-
the-west-a-legacy-of-liberty-and-resistance-against-tyranny
THE ELEVATION OF COMMON MAN.
www.phc.edu/gj_schirrmacherv3n2.php
THE HIGH REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE.
www.mtio.com/articles/bissar53.htm
HOW CHRISTIANITY CIVILIZED BARBARIAN EUROPE in Just
One Hundred Years
www.newenglishreview.org/Emmet_Scott/How_Christianity_Ci
vilized_Barbarian_Europe_in_Just_One_Hundred_Years

241

 THE CLASSIFYING AND FOUNDING OF MANY OF THE WORLDS

WRITTEN AND SPOKEN LANGUAGES.
India: www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/february-web-
only/how-white-missionaries-helped-birth-modern-day-
india.html
Taiwan:www.thefreelibrary.com/Pentecost+of+the+Hills
+in+Taiwan%3a+The+Christian+Faith+Among+the.
..-a060138400 Check the last paragraph of the article.
Maraland:
Check the section Literature work and Bible translation.
Ghana:www.thefreelibrary.com/%22Obstinate%22+pastor
+and+pioneer+historian%3a+the+impact+of+Ba
sel+Mission...-a0197989375
Check the section Ideas on African Languages and the "Nation"
GREATER DEVELOPMENT OF ART AND MUSIC. The inspiration for
the greatest works of art.
www.mightystudents.com/essay/Christianity.impact.music.15296
THE COUNTLESS CHANGED LIVES Transformed from Liabilities
into Assets to Society Because of the Gospel.
www.faithfacts.org/christ-and-the-culture/changed-lives
IS CHRISTIANITY GOOD FOR AMERICA? Dinesh DSousa debate
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rACrVLuIfDY
WHAT IF JESUS HAD NEVER BEEN BORN
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHLioeL9dYk
THE SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL IMPACT OF CHRISTIANITY
www.probe.org/the-social-and-historical-impact-of-christianity
THE IMPACT OF CHRISTIANITY
www.faithfacts.org/christ-and-the-culture/the-impact-of-christianity
WHAT HAS CHRISTIANITY DONE FOR THE WORLD?
http://godtalk.hubpages.com/hub/What-has-Christianity-
done-for-the-World
21 POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS CHRISTIANITY HAS MADE
http://verticallivingministries.com/tag/the-historical-
benefits-of-christianity

242

THE BENEFITS OF CHRISTIANITY IN SOCIETY

http://mbogartministries.hubpages.com/hub/The-
Benefits-of-Christianity-in-Society
THE INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY ON WESTERN CIVILIZATION
http://crossandquill.com/journey/the-influence-of-
christianity-on-western-civilization
Also, as to whether the United States was founded as a Christian
nation, (not that it is currently), check the videos at this link:
POPULAR DAVID BARTON & POLITICS VIDEOS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFxZAfgz_jo&list=PLY-
7LUJl9N36QWYpywH-xS1EEzFDlNOFY
Also check: www.faithofourfathers.net

* WHAT ABOUT THE CRUSADES, WITCH TRIALS, AND THE INQUISITIONS?

While the many previous examples show the positive
benefits of Christianity on the world, there are many non-Christians
who point to specific times and events in history as evidence of the
negative influence of Christianity. These events are the few
examples typically used to justify their claims of the negative
influence of Christianity. The primary historical events they point
to are the CRUSADES, the SALEM WITCH TRIALS, and the SPANISH
INQUISITIONS. Many Non-Christians claim that these events show
that religion in general, and Christianity specifically have been
responsible for more deaths in history than any other cause. In
fact, millions of deaths are claimed.
With the exception of the Crusades, a study of the actual
numbers of those killed in these historical events show that the
claim of MILLIONS OF DEATHS is significantly over inflated. These
claims have been repeated so often that many believe and repeat
the claims without ever checking them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_and_disasters_
by_death_toll
In the case of the Crusades, it is important to realize that
the initial reason for the Crusades was to take back land which was
taken by Muslim Conquests.
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 CRUSADES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades
People were motivated to take part in the Crusades
because of various reasons. Many of the reasons were not
consistent with Christian teachings, especially the incentive
offered by Pope Urban II. The Wikipedia article above indicates
that for anyone who participated, he would grant that all of their
sins would be forgiven. This certainly is not consistent with the
teachings of the Bible and Jesus Christ, as only God can forgive
sin, and only Jesus Christ offered the necessary sacrifice to pay
for sin.
Considering again the objection raised of the deaths
claimed by Christianity through history, it is absolutely tragic that
10 deaths, much less 1,000,000+ deaths, are attributed to those
who have caused them in the name of Christianity. It is important
however to consider the teachings of Jesus, and then compare His
teachings to the actions of these individuals who killed IN THE NAME
OF GOD. Can one truly claim to act In the name of God, when
they are acting opposite the teachings of Christ?
This link shows the facts of the Crusades,
www.inplainsite.org/html/atheism_or_christianity.html
The same site answers many of the Barriers to Faith
www.inplainsite.org/html/Page3a_barriers_to_faith.html
I asked the following questions earlier, Would the world
be better off without Christianity? and What has the actual
impact of Christianity been on the world? If we were to
consider the same questions in regards to other belief systems and
whether or not they have been a benefit to the world, what would
the facts show? The first link above exposes the lie of MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE DYING because of Christianity, and shows the real
influence on the world that the philosophies of Atheism and
Secularism have had.
Many non-Christians claim that the deaths caused in the
Salem Witch Trials and the Inquisitions were done to force the
spread of Christianity, or because the persons being killed violated
Christian standards. Because of this, they claim that Christianity is
the cause of those deaths.
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 Some non-Christians object to claims that the deaths

caused by Hitler, Mao, Stalin, and others were caused because of
Atheism. They believe that since the murders werent committed
to forward Atheism, the deaths shouldnt be attributed to Atheism.
Is it reasonable to conclude that Christianity is responsible
for the deaths blamed on it when the deaths are caused by those
working in direct opposition to the teachings of Christ, but not
conclude that the philosophies of Atheism is responsible for the
deaths which happened under Atheistic and Secular leaders living
consistently with the philosophies of atheism and secularism?
Consider the philosophies of both belief systems and the
logical results of each system. Do we credit or blame a philosophy
because of those living opposite to the teachings of that
philosophy, or because of those living consistent with the
philosophy?
Consider Christianity. What are the teachings of
Christianity and its founder Jesus Christ? Is it to spread
Christianity by the sword? No. What does Christianity teach
through the verses of the Bible?
Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over
all wrongs.
Matthew 22:3739 Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD
your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your
mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is
like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this that he lay down
his life for his friends.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 If I speak in the tongues of men and of
angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a
clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all
mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move
mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to
the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I
gain nothing.

245

Matthew 15:19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,

murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,
blasphemies."
Exodus 20:13 "You shall not murder."
Romans 13:9 "For the commandments, You shall not commit
adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You
shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet, and if there is
any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely,
You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Christianity teaches to love, and against murder, (not

against self-defense). Anyone not living consistent with these
commands is violating the teachings of Christianity. We can also
see how the benefits indicated earlier are quite consistent with the
teachings of Christianity.
What about Atheism? Some non-Christians will object that
Atheism isnt a religion and shouldnt be considered. It is a
philosophy though, like Christianity is a philosophy. Considering
both are philosophies, it is valid to evaluate it in reference to the
deaths in history carried out consistent with its philosophy. With
no book similar to the Bible to quote from, we are limited to the
observation of the events in the world which are consistent with the
teachings of the philosophy itself. The philosophy of Atheism when
taken to its logical conclusion is that without God, nothing is evil
nor prohibited. Once again, Atheists can and do live moral lives,
but without God there is no foundation an Atheist can point to for
a standard of objective morality.
WHAT IS ATHEISM?http://carm.org/what-is-atheism
When we consider the philosophy of Atheism, and then
look at the actions of Marx, Stalin, Lenin, Mao Zedong, and Pol Pot
in history, are the actions of these leaders consistent with this
philosophy? Lets look at the events in history.
Think back to the WORLDVIEW section. People usually act
consistent with their worldview or philosophy and a person doesnt
need to have intentionally determined to push their worldview.
Their actions give insight to their motivations, and are the evidence
of their true worldview.
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 Atheism has no OBJECTIVE foundation for right of wrong.

As such, while most Atheists live according to a moral standard
they have determined (SUBJECTIVE), there is no foundation for an
absolute morality (OBJECTIVE) in Atheism. Some leaders in history
who hold to an Atheistic worldview have lived consistent with the
belief that there is no God or morality. Elimination of those not
deemed of value can be used as a means to an end. With no
absolute morality, this cant be considered wrong or evil.
Remember, a standard of OBJECTIVE GOOD must exist before
something can be considered EVIL. And without the existence of
God, there cannot be a standard of GOOD. In some instances in
history, the killing of millions of people was a means to an end.
Many were killed because of their belief that there was a God and
many were killed for other reasons. Hitler killed 12 million people
in an attempt to eliminate inferior human species from the human
race.
Some say that Hitler was a Christian because he claimed
to be a Christian. What is more important though, what we claim,
or what we do? Even if he claimed to be a Christian, what
philosophy were his actions consistent with? Evolution and
Atheism, not Christianity. What is true is that killing millions of
people to forward the end Hitler attempted is consistent with an
Atheist philosophy and not a Christian philosophy. And this is
regardless of whether Atheism is promoted or not, or whether
those promoting this end claims to be a Christian or not. And could
it be that Hitler was willing to say whatever his audience wanted to
get them to do what he wanted? I know, thats never happened
before in the history of the world. NOT!
The Bible verse which shows where Hitlers heart and
motivations are, and Stalin and Mao for that matter as well is
Proverbs 8:36b.
PROVERBS 8:36B those who hate me love death.
HITLER - THE ULTIMATE EVOLUTIONIST
www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=9&
article=866
ATHEISM / SECULARISM INFLUENCE ON LIFE
www.missiontoamerica.org/faith/atheism-influence-on-
life.html
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ATHEISM AND MASS MURDER

www.conservapedia.com/Atheism_and_Mass_Murder
http://winteryknight.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/who-is-more-
responsible-for-the-mass-murders-of-history-christians-
or-atheists/
www.csustan.edu/history/darwin-hitler
RICHARD DAWKINS, ATHEIST ATROCITIES, AND HISTORICAL REVISIONISM
www.conservapedia.com/Richard_Dawkins,_atheist
s_atrocities,_and_historical_revisionism
ATHEISM AND CHILD MURDER
http://atheisticviolence.wordpress.com/atheism-and-child-
murder
This last link above gives us an even greater appreciation
of Matthew 18:6 But whoever causes one of these little ones who
believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great
millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth
of the sea.
If this punishment is what the Bible suggests for causing a
child to sin, what punishment would be valid for the killing of a
child? Doesnt this seem to conflict with the Old Testament, where
God ordered the killing of entire cities of people, including
children? Non-Christians point to this KILLING OF INNOCENT PEOPLE
as proof that God is really not a God of Love. When we consider
ALL the information, what is the most reasonable conclusion?
When this objection is raised it is easy to assume these
cultures and peoples were as the culture we ourselves live in, with
the human rights we enjoy (due in large part to Christian founders
of this nation). Remember that it is difficult to conceive of living in
a culture without the benefits we so often take for granted. History
confirms the Bible which shows these cultures to be exceptionally
wicked, even sacrificing their children to idols.
Psalm 106:36-38 They served their idols, which became
a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their
daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed
to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with
blood."
248

DID GOD COMMIT ATROCITIES BY ORDERING THE KILLING OF ENTIRE

CITIES OF PEOPLE?
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/killergod.html
GENOCIDE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
www.rationalchristianity.net/genocide.html
DID GOD COMMAND GENOCIDE IN THE BIBLE?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FGv9aOCcyU
A RESPONSE TO NEW ATHEISM
www.conversantlife.com/belief/a-response-to-new-atheism
SIX QUESTIONS TO ASK AN ATHEIST Bottom link on page.
www.rzim.org/media/questions-answers
CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS MASTERFULLY SUBMITS FLYWEIGHT DINESH
D'SOUZA IN DEBATE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUSTEV3Qu68
In this last link I think you will see that Dinesh DSouza, the
Christian, is not bested by Christopher Hitchens as indicated by
the title. You will see that Dinesh DSouza very effectively and I
believe much more articulately presents his case. Ive included it
so that you can see a very effective response to those who claim
that religion is the cause of the problems of the world.
One last illustration I remember from some time ago as to
the effect Christianity has had and still has on the culture:
Suppose you were walking down a dark street at night
in a rough part of Chicago and you saw a group of
young men walking towards you, each carrying
something.
How would you feel? Comforted or apprehensive?
What if you knew that they had just come from a Bible
class, and you could see that what they were carrying
were Bibles?
Now how would you feel? Different than how you felt
above?

249

 I hope this section has clearly demonstrated the difference

between the philosophies of Christianity, and that of Atheism. I
hope it has also shed light on the true impact these two specific
philosophies have had on the world throughout history.
Now that you have read through a number of the evidences
supporting the truths of Christianity, I have a REALITY CHECK for
you. How well can you now support and defend what you believe
against challenges to what you believe?
The following is an Atheist Role Play, where Brett Kunkle
is presented as an atheist in front of a classroom of students. He
is there to challenge what they believe and to give them a reality
check, by presenting to the students some of the effective
sounding arguments which are presented by knowledgeable
atheists. After you view the videos, honestly ask yourself, How
would I have done if I had been presented with these arguments?
It is only when tested that we discover how ready we are to
respond.
ATHEIST ROLE PLAY - BRETT KUNKLE
After Bretts presentation he then reveals his identity to the
students, discusses the purpose of the role play, and
challenges these Christian students to learn how to defend
Christianity intelligently.
Part 1 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=46G9MlM6lgM
Part 2 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDTPbNEY5Ic
Part 3 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS3lbHyi_0o
Part 4 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwrGlg4nRnE
Part 5 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI4eogFg5M4
Part 6 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixZV6a7PAVk
Here is the entire role play to another class of students with the
same teacher:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvpWxZ9OeJQ

250

 7. SHARING THE TRUTHS OF CHRISTIIANITY

The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting.
It has been found difficult; and left untried.
G.K. Chesterton
How would you respond to the following?
Im a good person, why do I need to accept Christ?
If I dont accept Christ, am I going to hell?
Why would a loving God send someone to hell?
Arent all religions are basically the same?
_________________________

There can be no greater privilege for a Christian, than being

part of the activity of changing the eternal destiny of others. And
when we considering the following verses, there is also no greater
importance than helping others see that there is no getting right
with God AFTER this life. These verses also prove that the Bible
doesnt teach reincarnation.
Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is appointed for man to die
once, and after that comes judgment
2 Corinthians 5:8b "to be absent from the body and to be
present with the Lord."
Consider the overwhelming evidence pointing to the
existence of God, and validating the Bible as being from God and
being true. Considering the equally significant truth that we will all
be judged after this one life, there is then only this life without the
possibility of reincarnation where we can make a difference in
other peoples lives and their eternal destination. And while we
realize the importance of this, many of us still avoid sharing with
others the message of the priceless gift of salvation which Christ
offers.

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 And just as there is NO GETTING RIGHT WITH GOD after this

life, once we leave this life we will never again be able to reach
others with the amazing news of salvation through Jesus Christs
payment for our sin on the cross. Think about those people you
enjoy investing time with in this life. Do you love your friends and
loved ones enough to share this knowledge of salvation and
eternity with them? Do you hesitate sharing these truths with
others, and instead hope that someone else will share Christs gift
of salvation?
I believe the main reason that many of us avoid sharing the
truths of Christianity and their ramification gift of salvation is
because many of us dont know how to talk with others without
feeling unprepared. Many of us hesitate to share with others
because we feel the person we want to share with might ask us
questions we feel we wont be able to answer. If this describes the
hesitation you have, I know how you feel. I have been there too. I
dont feel that way now because of the methods included in this
section which were developed by others. Because of these
methods, I have a much greater confidence in being able to raise
the important questions most people dont usually think about.
I believe the information in the different sections of this
guide will give you much greater confidence, not only in your
knowledge of the evidences supporting Christianity and its truths,
but also in your ability to share the truths of Christianity with others.
This section of the guide covers two aspects or methods of sharing
the truths of Christianity. Both of these will increase your
confidence and effectiveness in sharing the truths of Christianity
with others, and enable you to create an environment where the
person you are communicating will be more open to what you have
to say.
The first method is taught by The Way of The Master
ministry. Youve already seen this method used in the SELF-
CHECK section, where a few of the Ten Commandments were used
to show how bad we really are. It is one of the most effective
techniques I have seen to bring a person to the realization of their
sinful condition and their need for a Savior.

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 The second method deals with being able to respond to

questions and challenges in a conversation. It is called TACTICS,
and was developed by Greg Koukl, President of the Stand to
Reason organization. As mentioned earlier, often a challenger
doesnt realize that their question or challenge has logical
inconsistencies. The TACTICS method allows you to clarify
questions you are asked, expose logical inconsistencies in many
of the challenges you might be presented with, and allows you to
guide the conversation.
Both the WAY OF THE MATER and TACTICS methods also
have the great advantage of enabling us to communicate with
others without being insulting or embarrassing to the other person.
One additional point I believe is critically important to
consider at the start of this section is knowing the audience we are
communicating with. We can have the best presentation of the
Gospel, and the most proven evidences for Christianity, but fail in
our presentation due to not knowing how to communicate with
them. When we dont know the audience we are communicating
with, our message will often be misunderstood. Those who end
up misunderstanding what we are trying to convey will understand
a different message than what we intend. It is also subtly insulting
to them because we havent taken the time to learn how to best
communicate our message with them in a way that they accurately
understand the message. The TACTICS method is very helpful for
this.
A resource which covers this and will give you great insight
is Ken Hams book, WHY WONT THEY LISTEN? , particularly
chapter 3, Communication-Its a Problem. I have the book and
recommend it highly. Because of Ken Hams dedication to getting
his information out, he has provided the ability to read this valuable
resource for free online. He had done this as well with many of his
other books. What a great privilege and blessing!
Why Wont They Listen? Ken Hams book
https://answersingenesis.org/answers/books/why-wont-they-listen/
Link to all of Ken Hams online books
https://answersingenesis.org/answers/books/
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* THE WAY OF THE MASTER

Again, this method is one of the simplest and most effective
techniques I have seen to enable a person to see their sinful state.
And again, it is the technique used in the SELF-CHECK section. It
was developed by Ray Comfort of the ministry, The Way of The
Master (www.wayofthemaster.com). Ray Comfort calls it The Way
of the Master, because it follows the way Jesus used to show
people their need for a Savior. Ray and Kirk Cameron
demonstrate the effectiveness of this method in videos on their
website: www.wayofthemaster.com/watchwitnessing.shtml.
The following two videos were taken I believe about 5 years
apart from each other. The first video below shows Kirk Cameron
talking to a few individuals who the video title indicates as Gang
Members. This is an example of using the Way Of The Master
technique with real people in the world. The second video is of an
event held about 5 years later by the Way Of The Master. Very
surprisingly, one of the individuals Kirk spoke with in the first video
happened to be in the crowd in the second video. This person had
become a Christian, and the start of the process could have been
the conversation with Kirk Cameron 5 years previous shown in the
first video.
KIRK CAMERON TALKS WITH GANG MEMBERS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVco8t-R8KU
KIRK CAMERON & GANG MEMBER - 5 YEARS LATER...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuDFWFKalsU

At its most basic level this method uses just three or four of
the Ten Commandments. The person being interviewed is asked
a question like, You believe you are a good person, right?
Almost everyone believes they are good. The people they
interview in the videos are no different. They think they are pretty
good too. The person being interviewed is then asked if theyve
kept all of the Ten Commandments. Most will respond that they
havent killed anyone or done anything major and that they
believe they have essentially kept the Ten Commandments.
This is the typical response when a person believes they are GOOD.

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 Then they are asked about their ability to keep the

commandments dealing with lying; stealing, committing adultery,
and blasphemy. Have you ever told a lie, even a small one?
When they respond, Of course, who hasnt? Ray then asks,
What do you call someone who tells a lie, even a small one?
They usually admit, A liar. Then he asks, Have you ever taken
anything that doesnt belong to you, even if it was very
small? What do you call someone who takes something
that doesnt belong to them? They will concede, A thief. Ray
then proceeds the same way through the other few
commandments.
Going through these commandments, a person is brought
to the realization of who they really are. Ray will say to the person
Youve just admitted that you are a lying, thieving,
blaspheming, adulterers at heart, as are we all. Then he asks
them, If God were to judge you right now would you be found
guilty or innocent? An honest person realizes that they can only
answer Guilty. Then he asks them, Does that concern you?
Many are concerned as this is often the first time theyve ever truly
considered themselves guilty of sin before, as this method so
effectively shows. This is because they previously have only
compared themselves to others who are worse than they are.
Once most people compare themselves to Gods STANDARD OF
PERFECTION, they realize their sinful condition, and they are much
more open to the possibility of considering a solution to their sinful
state.
This is why the Way Of The Master method is so effective,
because it shows a person their sinful state. If a person doesnt
see themselves as a sinner they wont see their need for a Savior.
Just like many of us dont see the need for a mechanic until we
hear a noise weve not heard or see a dash light lit that wasnt lit
before. If you are a Christian, think back to when you decided to
accept Christ and his payment on the cross for your sin. When
you accepted Christ was it because you realized you were a sinner
in need of a savior?
If we only show a person evidences for Christianity, many
will believe they are still basically GOOD. They wont see their need
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for a savior. Even if heaven does exist, many reason that God will
let them into Heaven anyway because God is a GOD OF LOVE and
a God of love wouldnt really send a GOOD person to hell. They
also probably believe that all roads lead to God, and as long as
they are sincere, God wont send them to hell.
What most people dont realize is that God doesnt send
anyone to hell. People ultimately make the choice to go there. No,
they dont wake up one day and think Wow! Im going to hell.
This is awesome! They make the choice through their own
actions (or inactions), and their refusal to accept Christs payment
for their sin. We either accept Christs payment for our sin or we
are left to try to pay for the penalty of our sin ourselves. Since God
is the only one capable of paying the debt we owe because of our
sin, it is impossible for us to pay for it no matter what we try to do.
Without Christs payment for our sin, we are still guilty in Gods
sight and subject to the penalty that all sin requires and ultimately
will receive.
WHY WOULD A LOVING GOD SEND SOMEONE TO HELL?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/apologetics/why-
would-a-loving-god-send-someone-to-hell
A person who rejects Jesus Christs provision for their sin
through their actions show that they are not interested in having
God in their life while here, as evidenced by not wanting to do
things Gods way. If they have no interest in God in this life why
would God force them to spend eternity with him in the next life?
Think about a person who really liked you romantically but
you didnt like them romantically. Would you want them to keep
pursuing you or would you want them to respect your wishes and
stop pursuing you? Now think about God pursuing a person. If
that person doesnt want God in this life, why would they want to
be forced to be with God in eternity? God respects each persons
wishes. God loves people too much to force them against their
will.
That is why it is so important to bring a person to the
realization of their sin. Most methods of sharing with others don't
really touch on sin and so don't bring a person to believe they have
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any need for a Savior. These methods usually try to show the
significance of the price Jesus paid or stress how much better a
persons life will be after choosing Christ. This presentation by Ray
Comfort shows the ineffectiveness of methods which dont bring
someone to the realization of their sin.
HELLS BEST SECRET - Audio Lessons
www.wayofthemaster.com/audiolessons.shtml

The first link below will take you to the same presentation
and a number of others as well, to listen to or download. Go to the
2nd link below to see videos of Rays method. The 3rd link is a flash
version which takes a person through steps to evaluate how good
they really are.
THE WAY OF THE MASTER method lessons and examples
www.wayofthemaster.com/audiolessons.shtml
www.wayofthemaster.com/watchwitnessing.shtml
www.needgod.com
SITES ON SHARING THE TRUTHS OF CHRISTIANITY:
www.sohmer.net/wotm_only_way.php
www.onemilliontracts.com/pdf/witnessmanual.pdf
www.repentandturn.com/wst_page10.php
WHY DO CHRISTIANS LEAVE THE FAITH?
www.patheos.com/blogs/blackwhiteandgray/2011/11/why-
do-christians-leave-the-faith-the-surprising-importance-
of-apologetics
HOW MANY YOUTH ARE LEAVING THE CHURCH?
www.conversantlife.com/theology/how-many-youth-are-
leaving-the-church
YOU LOST ME: WHY YOUNG CHRISTIANS ARE LEAVING CHURCH
www.conversantlife.com/the-church/you-lost-me-why-
young-christians-are-leaving-church
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: WHY MANY KIDS LEAVE THE FAITH
www.conversantlife.com/belief/the-elephant-in-the-room-
why-many-kids-leave-the-faith

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ARMING CHRISTIAN STUDENTS WITH THE TRUTH

http://coldcasechristianity.com/2014/arming-christian-
students-with-the-truth/
FOUR WAYS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR KIDS FAITH
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2014/four-ways-to-
strengthen-your-kids-faith/
BEING A WINSOME APOLOGIST - John Lennox
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwOpsOudaA8
HOW TO DISAGREE - MATT CHANDLER, TIM KELLER, MICHAEL HORTON
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0bK04wAwhM
HOW TO AVOID AN ARGUMENT.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqizh2wHnc8
HOW TO SHARE JESUS WITH YOUR NON-CHRISTIAN FRIENDS
Pt.1 http://ffmp3.com/catalog/2009/45552.mp3 - John Ankerberg
Pt.2 http://ffmp3.com/catalog/2009/45553.mp3 - John Ankerberg
EVIDENCE FOR CHRISTIANIY
http://wellspentjourney.wordpress.com/evidence-for-
christianity
TO EVERYONE AN ANSWER: EIGHT TIPS FOR SHARING YOUR FAITH
www.rzim.ca/articles/to-everyone-an-answer-eight-tips-for-
sharing-your-faith/
THE WAY OF THE MASTER RESPONDS
http://thecripplegate.com/the-way-of-the-master-responds/

* TACTICS
The second aspect of sharing the truths of Christianity is
based upon the resource TACTICS IN DEFENDING THE FAITH by
Greg Koukl. It comes from his DVD by the same title, and his book,
TACTICS: A GAME PLAN FOR DISCUSSION YOUR CHRISTIAN CONVICTIONS.
As indicated earlier, facts by themselves usually arent
enough to persuade a person to change from what they currently
believe. However, the way the facts are presented can make them

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much more persuasive. If you dont have an effective way to

present the facts, they can fall on deaf ears.
As well, as indicated in the section on worldviews, when
some hear only the facts, they will take those FACTS and view them
in such a way that the facts fit into their worldview. Or the other
option considering their worldview is that they may just disregard
the facts and come up with a creative explanation to invalidate
them. Much like what happens with those who deny the actual
Christian teaching of the Trinity.
Similar to the THE WAY OF THE MASTER method, TACTICS
uses the method of asking questions rather than stating claims.
The beauty of asking questions is that youre not under any
obligation to defend a claim because you havent stated a claim.
When another person is making a claim and you are asking
questions, they have the burden of proof to defend their claim, not
you.
A secondary beneficial aspect to this method is that when
you ask questions, you actually control the direction of the
conversation. By deciding which questions to ask, you determine
the subject and which direction to take the subject. As an example,
if you think about a student being asked about their homework by
a parent, the parent has determined the subject.
An encouragement to ask questions is the quote from
Francis Schaeffer - "If you give me an hour, I'll listen 55 minutes
and talk 5. When you ask questions, the other person is
encouraged to talk more, and this will provide you with more
information about their beliefs, feelings, and reasoning. The side
benefit to asking questions is that you show the person being
asked the questions that you are interested in what they believe,
and also that you are paying attention.
Whenever possible, ask OPEN ENDED questions and not
CLOSED ENDED questions. Closed ended questions are questions
that can be answered with a single word, like yes, no, three, etc.
Open ended questions cant be answered with a simple yes or no,
or a single word. They are far better for getting to know the person
you are talking with because you learn much more about what the

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person believes. Open ended questions are questions which start

with WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW, and WHY. Be careful though
when asking WHY questions as WHY questions can sometimes
make the other person feel a little like they are being interrogated,
that they need to explain what they are being asked about.
The primary tactic in the TACTICS system is called the
COLUMBO METHOD. The technique is named after the main
character in an old TV police series named Columbo, and refers
to his style of police detective work. Detective Columbo very
effectively used questions to determine the true details of a crime
he was investigating, and eventually discover the criminal.
Again, using questions has the benefit of placing the
burden of proof on the person who is challenging your beliefs. This
is very important because of the misunderstandings that so many
have about Christianity. And unfortunately, even Christians hold
to some of these misunderstandings too. If the person you are
talking with isnt being confrontational and challenging your beliefs,
questions can help them discover the reasons, or lack of reasons
they have for the beliefs they hold. As stated before, we must
show respect to the person we are talking with, so that they will be
open to participating in the conversation, and not close us out.
This COLUMBO METHOD is the question, What do you
mean by that? or worded similarly. The following are examples of
situations, and possible first questions you could ask in these
situations:
When someone declares, There is no God, you can ask,
What do you mean by God? or, What particular idea of
God are you rejecting? This clarifies what the other persons
perception of God is. It is easy to assume another thinks about
God, (and many topics), in the same way we do, when they
actually think differently. If they reject God because they think
He is an old man in the sky, then I would reject that concept as
well because thats not the God I believe in.
When someone asserts, All religions are basically the same,
you can ask, Really? What do you mean by the same? or In
what way are they the same? This will require the other person
to clarify what they see as similarities between religions.
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 Remember Greg Koukls comment, When studying religions,

the point is not to focus on the things that are similar. Its
the differences that really matter.
When someone makes the objection, You shouldnt force
your views on me, you can ask, Specifically, what is it Im
doing to force my views on you right now? then perhaps,
How is that forcing my views? This will require that the
person making the objection clarify what they are actually
objecting to, rather than just repeat a phrase they might have
heard.
When someone states, The Bible has been changed over the
years, you can ask, What in the Bible has been changed?
and/or, How exactly do you think it has been altered?

Something to be aware of when asking questions. The way

you ask a question is critically important. Think about the following
questions, and think about the way they are being asked:
Oh yeah, well what about _______?!
You dont have an answer for that, do you?
Cant you almost hear the harsh tone in these two
questions? If you were having a conversation with someone and
they asked questions of you in this way, would you be more or less
willing to have an open conversation with them, and consider the
information they want to show you?
This is why it is important not to ask questions in this
manner. Hopefully you can see that asking questions in a non-
confrontational manner will result in much more consideration
being given to what you are asking and what you have to say.
This non-confrontational method of asking questions is
demonstrated in the resource links below. Remember, we are
trying to be persuasive not offensive. As Greg Koukl says, The
Gospel message is offensive enough. It doesnt need us to
help in the offense. We need to make sure it is the Gospel and
not our conduct that is offensive, but we dare not leave the
Gospel message out.

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AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST Greg Koukl

A very important presentation showing how our character can affect
the impression others have of Christ, and the first audio in the
Ambassador Basic Curriculum series.
http://vimeo.com/13049510 (video - shorter)
http://christianaudio.com/ambassadors-for-christ-gregory-
koukl (audio)
This is free, but you still need to click Buy Now and then Checkout.
AMBASSADOR BASIC CURRICULUM - Greg Koukl
Gregs full self-study curriculum on being an ambassador for purchase
http://store.str.org/SearchResults.asp?Search=ambassadors
&Submit=Search
Greg Koukl demonstrates aspects of this very effective technique,
in the following excellent YouTube video.
HOW TO DEFEND THE FAITH WITHOUT SOUNDING DEFENSIVE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=58Eu6GRts_s
TERRIBLE ARGUMENTS AGAINST RELIGION
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3vSAKmzuCc
BAD ARGUMENTS AGAINST CHRISTIANITY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=teA6g8qti54
THE INTOLERANCE OF TOLERANCE Greg Koukl
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG_R9e60Wp4
IS TOLERANCE INTOLERANT Ravi Zacharias
http://veritas.org/talks/tolerance-intolerant
Check out additional examples on the STR videos channel
www.youtube.com/user/STRvideos?feature=watch
THATS JUST YOUR OPINION AND TACTICS RESOURCES MP3S
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Greg%20Koukl
TACTICS IN DEFENDING THE FAITH - 2 Part audio - Greg Koukl
Pt 1: http://server.firefighters.org/catalog/2003/17053.mp3
Pt 2: http://server.firefighters.org/catalog/2003/17054.mp3
GREG KOUKL TACTICS RESOURCES MP3 AND VIDEO
www.apologetics315.com/2009/02/greg-koukl-tactics-
resources-mp3-and.html

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TACTICS IN DEFENDING THE FAITH VIDEO TRAINING SERIES

PART 1 - LEARNING THE "COLUMBO" TACTIC
www.cross.tv/122924
PART 2 - REFINING THE "COLUMBO" TACTIC
www.cross.tv/122925
PART 3 - PERFECTING THE "COLUMBO" TACTIC
www.cross.tv/122926
PART 4 - THE "SUICIDE" TACTIC
www.cross.tv/122927
PART 5 - THE "TAKING THE ROOF OFF" TACTIC
www.cross.tv/122928
PART 6 - THE "STEAMROLLER" TACTIC
www.cross.tv/122929
FAITH UNDER FIRE Greg Koukl using Tactics methods
representing Christianity with Deepak Chopra representing
Hinduism www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYyWOu_xIMo
THE BIG RELIGION CHART
www.godfire.net/Religion_Chart.htm
EVERY SCHOOL - A great website designed to equip students to
reach the students on their campus
http://everyschool.com/

* IF I DONT ACCEPT CHRIST, AM I GOING TO HELL?

This is the same question shown in the CHALLENGING
STATEMENTS section, and Ive included it here in the event that
youve not read that section yet. I would recommend going to that
section to see the detailed response to this.
In summary, Greg Koukl presented this question on his radio
program and then demonstrated his TACTICS methods to answer
it. He showed that its important to answer this question carefully
and skillfully, and not get pulled into responding with just a single
YES or NO answer. The reason for this is because if you only use
a single word answer, your answer can cause the one asking the
question to completely misunderstand the principal of salvation
and the gift Christ provides through his sacrifice.

263

 If you answer Yes, they will believe they are going to hell
simply because they picked the wrong BELIEF FLAVOR. It will seem
to them very trivial on Gods part, that they might have lived a
GOOD life but still go to hell. If you answer No, they will
mistakenly think that living a good life really is what matters, and
not the decision to accept Christs payment for their sin. Hopefully,
you can see how if only a single word answer YES or NO is given
the questioner will end up with the wrong impression.
This is why a question like this needs to be answered very
tactfully, so that the person asking the question comes to a full
understanding of what they are asking. A single word answer
cannot provide this needed understanding.
Review Greg Koukls very innovative method in responding to
this question:
www.str.org/blog/do-you-think-i-m-going-to-hell
www.str.org/articles/am-i-going-to-hell
http://apologeticjunkie.blogspot.com/2010/07/am-i-going-
to-hell-if-i-dont-believe-in.html

Another consideration when sharing the truths of

Christianity is the terminology many Christians use when talking to
others. At the start of this guide I mentioned terminology to
become familiar with as a Christian so that you gain a greater
understanding of the subjects. It is also important to be careful in
using many of these terms. It is important to realize the confusion
that can occur using certain terms with non-Christians. Youll
notice that throughout this guide Ive tried to avoid using the word
Witnessing, and tried to use Sharing the truths of
Christianity. Most Christians understand the meaning of the
term WITNESSING and other terms and phrases, but many non-
Christians dont. For us as Christians to use these terms with non-
Christians does nothing to provide them with a better
understanding of the truths of Christianity.
Here are some terminology examples:
SANCTIFIED TRINITY LOVE GIFT/OFFERING
ANOINTING BORN AGAIN THE WORD - THE BIBLE
REPENT FELLOWSHIPPING ASK JESUS INTO YOUR HEART
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 How about terms or phrases that probably sound quite

disturbing or confusing to non-Christians:
FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT WASHED IN THE BLOOD
Again, the first question of the TACTICS method is, What do
you mean by that? A non-Christian can be left feeling like an
outsider if were not careful in the choice of terms and phrases we
say, and they probably wont ask what the terms and phrases mean.
I know I have been in conversations where a term I didnt
understand was used, and I gave the impression that I knew what
the other person was talking about. I did this simply because I didnt
want to seem to them to be less informed. I actually felt somewhat
left out. Remember, we want to draw others to the truths of
Christianity, not make them feel like they are an outsider to those
truths. If they feel like an outsider they will probably become
uninterested in the truths we share and probably think we are rude,
even though that is not our intention.
We should heed Pauls example in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Verse 22b: I have become all things to all people so that by all
possible means I might save some.
Whenever possible, we should make our message as easy
to understand as possible to others we speak with.
HOW NOT TO SPEAK CHRISTIANESE
http://evangelism.intervarsity.org/how/conversation/how-not-
speak-christianese
Here are a few sites defining many of these terms/phrases
that can be confusing those we talk with. It might be a good
exercise to see if you can come up with your own way to indicate
what these terms and phrases mean. This way you will be able to
better communicate with those you want to reach.
CONFUSING CHRISTIAN TERMINOLOGY
www.genuineleatherbible.net/2012/religious-terms-that-
confuse-non-christians
www.aboundingjoy.com/Bible%20studies/terminology.htm

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 WHY CHRISTIAN CASE MAKERS NEED TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE

http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/why-christian-case-
makers-need-to-learn-a-new-language/
WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE - MENTORING LETTER OCTOBER 2012
www.str.org/articles/watch-your-language-mentoring-letter-
october-2012
Here are a few links which show the importance and
effectiveness of Apologetics. Remember that APOLOGETICS is
being able to provide reasons for what you believe.
WHAT I NEEDED TO HEAR WHEN I WAS AN ATHEIST
http://pastormattblog.com/2014/04/08/what-i-needed-to-hear-
when-i-was-an-atheist-and-how-i-needed-to-heart-
it/?utm_content=buffer00337&utm_medium=social&utm_
source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
A HARVARD UNIVERSITY STUDENT EXPLAINS HOW EVIDENCE
CHANGED HER MIND ABOUT GOD:
http://winteryknight.wordpress.com/2014/03/22/a-harvard-
university-student-explains-how-evidence-changed-her-
mind-about-god-2
Professor Anthony Flew was a very famous Atheist for most
of his life. He debated many Christians over the years and became
a Deist before his death. A Deist is one who believes that a God
exists, but that this God isnt involved in the workings of humans.
Typically not the God represented by any particular religion.
Although Flew did not accept the God of any particular religion nor
accept the salvation gift of Christ. He came to this belief because
of the design and complexity that he found in DNA. Here is a quote
from him:
What I think the DNA material has done is that it has
shown, by the almost unbelievable complexity of the
arrangements which are needed to produce life, that
intelligence must have been involved in getting these
extraordinarily diverse elements to work together. Its the
enormous complexity of the number of elements and the
enormous subtlety of the ways they work together. The
meeting of these two parts at the right time by chance is

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 simply minute. It is all a matter of the enormous complexity

by which the results were achieved, which looked to me
like the work of intelligence. - Interview in 2004
Anthony Flew realized that random chance couldnt have
brought the incredible complexity of everything into existence. Once
again, a belief in God by itself doesnt save anyone. And while there
doesnt seem to be evidence that Anthony Flew ever accepted
Christ, the move from a belief in No God to a belief that there is a
God is far greater than the move from a belief that there is a God
to believing in the God of the Bible.
ANTHONY FLEW NEVER CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY
http://divineirony.tumblr.com/post/36643191211/anthony-
flew-never-converted-to-christianity
WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH ANTHONY FLEW'S CONVERSION TO THEISM?
http://christiancadre.blogspot.com/2007/11/what-is-deal-
with-anthony-flews.html
ANTONY FLEW AND HIS CONVERSION TO THEISM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVZEfeYN5oI
ANTONY FLEW ON GOD AND ATHEISM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHUtMEru4pQ
I want to emphasize again the importance of our character
and how others perceive our character. When we talk with others
about Christianity, our character is critical as to how much credibility
others place in our message.
In the APOLOGETICS section, I listed a reference for Greg
Koukls presentation, AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST. If you havent
already listened/viewed the message, I really encourage you to do
so through the links below. As mentioned in the original reference,
this is a very important presentation showing how our character can
significantly affect the impression we leave with others about Christ
and Christianity. Again, how would you feel if you found that
another person rejected Christ because of the character youve
demonstrated?
THE BEST QUESTION TO ASK WHEN STARTING A CONVERSATION ABOUT GOD
www.str.org/blog/the-best-question-to-ask-when-starting-a-
conversation-about-god
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AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST: THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS

http://vimeo.com/13049510 (video shorter than the audio)
http://christianaudio.com/ambassadors-for-christ-gregory-
koukl (audio)

* I CANT BELIEVE IN A GOD WHO WOULD CREATE ME

KNOWING I WOULD SIN, AND THEN HOLD ME GUILTY FOR
SIN HE KNEW I WOULD COMMIT.
This is the challenging statement I indicated would be
included toward the end of the guide. As I indicated earlier, I
recommend that you have read through the previous sub-sections
on TRUTH, EVIL, and EVIDENCES, so that you have a much better
understanding of this challenge and how to respond to it.
A longtime friend made this challenging statement to me
when we were talking about the concept of God, and after I
presented some of the information and evidences included in this
guide. Even though they saw evidence for the existence of the God
of the Bible, they still concluded that they couldnt believe in this
God. Their primary reason was because they couldnt get past the
idea of a God who would create them knowing they would commit
sin, and then hold them guilty for the sin they committed.
This is one of the current objections challenging
Christianity. I think it is an objection which is well intentioned on the
part of the person making the challenge and it does seem when first
heard to be difficult to answer. I certainly found it so when my friend
said it to me a few years back. As with the other challenges, I
believe that it can be answered. And similar to the other challenges,
there are facts not considered by the questioner.
As you can see by the objection, the person making the
objection cant believe because they dont like the idea of a God
as they understand Him. Their belief in this matter is not based
upon the evidence but what they like or dont like. Weve already
seen in the TRUTH section that what we like or dislike has no effect
on what is truth. If something is true and if it impacts us, we must
consider its implications. If we ignore the implications or if
we CHOOSE not to believe them, they will still affect us.

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 Think about a teacher giving a pop quiz that they know many
of the students arent prepared for. Do you think the teacher would
have allowed the following objection from any of the students, I
cant believe in a teacher who gives me a quiz, and then holds
me responsible for knowing the answers, even though they
know that I probably dont know them.
Can you see that this belief about God is part of the persons
worldview, that there cant be a God who created them and then
holds them responsible for the sin they commit? They are basing
what they believe on their worldview, their likes and dislikes, rather
than evidences. They are expressing a SUBJECTIVE view of
TRUTH. As shown in the TRUTH section, the real truth of something
has nothing to do with what we like or dislike, what were confident
about, or what is popular.
In other areas of our lives, if we have evidence but we dont
like the conclusion the evidence establishes, do we say that we just
dont believe the conclusion because we dont like it? Across the
country there are thousands of inmates who are serving time in
prisons due to evidence brought during their trial proving their
guilt. They are sitting in a prison cell, even though they didnt
LIKE the consequences of the truth established by the evidence.
Another possible reason for my friends objection is that they
dont understand how a loving God would have this option as the
only one possible. Theyve already concluded that if God would do
this then God isnt loving as Christians claim that He is.
Looking back to the TRUTH section, truth again is also not
based upon whether we understand something or not. How many
things would cease to exist if they depended on everyones
understanding of them? Nuclear reactors, the space shuttle, Wi-Fi,
internal combustion engines, etc. They would all cease to exist. If
we dont understand something, is it possible that we dont have all
the information and that we havent considered all the information?
And are we willing to consider additional information?
As was indicated earlier, God being all-powerful doesnt
mean that God can violate the laws of logic. God has all the power
to do anything that power requires. However, regardless of how
much power God has He cant make a square circle. So could our
sin nature be one of the inevitable realities of being created with
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FREE WILL? And if God knows everything and chose to create us

with a free will so that we could freely choose to love and worship
Him, He also knew creating us with this choice would require the
brutal death of His Son on the cross.

Think of the question and who the question focuses on:

Why would God create me knowing I would sin
and then hold me accountable for that sin?
Who is the focus of the question? Is the focus God or the
person asking the question? The focus is on the person asking the
question, right? The underlying objection the person has is that
God isnt fair as they judge fairness - and since Hes not fair, they
cant or wont believe He exists. This raises another observation
about TRUTH. Is TRUTH based upon what we feel is fair? It isnt, is
it?
Since God is really the only consideration concerning the sin
situation we are all in, shouldnt Gods perspective be considered?
And shouldnt we consider his perspective above ours?
I think there is a better question to ask that truly considers the
situation. As well considering what we now know what Jesus Christ
willingly chose to go through in the crucifixion, the question we
should be asking is not the one above, but this one:
Why would God create us knowing that we would sin and
knowing that our sin would require the brutal execution
of His Son on the cross?
Do you see the focus of this question? The focus is on what
God has done, what Jesus Christ has sacrificed to pay for our sin.
Rather than focusing on what we believe is unfair, we need to
consider all the facts so that we can see the situation in the right
perspective. Does this 2nd question give you a different perspective
of the situation?
Lets consider the unfairness implied in the first question.
The person thinking this is actually quite right about the unfairness
of it. However, they are not considering what is truly unfair. Should
we be thinking that it is unfair for God to create us with free will,
knowing we would sin and then holding us responsible for that sin?
Or should we be thinking that it is unfair that God would create us,

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knowing we would sin, and then allow Jesus Christ choose to be

sacrificed on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin. Especially
realizing that he certainly didnt deserve the judgement that we have
earned, with our only obligation in this scenario being our honest
decision to accept His sacrifice? The answer should be obvious.
A saying Ive heard that conveys this perspective very well
is the following, although I think I remember a better wording:
Jesus took on the sin debt that we owe and that He
didnt deserve, so that we could receive the gift of
eternal life, which we dont deserve.
The reality of Gods decision to create people with free will
is that all of us will choose to sin, and that some will freely choose
to accept Him while others will freely choose to reject Him and the
gift He offers. Adam and Eve only had one command to obey and
even they failed.
God has given us free will to choose to accept or reject
Christs payment on the cross. The inevitable result of us having
free choice is that we would also freely choose to sin. God also
knew that our sinning would be the result our free will and would
ultimately require the death of His Son to pay the sin debt we owe.
And why did God do this? For no other reason than that He loves
us more than we can ever understand.
Now lets consider a few observations about God. Weve
seen significant evidence for the existence of the God of the Bible
and that the Bible could only have come to us through God. If the
logical conclusion is that the Bible is true, the following verses are
true even if we don't like them and dont want them to be true:

* SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD

GOD IS ALL POWERFUL:
Genesis 18:14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? This is a
rhetorical question with the obvious answer being No.
Psalm 147:5 Great is our Lord and abundant in power; his
understanding is beyond measure.

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 Isaiah 40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The
Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is
unsearchable
1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the
power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is
in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O
Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.
Again, God has all the power to be able to do what power can
accomplish. However, God cannot violate the laws of logic He
cannot make a square circle even with unlimited power.

GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING:

Psalm 147:5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; His
understanding is beyond measure.
1 John 3:20 For whenever our heart condemns us, God is
greater than our heart, and He knows everything.
Isaiah 40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The
Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is
unsearchable
God knew what the implications of creating people with free
will would be even before He ever created Angels or people. He
knew that our free will would result in us sinning, which would
require Jesus Christs death on the cross to pay our debt.

GOD IS GOOD:
Luke 18:19 And Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good?
No one is good except God alone.
1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and
proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at
all.
Psalm 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is
the man who takes refuge in him!

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 It is because of Gods goodness that he freely paid the sin

debt that we owe, so that we can spend eternity with Him in heaven.

GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE:
Malachi 3:6 For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O
children of Jacob, are not consumed.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and
forever.
Numbers 23:19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of
man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he
not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Since God does not change, his promises will never change.
His love for us will never change, and his judgment on sin will never
change. We can fully rely Gods promises.

GOD HAS CREATED US WITH A FREE WILL:

John 1:12 But to all who did receive Him, who believed in his
name, He gave the right to become children of God
We have the free will to receive Him.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We have the free will to confess our sins to Him.
Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may
be blotted out
We have the free will to repent and turn to Him
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for
whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that
he rewards those who seek him.
We have the free will to draw near to Him
Since he has given us free will, we have the choice to
choose his will or our own. Since we live in a sinful fallen world
our natural tendency is to choose sin, and when we sin we face
the consequences of our choices.

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GOD LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE WILLINGLY DIED FOR US:

1 John 4:16 So we have come to know and to believe the love
that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love
abides in God, and God abides in him.
Romans 5:8 But God shows his love for us in that while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
eternal life.
God has a love for us that goes beyond our understanding.
He loves us so much that he planned to die to pay the penalty for
the sin we choose to commit, which he knew would happen, before
He ever created us, and which He has no blame for.
GOD IS JUST AND RIGHTEOUS SO HE MUST PUNISH SIN, BUT HE HAS
ALSO PAID THE PENALTY FOR ALL WHO WILL CHOOSE TO ACCEPT THE
PAYMENT HE MADE, BY TAKING THE PENALTY ON HIMSELF:
1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the
truth is not in us.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not
common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted
beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the
way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Romans 5:8 But God shows his love for us in that while we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God, but the Gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ
As we saw earlier, if God didnt punish sin, he wouldnt be a
good God. No judge would be good who let offenders off. The way
God solves the dilemma of having to judge our sin and also
forgiving that sin, is to pay that penalty himself by dying on the
cross.

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 Im reminded of a saying I heard years back which really

made an impact on me.
I ASKED JESUS HOW MUCH HE LOVED ME?
AND HE SAID THIS MUCH
AND HE STRETCHED OUT HIS ARMS, AND HE DIED

GOD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SIN WE COMMIT NOR THE

DECISIONS WE MAKE:
Is God Responsible for Evil?
www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/A189
Did God create sin?
http://carm.org/questions/about-god/did-god-create-sin
Original Sin - Are We Condemned by the Sin of Adam and Eve?
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/original-sin.html

Considering the specific truths already indicated in this

section, who has the greater price to pay for us to spend eternity
with the perfect loving God of the Universe? Is it we, who have only
to accept Jesus death on the cross for our sin and show this choice
through the decisions we make in how we live our lives? Or is it
God, who is perfect and knew that creating us would require that
his Son would be brutally executed on a cross, and knew this before
he ever created us or angels?
Considering the original objection and that we almost
always focus on ourselves, there is a statement that comes to mind,
Its not about you! . . . and its not about me either.

Again, who is it really about? It is about the God who

created 100 billion galaxies out of nothing and who knows
everything. Since he knows everything, he knows that the only
possible way to create us with free will, to be able to choose Him,
would also result in us choosing to sin and choosing against Him.
He also knew that our choosing to sin would require the brutal death
of His son. He knew all this before He ever created angels and
humans and still decided to create us. Why? Because he loves us
and wants us to be able to spend eternity with Him.
Do you think that the God of the Universe who knows
everything, could have created us with freewill but without the ability
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to sin? To believe this is to presume to know something the God of

the Universe doesnt know is possible. Does it sound logical for us
to believe that we know something that God doesnt? Since God
knows everything, he must know that creating us with freewill but
without the ability to sin is not possible. Just like its not possible for
God to create a square circle. He decided to create us anyway,
knowing we would sin because of our free will. And He decided to
do this before he created angels or humans knowing that He would
pay the price for the sin we have and will commit. Again, he did this
why? So that we could spend eternity with Him. The only
requirement on our part is to truly accept His payment for our sin.
If we choose to reject Christs payment for our sin in light of
these truths then the only other option is that we are required to pay
for our own sin. Since God is the only one qualified to pay the
penalty for our sin, that means we are unqualified to pay the penalty
that must be paid for our sin, and we are still guilty. If we choose to
try to pay for our own sin and dont accept Christs payment on the
cross, our sin will remain unforgiven, and we will suffer the penalty
for our sin. Sin must be punished. Not wanting to believe in this
God because we dont like his plan doesnt change this reality.
To put all of this in perspective, look at the question again.
I CANT BELIEVE IN A GOD WHO WOULD CREATE ME KNOWING I WOULD SIN,
AND THEN HOLD ME GUILTY FOR SIN HE KNEW I WOULD COMMIT.

Again, who is this statement focusing on, God or us? There

are 2 Is and 2 Mes. Again, ITS NOT ABOUT US. For us to ask a
question like this only focuses on ourselves. It may be sincere but
it doesnt consider God. When we only focus on ourselves we miss
the BIG PICTURE, and in this situation, THE PICTURE IS HUGE!
Lets consider the specifics again. The incomprehensible
God of this Universe created all 100 billion galaxies, each having
an estimated 100 billion stars. This God knows everything and
created a plan to resolve our sinful condition, which doesnt require
anything from us. A plan whereby He would pay the debt we owe
by willingly dying by one of the most brutal executions ever devised
by human kind; the same humans he died to save. And all that is
required of us is to truly accept the priceless gift He offers. And
somehow we feel we have the right to complain to this God that His
plan is unfair to us?
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 Remember again, this perfect God chose to pay the sin debt
we owe. He has done nothing wrong. He is completely innocent.
We deserve to be in His place on the cross, but He took our place
and paid our debt. And why did he do all this? For no other reason
than because He loves us so much and wants us to be able to
spend eternity with him. Do you now see the amazing picture of
His love and mercy?
I know that I have repeated many of the points many times
in this section. I did so because of the tremendous importance of
understanding this information, and the importance of having the
correct perspective when we think about what is fair and what we
truly deserve. I hope this has given you some things to think about,
and if you are still thinking but what about . . . , I hope this has
possibly even as Greg Koukl says, put a stone in your shoe.

* WHAT ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FROM OTHER RELIGIONS?

There are four non-Christian religions which I believe are
important to have a knowledge about. These four religions are
Mormonism (Latter Day Saints), Jehovahs Witness, Islam, and
Wicca.
The primary reason I believe it is important to have a
knowledge about the first three religions is because of their
significant efforts to convert individuals. It is almost guaranteed that
you will be approached by members of one or more of these three
belief systems in an effort to convert you to their belief. With Islam,
we see the significant effect on current events by radical factions,
as well as the resultant forced conversions by these radical factions.
Ive included Wicca, not because Wiccans work at converting others
to Wicca, but because of its popularity among young people. A
phrase I heard recently which is worded better than the truth I
indicated about having the right Jesus is:
If you have the right Jesus, you get everything.
If you have the wrong Jesus, you lose everything
The primary reason Im not covering religions other than
these four is because most other religions do not have the focus of
making converts as is found in the first three religions, or that these
other religions expend significantly less effort to convert others than
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these three. Many consider both Mormon and Jehovahs Witness

CHRISTIAN religions, while Islam (covered later), teaches the
opposite of many of the main teachings of Christianity. The official
sites of both Mormonism and Jehovahs Witness make claims to
being Christian.
Are Mormons Christians? www.mormon.org/faq
We are Christians in a very real sense and that is coming
to be more and more widely recognized." Gordon B. Hinkley
Jehovahs Witnesses Who Are We? www.jw.org/en/
We do our best to imitate Jesus Christ and are proud to
be called Christians
Both Mormon and Jehovahs Witness religions and their
websites use terminology common to Christianity. Many look at this
usage of the same terminology as a confirmation that Mormonism
and Jehovahs Witness are Christian religions. However, when the
meanings of the terms are compared as used by each religion, it is
clear that Mormons and Jehovahs Witnesses do not believe the
same as is taught in Christianity.
As indicated earlier, Christianity teaches that there is, has
been, and will only ever be one God represented by three
personalities, and each person is the one God. Mormonism
teaches that there are multiple Gods, and Jehovahs Witness
teaches that Jesus Christ was not God. As we also saw earlier, the
Law of Non Contradiction allows for only one of these teachings to
be true. And if one of the teachings is true, the others are
automatically false.
It is not my intention to offend you if you are a member of
one of these religions and you also sincerely believe you are
following the truth. I do not question the motives of any who are
sincere in their beliefs of one of these religions being true.
However, as covered in the TRUTH section, TRUTH is NOT
determined by sincerity. One can be SINCERE but be SINCERELY
WRONG. IDEAS HAVE CONSEQUENCES, and if the consequences of
some ideas are eternal, it is important to look at what are the TRUE
facts and not rely on our SINCERITY, WHAT WE LIKE, WHATS
POPULAR, etc.
I am presenting this information because I believe the
evidence shows that everyone will pass from this life into one of two
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eternities. If I were to neglect my sharing of these truths, I would

essentially care less about the eternal destination of others, and
more about not wanting to be criticized or inconvenienced, and that
would be evidence of not loving others. It is because of my belief
that the evidence proves these truths, that I feel so strongly about
getting this information out to others.
I have included numerous passages from the Bible so that
the Biblical teaching is clear. Similar to the different terms having
different meanings between the different religions, individual Bible
verses are used by different religions to support those religions
different teachings. Similar to understanding the full meaning of a
word by seeing it used in different ways, seeing multiple verses on
a topic gives us a much better understanding of the accurate
Biblical teaching on that topic. As with other sections in this guide,
I have also included websites so that you can research these
teachings further.
It is important to always go to the Bible to learn what it
teaches rather than to assume a teaching is Biblical, and then go to
the Bible to try to find evidence. Consider again the question:
Will we make the Bible flexible to our beliefs, or
will we make our beliefs flexible to the Bible?
As there are similarities in the teachings of both Mormonism
and Jehovahs Witness, we will examine these two religions first.
The following links also show that both religions consider
themselves Christian. As indicated before in the Truth section, you
cannot have two or more contradictory teachings all be true. If they
contradict each other, only one can be true. If both the Mormon and
Jehovahs Witness religions claim to be Christian, but they
contradict the essential teachings of Christianity, then they cant
truly be Christian.

ARE MORMONS CHRISTIANS? (Official Mormon site)

www.mormon.org/faq/mormon-christian
MOST MORMONS SAY THEIR RELIGION IS CHRISTIAN
www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2012/January/Most-Mormons-
Say-Their-Religion-is-Christian-

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 ARE JEHOVAHS WITNESSES CHRISTIANS? (Official Jehovahs Witness site)

www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/are-jehovahs-
witnesses-christians
CHRISTIANS OR NOT CHRISTIANS?
http://en.az24.info/jehovahswitnesses/are-jehovahs-
witnesses-christians.html

The above sites show that the beliefs of many Mormons and
Jehovahs Witnesses, as well as the teachings of both of the
religions, show that that both religions consider themselves
Christian. Both religions place strong emphasis on the family, and
the teaching to love and care for others. This is fully consistent with
Christianity, and Christians applaud their emphasis of these ideals.
However, we also disagree that the core beliefs of both are true and
are consistent with Christianity. The question is not the emphasis
and dedication to the family taught by both religions, it is their claim
to being Christian and teaching the same as Christianity.
Remember Greg Koukls observation about different beliefs,
When studying religions, the point is not to focus on
the things that are similar. Its the differences that really
matter.
And also the comment by the writer Steve Turner,
They only disagree on the nature of man, the nature of God,
sin, salvation, heaven, hell, and creation.
Even though these family ideals are consistent with
Christianity, the differences between the teachings of the different
religions are critical when it comes to eternal issues, and where we
will spend eternity. Both Mormon and Jehovahs Witness teachings
differ from the ESSENTIALS of the Christian faith, and these
differences cannot be bridged by having similar teachings of how
we should treat others.
The different teachings about the essentials between these
two religions contradict the teachings in the Bible. As well, they
contradict each other. As such, Mormonism, Jehovahs Witness,
and Christianity cant all be true. Again, the law of non-contradiction
indicates that only one teaching can be true, and whichever is true
the teachings which are contradictory are automatically false. If you

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have the wrong teaching as to who Jesus Christ is, you dont have
a Jesus Christ who is qualified to pay for your sin and so you dont
have a salvation that works.
WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIALS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH?
www.gotquestions.org/essentials-Christian-faith.html
www.str.org/articles/essential-christian-doctrines
https://carm.org/essential-doctrines-of-christianity
There is a saying I heard years ago from Hank Hannigraf,
President of THE CHRISTIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE, which I believe
captures how Christians are to relate to others regarding beliefs.
In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty,
and In All Things Charity.
We should partner in unity with other individuals and religions
when they hold to the same essential teachings of Christianity.
We should show liberty and not break fellowship with others over
teachings which are non-essential.
And we should show charity to all individuals and groups,
whether or not they hold to the essentials of Christianity.
While there may be differences in teachings between major
denominations of Christianity, almost all of them hold to the same
ESSENTIALS as indicated in the links above. Any denomination or
church calling itself Christian which doesnt hold to the foundational
truths of Christianity would like the Mormon and Jehovahs Witness
churches and also not be Christian. Both the Mormon and
Jehovahs Witness churches claim to be Christian as the previous
links indicate. However, we will see that their teachings contradict
the essentials of Christianity, as the official church information and
information in each of the next sections confirm. As such, their
teachings prove they cannot be Christian religions. And just
because a religion is called Christian, or calls itself Christian, that
doesnt automatically make it Christian.
Again, it is not my intention to offend, but it is important to
remember that ideas have consequences, and if the consequences
of an idea have eternal ramifications, we need to very seriously
evaluate the actual teachings of any belief system we are
considering adopting. If the teachings of Mormonism and
Jehovahs Witness are contradictory to the essentials of Christianity

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then they can not be Christian religions. Again, if you have the
wrong Jesus, a Jesus who is not the eternal God and not qualified
to pay for sin, you have the Jesus who cant save you from that sin.

* MORMONISM
Mormonism teaches a Father God, Jesus Christ, and a Holy
Spirit. They teach on sin, salvation, and atonement, and use many
terms similar to Christianity. Mormonism also has the name of
JESUS CHRIST as part of the full name of the church. This is where
the abbreviation LDS originates, THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF
LATTER DAY SAINTS. It is important to realize again that just
because the same name or terminology is used does not mean that
a religion has the same named person or the same meaning for the
terminology used.
When the specifics about the Mormon religion which are
inconsistent with Christian teachings are pointed out, some
Mormons have claimed that they are being persecuted by those
who raise these points. Since this Criticism issue is raised by
Mormons, we should consider the original Mormon criticisms of
Christian churches. This link shows the criticisms of Christianity
raised by the founding and influential members of the Mormon
Church and that these criticisms began long before teachings of
Mormonism were challenged.
"WE NEVER CRITICIZE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES"
www.mrm.org/we-never-criticize
Once again, we need to focus on what is true about the
ESSENTIAL teachings between Mormonism and Christianity and
consider the actual differences.
Another possible reason for Mormons feeling persecuted is
that the Mormon Church doesnt seem to encourage its members
to think critically. Mormons and others are encouraged to pray
about the Book of Mormon, to get what is called A burning in the
bosom, to see if it is true.
READ THE BOOK OF MORMON AND PRAY TO DETERMINE ITS TRUTH
www.godandscience.org/cults/praytruth.html
PRAYING ABOUT THE BOOK OF MORMON - IS IT BIBLICAL?
www.mrm.org/praying-about-bofm
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What does the Bible say?

Acts 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in
Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
The Bible tells us to compare all things with Scripture
because it is through the word of God that we confirm the truths
of God, not by praying for a burning in the bosom.
JAMES 1:5 AND PRAYING ABOUT THE BOOK OF MORMON
https://carm.org/james-1-5-pray-book-of-mormon
The ESSENTIALS OF CHRISTIANITY specify the Christian
teachings on the identity and nature of God, of Jesus, of man, sin,
salvation. Heaven, and hell. The links below contrast the teachings
of both the Mormon and Jehovahs Witness religions with these
ESSENTIALS. The links reference actual Mormon works.
MORMON Doctrines differing from Christianity
https://carm.org/dictionary-mormon
COMPARISON CHART - MORMONISM AND CHRISTIANITY
www.4truth.net/fourtruthpbnew.aspx?pageid=8589952801
MORMONISM VS. CHRISTIANITY
www.contenderministries.org/mormonism/comparison.php
IS THE MORMON RELIGION A CHRISTIAN RELIGION?
www.philvaz.com/apologetics/num23.htm
WHY THE MORMON CHURCH IS NOT THE TRUE CHURCH JESUS CHRIST STARTED?
www.letusreason.org/LDS32.htm

The following links will connect you to the Mormon works

referenced in the above links and some of the teachings in official
Mormon works.
MORMON LITERARY WORKS
BOOK OF MORMON
www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm?lang=eng Current
https://archive.org/details/bookmormon01smitgoog 1840 version
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc?lang=eng
http://sacred-texts.com/mor/dc/index.htm

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 PEARL OF GREAT PRICE

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp?lang=eng Current
https://archive.org/details/pearlofgreatpric00hall 1867 version
MORMON DOCTRINE - Bruce R. McConkie
www.josephsmithacademy.org/inspira/ebooks/mormon-doctrine
JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES
http://journalofdiscourses.com
DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG
www.josephsmithacademy.org/inspira/ebooks/discourses
-of-brigham-young
KING FOLLETT DISCOURSE
www.lds.org/ensign/1971/04/the-king-follett-sermon?lang=eng
ARTICLES OF FAITH - 1899
https://archive.org/details/articlesfaithas00talmgoog
TEACHINGS OF THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH
http://scriptures.byu.edu/tpjs/STPJS.pdf
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH by BYU Studies
https://byustudies.byu.edu/hc/hcpgs/hc.aspx

QUOTATIONS FROM MORMON LEADERS

As man now is, God once was; as God is now man may be.
- Lorenzo Snow
http://www.mrm.org/lorenzo-snow-couplet
"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man,
and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!" - Joseph Smith
KING FOLLETT DISCOURSE - 3rd Section - GOD IS AN EXALTED MAN
www.lds.org/ensign/1971/04/the-king-follett-sermon?lang=eng
"Here, then, is eternal lifeto know the only wise and true
God; and you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves"
- Joseph Smith
KING FOLLETT DISCOURSE -
4th Section - ETERNAL LIFE TO KNOW GOD AND JESUS CHRIST
www.lds.org/ensign/1971/04/the-king-follett-sermon?lang=eng

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Many men say there is one God; the Father, the Son and the
Holy Ghost are only one God! I say that is a strange God
anyhowthree in one, and one in three! It is a curious
organization All are to be crammed into one God, according
to sectarianism. It would make the biggest God in all the world.
He would be a wonderfully big God he would be a giant or a
monster
TEACHINGS OF THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH - p. 372
http://scriptures.byu.edu/tpjs/STPJS.pdf
"We cannot remember that Lucifer, a son of God the Father, a
brother of Jesus Christ, rebelled against Gods plan"
- Robert D. Hales - Presiding Bishop
THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD: RETURN WITH HONOR - Paragraph 3
www.lds.org/general-conference/1990/04/the-aaronic-
priesthood-return-with-
honor?lang=eng&query=aaronic+priesthood%3a+return+
with+honor
"It is the Devil, the mighty Lucifer, the great prince of the
angels, the brother of Jesus" - Joseph Young
http://journalofdiscourses.com/6/31 - Paragraph 12
no less a person than Jesus Christ was married on that
occasion - Orson Hyde
http://journalofdiscourses.com/4/49 - Paragraph 11
We say it was Jesus Christ who was married - Orson Hyde
http://journalofdiscourses.com/2/18 - Paragraphs 34 and 35
"The Christian world, so called, are heathens as to their
knowledge of the salvation of God" - Brigham Young
http://journalofdiscourses.com/8/44 - Paragraph 3
We know that it is by grace that we are saved AFTER ALL WE
CAN DO
www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/25?lang=eng - 2 Nephi 25:23
"We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is
translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to
be the word of God."
www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/a-of-f/1.8?lang=eng Articles of Faith 1:8

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 The Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible, and also

contradicts other inspired Mormon works, including itself.
THE BOOK OF MORMON VS THE BIBLE
www.equip.org/article/the-book-of-mormon-vs-the-
bible/#christian-books-2
THE BOOK OF MORMON CONTRADICTS ITSELF, OTHER INSPIRED
MORMON WRITINGS AND CONTRADICTS THE BIBLE
www.bible.ca/mor-contradictions.htm
BIBLE AND BOOK OF MORMON CONTRADICTIONS
www.utlm.org/onlineresources/bibleandbomcontradictions.htm
THE BIBLE OR THE BOOK OF MORMON?
www.str.org/articles/the-bible-or-the-book-of-mormon
This link also answers the Mormon claim:
We believe in the Bible insofar as it has been translated correctly.

Consider prophesies made by Mormon leaders. God

indicates that fulfilled prophesy is one of the tests as to whether
those prophesying are speaking for God or not. If the prophesy
does not come true, then the one making the prophesy is not
speaking for God.
Deuteronomy 18:22, "If what a prophet proclaims in the name of
the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message
the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken
presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him."
1 John instructs us to test any prophecy claiming to be from God.
1 John 4:1 "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the
spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false
prophets have gone out into the world."
What was the punishment in the Old Testament for someone
found guilty of making false prophesies?
Deuteronomy 18:20 "But the prophet who presumes to speak a
word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or
who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall
die."

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 Deuteronomy 13:5 "That prophet or dreamer must be put to death,

because he preached rebellion against the LORD your God, who
brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of
slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way the LORD your
God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from
among you."
These verses show that the primary test God has
established to determine whether or not a prophet is speaking for
God is whether the prophesy comes to pass. If it doesnt happen,
it is a failed prophesy and the prophet is clearly not speaking for
God. The determination that a prophet is false does not change
based upon ones sincerity or dedication. It also doesnt change
depending on whether one decides to Bear their testimony as
Mormons suggest. Deuteronomy 18:20 also shows that in the Old
Testament God commanded that any person who makes a false
prophesy be put to death. This is because a false prophet draws
people away from God, not toward Him. As shown earlier, God is
jealous for us because he has created us and wants the best for us.
Being drawn away from God takes us away from His best for us.
So, does Joseph Smith Jr. claim to be a prophet of God and
if so, do his prophesies prove him to speak for God or not?
JOSEPH SMITH: PROPHET TO OUR GENERATION Official LDS page
www.lds.org/general-conference/1981/10/joseph-smith-
prophet-to-our-generation?lang=eng
FAILED PROPHESY - The following are two of the failed prophesies.
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO BE OVERTHROWN IN A FEW YEARS
I prophecy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the
United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints
in the state of Missouri and punish the crimes committed by her
officers that in a few years the government will be utterly
overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a
potsherd left for their wickedness in permitting the murder of
men, women and children, and the wholesale plunder and
extermination of thousands of her citizens to go unpunished.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, VOL. 5, PAGE 394
https://byustudies.byu.edu/hc/5/21.html#HOC
SUMMARY OF VOL.5 IN THE INTRODUCTION REFERENCES THE YEAR 1842
https://byustudies.byu.edu/hc/hcpgs/hc.aspx
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 THE COMING OF THE LORD

President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called,
because God had commanded it; and it was made known to
him by vision and by the Holy Spirit. . . . it was the will of God
that they should be ordained to the ministry and go forth to
prune the vineyard for the last time, for the coming of the Lord,
which was nigh - even fifty six years should wind up the scene.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, VOL. 2, PAGE 182
https://byustudies.byu.edu/hc/2/14.html#HOC
SUMMARY OF VOL.2 IN THE INTRODUCTION REFERENCES THE YEAR 1837
https://byustudies.byu.edu/hc/hcpgs/hc.aspx
SITES SHOWING FAILED PROPHESIES
https://carm.org/false-prophecies-of-joseph-smith
http://saintsalive.com/resourcelibrary/mormonism/testing-the-
prophecies-of-joseph-smith-
http://mit.irr.org/failed-prophecies-of-joseph-smith
www.exmormon.org/prophet.htm
www.utlm.org/onlineresources/falseprophecies.htm
Again, I have no criticism of Mormons and their sincerity and
dedication. I am concerned about the eternal destination of all
persons, and the false teachings which would draw us away from
God and the only way of salvation He has provided.
SHARING THE TRUTH WITH MORMONS
CHRISTIANS WITNESSING TO MORMONS
http://4witness.org/what-we-offer/christians-witnessing-to-
mormons
MORMONISM RESEARCH MINISTRY - EVANGELISM
www.mrm.org/evangelism-and-dialog
RON CARLSON MESSAGES
http://higherpraise.com/RonCarlson.htm
UNDERSTANDING JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AND MORMONISM
http://waltermartin.com/realaudio.html
MORMONISM
www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?currSection=sermonst
opic&keyword=Mormon&keyworddesc=Mormonism
MORMONISM
www.towertotruth.net/Mormon/mormon_main.htm
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 MORMONISM
www.towertotruth.net/audio.htm#mormon
MORMON AUDIO FILES
http://mmoutreach.org/mormon/mormon_audio.htm
SAINTS ALIVE - AUDIO LIBRARY
www.saintsalive.com/media-library/audio-library
How To Witness To Mormon Missionaries
www.christianapologeticsalliance.com/2015/01/21/how-to-
witness-to-mormon-missionaries/
Brett Kunkle - Getting Mormons to Explain Why
Pt 1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RkSUj2YhpE
Pt 2 www.youtube.com/watch?v=l72Ox2UmtK4
Pt 3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cqNgoGdBso
Mormon Role Play - Brett Kunkle
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8Rsp7Zgyxs
Maze Ministry
http://www.mazeministry.com/
http://www.mazeministry.com/new/downloadbooks.htm -
Free downloadablebooks
http://www.mazeministry.com/machine/index.htm -
Comparison machinebetween 1830 and current
version
Mormon Epistemology 101
http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2013/mormon-epistemology-
101/
Thinking Carefully about Mormonism (and Mormon Epistemology)
www.str.org/blog/thinking-carefully-about-mormonism-and-
mormon-epistemology
Epistemology The Mormon Testimony
http://mormonisminvestigated.co.uk/2010/09/21/epistemolo
gy-the-mormon-testimony/
Mormonism: Same Language, Different Meanings
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKaIKHxk2Yw

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* JEHOVAHS WITNESS
Jehovahs Witnesses like Mormons are very sincere in their
beliefs, and we commend them for their dedication to what they
believe as the truth. As with Mormons, we do not challenge the
dedication and sincerity of Jehovahs Witnesses. We challenge the
teachings of the organization as those teachings compare to the
ESSENTIALS OF CHRISTIANITY. We want to focus on the truths of the
teachings, not the sincerity of those who hold these beliefs. I stress
again that TRUTH is not determined by our SINCERITY or DEDICATION.
In addition to being sincere and dedicated, Jehovahs
Witnesses and Mormons are also similar in that the teachings of
both religions deviate from the ESSENTIALS OF CHRISTIANITY; The
identity and nature of God, of Jesus, of man, sin, salvation. Heaven,
and hell. One of the primary differences between the two religions
is that most of the deviations from the ESSENTIALS OF CHRISTIANITY
taught by Jehovahs Witness are located in their translation of the
Bible, the NEW WORLD TRANSLATION.
WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIALS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH?
www.gotquestions.org/essentials-Christian-faith.html
www.str.org/articles/essential-christian-doctrines
https://carm.org/essential-doctrines-of-christianity

Besides the Jehovahs Witness Bible translation, the

additional publications Jehovahs Witnesses reference are the two
magazines; THE WATCHTOWER and AWAKE. I also found a
reference to STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES. The link to view the
STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES online is below. According to the Sept
10, 1910 Watchtower issue, the Jehovahs Witness organization
places particular importance on these STUDIES as indicated by the
quotes below.
"If anyone lays Scriptural Studies aside even after he has
become familiar with them, after he has read them ten
years, and goes to the Bible alone, though he has
understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows
that within two years he goes into darkness"
"If the six volumes of Scriptural Studies are practically
the Bible topically arranged, with Bible-proofs given, we
might not improperly name the volumes, The Bible in
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 Arranged Form. That is to say, they are not merely

comments on the Bible, but they are practically the Bible
itself" Charles Taze Russell
WATCHTOWER, SEPTEMBER 15, 1910, PAGE 298.
www.scripturessay.com/a-reply-to-a-jehovahs-witness/9
Scanned pages with some of these quotes are at:
http://jehovahswitnessrevealed.com/wp-
content/uploads/2006/10/bstudy.PDF
The following publications can be seen at the following links:
STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES Volumes 1-7
MILLIONS LIVING WILL NEVER DIE
http://jehovah.net.au/classic-watchtower-publications
WATCHTOWER MAGAZINES ONLINE 2000 to Present
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/lv/r1/lp-e/0/11891

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to show thyself approved unto God
a workman that needs not be ashamed, rightly handling the
word of truth."
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful
for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for EVERY good work
This first passage shows that to be approved unto God,
we need to study the Word of God. It also indicates rightly
handling the word of truth." This shows the importance of making
the effort to correctly understand Gods word, not coming to it with
our minds already made up as to what it teaches. We need to let
the Bible be the teacher so that we can accurately learn its wisdom
and truth. The verse commands us to Study. Since there wasnt
any other works, references, or the STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES for
almost 2 thousand years after the Bible was completed, (see the
William F. Albright quote below), this command can only mean that
we need to study the Bible itself, without the need for other works.
This contradicts the Jehovahs Witness teaching that without the

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Watchtower Society and STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, we Go into

darkness.
"According to archaeological evidence there is "no
longer any solid basis for dating any book of the New
Testament after about A.D. 80."
William F. Albright was the world's foremost biblical archaeologist.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful
for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work
This second passage emphasizes that All Scripture is
God-breathed and useful. It does not indicate Most Scripture or
Some Scripture, and it doesnt mention any work other than
Scripture. It states that All Scripture is God-breathed, which
means it is from God and not man. We can have confidence that
God has provided us with the Bible because of its confirmation by
the volume of evidences shown earlier in the BIBLE sub-section.
This verse shows that all Scripture is useful for teaching,
correcting, and training in righteousness. It also states that the
reason this is important. It is so the person of God will be equipped
for every good work. Notice that it indicates every good work
not equipped for some/many/most good works.
Think again about what I wrote about the Bible earlier in this
guidesd. It is foolish to think that this God who is outside of time,
who has created 100 billion galaxies out of nothing, who knows
everything, etc. would have left anything necessary for us out of the
book which He has provided for us.
I wasnt able to find references as to Jehovahs Witnesses
holding the WATCHTOWER and AWAKE magazines as INSPIRED like
as they do the NEW WORLD TRANSLATION BIBLE. Both publications
do present teachings of the Jehovahs Witness organization. You
can view back issues of the Watchtower magazines online from
year 2000 to present on the Jehovahs Witness website, at:
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/lv/r1/lp-e/0/11891
The WATCHTOWER magazine issues before 2000 are not
available on the Jehovahs Witness website. You may be able to
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find scans of specific issues by performing a Bing or Google IMAGE

SEARCH using the DATE as well as the term WATCHTOWER. In the
SEARCH field. example: Watchtower Sept 15 1910
As indicated by the quotes above, Jehovahs Witnesses are
instructed that studying the Bible without the Scriptural Studies
one goes into darkness. As you can see by these quotes, the
method of BIBLE STUDY indicated by the Bible is to STUDY THE
BIBLE, without relying on any other reference for understanding.
Again, Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is
useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work
It is interesting that the Jehovahs Witness claim indicates
that without the Scriptural Studies everyone goes into darkness.
Remember the Berean Jews in Acts?
Acts 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in
Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
Did the Berean Jews have the STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES?
How were these Jews able to accurately compare the teachings of
the scriptures to what was being preached since the STUDIES IN THE
SCRIPTURES wouldnt be written for almost two thousand years?
And how was Charles Taze Russell able to put together the
STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, without the benefit of the STUDIES IN
THE SCRIPTURES? Shouldnt he have gone into darkness as he
claimed would happen to those who do not keep using his STUDIES
IN THE SCRIPTURES?
This claim by Charles Taze Russell is self-contradictory
being similar to the Universe bringing itself into existence. It also
contradicts Gods recommendation. Again, Timothy 3:16-17:
Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work
Could the Jehovahs Witness Scriptural Studies be
something that is added as is commanded against in the Bible?
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 Revelation 22:18-19 For I testify together to everyone who

hears the Words of the prophecy of this Book: If anyone adds
to these things, God will add on him the plagues that have been
written in this Book. And if anyone takes away from the Words
of the Book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out
of the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and from the things
which have been written in this Book.
Lets look at some of the teachings of the Jehovahs
Witnesses pertaining to the ESSENTIALS OF CHRISTIANITY.

JEHOVAHS WITNESS TEACHINGS ON GOD

THE TRINITY
The Jehovahs Witness teachings rejects the Christian
teaching of the Trinity, as evidenced by quotations from two of the
Jehovahs Witness leaders.
How strange that any should attempt to misuse and
pervert these our Lords words, to make them support the
unreasonable and unscriptural doctrine of a Trinity, three
Gods in one person. (Atonement Between God and Man/
Studies In The Scriptures Vol. 5, page 76, 1912)
- Charles Taze Russell
http://jehovah.net.au/books/5-The-At-one-ment-Between-
God-and-Man-1.11Mb.pdf
That there are three gods in one; God the Father, God the
Son, God the Holy Spirit, all three equal in power,
substance and eternity. If you ask a clergyman what is
meant by the trinity he says: That is a mystery. He does
not know, and no one else knows, because it is false. Never
was there a more deceptive doctrine advanced than that of
the trinity. It could have originated only in one mind, and
that the mind of Satan the Devil. (Reconciliation, page 101,
1928) - J.F. Rutherford
If youve not yet read the earlier section in this guide on the
Trinity, please do so to have a better understanding of the
evidences that answer these challenges to the Biblical teaching of
the Trinity, as well as illustrations that provide greater

294

understanding of the concept of the Trinity. Wikipedia appears to

have a very good article on the Trinity and how the doctrine was
developed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity
The Jehovahs Witness organization will selectively use
passages from the Bible in an attempt to prove that Jesus is not the
eternal God and that the Holy Spirit is not a person, so they can
claim that Christianitys understanding of the verses are wrong and
that Christianitys teaching on the Trinity is wrong.
The following link on the Jehovahs Witness Churchs
website the first paragraph of the article gives the definition of the
Trinity according to the Athanasian Creed.
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1101989276?q=trinity&p=par
Their article also lists publications which make reference to
the doctrine of the Trinity not being established in Christianity until
about the 4th century. The article suggests that the doctrine
originated from pagan sources and that the term isnt found in the
Bible. Could these PAGAN SOURCES be the same as those indicated
in the subsection on the Trinity, which are disproved? These
details seem to be included to raise doubts on the doctrine, and I
think the author has been fairly effective at raising doubts about the
doctrine of the Trinity in those who dont have reasons to believe
otherwise.
Lets consider some of the points raised by the article. Does
the indicated 400 year delay mean that we cant be confident in the
conclusion about the Trinity? Hardly. The Trinity wasnt the only
doctrine debated early in Christianity and there are doctrines still
being debated 2000 years after Christ lived on earth; doctrines such
as: the Tribulation (pre, mid, post), Predestination vs. Election, the
Millennium Reign, etc. Debating a topic is a good way to bring out
all the information available, so that an accurate and informed
conclusion can be arrived at. I believe this article leaves out
important details which can lead one to come to a different
conclusion about the Trinity than what the Bible teaches.
Something else to consider about this 400 year delay. How
difficult was it at that time for people to obtain information? No
internet or newspapers, and libraries were only in very major cities.
Very few people had any written works.

295

 The printing press was to the past what the Internet is to us

now. The printing press allows us to have multiple copies of the
Bible in our homes, but it didnt exist till 1000 years after Christ lived
on earth, and 600 years after the Athanasian Creed was finalized.
The Gutenberg Bible, the first Bible printed by printing press, wasnt
printed until about 1450, almost 1000 years after the Athanasian
Creed was finalized and almost 1500 years after Christ. Until then,
most people probably never had the opportunity to touch a Bible,
much less own one.
Think about the Bible, a hand copied work of over 1000
pages. It would be surprising if more than a few of those who were
involved in determining the Athanasian Creed had a complete Bible.
Creating copies of Bibles was something commissioned only by
kings because it was so expensive, and time consuming.
Now think about how easy it is now for us to access so many
resources and being able to do so now on a phone we carry with
us. Remember, the cell phone and all the other quick information
access options we have? They didnt exist even 40 years ago. This
pre-technology limitation to the access of information in the world
existed unchanged for over 1500 years. Does this give you a better
understanding as to the challenges faced by those in the past; those
determining official doctrine?
A few of the paragraphs from this Jehovahs Witness article
demonstrate some of the mistaken assumptions made by the
author. And since this is on an official Jehovahs Witness site these
assumptions must be those of the organization as well.
OTHER STATEMENTS of the dogma emphasize that these
three Persons are not separate and distinct individuals
but are three modes in which the divine essence exists.
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1101989276?q=trinity&p=par
This sentence is in the first paragraph of the same document
above. The paragraph starts by indicating the Christian definition
of the Trinity as indicated in the Athanasian Creed, and ends with
the sentence above. The writer of the article adds the sentence
indicating Other statements but they dont include any of these
other statements or indicate what they are. If you accept this
sentence as accurate by the articles author, and dont read any of

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the Athanasian Creed you will get the impression that this sentence
gives an accurate representation of the Athanasian Creed.
The Athanasian Creed can be read at the following link. This
link is one of many that are easily found doing a simple web search.
www.reformed.org/documents/athanasian.html
The above sentence also states these three Persons are
not separate and distinct individuals The following statements
from the Athanasian Creed are the only ones which use the word
PERSON. Do any of the following from the Athanasian Creed give
any indication that the PERSONS of the Trinity are not separate?
v3. Neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the
substance
v4. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the
Son and another of the Holy Spirit.
v18. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to
acknowledge every person by himself to be God and
Lord;
v25. But the whole three persons are co-eternal, and co-
equal.
v35. One altogether, not by the confusion of substance, but
by unity of person.
Do these lines give the impression that these three
Persons are not separate and distinct individuals? The
sentence in the Jehovahs Witness article further states:
these three Persons are not separate and distinct
individuals but are three modes.
The concept of three modes is a teaching called
MODALISM, where God is not three persons but one person. In
Modalism, this one person operates in three different MODES or
roles at different times, but not more than one at any given time.
Like an adult being an employee at their job, and then a student
taking college classes, and then a parent in the evening. Modalism
is one person operating in different capacities at different times, but
again, not in more than one role at any given time. In Gods case,
God would operate in the roll of God the Father, and at another time
operate as God the Son, and at another time God the Holy Spirit.
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But according to Modalism, God will never operate in more than one
role at any given time. Modalism is a representation of God which
Christianity rejects. https://carm.org/modalism
In the following paragraph at the same link, the author states
that there is no personal name applied to the Holy Spirit in any
Biblical Scripture.
The Holy Scriptures tell us the personal name of the
FatherJehovah. They inform us that the Son is Jesus
Christ. But nowhere in the Scriptures is a
personal name applied to the Holy Spirit.
Jehovahs Witness teaching that there is no personal name
applied to the Holy Spirit is considered evidence by them of the Holy
Spirit not being a person. They refer to the Holy Spirit as Gods
power in action, his active force.
www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/what-is-the-holy-spirit/
Most Biblical verses about the Holy Spirit however, describe
the Holy Spirit using personal attributes. If personal attributes are
used, can we say that the Holy Spirit isnt a person in the Godhead?
This author claims that a personal name isnt used? But what
personal attributes are used of the Holy Spirit in the Bible?
Acts 5:3-4 "But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart
to lie to the Holy Spirit . . . You have not lied to man but to God.
The Holy Spirit can be lied to and is also referred to as God.
2 Cor 13:14 "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all"
We can have fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
John 14:26 "But the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My
name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance
all that I said to you." (He not it)
The Holy Spirit can teach.
John 16:13-15 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide
you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative,
but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you
what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and
shall disclose it to you.
The Holy Spirit can guide, speak, and disclose.
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Romans 8:27 "And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of
the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to
the will of God."
The Spirit has a mind and can intercede.
Even Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as Him and a Helper, not It.
John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage
that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to
you. But if I go, I will send HIM to you.
Do these verses seem to describe a person or an
impersonal force, and does this verse give at least one name to the
Holy Spirit, the Helper?
Consider also the verses which describe God both in the
singular and the plural. These verses demonstrate the concept of
the One God being composed of the three persons.

GOD DESCRIBING HIMSELF AS SINGULAR.

Isaiah 43:10 "Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be
none after Me."
Isaiah 44:6 "'I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God
besides Me."
Isaiah 44:8 "Is there any God besides Me, or is there any other Rock?
I know of none."

GOD DESCRIBING HIMSELF AS BOTH SINGULAR AND PLURAL

Gen 1:26 Then God [singular] said, Let Us [plural] make man
in Our [plural] image, according to Our [plural] likeness...
Gen 1:27 So God [singular] created man in His [singular] own
image; in the image of God He created him; male and
female He created them.

GOD DESCRIBING HIMSELF AS PLURAL

Genesis 3:22 Then the Lord God said, Behold, the man has become
like one of US [plural] in knowing good and evil.

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Genesis 11:7 Come, let US [plural] go down and there confuse their
language, so that they may not understand one another's
speech.
Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the
Holy Spirit [plural]" "Baptize in the name" singular, not
"names" plural
It is important to stress again the command of the Bible, and
also the emphasis the Bible places on itself as the only true
authority to best learn the about of God and His will for us.
2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman
that needs not be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable
for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped
for every good work.
Another paragraph from the same article demonstrates
the authors confusion with the terms GOD and PERSON.
Which translation of John 1:1,2 agrees with the
context? John 1:18 says: No one has ever seen
God. Verse 14 clearly says that the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us . . . we have beheld his glory.
Also, verses 1, 2 say that in the beginning he
was with God. Can one be with someone and at the same
time be that person? At John 17:3, Jesus addresses the
Father as the only true God; so, Jesus as a god merely
reflects his Fathers divine qualities.Heb. 1:3
You can see that their understanding of the teaching of the
Trinity is the 1+1+1=1, and not the Christian teaching of 1x1x1=1.
Seeing this confusion, it is understandable why Jehovahs
Witnesses reject the teaching of the Trinity. Again, Christians also
reject this teaching of the Trinity as 1+1+1=1. As mentioned earlier,
the author equates the teaching of the Trinity with Modalism (1 then
1 then 1 = 1), and not the Christian teaching of three persons in one
God (1 x 1 x 1 = 1).

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 In this next paragraph the author fully acknowledges

passages which use terms of personal attributes, but then discounts
them because of other passages which dont use terms of personal
attributes.
Some individual texts that refer to the Holy Spirit (Holy
Ghost, KJ) might seem to indicate personality. For
example, the Holy Spirit is referred to as a helper (Greek,
parakletos; Comforter, KJ; Advocate, JB, NE) that
teaches, bears witness, speaks and hears. (John
14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:13) But other texts say that people
were filled with Holy Spirit, that some were baptized
with it or anointed with it. (Luke 1:41; Matt. 3:11; Acts
10:38) These latter references to Holy Spirit definitely do
not fit a person. . . . What is the reasonable conclusion?
That the first texts cited here employ a figure of speech
personifying Gods Holy Spirit, his active force, as the Bible
also personifies wisdom, sin, death, water, and blood.
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-
e/1101989276?q=what+is+holy+spirit&p=par
The author asks What is the reasonable conclusion?
Wouldnt the reasonable conclusion be the Holy Spirit that
the Bible indicates, with both characteristics of PERSONHOOD and
NON-PERSONHOOD? While a square-circle is a contradictory
concept, the Holy Spirit having both attributes of personhood and
non-personhood is not contradictory. People are sometimes
referred to in both personal and non-person terms. People are
sometimes referred to as A ROCK, A PILLAR of the community, A
BEACON of righteousness. Im sure some have said about me at
times that talking to me is like talking to A BRICK WALL. If people
can be referred to in personal and non-personal terms, why would
we limit the God of the Universe in the way this author does? Also,
no Bible verse indicates that the Holy Spirit is ONLY these non-
personal attributes.
In this article, the author has concluded that the Holy Spirit
can only be personal or non-personal, and not both. The author
has also concluded that the personal attributes dont justify the
possible consideration of the personhood of the Holy Spirit. I think
the authors concept of God is too small, because their concept is
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limited to a God they can understand. Again, the quote by pastor

Wayne Stockstill:
If God was a God we could understand, He wouldnt
be much of a God, would he?

JEHOVAHS WITNESS TEACHINGS ON JESUS

Jehovahs Witness teachings about Jesus are consistent
with their non-Christian teaching that there is no Trinity. They teach
that Jesus is the savior and that He is A GOD, a MIGHTY GOD, but not
THE ALMIGHTY GOD. Their New World Translation is the only
translation to add the letter a to the end of John 1:1. The end of
the verse becomes, the Word was a god and not the Word was
God as is written in all of the other major translations.
In the beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was a god." John 1:1 New World Translation
Jehovahs Witness teaching is that Jesus is not Jehovah
God. He is a separate and lesser god. They teach that Jesus was
actually created and was Michael the Archangel before his earthly
existence, and they also teach that he is savior.
The following links indicate why adding the word a before
God in John 1:1 is incorrect:
https://carm.org/religious-movements/jehovahs-
witnesses/john-11-word-was-god
www.dianedew.com/john1.htm

Jehovahs Witness teach that Jesus was created.

As a created being, he cannot be part of the Trinity. John 14:28
The Father is greater than I am, said Jesus.
Section 3 at this link
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-
e/102010283?q=jesus+created+being&p=par
Jehovahs Witness teach Jesus was Michael the Archangel.
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-
e/2010250?q=jesus+michael&p=par

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Jehovahs Witness teach Jesus was Savior

Jesus Christ He is the Savior, the Son of God, and the firstborn
of all creation. Section 3 at this link
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-
e/102010283?q=jesus+created+being&p=par
These are significant claims and challenges to three of the
essentials of Christianity about God, about Jesus, and about
salvation. If Jesus isnt the one God, and if the Holy Spirit is not a
person, there cant be the Trinity. And since only God can save, if
Jesus is not the one true God, He cant be the Savior.

RESPONSES TO JEHOVAHS WITNESS TEACHINGS ON JESUS

Jehovahs Witnesses teach that Jesus is a created angel and
is not Jehovah God. They seem to only accept Jesus Christs
human characteristics indicated in the Bible, and either ignore or try
to explain away His divine characteristics indicated in the Bible. As
indicated above, John 14:28 The Father is greater than I am, is
one of the verses they use to justify their teaching that Jesus was a
created being. What they dont seem to consider is that John14:28
is only talking about Christs human existence, not his pre-human
existence in Heaven.
Philippians 2:5-8 shows that Jesus Christ emptied Himself taking
the form of a servant. Adding to Himself a human nature
automatically limits aspects of His divinity. One example is Jesus
Christ as a man not being able to be everywhere at once.
Philippians 2:5-8 Have this mind among yourselves, which is
yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of
God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being
born in the likeness of men. And being found in human
form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the
point of death, even death on a cross.
If He EMPTIED HIMSELF to take on human form, He must have been
FILLED PRIOR to taking on human form. Right?
IN WHAT SENSE DID JESUS EMPTY HIMSELF?
www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_795.cfm
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 Colossians 1:15 is also cited by Jehovahs Witnesses as proof

of Jesus creation. They teach that being the FIRSTBORN OF ALL
CREATION is the same as being the first created thing.
Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of all creation.
The following link shows the correct understanding of the reference,
Firstborn.
JESUS CHRIST: THE FIRST OF GOD'S CREATIONS?
www.godandscience.org/cults/jesuscreated.html
In John 1:1, they claim that In the beginning was the Word
(Jesus) is a reference to when time existed. They reason that
since God existed before time, Jesus wasnt eternal because he
was at the beginning.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was A God. (New World Translation)
This conclusion has problems though, as the verse doesnt
state, In the beginning, the Word began. The Jehovahs Witness
conclusion is the same type of conclusion as those who claim that
there is a contradiction between two of the Gospels because John
indicates Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early (John 20:1),
while Matthew indicates Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went
to see the tomb (Matthew 28:1). The claim is that in one verse two
women are reference but only one woman is referenced in the
second verse. Notice that John doesnt indicate that ONLY Mary
Magdalene visited the tomb. Mary Magdalene was the only woman
John references, not the only woman there.
In the same way, Jesus was there at the beginning, but the
Bible never claims that Jesus didnt exist until the beginning of time.
If Jesus Christ was (past tense) there at the beginning, then he
already existed at the beginning and didnt come into existence at
the beginning. If this reference to THE BEGINNING means the
beginning of time then even Almighty God would have been there
also, because Almighty God already existed before the beginning
of time. By the authors reasoning, if Jehovah God was there at the
beginning He couldnt then be eternal. This isnt a logical
conclusion, and contradicts the Bibles teaching on who Jesus is.

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 Now look at the NEW WORLD TRANSLATION of Colossians 1:16,

Colossians 1:16 because by means of him all OTHER things were
created in the heavens and on the earth.
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/l/r1/lp-e?q=colossians+1%3A16
Jehovahs Witnesses indicate the word OTHER is in their
accurate translation implying all other translations are not accurate
because they do not have the word OTHER. This is their argument
proving that Jesus Christ was created first. However, contrast this
Colossians 1:16 verse with John 1:3 out of the NEW WORLD
TRANSLATION BIBLE.
John 1:3 All things came into existence through him, and apart
from him not even one thing came into existence.
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/l/r1/lp-e?q=john+1%3A3-4
Verses Colossians 1:16 and John 1:3 from the NEW
WORLD TRANSLATION BIBLE show a clear contradiction with each
other. According to the Law of Non-Contradiction, you cant have
the Jesus Christ of Jehovahs Witness creating all OTHER things,
implying that He was CREATED first, while at the same time being
the same Jesus Christ who apart from him not even one thing came
into existence. That would be like the contradictory idea of the
Universe creating itself. The Universe would by necessity need to
exist before it created itself.
Lets consider other verses and information about Jesus
Christ and His identity.

WAS JESUS AN ANGEL AS JEHOVAHS WITNESSES TEACH?

Consider again John 1:3 of even the NEW WORLD TRANSLATION:
John 1:3 All things came into existence through him, and apart
from him not even one thing came into existence.
If all things came into existence through Christ, and apart
from Him not even one thing came into existence, the only
logical conclusion is that Jesus Christ has always existed and was
responsible for creating the angels. Since He created everything,
He created all of the angels, and so he cant be an angel, unless an
angel could create themselves like some believe the Universe did.
As well, while He is not God the Father, He is God the Son, the
second person of the Trinity. Consider these additional verses.
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 Hebrews 1:5-6 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
You are my Son, today I have begotten you? Or again,
I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son?
And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he
says, Let all God's angels worship him.
Look at the last sentence in this verse.
when He (God) brings the firstborn into the world, he (God)
says, Let all Gods angels worship him.
If God is the only one to be worshipped, and God
commands his angels to worship Jesus Christ, the only logical
conclusion is that Jesus Christ is God. Jesus also can not be
another God, because the Bible indicates there is only one God.
If both God the Father and Jesus are God, they must be the
same God, not another God. Jesus is the second person in the
one true God. And this is true whether or not we understand
this. Consider the following verses where Jesus Christ is called
God.

JESUS IS CALLED GOD

Romans 9:5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race,
according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all,
blessed forever. Amen
Matthew 1:23 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a
son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means,
God with us).
Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son He (God) says, Your throne, O
God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the
scepter of your kingdom.
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and
has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is
true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.
He is the true God and eternal life.
Colossians 2:9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells
bodily

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 John 20:28 Thomas answered him, My Lord and my God!

Isaiah 10:20-21 In that day the remnant of Israel and the
survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who
struck them, but will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel,
in truth. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the
mighty God.
Isaiah 44:6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his
Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: "I am the first and I am the
last; besides me there is no god.
Titus 1:3-4 and at the proper time manifested in his word
through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by
the command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a
common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and
Christ Jesus our Savior.
Titus 2:13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the
glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ

GOD DOES NOT SHARE HIS GLORY WITH ANY OTHER

Isaiah 42:8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to
no other, nor my praise to carved idols.
But the following verses show that Jesus had glory with His
father.
Mark 8:38b when He comes in the glory of his Father with the
holy angels.
John 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence
with the glory that I had with You before the world existed.
If God does not share His glory with any other, and Jesus
wasnt God, the previous verses would not be logical. The
only way that the previous verses are logical is if Jesus Christ
is the same God as God the Father, and that Jesus Christ
and God are separate persons.

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 Again, when Jesus Christ took on His human nature, it

limited his attributes as God. JOHN 17:5 illustrates this, and that
Christ would once again be glorified as He had been before.
If Jesus is God, it is acceptable for Him to not only request
the Glory He indicates that He had, it is also fully acceptable for Him
to receive glory, and thus, does not contradict the verses stating
that God will not give His glory to another.

THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT ONLY GOD IS TO BE WORSHIPPED.

Exodus 34:14 "for you shall worship no other god, for the
Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God"

The Angels of God Refuse Worship

Revelation 22:8-9 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these
things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship
at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to
me, You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and
your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words
of this book. Worship God. also Revelation 19:10

Even Jesus Stated That Only God Is To Be Worshipped.

Matthew 4:9-11 "And he said to him, All these I will give you,
if you will fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him,
Be gone, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the
Lord your God and him only shall you serve.
Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered him, It is written, You shall
worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.

DOES JESUS ACCEPT WORSHIP AS GOD?

From the Angels
Hebrews 1:6 "And again, when he brings the firstborn into the
world, He says, Let all God's angels worship Him.
From the Disciples
Luke 24:51-52 "While he blessed them, He parted from them and
was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him and
returned to Jerusalem with great joy"
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 From the Believers

John 9:38 He said, Lord, I believe, and he worshiped Him.
Commanded by Angels
Revelation 14:7 And he said with a loud voice, Fear God and
give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come,
and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and
the springs of water. (Remind me again, who made everything? ;-)
From Everyone Eventually
Philippians 2:10-11 so that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of
God the Father.
DID JESUS RECEIVE WORSHIP AS GOD?
http://letusreason.org/Trin18.htm

JEHOVAHS WITNESS TEACHING ON SALVATION

Jehovahs Witness teach a different doctrine of salvation
than that taught by Christianity and the Bible. They teach that
there are four requirements to be saved. These four
requirements are listed in the Watchtower February 15, 1983
issue:
1. Taking in knowledge of the true God and of Jesus Christ
2. Obeying Gods laws and conforming to the moral
requirements set by the Bible
3. Being associated with Gods Channel, his organization
. . . To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must
identify that organization and serve God as part of it.
4. Showing Loyalty to God
The issue is unavailable online on the Jehovahs Witness website,
but click the Feb 15, 1983 link at this site to see a picture:
www.spiritualhostages.org/questions/what-do-jehovah's-
witnesses-say-is-required-of-salvation/
The Watchtower-September 1, 1989 issue states the following:
Only Jehovahs Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant
and the great crowd, as a united organization under the

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 protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any scriptural

hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed
system dominated by Satan the Devil. (Revelation 7:9-17;
2 Corinthians 4:4)
The issue is also unavailable online on the Jehovahs Witness
website. Click the Sept 1, 1989 link at this site to see a picture:
www.spiritualhostages.org/questions/what-do-
jehovah's-witnesses-say-is-required-of-salvation/

This statement from the Watchtower indicates that there is

a united organization under protection, with the inference being
that the Jehovahs Witness organization is that organization.
Looking up the two passages referenced, only Rev 7:10&17
seem to apply, and there is no mention of any organization:
Revelation 7:10, 17
10 and crying out with a loud voice, Salvation belongs to our
God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their
shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
In the following 2 Cor. passage we see a reference to a
blinding of the minds of UNBELIEVERS by the god of this world,
and there is the reference to the gospel of the glory of Christ.
The Watchtower section above doesnt reference the next verse 5.
what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord.
2 Corinthians 4:4-5 4 In their case the god of this world has
blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing
the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image
of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus
Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
Two of the verses Jehovahs Witness point to as support for
their teaching of the second requirement of salvation, are James
2:20 and Philippians 2:12:
James 2:20 "Faith without works is dead"
Philippians 2:12 "Work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling"
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 WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT SALVATION?

The SALVATION section toward the end of this guide shows
many aspects of salvation taught in the Bible. These verses in
James and Philippians are part of the Biblical teachings on
salvation, but not in the way Jehovahs Witnesses or Mormons
teach them. Jehovahs Witness and Mormonism teach that works
is necessary for salvation, but this is not what the Bible teaches.
The importance of works is not in that there is any work we
can do for our salvation, as if we could do anything. The importance
of works is that they are one of the evidences of our decision to
accept Christ. There is nothing we can do to justify our salvation.
It is only and completely the work of Jesus Christ. Our works dont
save us, they ONLY serve to give evidence of our being saved. If
our works could do anything for our salvation, the concept would be
contradictory to the following verses:
Romans 3:10 as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one
Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in
Gods sight by the works of the Law; rather, through the Law we
become aware of our sin.
Isaiah 64:6 all our righteous acts are like filthy rags
Do these three verses give you any indication that our salvation has
anything to do with what we do? No. They only show how what we
do has nothing to do with our salvation.
So again, why do we do works? We do works to show our
obedience to Jesus Christ and our commitment to our relationship
with Him because he died on the cross for our sins, not that our
works count toward our salvation. Think about being in a
relationship with someone. What is the evidence of each of you
being in the relationship? How you each treat the other person,
showing the respect you each have for the relationship? What if
the other person ignored you, didnt call, and showed no
consideration for what you wanted? Would these characteristics be
consistent with showing respect for you and the relationship? Of
course not! For each of you to show your commitment to the
relationship, you take each others feelings into consideration and
you do things out of respect for the other person.

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 This is the same with a relationship with Jesus Christ. If we

truly have decided to have a relationship with him, we will do what
he has asked of us, because of the infinite value we place on the
gift that he has given us. If we are not willing to do what he has
asked, it is proof that we dont truly have a relationship with Him, no
matter what we say or believe.
Weve already seen the two following verses. They both
show that God the Father, and Jesus are involved in the work of
Salvation. This make sense as only God can save.
Titus 1:3-4 and at the proper time manifested in his word
through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by
the command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a
common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and
Christ Jesus our Savior.
Titus 2:13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the
glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ
This link indicates many verses which show the different
Persons of the Trinity being referred to as SAVIOR.
WHO IS OUR SAVIOR?
www.godandscience.org/cults/savior.html

PROPHESIES BY JEHOVAHS WITNESS ORGANIZATION

As is also consistent with Mormon teachings, Jehovahs
Witness teachings include PROPHESIES about future events.
Considering the other evidences of the errors of the Jehovahs
Witness organization in this section in their teachings on the
essentials of Christianity, should we expect that their prophesies
will be accurate?
1872 BREAKING INTO PIECES OF THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD
In this chapter we present the Bible evidence which indicates that six
thousand years from the creation of Adam were complete with A.D. 1874;
and hence that, since A.D. 1872, we are chronologically entered upon the
seventh thousand or the Millennium - the forepart of which, the 'Day of the
Lord,' the 'day of trouble,' is to witness the breaking into pieces of the
kingdoms of this world and the establishment of the Kingdom of God under
the whole heavens. (Charles T. Russell: Studies in the Scriptures vol.2 - The
Time Is At Hand, 1913 ed . p.33)
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STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES VOL.2

http://jehovah.net.au/books/2-The-Time-Is-At-Hand-.87Mb.pdf
Does what has happened in the world for the past 100+
years show that there has been any breaking into pieces of the
kingdoms of this world and the establishment of the Kingdom of God under
the whole heavens?

1914A SIGNIFICANT YEAR IN BIBLE PROPHECY (Jesus return)

www.jw.org/en/publications/books/bible-teach/1914-a-
significant-year-in-bible-prophecy
The 8th paragraph states, Just as Jesus predicted, his presence
as heavenly King has been marked by dramatic world developmentswar,
famine, earthquakes, pestilences. (Matthew 24:3-8; Luke 21:11) Such
developments bear powerful testimony to the fact that 1914 indeed marked
the birth of Gods heavenly Kingdom and the beginning of the last days of
this present wicked system of things 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
This refers to one of the earlier of the Jehovahs Witness
prophesies about Jesus Christs returning, and is from the official
Jehovahs Witness site. This talks about 1914 marking the birth of
Gods heavenly Kingdom and the beginning of the last days of the present
wicked system of things As there have been over 100 years since
this prophesy, do you see any evidence that Gods Kingdom has
come into being, or any specific details of this in what was written?
Here are a few of the sites indicating many of the Jehovahs
Witness inaccurate prophesies.
JEHOVAHS WITNESSES/ WATCHTOWER PROPHECIES
www.letusreason.org/JW47.htm
WATCH TOWER SOCIETY UNFULFILLED PREDICTIONS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watch_Tower_Society_unfulfilled
_predictions#1914:_The_end_of_human_rulership
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES OF THE WATCHTOWER FALSE PROPHECIES
www.truthandgrace.com/WTfalseprophecies.htm
PROPHECY BLUNDERS OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
www.bible.ca/Jw-Prophecy.htm
CHANGED DATES :: FAILED PREDICTIONS
www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/1800s.php

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 JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AND THEIR MANY FALSE PROPHECIES

https://carm.org/jehovahs-witnesses-and-their-many-false-
prophecies
When we consider the Jehovahs Witness prophesies, we
find that they are also similar to Mormon prophesies in their lack of
accuracy. Again, the Bible shows us how to tell if a prophesy is
from God or not. And again, The Old Testament also shows how
serious it was for a person to say they had a prophesy from God.
Deuteronomy 18:22 "If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the
LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the
LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously.
Do not be afraid of him."
1st John instructs us to test the prophecy claiming to be from God.
1 John 4:1 "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the
spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false
prophets have gone out into the world."
And again, what was the punishment for a false prophet?
Deuteronomy 18:20 "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word
in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who
speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die."
Deuteronomy 13:5 "That prophet or dreamer must be put to death,
because he preached rebellion against the LORD your God, who
brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of
slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way the LORD your
God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from
among you."
The Bible has proven itself true through its accuracy over
time and through prophecy. How does the emphasis on the
STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES by Charles Taze Russell compare to
the Bibles accuracy and warning about adding to the Bible?
Again, Charles Taze Russells quote:
"If anyone lays Scriptural Studies aside even after he has
become familiar with them, after he has read them ten
years, and goes to the Bible alone, though he has

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 understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows

that within two years he goes into darkness"
"If the six volumes of Scriptural Studies are practically
the Bible topically arranged, with Bible-proofs given, we
might not improperly name the volumes, The Bible in
Arranged Form. That is to say, they are not merely
comments on the Bible, but they are practically the Bible
itself" Charles Taze Russell
WATCHTOWER, SEPTEMBER 15, 1910, PAGE 298.
www.scripturessay.com/a-reply-to-a-jehovahs-witness/9
Considering the Studies in the Scriptures are practically the
Bible itself, this quote sounds as though one could just ignore the
Bible. How does this sound compared to the commands in the
Bible?
2 Timothy 3:15-17 from infancy you have known the holy
Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and
is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work
Revelation 22:18-19 For I testify together to everyone who
hears the Words of the prophecy of this Book: If anyone adds
to these things, God will add on him the plagues that have been
written in this Book. And if anyone takes away from the Words
of the Book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of
the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and from the things
which have been written in this Book.
2 TIMOTHY 3:15-17 shows that the Bible is fully sufficient for
everything necessary for a Godly person. REVELATION 22:18-19
indicates the punishment God has for anyone adding anything to or
taking anything away from the prophesies of the book of Revelation
and possibly the entire Bible.
Whether the Revelation passage applies to only the book of
REVELATION or the entire Bible, can you think of any reason why
any of these works; BOOK OF MORMON, PEARL OF GREAT PRICE,
THE WATCHTOWER, AWAKE, and STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES with
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their false prophesies which contradict Biblical Teaching wouldnt

fall under Gods warning of adding to or taking away from? If
these works and failed prophesies qualify, do you really want to be
associated with one of these religions?
We have seen that the Bible teaches that there is only one
God, that God knows everything, and knows of no other Gods. This
one and only God doesnt share His glory with any other, and is the
only one to be worshipped. The Bible teaches that Jesus created
everything, that He has always existed, and that He received Glory
and accepted worship. The Bible also teaches that the Holy Spirit
has personal characteristics, and even Jesus referred to the Holy
Spirit as HIM. The only logical conclusion regardless of whether
we fully understand the implications is that there is only one God;
and The Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are that one true
God, and are also separate persons from one another. The
teaching of the Trinity by the Bible is clear.

The following publications can be seen at the following links:

STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES Volumes 1-7
MILLIONS NOW LIVING WILL NEVER DIE
http://jehovah.net.au/classic-watchtower-publications
WATCHTOWER MAGAZINES ONLINE 2000 to Present
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/lv/r1/lp-e/0/11891
WATCHTOWER ONLINE LIBRARY
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/lv/r1/lp-e/0
FREE ONLINE BOOKS
www.jwfiles.com/online_books/index.htm

SHARING THE TRUTH WITH JEHOVAHS WITNESSES

CHRISTIANS WITNESSING TO JEHOVAHS WITNESSES
http://4witness.org/what-we-offer/christians-witnessing-to-
jehovahs-witnesses
QUICK TIPS: MINUTES WITNESS TO A JEHOVAHS WITNESS
www.christianministriesintl.org/articles/Quick-Tips-
Witnessing-Jehovahs-Witness.php

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 HOW TO WITNESS TO A JEHOVAH'S WITNESS

www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/how-to-witness-to-a-
jehovahs-witness-1408500.html
WITNESSING TIPS
www.towertotruth.net/witnessing_tips.htm
WITNESSING TO JEHOVAHS WITNESSES
www.onthewing.org/user/Cul_Witnessing%20to%20JWs.pdf
www.blueletterbible.org/audio_video/martin_walter/jw/How
_to_Witness_to_Jehovah_s_Witnesses.cfm
TESTIMONIES OF FORMER JEHOVAHS WITNESSES
www.jwinfoline.com/Page/audio.htm
SAINTS ALIVE - AUDIO LIBRARY
www.saintsalive.com/media-library/audio-library
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
www.towertotruth.net/JW/jw_main.htm
UNDERSTANDING JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AND MORMONISM
http://waltermartin.com/realaudio.html
2003 Kingdom of the Cults
http://www.waltermartin.com/cults.html#encount
RON CARLSON MESSAGES
http://higherpraise.com/RonCarlson.htm
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES TESTIMONIES
www.towertotruth.net/audio.htm
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?keyword=Jehovah%2
7s+Witnesses&selectsearch=
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
www.towertotruth.net/JW/jw_main.htm

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* ISLAM
Unlike Mormonism and Jehovahs Witness theology, Islam
makes no claims to being Christian. To classify Islam as Christian
is considered an insult to Muslims.
Like Mormonism and Jehovahs Witness theology, there are
significant differences between the doctrines of Christianity and
Islam; in the nature of God as Trinity, of Jesus Christ, of man,
Heaven, Hell, sin, and Salvation. As such, we come back to the
concept of Truth, and The Law of Non-Contradiction. Remember,
two contradictory concepts/beliefs/ideas cannot both be true at the
same time and in the same way. Since these teachings are
contradictory, if either Christianity or Islam is true, the other is
automatically false. Again, if you have the wrong savior, you dont
have a salvation that saves.
This segment on Islam and the following one on Wicca are
the last segments to be added to this guide. Unfortunately due to
obligations and lack of time, I am limited to primarily providing links
to websites on the two religions for you to research fur. My
apologies for any inconvenience, and hopefully these links will
provide you with the resources to sufficiently research the
information at your convenience.
You will likely find duplicated information between some of
the different websites. I believe that seeing the information
presented in the different ways these websites do help to gain a
more complete understanding of the different subjects.
SITES ON ISLAM
WHAT IS ISLAM? www.truthnet.org/islam/whatisislam.html
HISTORY OF MUHAMMAD & ISLAM
http://bibleprobe.com/muhammad.htm
HISTORY OF ISLAM http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Islam
ABOUT ISLAM
www.christiananswers.net/evangelism/beliefs/islam.html
ISLAM VS CHRISTIANITY INFOGRAPHIC
www.jashow.org/articles/islam/christianity-islam-
compared/islam-vs-christianity-infographic/
ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY www.dianedew.com/islam.htm

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 COMPARISON GRID BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAMIC

DOCTRINE
https://carm.org/comparison-grid-between-christianity-and-
islamic-doctrine
CONTENDER MINISTRIES ISLAM
http://contenderministries.org/islam.php
THE QUR'AN VS. THE BIBLE
http://worldview3.50webs.com/quranvbible.html
CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM: A SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON
www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/Jesus-Muhammad.htm
SCIENTIFIC ERRORS, CONTRADICTIONS, AND INCONSISTENCIES
IN THE QUR'AN
www.faithdefenders.com/articles/worldreligions/Scientific_
Errors_in_the_Quran.html
www.faithdefenders.com/articles/worldreligions/Contardictions
_and_Inconsistencies_Quran.html

ADDRESSING ISSUES IN ISLAM

WILL THE REAL ISLAM PLEASE STAND UP.
www.equip.org/broadcast/will-real-islam-please-stand-dr-
david-wood
METHODS MUSLIMS USE TO ATTACK CHRISTIANITY
https://carm.org/methods-muslims-use-attack-christianity
BILLION BIBLES www.billionbibles.org
RELIGION OF PEACE
WWW.BILLIONBIBLES.ORG/SHARIA/RELIGION-OF-PEACE.HTML

WITNESSING TO MUSLIMS
www.gotquestions.org/witnessing-Muslims.html
www.livingwaters.com/witnessingtool/howtowitnesstomuslim
s.shtml
http://arabsforchrist.org/witnessing101
http://standupforthetruth.com/2011/08/7-tips-for-witnessing-
to-muslims

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 www.equip.org/search/?q=WITNESSING%20TO%20MUSLI
MS
www.cbn.com/spirituallife/OnlineDiscipleship/UnderstandingI
slam/Witnessing_to_Muslims.aspx
https://carm.org/questions-muslims
www.learnthebible.org/witnessing-to-muslims.html
www.answering-islam.org/Christians/index.html
www.answering-islam.org/Gilchrist/Vol1/index.html
http://engagingwithislam.org/training
www.4truth.net/fourtruthpbworld.aspx?pageid=8589953031
http://bibleanswerstodayblog.com/how-to-witness-to-a-
muslim
http://edrodgers.net/witnessing-to-muslims-using-the-quran
http://216.198.197.57/Truth%20to%20Say%20to%20Muslim
s%20-%20Camel%20Method.htm

SOME DRAMATIC CONVERSIONS FROM ISLAM

MY DRAMATIC CONVERSION FROM ISLAM
This is the testimony of the dramatic conversion of Tass Saada, a
former Muslim and PLO Sniper.
www.focusonthefamily.com/media/daily-broadcast/my-
dramatic-conversion-from-islam-pt1
www.focusonthefamily.com/media/daily-broadcast/my-
dramatic-conversion-from-islam-pt2
ISLAM: NABEEL'S TESTIMONY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nqj4nZMvXk

*A NEW CONCERN
There is a recent movement of the last decade or so called
the Insider Movement, also referred to as CHRISLAM. From the
description, it looks to provide Muslims the opportunity to come to
Christ, while still allowing them to hold to Muslim practices and
beliefs. The following will allow you to gain a greater understanding
of this movement, and the concerns voiced by Greg Koukl and
others.
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 www.gotquestions.org/Chrislam.html
www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/DigitalSG_1112_New-1.pdf
www.cc.org/blog/presbyterians_boost_new_chrislam_religion
www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/piper-responds-to-the-
insider-movement

* WICCA
Wicca, like Islam, doesnt claim to be Christian as the
Mormon and Jehovahs Witness religions do. I have included
Wicca because it is considered by some to be the fastest growing
religion among young people and especially girls. The following
description is from the referenced link, and gives some of the
reasons for its growth:
Wicca is a fast growing religion. Some have said
that it is the fastest growing religion in America. Whether
or not that is true, the fact remains that the number one
source of numbers in the Wiccan ranks, are the young.
In our postmodern world where moral absolutes
are disparaged and truth statements are doubted, Wicca
fits right in. It offers a subjective religious experience that
is aided by your own invention. Wicca is the religion of
nature worship, of gods and goddesses, of spells and
incantations designed to bring influence upon
circumstances and/or people.
Youth sometimes get lost in that transition between
childhood and adulthood, and often do not know what
direction to go to find truth and meaning. But this does not
stop them from trying. They seek to identify with groups,
music, causes, and philosophies. It helps to give them
purpose, meaning, and identity. So too with Wicca. It is a
world religion based upon ancient agrarian religious belief
out of northern Europe that allows them to cater their
beliefs and practices to their own desires. How satisfying!
Think about it. There is an attraction to the idea that you
can construct a religious system that suits your
preferences and use that system to gain control and

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 influence. That is why many of the youth of today are

joining up with it.
WICCA AND THE YOUTH
https://carm.org/religious-movements/wicca/wicca-
and-youth

WHAT IS WICCA? IS WICCA WITCHCRAFT?

www.gotquestions.org/Wicca.html
WICCA https://carm.org/wicca
WICCA AND PAGANISM
http://www.christiananswers.net/evangelism/beliefs/wicca.html
WICCA: WHAT'S THE FASCINATION?
http://www.cbn.com/entertainment/books/elliottb_wicca.aspx
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL WITH WICCA?
http://seanmcdowell.org/media/articles/061031.asp
WHY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED TO WICCA
http://www.equip.org/PDF/JAW180.pdf
HIDDEN TRAPS OF WICCA
www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/teens/hidden-traps-of-wicca
A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO WICCA
www.contenderministries.org/wicca/response.php
WHATS WRONG WITH WICCA?
www.equip.org/bible_answers/whats-wrong-with-wicca
PROTECTING YOUR TEEN FROM TODAY'S WICCA
www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/protecting-your-
teen-from-todays-wicca-1363841.html
SHARING WITH WICCANS
www.dare2share.org/worldviews/wiccans

The following last link is not a Christian website, but the

article shows the impression some Christians have left on the
author of this article and some of the commenters. This is a good
reminder to all of us how important our character is and the negative
impression we will leave with others when we exhibit characteristics
considered by others to be non-Christian. I think it is also a good
example showing how others will be less open to considering the
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truths of Christianity if they feel weve been disrespectful to beliefs

they hold to be true. Something tells me that the Christians the
author references werent using questions similar to those in the
TACTICS section.
THE 10 MOST ANNOYING THINGS CHRISTIANS SAY TO PAGANS,
WITCHES, & WICCANS
http://modernalchemyst.hubpages.com/hub/The-10-Most-Annoying-Things-
Christians-Say-to-Pagans-Witches-Wiccans

* OTHER RELIGIONS
This section will provide you with links to be able to learn
about the beliefs of other religions. Remember that whatever belief
system is true, any belief system that contradicts the true belief
system is false. Remember also that you dont need detailed
information on the different belief systems to evaluate them, you
only need to know how they differs from each other and from
Christianity. These links will provide you with the information
showing many of the differences.
I have also added sites at the bottom showing the reasons
why Christianity is different from all other religions, and why these
differences make it worth considering.
COMPARATIVE RELIGION
www.comparativereligion.com
THE BIG RELIGION CHART
www.religionfacts.com/compare/religions
THE BIG RELIGION CHART
www.godfire.net/Religion_Chart.htm
CHRISTIANITY AND THE CHALLENGE OF WORLD RELIGIONS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NraZ1OFbq8s
This is one of the videos from the 2011 Veritas Apologetics Conference
Veritas Apologetics Conference 2011 - Playlist
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-
0zpu2toenY1I4a8UMZK5oSeOXCYN9B5
Jesus Among Other Gods by Ravi Zacharias
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2vot0xeefk

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 What Sets Christianity Apart From All Other Religions?

www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-sets-christianity-apart-
from-all-other-religions/#ixzz3vnmStOnl
How is Christianity Any Different Than Other Religions?
www1.cbn.com/churchandministry/how-is-christianity-any-
different-than-other-religions%3F
What makes Christianity unique?
www.gotquestions.org/Christianity-unique.html
Why Christianity vs Other Faiths
www.faithfacts.org/world-religions-and-theology/why-christianity

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 8. SALVATION
He who created us without our help will not save us
without our consent. Augustine
Christ died for men precisely because men are not worth
dying for; to make them worth it. C.S. Lewis

HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING?

Why is salvation necessary?
Why do I need to accept Christ to be saved?
Cant I just be good enough?
If Jesus paid for my sins, arent they forgiven
even if I decide not to accept His gift?
________________________

Ive included this section on salvation because some of the

significant details about salvation throughout this guide have not
been referenced in complete context. They are also not in a logical
progression. Also, since the details are located at different
locations throughout this guide, it might be difficult to gain a well-
rounded understanding of the subject in a logical presentation.
If you didnt have a clear understanding of the concept of
Salvation before reading this guide, hopefully you have a more
accurate understanding now. If you are still a little unclear, Ive
attempted to present the concept of Salvation as completely and
logically as I can think to in this section. Hopefully you will then have
a fairly complete understanding of the subject.
In a nutshell, we are sinners because we have violated the
just laws of our infinite creator God. Our sin has damaged the
relationship God originally established with us and wants to have
again. God has made a way to resolve this damage by sending his
Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the sin debt for the sin weve committed.

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 Jesus Christ freely chose to allow Himself to be sacrificed

on the cross to fulfill the payment penalty for our sin. If we decide
to accept this gift He offers, we will spend eternity in a relationship
with Him. If we dont accept the gift He offers, we will spend eternity
in a location separated from Him. Our desire to live our lives
consistent with Gods will is the evidence of our having truly
accepted his gift. Will we still fail and fall short? Yes, but our desire
will be to live for Him, and look to follow His will rather than our own.
One of the most important things we can do is to have a
good understanding of the meaning of the words in the Bible.
Misunderstanding the meanings of words in the Bible will cause us
to misunderstand the Bible and its message. When I was young
and came across a word I didnt know, I would usually ask my dad
what the word meant. He would then ask me to read the sentence
the word was in so that he could see how the word was used.
Words frequently have different meanings depending on how they
are used. When you see all the ways a word is used, it gives much
better understanding of the range of meanings of the word.
A Concordance is one of the tools used to study the Bible.
It lists words from the Bible, and then under each word is a list of
different verses with that particular word. Reading the different
verses with the same word will give you a very good understanding
of the full Biblical meaning of a word as it is used in the Bible.
Online Concordance: www.biblesuite.com
Another good Bible tool site: www.openbible.info
This section on salvation is similar in that we will look at
many of the verses which not only have the word salvation, but
which also speak on the subject of Salvation. This will allow us to
gain a more complete understanding of the Biblical teaching of
SALVATION. Like the term TRINITY though, there are verses which
dont use the word SALVATION but the concept is clearly taught in
the verses. The verses in this section will show why salvation is
necessary, what Christ has done to provide it, what is required on
our part to receive it, and other aspects of this subject. I have used
a series of questions which Ive wondered about when I was
younger or questions Ive heard people ask, as the framework to
provide the answers many of the different aspects of salvation.
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 I believe that most of us have initially thought that our

Salvation was based upon how GOOD we were and how many GOOD
WORKS we have done. I initially thought that God would weigh my
works to see whether my GOOD works outweighed my BAD, and if
my GOOD outweighed my BAD, I would go to Heaven.
Without any other information to bring us to a different
conclusion, thinking this way would seem reasonable considering
the experiences most of us have in life. So many aspects of our
lives are based upon what weve done or not done. Just think about
some of the questions you probably hear, and also have probably
heard in your household: Did you clean your room?, Did you
do your homework?, and How did you do on your test?
As an adult, we hear questions like, Did you make the
deposit?, Did you make the payment?, Did you get the
documents in the mail? Depending on your answer, the
subsequent results can be either positive or negative.
With only our reasoning to go by, it is natural to conclude
that with Salvation, God will judge us by what we have done or have
not done. However, should we base our conclusions about
Salvation on our human reasoning, or on the Bible? Which has
been proven to give us the best understanding of God; the Bible,
the word of One who knows everything, or our human reasoning,
which is usually based upon limited information? When we
consider what the Bible says, we see Gods perspective on
Salvation, which really is the only perspective that matters.
Ive tried to think of many of the questions that one might
have about salvation and answer them using the Bible. Since the
Bible shows such great evidence as being from God, we can have
confidence in what it states as being the perspective of God. In the
end, we each need to answer the question we looked at earlier in
this guide as related to salvation and the Bible, Will we make the
Bible flexible to our human reasoning and will, or will we make
our hearts, lives, and motivations flexible to the Bible?

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*WHY IS SALVATION NECESSARY?

1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and
proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1 Timothy 6:15-16 He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the
King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who
dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can
see.
In these verses we see some of the characteristics of God.
Its important to remind ourselves regularly, of the characteristics of
this God who desires a relationship with us. These presentations
will provide you with a greater insight into who this truly Awesome
God is that the Bible communicates to us.
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD LOUIE GIGLIO
www.youtube.com/watch?v=azFFc20_Ub4
INDESCRIBABLE LOUIE GIGLIO
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNgJhuICrVA
To keep things in perspective, Louie Giglios first
presentation just barely covers our own Milky Way Galaxy. The
second presentation expands coverage to a very small area of the
Universe. In the EVIDENCES section, I listed the following links about
the Hubble Ultra Deep Field.
The Hubble eXtreme Deep Field
www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic1214b
In 2014, scientists made a 3D model of the Ultra Deep Field:
The Hubble Ultra Deep Field in 3D
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAVjF_7ensg

The Hubble Deep Field is an absolutely breathtaking picture

taken of an area of the sky much smaller than the visible moon,
showing an incredible 4000 of the 100 Billion Galaxies estimated to
exist, with each galaxy having an average of 100 Billion stars. The
creator of this incredible Universe is the God we have offended with
our sin. He is the God the Bible describes, the Bible which is the
only volume claiming to be of God, showing evidences of being from
God.
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 Are you starting to feel a little insignificant? Me too. And

yet, as insignificant as we might consider ourselves, this
incomprehensible God loves us so much that He chose to die on
the Cross to pay the sin debt that we owe.
Do you think of this awe-Inspiring God in the way that these
presentations and the Hubble Ultra Deep Field show Him to be?
After seeing the Louie Giglio videos and the incredible immensity of
the Universe indicated through the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, have
you suddenly realized that your impression of God is far far too
small?! I know that before seeing these presentations, my thoughts
of God were far less than who He has revealed Himself to be.
According to the Law of Cause and Effect, this God has
more power than the entire Universe, all 100+ billion galaxies of
100+ billion stars in each galaxy, and beyond that, he created it
from nothing! He knows everything and exists everywhere. And
whats more amazing is to think that he probably created the entire
Universe for no other reason than to display His power and glory.
Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
This is the God we have offended with our sin. Is it more
understandable now how our sin is viewed by this perfect God?
As the verses below the first question indicate, God is light,
and in him is no darkness at all and He dwells in unapproachable
light. God cannot share his presence with sin, and since we are
sinful, he cannot exist with us in our current condition. This is why
he provided a way of salvation through the gift Christ has provided,
so that we would have the incredible privilege of spending eternity
with Him in heaven.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake God made Christ to be sin who
knew no sin, so that in Christ we might become the righteousness of
God.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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*WHY CANT GOD JUST FORGIVE OUR SIN?

WHY DOES THERE NEED TO BE A PRICE FOR SIN?
Some have wondered why God doesnt just forgive our sin
and why Jesus had to die for our sin. After all, if he is God, cant he
do anything? Remember though, just because God is all powerful
this doesnt mean that he can do certain things. Two examples of
things that are not possible for God to accomplish through power
are that God violate his nature, and violating the laws of logic, as in
Him making a square circle. Some issues cant be solved by power
regardless of that power being unlimited. To better understand the
answer to this question, we need to have a better understanding of
God and of sin.
GREG KOUKL - IF GOD IS ALL-POWERFUL, WHY DOES EVIL EXIST?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jRMWKz4hbw

One of the ways God is described in the Bible is as a judge.

The Bible refers to Him as a RIGHTEOUS JUDGE:
Psalm 7:11 God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels
indignation every day.
Think for a moment about someone committing a
horrendous crime against you or one of your loved ones or friends.
Now think about the person being caught and convicted and now
standing before the judge. How would you feel if the judge decided
to let them go without any sentence simply because the person
hadnt done anything wrong before? If the judge released them,
would you feel that the judge was a RIGHTEOUS judge or would you
consider them a terrible judge? If God is a righteous judge he must
judge sin and impose the penalty that sin deserves. To not do so
would mean that He wasnt a righteous judge.
An illustration Ive heard as to what Jesus provides is that of
owning a very expensive collectible car in mint condition. Think
about owning such a car. Would you own a classic collectable, or
a new exotic?
Now, suppose you let a friend drive it and they crashed the
car and caused major body and structural damage to the car,
requiring an extremely expensive restoration and rebuild? You can
forgive your friend for the accident but what is still required to
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resolve the damage to the car? The car still needs to be repaired
and a payment has to be made to repair that damage. If you pay
for the damage you have effectively paid the debt they owed.
Here is a news story of the most expensive auto repair in
Englands history:
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/rowan-atkinson-sets-record-
for-biggest-ever-car-insurance-claim-091922086.html
Think about the word Savior. If Jesus is a Savior, that
means that he saves us from something? Our SIN has caused
infinite damage to the relationship we have with God, and God
values relationships and our love for others as greater than anything
else according to all of chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians. Here are just
verses 1-3:
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 If I speak in the tongues of men and of
angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging
cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all
mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to
remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give
away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but
have not love, I gain nothing.
Because of the incredible importance of relationships to
God, damage to our relationships with others is very damaging.
There is a cost to this damage, a price which is far too great for us
to pay. Since Christ is God, He is qualified to pay the price, with
that price being His death on the cross. If we dont choose to
humble ourselves and accept His saving payment for our sin, we
are left with the only other option which is to try to pay for our sin
debt ourselves. Since we are not God, we are unqualified and
unable to pay such a price for our sin debt and we are destined to
go to an eternity separated from God, and will be sent to the only
place prepared for those where God is not.
As mentioned earlier, hell is the place God created for Satan
and the demons where God is not present. The only location God
can send those who still have unforgiven sin is hell. This is because
they have rejected Christs sacrifice on the cross, the only payment

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sufficient for the sin they have committed, and also because Hell is
the only location where God isnt.
Something else to consider. Anyone who decides that they
will not humble themselves and accept Christs payment, has
essentially decided to do things their way. They want to resolve
their sin condition the way that they want, and not the way God has
provided through His choosing to die on the cross because of His
love for us. Can you see the arrogance in this way of thinking?
If God created us and He is preparing heaven for us, doesnt
He have the right to determine the conditions necessary for us to
go there? He has not only determined the conditions, he had also
satisfied the conditions, but these satisfied conditions only apply if
we accept them on His terms. There are some who will only accept
the conditions they have determined. They want to be able to point
to something they have done or something about themselves that
is worthy. God has already shown us that none of us is worthy, and
that is why He has satisfied the conditions necessary for us to have
eternal life. If we refuse the work he has done by insisting on our
way, we refuse the only option that truly works.
Also remember the question I asked regarding a crime.
Who determines the severity and punishment of a crime? The one
who committed the crime? No. In our country it is the lawmakers
who determine the severity and punishment. When we have
committed a crime against God, it is God who determines the
severity of the offense and the punishment necessary.

*WHY DOES GOD HATE SIN, AND IS IT REALLY THAT BAD?

In the RELATIONSHIPS, LOVE AND SIN and TEMPTATION sub-
segments of the GROWING AS A CHRISTIAN section toward the end,
I cover sin in more depth and give a more detailed explanation as
to why sin is so bad. I encourage you to read those segments for
additional understanding. It will give you greater detail as to why
sin is bad enough to cause a separation between us and God, as
in this verse in Isaiah.
Isaiah 59:2 but your iniquities have made a separation between
you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear.
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 In a nutshell, temptation is rooted in selfishness, which is

to think of ourselves above others, which is the opposite of what is
important to God. Giving into temptation is a sin because we
choose our selfish desires over loving others. Since selfishness
damages relationships. And relationships are of utmost importance
to God, any damage caused to a relationship also causes damage
to the relationship we have with God.
At the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry page,
http://carm.org/why-god-hates-sin, we see some of the examples of
sin.
Sin takes many forms. It can be aggressive as in rape and
murder. It can be passive as when we choose not to do
what is right and let others suffer. Sin can take the form
of misrepresentation so that such things as adultery is
called an affair, Homosexuality is called an alternative
lifestyle, and abortion is called the right to choose.

Again, as to how bad sin is, who gets to determine the

answer? When we think of someone who has committed a crime,
what determines whether the person will pay a $100 fine or be
sentenced to death? The severity of the crime, right? Who
determines the severity of the crime? Is it the criminal? No. Most
criminals feel at least partially justified in doing what they have
done, otherwise they wouldnt have done what they did. Right?
The end result of the crime, someones death through a robbery for
example, they may not have intended, but they are still responsible
for these results. That is why when a crime is committed against a
person or in our society, the citizens, we elect leaders to determine
the punishment for crimes. And notice also that crimes are almost
always due to the selfishness of the one perpetrating the crime.
When we sin, who are we ultimately offending? God. As
such, God is the one who determines the severity of the offense
and the punishment required. What standard does God use to
determine the severity of the offense? I believe it is the degree to
which a relationship has been damaged. A disagreement causes a
slight damage to a relationship, where a murder is the irreversible
termination of any existing, possible, or future relationship.

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 Again, in the later sections on RELATIONSHIPS and

TEMPTATION we see that God indicates that relationships are the
highest ideal to strive toward. LOVE is foundational to all
relationships, selfishness is foundational to all temptation, and
temptation is foundational to all sin. When we sin we are choosing
our own selfish desires over what God desires, and so we choose
against Gods highest ideal. Since our sin is against the ideal that
is most significant to God, our sin then demands the most significant
penalty.
In a nutshell, sin is giving in to the temptation to fulfill a
selfish desire. All temptation is rooted in selfishness, in thinking of
ourselves above others. This selfishness is the opposite of love for
others which God indicates as the highest virtue we can strive for,
because it is the necessary foundation for all relationships, which
God places incredible value on. Considering that relationships of
incredible value to God are damaged due to our selfishness and
lack of love, this damage requires an incredible penalty to be paid.
We need to remember that SIN IS all the things we do and
dont do which satisfy our selfish desires, and which are the
OPPOSITE OF WHAT GOD DESIRES. The reason God desires that we
dont sin is because sin damages the relationship we have with Him
and others, and goes against Gods very nature.
How close would you feel to someone who has lied to you,
stolen from you, or told others lies about you? You would probably
be very hesitant to have any kind of relationship with them. Thats
what our sin does to our relationship with others and ultimately God.
Why is Sin so Bad?
http://odb.org/2005/04/14/why-is-sin-so-bad
Why is Sin so Bad?
http://simplychristianteaching.blogspot.com/2014/07/why-
is-sin-so-bad-part-1.html
http://simplychristianteaching.blogspot.com/2014/07/why-
is-sin-so-bad-part-2.html

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*DOES EVERYONE NEED SALVATION?

Romans 3:10 as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through
one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men
because all sinned
These verses indicate NONE IS RIGHTEOUS not MANY. And
ALL HAVE SINNED, not MOST. It is clear that all of us have sinned and
all of us have failed to live up to Gods standard. If there was any
doubt in our tendency to sin we need only look to Adam and Eve in
The Garden of Eden, in Genesis. We see that Adam and Eve failed
the one single command they were instructed to follow.
Genesis 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil you shall not eat.
They couldnt even do that. Adam and Eve couldnt even
follow just one command. And they did this why? They had been
fooled by Satan to focus on their own selfish desires, and then give
in to those desires which were opposite Gods desire that they not
eat of the fruit. If they couldnt keep from violating just one
command then what hope is there for us to keep the additional
commands instructed by God? No hope at all. Considering this
fact as confirmed by the SELF-CHECK section, its pretty easy to
realize that everyone has sinned and needs salvation.
I believe God has shown us through the example of Adam
and Eve that even if there were only one command, each of us
would eventually violate the command, showing our true need for
his gift of salvation.

*WHY DID GOD CREATE US IF HE KNEW WE WOULD SIN AND THAT

OUR SIN WOULD REQUIRE JESUS DEATH ON THE CROSS?

God knew that to create us with free will to be able to choose

Him would also mean that we would have the ability to not choose
Him. Without free will we wouldnt have freedom of choice to
choose to love him. We would be robots programmed to do so.
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 He did all this knowing that it would require the crucifixion of

His Son, and knowing this before he ever created us. He did this
for His glory, which he determined was worth the sacrifice.
Remember, God cant create square circles, and just because God
has all power does not mean that he can create us with free will
without the freedom to sin. God having all power allows him to
resolve issues which require power. Free Will is outside of the
capability of power to resolve.
WHY DID GOD CREATE MAN KNOWING HE WOULD SIN?
http://kirkcameron.com/god-create-man-knowing-sin
IF GOD KNEW THAT ADAM AND EVE WOULD SIN, WHY DID HE CREATE THEM?
http://www.gotquestions.org/if-God-knew-Adam-Eve-
sin.html

Ultimately, God created us to bring glory to himself.

Everything God does, everything He doesnt do, everything He
allows or doesnt allow, is ultimately for His glory. Even the
punishment of sin brings Him Glory, because He is glorified in His
righteousness. He created all 100 billion galaxies out of nothing for
His glory. He has created us for His own glory, and he has provided
the opportunity for salvation to all so that He will be glorified.
Isaiah 43:6-7 Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the
end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created
for my glory.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO GLORIFY GOD?
www.gotquestions.org/glorify-God.html
ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD
http://founders.org/fj56/all-to-the-glory-of-god
LIVING TO THE GLORY OF GOD
www.prca.org/sermons/I_Cor_10-31.htm

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*DOES GOD WANT EVERYONE TO BE SAVED?

Some have claimed that God only saves some and doesnt
want everyone to be saved. What does the Bible indicate as what
Gods desire is for the salvation of all of humanity?
1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God
our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the
knowledge of the truth.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count
slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should
perish, but that all should reach repentance.
The unfortunate truth, is that since we have free will to choose or
reject God, some will choose to reject Him and His gift of eternal
life.

*HAS CHRIST PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY OF SALVATION

TO EVERYONE?

1 Timothy 2:6 who gave himself as a ransom for all

1 John 2:2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours
only but also for the sins of the whole world.
These verses show that His sacrifice on the cross is enough
to pay the price for all the sin of everyone who has lived and will
ever live. There is an acronym using the word GRACE which
illustrates this idea. GODS RICHES AT CHRISTS EXPENSE
Through the EXPENSE CHRIST PAID on the cross we have the
opportunity to receive the RICHES OF GOD, eternal life with Him for
all eternity.
It is important to realize though, that even though Christs
death on the cross is more than sufficient to pay the price everyone
owes for the sin we all commit, that doesnt mean that everyone is
saved. Christs sacrifice has provided the opportunity for everyone
to be saved, but it is only applicable to those who truly did receive
him. It is still a choice that each of us must individually make.

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John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his
name, he gave the right to become children of God

*IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO BE DONE OTHER THAN THE

SACRIFICE CHRIST HAS MADE?:
Hebrews 10 clearly indicates that Christ has done a work
that is fully sufficient to pay the sin debt we owe, without any need
to have more done. Here are verses 8-18 of Hebrews 10:
8
When he said above, You have neither desired nor taken pleasure
in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings
(these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, Behold, I
have come to do your will. He does away with the first in order to
establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11
And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly
the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when
Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down
at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies
should be made a footstool for his feet.14 For by a single offering he
has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
15
And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16
This is the covenant that I will make with themafter those days,
declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts,
and write them on their minds, 17 then he adds, I will remember
their sins and their lawless deeds no more.
18
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any
offering for sin.

*CAN WE BE GOOD ENOUGH TO BE CONSIDERED RIGHTEOUS?

Romans 3:10 as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one
Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in
Gods sight by the works of the Law; rather, through the
Law we become aware of our sin.
Isaiah 64:6 all our righteous acts are like filthy rags
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 Most of us have looked to our own works as a justification

in our own minds for our goodness. While this does apply
somewhat in this life in our relationship with others it doesnt apply
to Gods requirement for entrance into Heaven. I used to think that
the Bible showed me how GOOD I could be and thus be GOOD
enough to go to Heaven. Romans 3:20 clearly indicates that the
Bible doesnt show me how good I can be but how bad I truly am
and truly have been.
Romans 3:10 and first part of Romans 3:20 show that none
of us are righteous, nor can we be made that way though our own
efforts.
Romans 3:20 shows that rather than the Bible being a GOAL
to reach, the Bible shows GODS PERFECT STANDARD, and shows us
how far short we are of his standard. Think about driving on a road
without a speed limit sign and thinking the speed limit is 55 mph and
driving at 55. When you finally see a speed limit sign, and it reads
15 mph. You now see the standard and you then realize how far
away from it you are.
Where this illustration falls short is that while our speed can
be adjusted to satisfy the speed standard, nothing we do can ever
satisfy Gods standard. The Bible shows how far below Gods
standard each of us are. As in the SELF-CHECK section, we only
need to look to the 10 Commandments to see how bad we actually
are. Have we ever taken anything that wasnt ours regardless of
the value? Have we ever lied about anything or anyone, even if a
very small lie? You get the picture.
And if we had any remaining thought that we could possibly
be good enough our entire life, the following verse should clear up
any confusion.
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one
point, is guilty of breaking it all
As you can see by this verse, we only need to sin once in
our entire lifetime to be guilty before God. The only person who
accomplished not sinning their entire human life was Jesus Christ.
This is one of the ways he proved that He was God and why he is
the only one qualified to pay the price for our sin.
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*SINCE IM GUILTY OF SIN, WHAT PUNISHMENT DO I DESERVE?

Romans 6:23a The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God, is
eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord
According to www.yourdictionary.com, WAGES are defined
as: money paid to a worker for work performed, or the price you
pay for doing something wrong or unwise.
So in this part of the verse The wages of sin is death,
what is the work it is referring to? It is the sin we commit, right?
So this means that what weve earned for the sin we commit is
death, which the Bible defines as eternal separation from God in
hell.
The verse also states, But the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ Notice that this indicates gift and not
wages? Can you earn a gift? No. A gift can only be accepted or
rejected.
Think about the last time you gave someone a gift. How
would you feel if they pulled out their wallet and tried to pay you for
the gift as you were handing it to them? Would you feel that their
attempt to pay you for your gift was a compliment or an insult? An
insult of course!
This is the same with God. If we try to earn the gift he offers
through our good works, we insult God. We are essentially saying,
Jesus dying on the cross wasnt enough to pay for
my sin. I need to do something.
This is the typical human reaction. We seem to have
difficulty accepting something of value without being able to say that
we did something for it. If we feel we did something, we feel more
worthy of what has been given to us. And if what is given to us is
of great value we want even more to feel that weve done something
to earn it, at least just a little.
Romans 6:23a states, Eternal life through Jesus Christ our
Lord, and NOT through Jesus Christ our Lord after all we can
do.

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 Since Jesus is God, He is the only one qualified to pay the

price for my sin. And since it states through Jesus Christ our Lord
it only applies if Jesus Christ actually IS our Lord.
James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the
demons believeand shudder!
Satan and the demons recognize Jesus Christ as Lord but
they are not going to heaven? While they recognize Christ as THE
Lord, He is not their Lord. So just believing that God exists doesnt
get anyone to heaven.

*IF JESUS PAID THE PRICE FOR MY SIN, AND MY GOOD WORKS DONT
COUNT AT ALL, WHY DO I NEED TO BE GOOD AND DO GOOD WORKS?

James 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also
faith apart from works is dead.
John 14:15 If you love Me, keep my commands
John 15:5,8 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides
in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me
you can do nothing. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear
much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
When someone does something important for us, and we
know they didnt have to do and that we didnt deserve, we feel a
sense of obligation to be nicer to them and take into greater
consideration what is important to them. We want to show them
that we truly appreciate what they did.
Our salvation is similar in that we recognize that Christ did
for us something very important that we didnt deserve, and so we
take what He indicates is important into consideration in how we
live our lives. We choose to do the things Christ indicates is
important to show our appreciation to Him for what he has done for
us. This demonstrates that we value the price Christ paid for our
salvation. As indicated before, our living for Christ is not to earn our
salvation but to show evidence of us choosing Christs payment for
our sin.

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 If I say Ive been saved by Christ but my life doesnt
show any evidence, (my works and lifestyle), its easy to conclude
that my statement is just words and not what Ive really chosen.
John 14:15 If you love Me, keep my commands. If I dont
keep his commands, it is proof that I dont love him and have not
accepted his priceless gift of salvation, and have not been saved by
him.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified,
and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
1 Samuel 16:7 For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on
the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.
When we tell someone something, they can only determine
the truthfulness of our statement by what weve said and then by
our actions. But remember, God can see into our heart and knows
our true motives. Remember my example of the penalty in a jury
trial? When a defendant is found guilty, our justice system typically
determines the severity of the penalty based on the motivation of
the defendant. In the examples given previously showing the two
news stories about the two different deaths, one was an accident
and the other was premeditated. The investigation resulted in very
different outcomes. What if we killed an attacker because we were
defending an innocent person from this attacker? We would be
found innocent with no sentence, because of actions to defend
another.
Since God knows everything and is outside of time, He not
only knows our motivations, He knows our motivations before we
do, and before we are even born!
God offers the gift of eternal life to us, not because of what
weve done but because of what Christ did on the cross for us. And
our going to heaven comes down to whether or not weve decided
to truly accept his payment for our sin, and not just saying a
sentence. How we live our life proves whether we have truly
accepted His gift, or if our claim were only words we repeated.

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*CAN I REALLY KNOW IVE ACCEPTED CHRISTS GIFT AND AM SAVED,

AND CAN I LOSE MY SALVATION IF I SIN REALLY BAD?
1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name
of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish,
and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
God not only offers us the gift of salvation but also the
knowledge that if we are truly saved we can be fully confident in that
salvation. If Christ paid such a great price to guarantee my eternal
destination, God wont let anything affect his investment.
If weve truly accepted Christs payment for our sin, God
gives us the confidence that our salvation is secure. This way we
can quit wasting time worrying about whether or not we are saved
and invest our time reaching others with the message of Gods gift
of salvation. Remember, Gods highest ideal is for us to care about
others over ourselves. Wasting time worrying about our own
salvation is selfish compared to our efforts to reaching others with
the amazing gift Christ offers to everyone.
Salvation means that Christ has paid for our sin.
Unfortunately, in this life, salvation doesnt mean that we no longer
sin. We certainly will sin but our lifestyle wont be to sin.
1 John 1:8-10 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If
we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not
in us.
Christ will forgive us of our sin if we have decided to accept
his gift of salvation, but his forgiveness doesnt necessarily remove
the consequences or our sin. As an example, if a Christian is texting
and driving and injures or kills someone, Christ will forgive this sin,
but the Christian is still subject to the penalties and punishments of
the laws of the society.
Another saying I like in reference to sin is, Sin will keep
you from the Bible, or the Bible will keep you from sin. Are

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you regularly reading your Bible? Also, as 1 John 1:8-10 indicates,
we will all continue to sin. However if we are truly saved God will
not allow us to remain comfortable in our sin.

*WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO WERE CHRISTIANS AND THEN

REJECTED CHRIST?

You will occasionally hear someone say that they were a

Christian but that they arent anymore. What is most likely true is
that the person probably never was a Christian, and the same for
anyone who thinks they were a Christian but changed their mind.
What is probably true is that what they believed they accepted as
Christianity was actually their wrong understanding of Christianity.
So they never actually accepted Christ and became a true
Christian. They actually never were a Christian.
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if
they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they
went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
We saw in John 10:28 in the previous question that once a
person has truly accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, God will never
allow anyone to change that. He has paid too high a price.
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish,
and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
I USED TO BE A CHRISTIAN
www.jesus-is-
savior.com/False%20Religions/Atheism/I_used_to_be_a_christia
n.htm

YOU DIDN'T USED TO BE A CHRISTIAN

www.jesus-is-savior.com/Basics/used_to_be.htm

5 LIES I USED TO BELIEVE ABOUT BEING A CHRISTIAN

www.relevantmagazine.com/god/practical-faith/5-lies-i-used-
believe-about-being-christian

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I USED TO BE A CHRISTIAN... BUT CONVERTED TO ISLAM

www.christiantoday.com/article/i.used.to.be.a.christian.but.conv
erted.to.islam/39001.htm

If a person believes that they used to be a Christian but

arent now, but they dont know what a Christian actually is, then
they cant have been a true Christian, can they? It is easy to think,
But werent they sincere? in their belief. Remember though,
someones sincerity doesnt determine truth, does it? A person can
be sincere but be sincerely wrong. Being sincere has nothing to do
with what is true, and just because a person sincerely believed they
were a Christian, didnt make it so.
In the link above where the person claims they were a
Christian but converted to Islam, they indicated:
"I can't remember the moment when I stopped believing
that Jesus was the son of God, but I remember how I
felt I wasn't sure what I was or what I believed
anymore. I had been so sure before."
When she states that she cant remember when she
stopped believing that Jesus was the son of God, do you
think her belief was based upon the evidence or a feeling? At
the end of this comment, she states I had been so sure
before. It seems that her confidence was based upon how
strongly she believed and her sincerity. Again, sincerity and
confidence are not the basis for something being true.
Can you now see how those who have called
themselves Christians, but are not now, that they most likely
never truly were Christians?

*DOESNT GOD WANT ME TO GET MY LIFE ON TRACK FIRST?

Romans 5:8 God shows his love for us in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.
God showed his love for us. He didnt just tell us, He
proved it by dying on the cross. And he did this before we could do
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anything for him. while we were still sinners this part of the verse
shows that God didnt wait for us to get our lives on track first. He
died for us while we were still sinners. And He did this knowing that
even though his sacrifice if sufficient for every sin of every person
that ever lives on this planet, many will never choose to accept Him,
and never receive his gift.
SALVATION AND THE WORK OF CHRIST An in-depth study
http://godswordforyou.com/bible-studies/salvation-and-the-
work-of-christ.html

*IF JESUS PAID FOR MY SINS, ARENT I FORGIVEN EVEN IF I

CHOSE NOT TO ACCEPT HIS GIFT?

Some may come to the conclusion from the two following

verses that they will be saved even if they dont decide to accept
Christs payment for their sin on the cross:
1 Timothy 2:6 who gave himself as a ransom for all
1 John 2:2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours
only but also for the sins of the whole world.
When only one or two verses are considered, its easy to
come to an incomplete conclusion. This is why it is important to
consider many verses when researching an important subject in the
Bible. And can there be a more important subject to have a correct
understanding of than Salvation? Lets look at a few other verses
which give additional insight.
John 5:40 you refuse to come to me that you may have life
Luke 13:23-24 And someone said to him, Lord, will those who
are saved be few? And he said to them, Strive to enter through
the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will
not be able.
Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will
enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my
Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord,
Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in

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your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then
will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you
workers of lawlessness.
And the verse we saw earlier:
John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his
name, he gave the right to become children of God
As we can see, there are people who will not enter the
kingdom of heaven. God actually indicates that he doesnt know
them. And this is even after a plea on the part of some that they
were doing his will.
It seems that those making the plea that they were doing
Gods will have decided on their own what Gods will is. Could it be
that since they are pointing to things theyve done, they are trying
to justify receiving Gods gift through the works they have done? As
weve already seen, it is an insult to God for us to think that we can
do anything to have any justification for us to go to Heaven. God
paid an incredible price and he will not allow anyone to take credit
for what He has done. Since He is God and has paid this price, He
has every right to take credit for his work. He and He alone
deserves and receives the Glory.
The first verse above, John 5:40, clearly indicates that some
will refuse to come to Him. Remember, he will not force anyone to
choose Him. He respects everyones freedom of choice, and will
not force anyone to do what they dont want to. It is only those who
decide to follow Gods will who will be saved, and this by accepting
Christs payment on the cross for their sin, and then validate their
choice by living for Him.
Lastly, think of God offering a pardon for your sin because
of Christs sacrifice on the cross. You still have to make the decision
to accept his pardon or else it doesnt apply. Until recently, if a
criminal sentenced to death was pardoned, they still had to ACCEPT
the pardon otherwise the sentence was carried out. This link shows
an event in history where someone refused a pardon.
THE MAN WHO REFUSED THE PARDON
http://members.core.com/~lpm8998/man_who_refused.htm

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 In the end, it ultimately comes down to who or what we place

at the center of our lives, who or what we choose to worship and
follow. Some will say that they dont worship anything, but in reality
we all worship regardless of our belief in the existence or non-
existence of a God. For each of us there is something that drives
us that gives our lives meaning. Whether power, influence, money,
sex, God, or something else; we all worship something.
EVERYONE WORSHIPS SOMETHING
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUnoaMp5k58
COUNTERFEIT GODS - TIM KELLER
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mK65lpveSM
DAVID WARNER WALLACE - ANYTHING ELSE YOU WORSHIP
WILL EAT YOU ALIVE - This is the author referenced in Tim
Kellers Counterfeit Gods presentation at 14:25
www.afaithtoliveby.com/2011/09/21/anything-else-you-
worship-will-eat-you-alive-what-david-foster-
wallace-came-to-see

The most important part of David Warner Wallaces speech

is the following segment. He proves to be very insightful.
Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to
worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing
some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship be
it JC or Allah, be it YHWH or the Wiccan Mother Goddess,
or the Four Noble Truths, or some inviolable set of ethical
principles is that pretty much anything else you
worship will eat you alive.
If you worship money and things, if they are where you
tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough,
never feel you have enough. Its the truth.
Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you
will always feel ugly. And when time and age start
showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally
grieve you.

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 Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid,

and you will need ever more power over others to numb
you to your own fear.
Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end
up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being
found out.
But the insidious thing about these forms of worship is
not that theyre evil or sinful, its that theyre
unconscious. They are default settings. [] And the so-
called real world will not discourage you from operating
on your default settings, because the so-called real world
of men and money and power hums merrily along in a
pool of fear and anger and frustration and craving and
worship of self.
The very sad reality is that three years after Wallace gave
this presentation he committed suicide. What do you suppose it
was that ate him alive? The futility of these things that so many
worship was written over two thousand years ago in the Bible:
Ecclesiastes 5:10 "He who loves money will not be satisfied with
money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is
vanity."
If that thing that is worshipped is not God, it is an idol. Tim Keller
covers this in his book, Counterfeit Gods. The link below is a
presentation he gave on the subject, and the second link is the
Google preview of his book.
COUNTERFEIT GODS - TIM KELLER
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mK65lpveSM
COUNTERFEIT GODS - TIM KELLER - Book Preview
https://books.google.com/books?id=85XneflzG0C&printsec=f
rontcover&dq=counterfeit+gods&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0a
hUKEwjc_LS8jOTKAhVI4WMKHe2YAUgQuwUILTAA#
v=onepage&q=counterfeit%20gods&f=false
Previews of other books in this category
www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q="temptations+men
+face"#tbm=bks&q=counterfeit+gods
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 I Am Second - www.iamsecond.com
This site shows individuals who give their video testimonies.
Some are celebrities you may have seen before. They tell in their
stories, or testimonies, about an issue they dealt with and the pain
caused by that issue, and how God met them and their decision to
turn to him. If you have experienced or are currently experiencing
a similar situation, I hope you find inspiration in their experiences.
If Christ loved you so much to Die on the cross for your sin
He wants to reach you in your situation and provide healing in your
pain. He will not force Himself on you, and you will need to call to
him and ask him. The important realization we need to remember
is that Jesus Christ is God, and so knows everything. Since He
knows everything, He knows how to meet your need in the best way
possible, and in the best time possible. This is not necessarily what
we would conclude as the best way and time. As such, we cant
conclude that since God is not meeting us in the way we think is
best, he is not meeting us. If He is not meeting us in the way we
think is best, it is because He knows everything while we know very
little.

SO WHAT NOW?
Romans 10:9-10 if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is
Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified,
and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
If you are a not a Christian and you have gone through this
guide and particularly this section, you have a decision to make.
You can accept the information and make the decision to accept
the gift Christ offers. Or you can reject Christs gift and Him having
first priority in your life. Youll continue going in the direction youve
been going, that direction which all of us were headed, which
eventually leads to an eternal separation from him.
God will not force you to choose Him. He has done
everything possible for you to be saved, but the decision is still
yours. If you dont want to spend eternity with God and with Jesus

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Christ as your Lord and Savior, he will not force you. There are
many who have lived for today, who are paying for it for all eternity.
If you have reached the point of making a decision to accept
Christs priceless gift of salvation, and you have chosen to live for
him and not yourself anymore, you can pray the following prayer to
God. It comes from the following webpage. I recommend reading
the entire page. Remember, God knows your heart and motivation
before you pray.
PRAYER OF SALVATION
www.allaboutgod.com/prayer-of-salvation.htm

Father, I know that I have broken your laws

and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly
sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful
life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid
sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ
died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is
alive, and hears my prayer. I ask you Jesus to become
the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from
this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help
me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my
life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Paul Washer states, It doesn't matter whether or not you
know Jesus. It does matter whether or not Jesus knows you.
To better illustrate this, he indicates that it is not a matter of us
going up to the Whitehouse and saying that we know the
President that is what allows us in, it is a matter of the
president saying that he knows us.
When it comes to Salvation, you have only two choices; to
accept the payment Christ made for the sin you have committed
and accept Jesus Christ as Savior in this life, or to try to pay for the
infinite debt you owe and meet Christ after this life as the Righteous
Judge. The choice is completely up to you, and I hope that you now
realize the importance of each choice and the implications of each
choice.

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 CLOSING THOUGHTS
I hope you have found value in the information in this guide
and in the resources listed in the following section and throughout.
If you are a Christian, I hope you now have a better
understanding of the incomprehensible God we worship. I hope
you also have a better understanding of what it means to be a
Christian, and that this guide has helped correct any misinformation
you formerly believed as true. I hope this guide has also shown you
the value of being able to provide evidences for the truths of
Christianity, and that it has also provided you with a skillful method
of sharing the Gospel message with others. I hope you also realize
a much greater confidence in what you believe, and feel that you
can be much more capable of defending your faith to those
challenging what you believe, and correcting their misinformation.
If you havent accepted the claims of Christianity, I hope the
information and resources in this guide have shown that Christianity
is worth investigating, not because Christians hope that it is true,
but because of the abundance of evidence to confirm it. If you are
in this last group, I hope this information motivates you to seriously
consider these numerous evidences for the truths of Christianity,
and the implications for your life and where you will spend eternity.
You can recognize Jesus Christ as God and accept Him as
your Lord in this life or you can recognize Jesus Christ as God after
this life, and spend all eternity realizing that you will never again
have the opportunity to accept Him as your Lord and Savior.
Thank you again for your time in reading through this guide
and considering the information. Hopefully you realize that the
information and resource links contained in this guide will allow you
to not only learn about and research further the topics in this guide,
but also will enable you to research any other question on
Christianity, the Bible, God, etc., which has not been included here.
May God bless you through this guide and the included
information through the links to the extensive resources.
Hugo Schraer

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 9. RESOURCES FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

This last section provides resources and additional websites
to enable you to research the topics further and to check additional
topics not covered in the previous sections.
I have found many of the included websites while performing
searches on the topics for this guide. I believe the information at the
links indicated is accurate and Biblical, and applicable for the
subjects and content I wanted to make sure was included in this
guide. However, I have not been able to spend the time to check
every topic at every site. As Acts 17:11 indicates, be like the
Berean Jews and check everything by the Bible. That is the best
way to be sure that what you are learning is consistent with the
Bible.
Acts 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those
in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
I encourage you to support the ministries you find, whether
indicated in this guide or elsewhere, which you feel have provided
you with knowledge that has strengthened your confidence in
Christianity, and increased your ability to respond to the challenges
to Christianity. If you are unable to support them financially, please
be in prayer for them.

* GROWING AS A CHRISTIAN
As a Christian you not only need knowledge of what you
believe and why but you also need to have resources to grow as a
Christian. If you are a Christian are you growing? Do you find
yourself at the same maturity level in your walk and knowledge level
on Biblical subjects as where you were a year ago? If so, youre
probably not growing. If you feel that you are not growing, ask
yourself; what are you studying, reading, watching, and listening to?

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Remember the acronym G.I.G.O.? Garbage In, Garbage Out.

Heres another great quote about our growing as Christians,
"LIMITED GROWTH LEADS TO STUNTED USEFULNESS"
A friend of mine who plays guitar mentioned that he needs
to practice an hour a day to stay at the level he is at. He said that
if he wants to improve his playing proficiency, he needs to practice
two hours a day. Again, if we want to improve at anything, we must
make a determined effort. If we are doing this for God, He will bless
our efforts.
As Christians, we will never exhaust the knowledge we can
learn, and since God is eternal I believe we will learn about Him
through all eternity. One of my greatest anticipations when I pass
from this life, is to gain a great memory too!
As Christians we usually gain the greatest satisfaction when
we are in the will of God, and being used by Him. Jay Wegter
emphasizes in Every Mans Battle Pt1 at 51:12 the character and
qualities of the person God will use.
EVERY MANS BATTLE - Jay Wegter
Pt1 www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=32008027544
Since this recording is focused specifically on pornography
and men, the audience he was speaking to when this was recorded
was men. While this recording was originally given to an audience
of men, women to can benefit from the characteristics he indicates
and illustrations he uses. Jay quotes 2 Timothy 2:21-22,
2 Timothy 2:21-22 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from
what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set
apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every
good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue
righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who
call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Jay states, God wants to use you, but God uses clean
vessels. And perhaps some of you could be more useful if
you were more clean.
Jay then recalls while he was in Bible College he shared a
house with four other men. He mentions a time when he was very
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thirsty and went to get a drink of water. He found every glass was
dirty in a sink of greasy water. He then went to the cupboard and
found a clean peanut butter jar and used that to drink water. Jay
used this experience to effectively illustrate how God will pass on
using someone who might seem to us the most logical person, and
instead use another person, if the first person is contaminated with
the filth of this world. God will use the most humble Christian, if
they are serious about being cleansed from the filth of this world, so
that they can be:
a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful
to the master of the house, ready for every good work
Have you thought of how God views you and your life, and if
He would consider you a vessel for honorable use as indicated by the
2 Timothy verse? Ask yourself, are you the clean peanut butter jar
or a greasy dirty water glass?
Something else to think about concerning being used of God.
Often we can find the distractions of the world and certain events
affecting our focus as to the reason for our activities. Im adding
this paragraph less than two weeks before Christmas and was
reminded by our pastors sermon this morning how we can get
distracted by the sheer business of our lives, and lose our focus.
Especially during the Christmas season where we should be
focused on the birth of Christ, we are so often caught up in the
commercialism of the season and the bright lights and decorations
found everywhere. How easy it is for us to lose sight of the reason
for the season, and become distracted. How often we fail to keep
Christ primary in our thoughts and motivations. Do you find yourself
caught up in activities which make you feel that you are being
productive, but in reality, your activity has no spiritual significance?
What are the reasons for the things that we are doing during this
season, and all throughout the year?
I hope these sites will provide you with great tools to grow
in your Christian life.
www.growingchristians.org
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cncEhCvrVgQ
www.allaboutfollowingjesus.org/growing-in-christ.htm
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 www.desiringgod.org
https://bible.org/series/abcs-christian-growth-laying-
foundation
www.knowing-jesus.com
www.worldwidechallenge.org/stories/christian-growth
www.gospel.com/topics/christian+growth
www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/sermons-about-christian-
growth.asp
Paul Washer: (there are many links to other great sermons by Paul Washer)
The Importance of Prayer for Christians
www.youtube.com/watch?v=53P-L7wu4h0
Do you see God working on your life?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxzRXb0fHik
Do You Bear Fruit? (John 15)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbeT5Aef0_I

YouTube Channels To Help You Grow

I happened upon these YouTube channels of some
younger dynamic Christians which I believe you will be
edified and motivated by.
Jefferson Bethke - www.youtube.com/user/bball1989
Clayton Jennings - www.youtube.com/user/claytonjenningsdtcom
Jon Jorgensen - www.youtube.com/user/TheAnimaSeries

Too many believe that God will make our lives HAPPY simply
because we are Christians and have accepted Christ. It is important
to remember that Gods goal for our lives is holiness and not
specifically happiness. When you consider the idea of HAPPINESS,
what is it that makes you happy? Before we were Christians, our
selfish wants are typically what brought us happiness. If you are a
Christian, your heart and desires should be being changed by God
so that what brings you happiness is what brings God happiness.
We will be more excited seeing His will accomplished then our own.
Psalm 37:4-5 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you
the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in
him, and he will act.

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 I used to think this verse meant that the Lord would give me
the desires of my heart, give me what I wanted. I believe a better
understanding is the teaching that Ive heard on this verse, that if we
commit ourselves to God, He will give us new desires to replace our
selfish ones.
God wants the life of a Christian to be holy, and he is willing to
use circumstances which cause pain and discomfort in our lives if
necessary, to bring that holiness. Our happiness should be the
result of the holiness we are developing through God working in our
lives. Our happiness is achieved through our growing in knowledge
of Jesus and our growing in a relationship with Him.
Leviticus 11:45 You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought with a price. So glorify
God in your body.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your
sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

DEVELOPING THE HEART OF A GOD PLEASER - Stephen L. Foster, Jr.

https://books.google.com/books?id=7etD5IBzwfAC&pg=PR18&lp
g=PR18&dq=%2B%22zig+ziglar%22+being+cut+off+in+traffic
&source=bl&ots=klAIjq-
3I5&sig=49apbIOEsn04QU46P1ysKdNBhKM&hl=en&sa=X&v
ed=0ahUKEwiS34jI9vXKAhVU02MKHU37B9AQ6AEIMjAE#v=
onepage&q=%2B%22zig%20ziglar%22%20being%20cut%20o
ff%20in%20traffic&f=false

* THE BIBLE
Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the
problems men face. Ronald Reagan
"Sin will keep you from this Book or this Book will keep you
from sin" D.L. Moody
"A thorough understanding of the BIBLE is better than a college
education" Theodore Roosevelt
"Here then, is the real problem of our negligence. We fail in our
duty to study God's Word not so much because it is difficult to
understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but
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 because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or

lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy." R.C. Sproul

The most important resource you will ever have as a

Christian is the Bible. It is THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD. Nothing
else is inspired of God. All of the information and websites included
in this guide and all of the reasoning and arguments indicated here
are provided to increase your confidence in the Bible and the God
of the Bible, and to be enable you to respond to challenges you
encounter. Only the verses listed throughout the guide are the
INSPIRED WORD OF GOD. The information in this guide is important
for that purpose and for the purpose of us helping to break down
the barriers others have to accepting the truths of Christianity,
accepting the Bible, and making the decision Christs payment for
their sin. This guide and other resources are not the Bible and they
should not replace your time in Gods Word.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is
useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work."
Notice, it doesnt say, All Christian Websites and Apologetics
Guides, etc. are God-breathed, but All Scripture. You will also
notice the emphasis on every pertaining to good works. Not many
or most good works, but every good work.
This link will take you to additional verses about the
importance of Scripture in each our lives.
www.allabouttruth.org/all-scripture-is-inspired-of-god-and-
beneficial-faq.htm
The Bible is Gods love letter to us. He wants us to know
Him and to know how much He loves us. Since the Bible is the only
work that has come to us specifically from God, it is the primary
source of information about Him. If we are to know him, we need
to go to where the most accurate information about Him can be
found, the Bible.
I bring up the importance of keeping the Bible as your
primary authority, because when we are learning EVIDENCES and
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ARGUMENTS, its easy to get caught up in the excitement of

discovering the information, and it is exciting when we get a glimpse
into the glory of God, as when first finding out about the immensity
of the Universe though seeing something like the Hubble Deep
Field picture. We realize that God is far greater then we had even
thought of imagining!
It is easy to find the search for apologetic information
becoming our priority. The primary desire becomes wanting to
learn more evidences and arguments, and not spending time in
Gods Word. I know this can happen because it happened to me.
Learning evidences and arguments is important, but dont let it
replace your time in the Word. The links to the tools below should
enable you to improve your reading and study of GODS WORD. In
addition to these tools, there are many apps you can download for
your phone.
As 2 Timothy 2:15 indicates below, studying the Bible
needs to be your primary source for Bible truth.
2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to show thyself approved unto God a
workman that needs not be ashamed, rightly handling the
word of truth."
The importance of reading and studying the Bible cannot be
understated! The Study component to our learning the accurate
meaning is critically important! There are some who will read
without studying, and completely misunderstand a passage. This
Is usually due to taking a single passage and not considering all the
information in the paragraph and chapter the verse is found.
Surveys are finding that there is a crisis of illiteracy of the
Bible, not only in our country at large, but even in the churches as
well, as indicated by the 2 links below. The teacher of a Bible class
I took made the following comments.
If we don't read the Bible, we can't truly know the Bible.
If we don't know the Bible, we won't know correct doctrine.
If we dont know correct doctrine, we wont recognize bad
doctrine and teaching when we hear it.

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 BIBLICAL ILLITERACY IN US AT CRISIS POINT, SAYS BIBLE EXPERT

www.christianpost.com/news/biblical-illiteracy-in-us-at-crisis-
point-says-bible-expert-121626/
THE EPIDEMIC OF BIBLE ILLITERACY IN OUR CHURCHES
www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2015/july/epidemic-of-
bible-illiteracy-in-our-churches.html

Illiteracy when dealing with the Bible will cause us to have

misconceptions as to what the Bible says and teaches.
Unfortunately with the epidemic of illiteracy, even in the church,
there are many misconceptions as to what the Bible says and
teaches, even by Christians. One saying that illustrates this is a
saying that has been repeated for over 200 years, is attributed to
Benjamin Franklin and is incorrectly believed to be a teaching in the
Bible. You might have even heard it yourself. The saying is:
God helps those who help themselves
The following is a link that gives the history of this verse, as
well as the actual teaching of the Bible on this misunderstanding.
God helps those who help themselves - is it in the Bible?
www.gotquestions.org/God-help-themselves.html
Here are a few additional links showing verses many
people have thought are in the Bible:
5 VERSES YOU THOUGHT WERE IN THE BIBLE BUT AREN'T
www.biblestudytools.com/blogs/inside-bst/5-verses-you-thought-
were-in-the-bible-but-aren-t.html
10 POPULAR BIBLE 'VERSES' THAT AREN'T ACTUALLY IN THE BIBLE
www.christianpost.com/buzzvine/10-popular-bible-verses-that-
arent-actually-in-the-bible-104088/#gfyLWuX6b1ZYMOPe.99

The following links show many of the misconceptions about

the Bible and what it teaches which are held by people. Again, if
you are not familiar with the accurate teachings of the Bible, you
are potentially open to believe teachings you are told are of the
Bible but in actuality are not.

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 COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT CHRISTIANITY

www.faithfacts.org/search-for-truth/misconceptions-about-
christianity
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
http://christianity.about.com/od/newchristians/a/misconcept
ions.htm
THE EIGHT BIGGEST MYTHS ABOUT THE BIBLE
http://thefederalist.com/2015/01/06/the-eight-biggest-
myths-about-the-bible/
TOP 10 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE
http://listverse.com/2008/04/20/top-10-misconceptions-
about-the-bible/
6 MYTHS ABOUT THE BIBLE
www.creationtips.com/6_myths_bible.html
BIBLE MISCONCEPTIONS: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
http://lifehopeandtruth.com/speaking-of/bible-
misconceptions-test-your-knowledge/

The above links primarily infer that the misconceptions

indicated are held by many non-Christians. The truth is, many
Christians believe many of these misconceptions as true as well.
Typically, misconceptions come about through reading just a single
verse and not the surrounding verses. This leads to reading the
verse out of context and misunderstanding the meaning.
I was privileged to hear Greg Koukl speak on this topic. His
presentation is called, Never Read a Bible Verse, and he indicated
some of the verses that Christians usually have misconceptions
about. He indicated that if he could only give one message to a
person or group, Never Read a Bible Verse is the most important
message he could give. Once you read Gregs article, you will
appreciate the wording Greg chose for the title.
Greg gives an example in his Never Read a Bible Verse
presentation and same titled article which illustrates this. At a
church he was giving a presentation at, Greg was told about a
woman in the congregation who was looking for a justification to
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leave her husband and start a relationship with another man she
was now interested in. She happened upon Ephesians 4:24 in her
King James Version Bible and claimed it as her answer:
Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man (KJV)
This woman chose to take this single verse as the answer
from God, that she divorce or leave her husband and partner with
this other man. Do you think she might have dismissed some other
verses speaking on the subject? What about Exodus 20:14? Could
this be a verse she chose to ignore?
Exodus 20:14 Thou shall not commit adultery? (KJV)
So, what does the Ephesians passage mean? What are
tools we can use to give us a high confidence that we are
understanding the correct meaning of this passage, and others?
One basic tool is which Bible translation we use. How does
the Ephesians passage read in the King James Version (KJV) when
compared to the English Standard Version (ESV)?
Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man (KJV)
Ephesians 4:24 and to put on the new self (ESV)
With the KJV version, the impression could be that it is
referring to a person other than ourselves, as was understood by
the woman. Reading the verse in the ESV, the strong impression
is more clearly a new version of ourselves.
Gregs principal of Never Read a Bible Verse resolves
most misunderstandings about the meaning of a verse. Gregs
emphasis is to never read A bible verse. Always read a section of
verses, the verses before and the verses after a verse in question.
When we see the Ephesians verse (bolded) in the context
of the verses around it, we see far more clearly the actual meaning.
Ephesians 4:21-25 (ESV) But that is not the way you learned
Christ!assuming that you have heard about him and were
taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self,
which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt
through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of
your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the
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 likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore,

having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth
with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
Greg uses the illustration of a conversation to illustrate how
we should read the Bible. When you walk by a group of friends and
hear a part of the conversation that sounds interesting, what do you
do? You ask What are you talking about? You want to know the
context so that the comment makes sense. This is what we need
to do with the Bible.
NEVER READ A BIBLE VERSE Greg Koukl
www.str.org/articles/never-read-a-bible-verse
NEVER READ A BIBLE VERSE! By Greg Koukl
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpuUId7VU1U
NEVER READ A BIBLE VERSE Full length teaching by the YouTube
channel ClearThinkingChristianity,using Greg Koukls study on the topic.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz7bXfOPcO4
NEVER READ A BIBLE VERSE - 25 page booklet by Greg Koukl
http://storage.cloversites.com/fellowshipbaptistchurch2/doc
uments/Never%20Read%20a%20Bible%20Verse.pdf
THE PERILS OF PROOF-TEXTING AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/October%201999
%20-1.pdf
BIBLE READING
www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan
www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/?version=esv
BIBLE STUDY AND EDUCATION
http://bibleresources.org/how-to-study-bible
www.biblestudy.org
http://biblestudylessons.com
www.biblestudytools.com
http://biblia.com/
www.biblicaltraining.org
www.free-bible-study.org/bible-study-links.html
http://freebibleseminary.net

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 www.gotquestions.org
www.openbible.info/topics
www.summit.org/resources/summit-lecture-series/archive
www.trinitytheology.org
https://lumina.bible.org/bible/Matthew+1#
Chuck Missler Learn the Bible in 24 hours
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMmOVv3R_NY&list=PLOO
3qLy97ctkaJOCut9PHUc5XaSrN1MFX&index=1
THE BIBLE PROJECT
www.youtube.com/user/jointhebibleproject
Overview series of the Bible with creative animations.

BIBLE MEMORIZATION
www.pursuinglife.com/biblememory.php
http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/tips/scripture-
memorization-11634857.html
www.memverse.com
www.free-online-bible-study.com/memorize-bible-verses.html
GRACE CHAPEL BIBLE INSTITUTE Grace Chapels excellent Bible Class
http://gclancaster.com/index.php/audio-2/serieslist/ministry/8
This is a college level class without the need to go to college, and is the best
Bible class Ive ever taken!
GODS PROMISES IN THE BIBLE
www.intouch.org/you/gods-promises
www.smilegodlovesyou.org/promises.html
www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/gods-promises.aspx
DEVOTIONALS
www.devotionalsforteens.blogspot.com
www.365promises.com
31 ONLINE RESOURCES FOR BIBLE RESEARCH (Links)
www.credocourses.com/blog/2015/31-online-resources-for-
bible-research-links/
FREE APOLOGETICS BIBLE STUDY DOWNLOADS
www.apologeticsbible.com/free-study-downloads/
www.apologeticsbible.com/mobile-apps/

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 * CHURCH
One of the most important things you can do for your own
growth as a Christian is to be involved in a Bible believing church
which provides solid Biblical teaching. Ive heard more than a few
Christians when asked indicate that that they didnt need to go to
church to be saved, and that they were just fine.
From the standpoint of being saved by Jesus payment for
our sin and our going to an eternity in Heaven, that is true. Others
mistakenly believe that attending a church makes one a Christian.
Going through the previous SALVATION section should effectively
answer that misunderstanding.
Even though being involved in a church isnt required for
salvation, being involved in a healthy Biblical church provides
significant benefits for us as Christians. It provides the opportunity
to assemble with others of similar mindset, be encouraged by them,
be an encouragement to them, and provides for us a resource for
learning and growing as Christians. Being involved also provides
an opportunity to serve and be accountable in our Christian life.
Without this connection to a healthy church, the distractions of the
world give us a distorted view of life and what is really important,
and the temptations of the world create competition for our focus on
Christ.
WHY SHOULD CHRISTIANS GO TO CHURCH? HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?
http://christiananswers.net/q-acb/acb-t009.html
6 WONDERFUL BENEFITS OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
http://christianpf.com/benefits-of-church-membership
THE LIFE BENEFITS OF REGULAR CHURCH ATTENDANCE
www.sundaysoftware.com/stats.htm

* DECISION MAKING
Throughout life we will make choices. Choices about both
minor and major things. Similar to the examples indicated
previously with my sons, as to money and time, choices in other
areas of life are similar. When we make a certain choice, we are

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automatically choosing against alternate choices. This applies

whether the choice is a good choice or bad choice.
Its easy to rely on others to make decisions and actually do
something, but is this what God wants? A few quotes on Christians
being involved,
Men make plans, boys make excuses
"If not me, then who? If not here, then where?
If not now, then when?"
So how do we determine whether a choice is good or bad?
When we remember how God loves us and wants the best for us,
it is easier to recognize that the choices which are in line with Gods
will are the good choices, and those outside Gods will are bad
choices. So how do we best determine what Gods will is?
Similar to the previous saying about the Bible and sin, a
saying about decision making could be, The Bible will keep you
from poor decision making or poor decision making will keep
you from the Bible. There are many verses in the Bible showing
the principles for making Godly Biblical decisions. What determines
your motivation as to the decisions you will make? How do you
determine the music you will listen to, the movies you will watch,
the company you keep, etc.? Who is the audience you are trying
to impress, your friends, the world or God? As Christians, it is
important to realize who we should be trying to please in the
decisions we make. The following quotes should motivate you,
We are living for an audience of One"
A delayed obedience is disobedience
As well, are you a Christian primarily on Sundays, or do you
show evidences of being a Christian throughout the week?
"What happens during the week is the difference between
a disciple and an attender" J.D. Greear
NOT A FAN WEEK 1
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iSckCWWkhU
Are you a fan or a follower of Jesus?

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 The following are websites you should find very helpful in

determining Biblical decision making.
HOW CAN CHRISTIANS MAKE GOD-HONORING DECISIONS?
www.gty.org/resources/questions/QA140/how-can-
christians-make-godhonoring-decisions
DECISION MAKING Listing of many Bible verses
www.openbible.info/topics/decision_making
DECISION MAKING
www.objectivegospel.org/equip/decisionmaking
10 BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES FOR MAKING WISE DECISIONS
www.watermark.org/blog/decision-making-principles
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT DECISION-MAKING?
www.gotquestions.org/Bible-decision-making.html
WHAT ARE THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES FOR SOLID DECISION-
MAKING?
www.gotquestions.org/decision-making-Bible.html
HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD
http://kootenaichurch.org/newsletters/hearing-the-voice-of-god/
DOES GOD WHISPER? - Greg Koukl
Pt.1 www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/DigitalSG_0511_New-1.pdf
Pt.2 www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/DigitalSG_0711_New-1.pdf
Pt.3 www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/DigitalSG_1111_New-1.pdf
PRINCIPLES FOR DECISION MAKING: LIVING ACCORDING TO
GODS WILL - GARRY FRIESEN & J. ROBIN MAXSON
www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/Principles%20for%20Decision%
20Making%20-
%20Garry%20Friesen%20and%20J.%20Robin%20Maxson.pdf
JUST DO SOMETHING: A LIBERATING APPROACH TO FINDING
GOD'S WILL Google Book Preview
https://books.google.com/books?id=3MFXjs404OgC&printsec=frontcov
er&dq=decision+making+and+the+will+of+god&hl=en&sa=X&ved=
0ahUKEwi_lbCd9aDKAhUCzz4KHTA4CA0QuwUIKzAC#v=onepag
e&q=decision%20making%20and%20the%20will%20of%20god&f=
false
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 * EMPLOYMENT
Since most of us will spend about 45 years of our lives
working, this is a very important part of our lives. The attitudes of
many younger workers today is often looked at by employers as
very self-centered. Theyve found that many younger workers dont
want to work hard but they want more money.
If you are employed, think about the character you display
at work. Are you giving your employer one hour of work for each
hour they are paying you to be there, or do you spend some of that
time on personal activities like texting, surfing, on the phone, etc.?
If you arent doing what you are paid to do during the time you are
at work, you are technically taking money for doing something other
than what you were hired for. Remember in the previous section,
what taking something that doesnt belong to us is called? To make
this more clear, is there anything you are doing at work that you
wouldnt do if your employer were standing right behind you? If so,
you are taking pay for work you are not doing.
As a Christian it is important to remember that we are
ultimately working for God. Realizing that we work for God and not
an employer should motivate us to work to do our best in whatever
work we are employed in. And remember, God sees everything.
Think back to the questions I raised about how we spend our time.
Since we ultimately work for God, how would God view how we
spend His time at our employment? Would he give us a raise, a
reprimand, or would we deserve to be fired?
Colossians 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for
the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you
will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving
the Lord Christ."
Considering the poor and unfortunately too often accurate
impression many employers have of younger workers, as a
Christian you have an opportunity to change that impression by
being different than what many employers and non-Christian co-
workers have come to expect from younger Christian employees.
If you can give your employer a different impression than what they
are expecting, and change their beliefs about at least one younger
worker (you), then when they find out that you are a Christian, you
might change their impression of Christianity too.
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 I remember a friend telling me of a company they worked for

some years previous, and a younger Christian employee who
exhibited this self-centered entitled attitude. They told me that this
individual more often than not would sit on their computer for
significant durations of time they were at work, most days at work.
Often when they did work it was because they picked the things
they wanted to do. They would also not be at work for the entire
shift, often arriving late and leaving early. I heard some of the other
Christians there mention that more than a few non-Christian
employees commented negatively about Christianity because of
this young Christian and a few of the other Christians they had
experience with.
What type of impression of Christianity do others have
based upon the work ethic you display wat work? Similar to the
question I asked earlier, how would you feel if you found that
another person rejected even considering Christ because of the
character you demonstrated at work? Think again about that John
Wooden quote, applicable to both men and women:
The true test of a mans character is what he does
when no one is watching.
Our character is fully visible to God, and He sees into the
deepest areas of our heart.
THE CHRISTIAN VIEW OF WORK Very good site on our work!
www.totalchange.org/work.htm
WHAT ARE CHRISTIAN WORK ETHICS?
www.allaboutgod.com/christian-work-ethics-faq.htm
EMPLOYER EXPECTATIONS
http://aawdc.org/youth-works/index.php/Job-Search-
Tools/Employer-Expectations.html
5 ATTITUDES TO GET YOU AHEAD IN THE WORKPLACE
www.careerealism.com/attitudes-workplace-get-ahead
REASONS TO GET FIRED FROM YOUR JOB
http://teenadvice.about.com/od/jobsmoney/tp/how_to_keep
_a_job.htm
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/firedtermination/a/reasons-
for-getting-fired.htm

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 www.brighthub.com/office/career-
planning/articles/77757.aspx
ZIG ZIGLAR - DISCIPLINE AND COMMITMENT
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7cR352z2KE
ZIG ZIGLAR - BEING AN OVERCOMER
WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=B7MVJB_JQQO
NO ARMS, NO LEGS, NO WORRIES
WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=WGAKZSTVES4
NICK VUJICIC - ATTITUDE IS ALTITUDE.COM / Life Without Limbs.org
WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=AJVEOLPLIG8
THE INCREDIBLE LOVE STORY OF NICK VUJICIC AND HIS WIFE
WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=S3QEZBVN1BE
LEARN TO LIVE THE LIFE GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO
WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=E0ORBKBRYNY

* ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment is a very important consideration for our
spiritual lives as Christians. Many Christians will honor God with
their lips one day a week, and dishonor Him the rest of the week.
They do this through the choices they make in how they spend their
free time; the activities and entertainment choices they make in
music, movies, magazines and books.
Matthew 15:8 "These people honor me with their lips, but
their hearts are far from me".
Do you consider God when you make entertainment
choices? I am writing this section after the opening weekend of a
major movie release. The reviews for this movie indicates there are
over 100 F-bombs, and reviewers classified the movie similar to
what porn movies were in the past. This movie made a huge profit
the first weekend, meaning that a huge number of people spent
money to see it. Considering the amount of people who saw it,
there were undoubtedly many Christians who saw it as well. I saw
a movie in 2009, which was a remake of what was an excellent
movie in the 70s. I didnt check the review before I saw it because
I thought that due to the major actors starring in it, it would be
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acceptable. I checked the review after I had seen it and the review
indicated there were over 100 F-bombs in it. I left the theatre
thinking the way I would describe the movie is the following: Id
like an order of F-bomb, and can you supersize it and throw in a
side of movie? I know that God was not honored by my watching
the movie.
It has been proven that we become desensitized to content
as we allow ourselves increased exposure to it. I remember
hearing Wayne Stockstill, a pastor on the radio, recount going into
a video rental store before Redbox and Amazon. He found that
this store rented adult videos. He also noticed the cashier was a
woman in his church. She indicated that it used to, but it didnt
anymore. He then asked her, Does it bother you that it
doesnt bother you anymore? How many things do we accept
now that we would have avoided in the past?
WHY ARE CHRISTIAN WOMEN WATCHING 'FIFTY SHADES OF GREY'?
www.christianpost.com/news/why-are-christian-women-
watching-fifty-shades-of-grey-135272/
DESENSITIZATION DUE TO MEDIA
https://suite.io/latisha-robinson/4yam2gm
https://childrensmedia2day.wordpress.com
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/134/5/877.full
QUOTES BY NON-CHRISTIAN MUSICIANS, ABOUT FAMILY,
CHRISTIANITY AND RELIGION
www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=154679
www.thugexposed.com/satanism-music
WORLDVIEWS IN THE MOVIES
www.worldvieweyes.org/resources/CIY-
Conference-Materials/WVs-in-movies.htm
(A good list of questions to think of when watching
movies, TV, commercials, listening to music, etc.)

Do you think God is pleased when we choose entertainment

that dishonors him? Remember GIGO - GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE
OUT? It is up to each of us to determine what we will fill our mind
with. If we want to please God in our entertainment choices, we
must be proactive in the choices we make. Fortunately, the Internet
is a powerful tool enabling you to find information about the content
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of movies before you watch them. The first group of sites below
review the content of most of the current movies and the
message/worldview promoted by the movie. The second group of
sites provide a listing of different non-Christian music artists, and
the similar styled Christian alternatives to the non-Christian
artists/bands. How would you evaluate your entertainment
choices? What entertainment choices would you change to honor
God?
SITES WHICH SHOW REVIEWS FOR MOVIES AND MUSIC (Plugged In)
PLUGGED IN www.pluggedin.com
MOVIEGUIDE www.movieguide.org
CHRISTIAN ANSWERS www.christiananswers.net/spotlight
CHRISTIAN ALTERNATIVES TO NON-CHRISTIAN MUSIC
http://extreme-youth.com/Christian_music_comparison.html
http://christianmusic.com/genres/christian-alternative-music.htm
http://christianmusic.about.com/library/blcomparea.htm
www.teenink.com/hot_topics/what_matters/article/372592/Secu
lar-Music-Vs-Christian-Music
Lastly, what if you find yourself watching a movie or listening
to something that you realize doesnt honor God? You can always
leave or turn it off. A Christian music group from the 80s, FARRELL
AND FARRELL, last verse in their song People In A Box went,
When will we learn that OFF is as easy to turn as ON? Ive
walked out of a few movies before because I realized that to stay
would not honor God. Ive also wished that I had walked out of
others. God will always honor your choices when you choose to
honor Him. Here are the very insightful lyrics for the entire song:
www.farrellandfarrell.com/images/PEOPLE%20IN%20A%20BOX.pdf

* FORGIVENESS
Forgiveness is an area that many people seem to have
much confusion about it. This section should provide you with a
reasonably good understanding of forgiveness. Like the subject of
salvation, there are a number of verses about forgiveness
throughout the guide. However, only seeing a few of the individual
verses might give a limited understanding.

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 This limited understanding is possibly the major reason for

some of the comments Ive heard people say regarding forgiveness.
I could never forgive them for doing that.
Does God really forgive sinners?
How could God forgive me of that?
I could never forgive myself for doing that.

We always need to remind ourselves that Gods forgiveness

cannot be earned, and that there is nothing we can do to deserve
His forgiveness. He provides us the opportunity to receive
forgiveness freely because He has paid the full price to purchase it.
The following are some of the verses and websites regarding
FORGIVENESS.
ROMANS 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift
of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came up and said to him,
Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive
him? As many as seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not
say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
MATTHEW 6:14-15 For if you forgive others their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not
forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses.
MARK 11:25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you
have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is
in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
1 JOHN 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 JOHN 1:9-10 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word
is not in us.
ISAIAH 1:18 Come now, let us reason together, says the
LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white
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 as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become
like wool.

14 QUESTIONS ON FORGIVENESS
www.presentationministries.com/publications/14Quest.asp
ANSWERING THE HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT FORGIVENESS
www.gty.org/resources/positions/P05/answering-the-hard-
questions-about-forgiveness
BIBLE VERSES ABOUT FORGIVENESS: 20 ENCOURAGING QUOTES
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-
forgiveness-20-encouraging-scripture-quotes/
THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS
www.smallgroups.com/meeting-builder/bible-study-
extras/power-of-forgiveness.html?paging=off

One last consideration is the positive effect of Forgiveness our

health, and a confirmation of Gods interest in our best by His
command for us to forgive. The following links demonstrate this.
FORGIVENESS: LETTING GO OF GRUDGES AND BITTERNESS
www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-
depth/forgiveness/art-20047692
THE BENEFITS OF FORGIVENESS
http://stress.about.com/od/relationships/a/forgiveness.htm

* MONEY AND FINANCES

There are over 2000 verses in the Bible which talk about
money. I heard a pastor mention that there are more verses on this
one subject than any other. Money can be a great tool, but as we
looked at in the Temptation section, it can also be a thing that drives
our decisions and holds great control over us if we dont treat it with
wisdom and respect. With the personal and national debt crisis that
exists, it is easy to see that the money principles of the Bible havent
been followed by the majority of people. If you want to avoid the
hardships mismanaging money can bring, you need to do
something different than what most are doing.

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 As well, look at the previous section on Temptation to see

additional cautions as to the motivation of making money. The
following sites will provide you with insight in this area.
GOD'S BIG IDEA ABOUT FINANCES
www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/faith-based-family-
finances/gods-big-ideas-about-finances/gods-big-idea-
about-finances
BIBLE VERSES ABOUT MONEY
www.biblemoneymatters.com/bible-verses-about-money-
what-does-the-bible-have-to-say-about-our-financial-lives
CHRISTIAN TEEN BUDGETING
www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2008/09/christian-teen-budgeting
TEEN MONEY MANAGEMENT MISTAKES
www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2008/08/teen-money-management
CHRISTIAN PERSONAL FINANCE
http://christianpf.com
MANAGING OUR FINANCES
http://ubdavid.org/advanced/practical/practical-christian_22.html
THE EASY WAY TO TEACH TEENS ABOUT MONEY
www.crosswalk.com/family/finances/the-easy-way-to-teach-
teens-about-money-11634229.html
HOW TO TEACH TEENAGERS ABOUT MONEY
www.daveramsey.com/article/how-to-teach-teenagers-about-
money/lifeandmoney_kidsandmoney

* PRAYER
Prayer is the opportunity to communicate with the God who
created the entire Universe out of nothing! Most of us so often take
this fact for granted. Think about the person you would consider
the most important person in the world. The person that comes to
my mind is the President of the United States. What if you had their
direct line and could call them anytime, and they would always
answer? Now think about having this opportunity with the God of
the Universe. Realize that everyone alive, over 6 billion people,
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could pray to God and He would be no more overwhelmed, then if

there were only one person praying.
You may feel similar to some who dont feel they are very
good at praying, and wonder how to pray. An acronym I was told
to effectively help remember different aspects of prayer is ACTS -
A.C.T.S. An easy way to remember is to think of the title for the
New Testament book of Acts. The acronym A.C.T.S. stands for
Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.
A ADORATION Our recognition of who God is, His power, His
forgiveness, His grace and Mercy, and our love and reverence
for the creator of the Universe.
C CONFESSION Our recognition of our sins and transgressions
before God, and agreeing with him about our sins.
T THANKSGIVING Our recognition of the undeserved generosity
of God through His gifts, both material and immaterial, which he
has provided for us, and our thankfulness to Him for these gifts.
S SUPPLICATION Our requests to God, both requests about
ourselves and those we make on behalf of others.

In regards to prayer, you may have thought the following:

If God knows everything and will exercise His will
anyway, what is the purpose in praying?
While the SUPPLICATION aspect of prayer pertains to our
requests to God, you may be surprised to learn that when we pray
the purpose of prayer isnt to get what we want. The primary
purpose of prayer is to align our thinking with God, recognize that
God is the provider or everything, and keep us focusing on His will
rather than our own. Prayer focuses our hearts toward God, and
demonstrates our reliance on Him and recognition of His authority
in our lives.
As with everything regarding the Bible, when we look to gain
greater knowledge its important to make sure the information we
are relying on to form our conclusions lines up with the Bible. Again,
Acts 17:11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character
than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great

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eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul
said was true.
It is important to remember with prayer that God does not
always answer in our time, nor in the way that we want him to. God
knows everything, sees the entire picture, and has all knowledge
and all wisdom to be able to make the absolute best decision.
When thinking about God answering prayer, we need to remember
that the answer may not be Yes, and it may not be No. The
answer may simply be, Not now.
Something else to consider. When Jesus was God in
human flesh, He prayed to God the Father. If Jesus is God in
human flesh and prayed to God the Father, how much more do we
need to be praying to God?
12 BIBLE VERSES TO SHOW HOW JESUS PRAYED
http://ipost.christianpost.com/news/12-bible-verses-to-
show-how-jesus-prayed-10779/
10 BIBLE VERSES THAT TEACH US HOW JESUS PRAYED
www.crosswalk.com/blogs/kelly-balarie/10-bible-verses-
how-jesus-prayed.html
JESUS PRAYING
www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/cgi-
bin/search.cgi?zoom_query=jesus+pray&zoom_per_p
age=10
PRAYER DOES IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE? Philip Yancey
A great quote from page 24,
I need the corrective vision of prayer because all
day long I will lose sight of Gods perspective.
Preview of the book:
https://books.google.com/books?id=qc1EeG8FVaIC&prints
ec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIANS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=53P-L7wu4h0
http://intouch.org/watch/new-believer/why-pray-what-is-
prayer-for-all-things
http://lifeteen.com/why-pray-truth-prayer
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 http://studentsoul.intervarsity.org/why-pray
www.wycliffe.org/prayer/why-we-pray
www.monergism.com/topics/prayer/sovereignty-god-prayer
www.gotquestions.org/why-pray.html
www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/faith_in_life/
prayer/prayer_has_its_reasons.aspx
www.allaboutprayer.org/why-should-we-pray.htm
www.allaboutprayer.org/why-pray-faq.htm
www.oneplace.com/ministries/love-worth-
finding/read/articles/since-god-knows-everything-why-
should-we-pray-9549.html

* RELATIONSHIPS, LOVE, AND SIN

This section heading might give you the impression that the
section is about the physical relationship we have with a boyfriend,
a girlfriend, or a spouse. However, it is actually about the larger
concept of the non-romantic type of relationships we have with
others, of which the Bible talks extensively. For information on
physical relationships, check the section a few pages further titled
SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE.
Including the term Sin in the same section about
relationships may seem strange at first but you will see through this
section how connected it is to the concept of relationships. A saying
I heard many years ago simply and effectively demonstrates Gods
perspective on relationships, and a hint at the importance he wants
us to view relationships with,
Love people and use things.
Dont love things and use people.
Gary Brandenburg, a guest pastor at our church spoke
about relationships and stated,
The Bible from beginning to end is a book about relationships.
The significance God places on our relationship with others
cannot be overstated, and God indicates this importance through
the following verses Gary indicated, and many others from the Bible
which are not included here:

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EPH 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one

another, as God in Christ forgave you.
1THES 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another
up, just as you are doing.
EPH 5:21 . . . submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ
GAL 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
The Bible shows that our love for others and our relationship
to others is critically important. The Bible emphasizes the most
important relationship anyone can ever have is the relationship God
invites us to have with Himself! The Bible shows how when we
have a right relationship with God, our relationship with Him leads
to a Godly relationship with others and a right restoration of
damaged relationships with others as well.
The reason sin is so connected to relationships and
considered so bad by God is that sin through our selfishness always
damages relationships. Sin either damages the relationship we
have with God or it damages the relationships we have others, and
thus damages the relationship we have with God. This becomes
obvious when we realize that all sin is rooted in selfishness.
Selfishness is simply choosing what we want for ourselves as our
primary motivation without a true consideration of others.
Most of us think that the opposite of love is hate. While this
is obvious, we dont typically think that selfishness is also the
opposite of love. Selfishness is much more subtle though, which is
why weve probably never really thought of it as the opposite of love.
The Biblical teaching of love of others, is thinking of others above
ourselves. Selfishness is always thinking about our own interests
and desires above those of others. 1 Corinthians 13 below clearly
shows this.
If you think about some of what would be considered major
sins, (stealing, murder, adultery), the one committing the sin is
doing so because of selfish motives. The person committing the
sin/crime is not thinking about anyone else in their attempt to satisfy
their own selfish desires.

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 When we act primarily to benefit ourselves to the exclusion

of the consideration of others, we demonstrate a lack of or the
opposite of love. Does the following passage give any impression
that showing love toward others and our selfish desires can
coexist?
1 Corinthians 13:13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of
angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging
cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all
mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to
remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give
away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but
have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not
arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not
irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but
rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for
tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the
perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child,
I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a
child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now
we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in
part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the
greatest of these is love.

As you can see starting from the first verse in the above
passage, God views our unselfish love for others as the highest
ideal we can strive toward. Love is the foundation of all
relationships and the characteristic of our very being which God
points to as the greatest indicator of the state of our relationship
with him. No true relationship can exist in the absence of love.

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What do we value and honor in others, SELFISHNESS or

SELFLESSNESS? Selflessness is our thinking of others above
ourselves.
Writing this section, I reminded of different relationships Ive
personally known where one person did something selfish and
damaged or ended that relationship. Ive known engaged and
married couples where one was unfaithful to the other. I know two
brothers who were in business together and one sold the company
without the other brother knowing, and kept most of the profit. I
know two sisters who had had a major argument, and then didnt
talk to each other for about 5 years, until their father died.
In each relationship that is damaged or broken, it is rare
when only those directly in the relationship are hurt. Think about a
married couple where one of the two has an affair or leaves for
another. Now think about all the connected relationships affected
by their selfish act. You have the spouse, the children, and friends
and family of both of the spouses and of the children. Think about
how the selfish actions of just one person has had a destructive
ripple effect on all of these relationships. Think also about all the
aspects of the relationship which are affected: love, trust, security,
confidence, etc.
Isnt that how Satan works? He convinces us that we should
think of ourselves first, that we will be able to do what we want, and
that no one will find out or get hurt. Like a magician, he uses SLIGHT-
OF-HAND to keep us focused on only the very narrow selfish goal
and diverts our thoughts from the sometimes catastrophic effects of
our attaining that selfish goal. Then when our actions are made
public, he is the one at the front of the crowd, leading the
condemnation; telling us what a terrible person we are, what a
terrible example of a Christian we are, that maybe were not even a
true Christian. And if the offense is bad enough, we might even be
convinced that everyone hates us and that wed be better off dead.
The lies of Satan are so very effective at accomplishing his
goals. One of the reasons is because we are so gullible and accept
them. Here is another quote I was unable to find the author,

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 The free fall begins with a lie. Always. Every addict knows
this, and every addict dreads it - that first lie - the lie that
triggers the thought that leads to the action that ends in
regret. A lie starts the process
I believe that most people who commit suicide are
convinced by Satan that theyve lost everything, they are no good,
and that their families and friends would be better off without them.
I heard about a couple some years back where that happened and
the person who had hurt the other had thoughts of suicide, because
they realized the hurt they had caused and they believed that no
one would want to have anything to do with them again.
This person who had hurt the other believed that the other
would never want anything to do with them again, which is fully
understandable. However, the surprising thing is that the other
person actually showed them amazing forgiveness! What I
specifically remember which really impacted me was that when the
other person was told that they didnt deserve this, they replied If
we all got what we deserved, we would all go to hell.
What an amazing testament to this persons faith, and their
understanding of Gods forgivingness! The other person was
incredibly hurt and angry, but was still able to forgive. Not that
things were the same as before the revelation that caused the hurt,
but that they could see how all of us have sinned and offended our
Holy God. And rather than God giving us what we deserve, he had
taken the wrath upon Himself.
Think again about the 1 Corinthians 13:13 passage above.
God places a higher value on our having love for others than he
places on all of the following:
Speaking in the tongues of angels,
Having prophetic powers
Understanding all mysteries and all knowledge
Having a faith that moves mountains
Giving away all that I have
Allowing myself to be tortured for a cause

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 How did God demonstrate his incomprehensible love for us?

He chose the greatest selfless sacrifice possible and willingly died
in our place, paying the sin debt we owed which He didnt owe. He
did all of this to show His love for us, and so we could spend eternity
with Him.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life.
Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone
lay down his life for his friends.
It is only when we have a relationship with Christ that we
can truly love others with the love of Christ. It is only through
Christs love that we can truly show unselfish love toward others.
When we fail to love as the passage above shows, this failure is sin.
It is sin because of our desire to think of ourselves over others. This
is directly opposite the way God wants us to live.
In the next section on TEMPTATION you will gain an even
greater understanding of the relationship between temptation and
sin. Hopefully you have a better understanding now as to the
reason why God considers sin so bad. It violates His greatest ideal
by causing the greatest damage to relationships.
HOW TO SEEK GODS APPROVAL INSTEAD OF THE APPROVAL OF OTHERS
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/how-to-seek-gods-
approval-instead-of-the-approval-of-others
BIBLE VERSES ABOUT LOVE: 25 AWESOME SCRIPTURE QUOTES
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-love-
25-awesome-scripture-quotes
BIBLE VERSES ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS: 20 GOOD SCRIPTURES
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-
relationships-20-good-scriptures

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5 BIBLICAL STEPS FOR RESTORING BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS

http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/5-biblical-steps-
for-restoring-broken-relationships
6 TIPS TO RESTORING A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP WITH A PARENT
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/6-tips-to-restoring-a-
broken-relationship-with-a-parent

* GODS WARNINGS ABOUT CERTAIN TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS

Realizing Gods emphasis on relationships, we must also
take seriously the warnings He gives about relationships with
people who have certain characteristics, and the warnings about
how those relationships can damage our relationship with God and
with others.
It is natural for us to want to fit in with others. I remember in
high school, I would try to fit in in situations with others. In some of
these situations and some of my relationships, I compromised my
standards. In relationships with non-Christians, Christians will more
often than not, compromise their standards as compared to non-
Christians in the relationships.
The following verse shows Gods warning about the
company we keep and how they can cause us to compromise
ourselves.
1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived:
Bad company ruins good morals.
It might seem contradictory that God would warn about
Bad Company while also emphasize having love for others and
consider them above ourselves, as this verse in Philippians
indicates:
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,
but in humility count others more significant than
yourselves.
Remember that having a love for others and serving them is
not the same as having them as your best friends. You can share
Gods love with others without conforming to their sin. A saying that

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illustrates this is, Be in the world but not of the world. This
comes from the following passage:
John 17:1415 I have given them your word, and the world
has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I
am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of
the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

HOW CAN BELIEVERS BE IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF THE WORLD?

http://www.gotquestions.org/in-but-not-of-world.html
The following is a preview of Hugh Hewitts book on the subject:
In, But Not Of: A Guide to Christian Ambition and the Desire to
Influence the World - Hugh Hewitt You can preview the book here:
https://books.google.com/books?id=kfLSHAWFHQgC&
printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Here are additional verses showing the clear

recommendation from the Bible to stay out of relationships with
individuals with certain character traits:
Romans 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on
those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the
teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.
Proverbs 4:14-15 Do not enter the path of the wicked And
do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass
by it; Turn away from it and pass on.
Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be bound together with
unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and
lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
Proverbs 14:7 Leave the presence of a fool, Or you will not
discern words of knowledge.

Some Christians have been known to do what has been

called Missionary Dating, believing that they can date a non-
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Christian with the goal of having them become a Christian.

However, what typically happens when a Christian dates a non-
Christian is that the Christian compromises their standards to try to
appeal to the non-Christian rather than providing any motivation for
the non-Christian to change their standards.
When you think about it, do you have greater respect for
someone who demonstrates a commitment to what they believe,
even if you dont share their belief, or do you have a greater respect
for someone who is wishy washy in their beliefs? Most of us respect
a person more who is committed to what they believe. If you are a
Christian and you are willing to be flexible with your standards, you
show that you are not committed to what you say you believe, that
its not really that important to you. If you show that what you
believe isnt that important, then why would a non-Christian have
any reason to think of it as important and consider it seriously? If
you are a Christian and are in a relationship like this, I recommend
that you end it before you compromise your standards. This is
something I can confirm from my own experience.
The Bible emphasizes the importance of living consistent
with our Christian standards and not compromising. Because of the
price Christ paid to save us, He deserves our obedience and also
that we not compromise our standards.
Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of
God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and
acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a
temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You
are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God
in your body.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 For this is the will of God, your
sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each
one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,
not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

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Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be

transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may
discern what the will of God is, what is good and acceptable and
perfect.
John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

* TEMPTATION
Carm.org has one of the best single-sentence definitions for
temptation Ive seen. The definition is broad, but very simple:
TEMPTATION IS THAT WHICH MOVES US TO SIN
https://carm.org/dictionarytemptation
I mentioned earlier about temptation and that it is always a
motivation to for us to consider ourselves above others. When we
think about it, can one be tempted to do good? No. The aspect of
temptation that makes giving into it a sin is always rooted in our
selfish desire to think of ourselves first. Giving into temptation is sin
because it is acting on that selfish desire, and giving in to selfish
desires is always detrimental to relationships. The root of all
temptation is selfishness.
Other things to continuously remind ourselves of are that
Satan does not take vacations, and he has had thousands of years
to perfect the effectiveness of his skills.
In the previous section, in 1 Corinthians 13:13 we see the
critical importance God places on relationships through His contrast
between love and many other things. Without love nothing else we
do, or can do, or have, or be matters to even the slightest degree.
In the previous section on Relationships, Love, and Sin we see
that selfishness and selfish motives hurt relationships which are so
very important to God.
Sometimes we are motivated to do what initially seems
noble and honorable, but we go about achieving those goals in a
different way than what God intends. Philip De Courcy in his series
Battle Ready (www.ktt.org/battleready) states about TEMPTATION
that many times the goal seems to be something legitimate.

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However, Satan will encourage us to fulfill the temptation

illegitimately with the wrong person, in the wrong way, or at
the wrong time. For those things that are legitimate, acquiring
them becomes sin when we try to obtain them outside the will of
God; when we try to obtain them OUR WAY instead of HIS WAY.
Money is one of the greater temptations we face. Money
isnt inherently evil as is thought by some. Some have said that the
Bible teaches that money is the root of evil. The Bible doesnt teach
that money is the root of all evil, but that the love of money is. This
warning shows that we can lose our proper focus on money,
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds
of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away
from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
The potential issue with money is that unlike other obvious
temptations and sins, money has potential for great good.
However, it also has potential for great harm. Our desire to do good
with money can transition to sin if were not careful and lose sight
of why we earn money. We can end up focusing on making money
for moneys sake and lose focus on our concern for relationships,
causing hurt to those relationships. Again, if what we do or if our
motivations bring harm to relationships, it is sin.
We can see through 1 Timothy 6:10 the reasoning for the
claim that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. Like a
weapon, money is neither good nor bad. What makes it good or
bad is how it is used, and the motivations behind its usage. Money
can be very beneficial when used to help others, donated to
organizations, and assisting those in need. However, it can be bad
when the acquiring of money is the primary motivation that drives
our decisions, when our primary motivation is to acquire it just to
have more. I had heard that someone asked one of the Rockefeller
family, a wealthy businessman, How much was enough? His
reply was, Always a little bit more. And Warren Buffett was asked
which million he earned was his favorite. His answer was, The
next one.

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 CREDIT / DEBT
Is using credit sin? It depends. When we at times have a
need to use credit to purchase a house, perform a major repair of a
vehicle, the replacement of a vehicle or other legitimate and
necessary purchase, it isnt sin. However, when we knowingly use
credit to gain things that are wants and not needs, when we use
credit to acquire things we cant afford, it probably is. When it
comes to debt, the Bible has great insight. There are also sites
below with great information on finances and debt.
Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower
is the slave of the lender.
Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will
hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one
and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

SHOULD A CHRISTIAN HAVE OR USE CREDIT CARDS?

http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/creditcards.html
WHAT'S WRONG WITH CREDIT CARD DEBT?
www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/may/vg-may11.html
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT GOING INTO DEBT?
www.gotquestions.org/money-debt.html
CROWN FINANCIAL MINISTRIES
www.crown.org/
DAVE RAMSEY
www.daveramsey.com/home/

GAMBLING
Is gambling a sin? That depends. What is the motivation
behind the desire to gamble? Ive mentioned to our sons that some
people gamble as a form of entertainment. Like budgeting a certain
amount of money to go to dinner and a movie, they budget a certain
amount of money to gamble, because they like gambling as a form
of entertainment. I dont believe that the Bibles teaching would
consider this a sin.

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 Other individuals will gamble in the hopes they will win

money. Ive even heard some say that if God let them win the
lottery, they would give some of the winnings to God/the church.
When asked what they would do with the rest, they talk about the
cars/trips/house(s) they would buy, and they would quit work.
Sometimes people use money to gamble which they cant afford to
use, because the money is needed for their family, (food, house
payments, etc.). An example is the disproportionate number of poor
people who play the lottery. This link shows that those who
purchase a large percentage of the tickets are those who can afford
it least.
LOTTERIES: WHO REALLY PLAYS
http://stoppredatorygambling.org/blog/category/research-
center/lotteries-who-really-plays/
Many who gamble and play the lottery are hoping to use the
money they spend to gain more money. I believe that the Bible
teaches this as sin, especially considering that gambling has
become an addiction for a number of those who started gambling,
even if started innocently. This has led to some losing their homes,
spouses, and families. Once again, damage to relationships which
God so highly values.
I remember when our sons were young our family stayed at
a hotel which had a casino, I thought of a teaching moment. Before
we went in, I told them that we would need to walk past part of the
casino area to get to the elevator to go to our room. I told them,
When we go through the casino, look at the faces of all of the
people you can see who are gambling and see if those people are
smiling. They found out very quickly that none of the people they
could see were smiling. I told them that the commercials showing
people gambling and laughing and excited are not what is
seemingly true of most of the people who gamble. As well, the
beautiful architecture and beautiful fountains and structures at the
casino hotels were paid for by the money people lost through
gambling.
As to the issue of gambling being an addiction for some
people; like most addictions, it is usually not discovered before the
addiction has become a problem in the persons life. Since there is
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the possibility of addiction for some, and the potential negative

problems through addiction, does it seem like a good idea to take
up gambling as an activity? And with the information in the following
links,
IS GAMBLING WRONG?
www.christianity.com/christian-life/christian-living-
faq/is-gambling-wrong-11557130.html
SHOULD CHRISTIANS BE INVOLVED WITH LOTTERIES OR
OTHER FORMS OF GAMBLING?
www.christiananswers.net/q-acb/acb-g001.html
WHY IS GAMBLING WRONG?
https://bible.org/question/why-gambling-wrong
IS GAMBLING A PROBLEM?
http://faithfulfriends.org/gambling.html
WANTING SOMETHING FOR NOTHING
www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/LVSermons/WantingSo
methingForNothing.htm
Considering again being tempted to fulfill whatever the
selfish desire we have at that moment, the thought of giving into the
temptation will always initially look more appealing than resisting
that temptation. This verse in Matthew clearly illustrates this:
Matthew 7:13-14 Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is
wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those
who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way
is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
It is so very easy to lose sight of the negative ramifications
of giving into a temptation. Not only that, as Christians we have
invited Christ into our heart to live with us. As such, the Holy Spirit
is with us everywhere we go. This is a great confidence, but a great
condemnation too, since when we sin, we force the Holy Spirit to
be with us in our sin.
Considering Temptation again, it is often only after we give
into temptation that we are jolted back into the reality of the
consequences of the sin. These consequences can include
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embarrassment, shame, hurt to loved ones or friends, suspension,

expulsion, breakup, divorce, the loss of our job, the loss of our
family, a DUI, jail time, prison, physical injury to ourselves or others,
and even ours and/or anothers death. When we sin, how many of
us think about the possible consequences of giving into a
temptation before we give into that temptation? When was the last
time you thought about the consequences of giving in to a
temptation?
Sure, there are instances when we think weve gotten away
with a sin, simply because it seems that no one has discovered our
sin. We need to remember though that God knows and has seen
it. Nothing is hidden from Him. And not only has he seen our sin,
He knew before we ever made the decision to sin.
Again, the Bible emphasizes the importance of relationships
and our love for others is of greatest important. How we treat others
is of supreme importance to God. Again, the potential of sin in a
temptation is to consider giving in to our own wants without
considering others.
Temptation often has the appearance of being innocent,
with that temptation distorting our ability to see the sin within the
temptation. This is especially true in those times when the goal
seems honorable, as Philip De Courcys quote again indicates:
Satan will encourage us to fulfill the temptation
illegitimately with the wrong person, in the wrong way,
or at the wrong time.
Because of this characteristic of TEMPTATION, we usually
dont recognize the potential sin until after we have fallen for it.
They kind of sneak up on us. Since the temptation starts out
subtly, we dont notice as it grows and becomes harder for us to
control until its too late.
How many married individuals have allowed an innocent
work relationship to turn into adultery and ruin their marriage?
Many who have had this happen comment that they felt blindsided
and that it took them completely by surprise.
Again, many temptations start out seemingly innocent and
subtle, and some even noble. There have been those with the

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desire to make money to help others with the money, and then
found themselves consumed with the desire to just make more
money. With the temptation for more, the desire changed from
helping others to simply gaining more.
Remembering the following may help to resist temptation
better in the future. The desire to give in to the temptation will
always be stronger than the desire to resist it. Remember also who
is behind the temptation. It is Satan, a created being, and he is only
interested in our destruction, and in causing pain to God. God, who
has created us and loves us so much that Jesus Christ died on the
cross for our sin. It is he who wants the best for us and wants us to
resist temptation. Remember also that God will allow difficulties
and temptations because they are the primary way that we can
develop characteristics he wants to grow in our lives; characteristics
that we wont be able to develop further once we pass into eternity.
Think about what tempts you. How could you honor God by
resisting it, and what characteristics is God wanting to grow in you
through the temptation? It isnt that we should look forward to being
tempted, but if God is allowing temptation in our lives, maybe we
should look at that temptation as a way to develop strength in
characteristics which God desires us to have and that Satan does
not want us to have. Each of us has to determine who we will serve.
Some mistakenly believe that God temps us, that he is
responsible for the temptation we experience. But is allowing
temptation the same as causing temptation? What does the Bible
say?
JAMES 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being
tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and
he himself tempts no one.
DOES GOD TEMPT US TO SIN?
www.gotquestions.org/God-tempt-us-to-sin.html
DOES GOD TEMPT PEOPLE OR NOT?
https://carm.org/does-god-tempt-people
DOES GOD TEMPT?
www.tektonics.org/gk/godtempt.php

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 FRANCIS CHAN ON TEMPTATION

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIgLOGlELnw
When you know a person wants what is best for you, dont
we find it much easier to listen to them and consider what they
want? And if we know that God wants the absolute best for us,
shouldnt this motivate us to follow his will and his plan for our lives?
The quote below shows how uncontrolled temptation can
progress to the destiny of our lives:
Sow a thought; reap an action.
Sow an action; reap a habit.
Sow a habit; reap a character.
Sow a character; reap a destiny.
Will Wilson, a guest pastor at our church said the following
as an application of the quote above,
"It is not all about me. It is not all about now. Choices I
make today effect who I am tomorrow and who I am
tomorrow effects a whole lot of people."
It is important to remember again that temptation itself is not
sin, and that God does not tempt us. However, how we handle and
respond to that temptation determines whether it is sin or not. As
Philip De Courcy says in his audio series below,
TEMPTATION IS INEVITABLE, YIELDING TO IT IS NOT.
Some have believed that no one understands what they are
going through. When we are in the middle of the struggle of fighting
a temptation it may seem like no one else is going through what we
are going through. The verses below show that what you are going
through is not only much more common that you think and also a
temptation to many others, but that Jesus also endured temptation
while He was here.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is
not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be
tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also
provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Hebrews 4:14-15 Since then we have a great high priest who
has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us
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 hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who
is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in
every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Think again about your thought life and your character.
They are fully exposed to God. He knows us better than we know
ourselves. What are you allowing to feed your thoughts? Like other
things already indicated, we can only think of one thing at a time. If
we are allowing ourselves to think and dwell on one thing, we are
automatically choosing not to think about something else.
In the book Every Mans Challenge, (Stephen Arterburn
and Fred Stoeker) the following are a few of the questions posed to
the reader:
Do you linger at the lingerie section of a newspaper ad?
Do you watch womens gymnastics, and other womens sports
to see the uniforms, not because you really like the sport?
Do you pass a cute girl and think to yourself, nice ____ (fill the
blank with a body part).
I thought of a question related to this one.
Do you pass a cute girl and find it easy to remember certain
anatomical details, but find it hard to remember her face?
Again, remember where I mentioned the resources of TIME
and MONEY. When you spend some of either resource on
something, you are automatically choosing not to spend that
resource on something else.
Think about this applying to your thoughts. It has been
proven that the human mind can only think about one thing at a
time. Some have a better ability to quickly switch between things
that they think of, but even those persons are still only able to think
about one thing at a time. So our thoughts are similar to time and
money, in that when we choose to think about something we
automatically choose not to think about something else. When we
choose to dwell on something that doesnt glorify God and which
could lead to acting on that thought, we automatically choose not to
think on things that are glorifying to God. When we dwell on lustful
thoughts, we are choosing to not dwell on Godly thoughts. Think

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about the following two verses and then think about your thought
life in comparison to them.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you
may discern what is the will of God, what is good and
acceptable and perfect.
1 PETER 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the
devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone
to devour.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever
is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence,
if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
THOUGHTS AND THE MIND
www.openbible.info/topics/thoughts_and_the_mind

These verses and others can be found at the above link.

They are a command for us in what we should think about according
to God. If these thoughts are what God commands us to think on,
how would you characterize thoughts that are opposite these?
Would it be fair to call this opposite type of thoughts GARBAGE?
There is an acronym in computer programming called
G.I.G.O. It stands for GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT. Essentially it
means that the only information a computer can process is what
has been entered into it. When garbage information is entered, the
computer returns garbage. When good information is entered,
good information is returned. The computer cant turn garbage into
non-garbage. When we realize that our brains are the most
sophisticated computer that will ever exist, we should also realize
that when we similarly put garbage into it, we will only get garbage
in return. So, are your thoughts honoring to God or are they
garbage, tempting you to dis-honor God?
Luke 9:51 shows the determination Jesus Christ had in
accomplishing His goal of dying to provide us the opportunity for
salvation.

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 Luke 9:51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up,
he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
This phrase set his face was explained by our pastor as Jesus
Christ being fully determined to accomplish his goal. If Jesus was
so passionate to pay for our sin, then shouldnt we be passionate in
our efforts to avoid sin and not give into it? I hope the above
realizations will help you to resist temptation in the future.
The following sites will give you good information on our
thoughts and temptation, and recommendations as to how to
recognize it and keep it from controlling your life.
SOW A THOUGHTREAP A DESTINY
https://whatheisteachingme.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/sow
-a-thought-reap-a-destiny
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/character-development-
donna-kazenske-sermon-on-character-60405.asp
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT TEMPTATION
http://bibleresources.org/temptation
http://whatsaiththescripture.com/Fellowship/What.Bible.Says
.Temptation.html
WHEN TEMPTATION APPEARS
www.crosswalk.com/family/singles/when-temptation-
appears-1220961.html
HOW DOES ONE GAIN VICTORY OVER TEMPTATION?
http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-g005.html
HOW TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION
http://bibleseo.com/matthew/overcome-temptation
TOP 8 WAYS FOR CHRISTIAN TEENS TO AVOID AND OVERCOME
TEMPTATION
http://christianteens.about.com/od/advice/tp/OvercomeTempata.htm
7 TIPS TO AVOID TEMPTATION
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/7-tips-to-avoid-
temptation

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AUDIO/VIDEO
GOD IS BETTER - FRANCIS CHAN
www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-pLRM0rgjE
WHEN SIN LOOKS MORE ENJOYABLE THAN GOD - FRANCIS CHAN
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszVTWUGQQM
BATTLE READY - PHILIP DE COURCY
A Study of Jesus Victory in the Wilderness
www.ktt.org/battle-ready

* TIME MANAGEMENT
You have probably heard about the subject of Time
Management. Time management is the practice of managing your
time so that you most effectively use it. Remember again that time
is given to us from God. It is a resource which cannot be saved,
must be spent, and everyone receives the same amount of. The
only choice we have is how we spend the time we are given, and
when we choose to spend time doing one thing, we automatically
have chosen not to spend time to do something else.
While time management principals primarily deal with how to
most productively use our time, they dont determine which goals
are important and which goals arent, as indicated by the Bible. As
Christians we can use these principals to more effectively use the
time God has given us, so that we use the time for His goals and
His glory.
One realization to make when we are thinking about how we
use the time God has given us, is that we can find ourselves quite
busy at times seemingly doing Gods work. The reality some have
found is that they are mistaking being busy for spiritual
effectiveness. They are so caught up in being busy that they
havent thought about what they are busy with, and if their activity
really is what God wants from them.
In the book of Revelations we see Gods criticism of the
church in Sardis. Rev 3:1 I know your works. You have the
reputation of being alive, but you are dead.'

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 In the book of Mark, we see Jesus cursing a fig tree, because

even though it was in leaf, it wasnt bearing fruit.
Mark 11:13-14 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf,
he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came
to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season
for figs. 14 And he said to it, May no one ever eat fruit from
you again.
Leaves could be considered activity that is done, and fruit as our
spiritual accomplishments for God. Do the activities we engage in
for God generate fruit, or only leaves?
It is equally important to realize that we can get so
discouraged by what we see in the world and the overwhelming
need that we dont do anything, thinking that our efforts wont make
any difference. Here is a story I heard illustrates this well. You may
have already heard it.
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a
boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?" The
youth replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them
back, they'll die."
"Son," the man said, "don't you realize there are miles and miles
of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make a
difference!"
"After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another
starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the
man, he said, "I made a difference for that one."
God is much more interested in our availability than our ability.
As long as we are open to His leading, He will lead us to those we
are to communicate with. I believe that when we think about our
ability, we are looking at ourselves, and what we can do. When we
look to be available to God, we are looking to Him and what He will
do through us. Do you see the difference in focus?

399

 The DECISION MAKING section has information and tools to

help you make God honoring decisions. And with the following links
you have tools to help you toward the goals you have decided that
are God honoring.
THE TYRANNY OF THE URGENT
www.my279days.com/wp-
content/uploads/2010/08/Tyranny-of-the-Urgent.pdf
TIME MANAGEMENT GRID
www.usgs.gov/humancapital/documents/TimeManagement
Grid.pdf
www.thecoachingtoolscompany.com/coaching-tools-101-h-
urgent-important-matrix/
EAT THAT FROG & THE ABCDE METHOD
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKOMTZ7PPLg
Eat That Frog - Instructions
Pt.1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=duNrNcLCGTY
Pt.2 www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KapDyPPA5I
Pt.3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRkLLY6bohU
Pt.4 www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXqhFGYavS0
Pt.5 www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITSZo52j630
Pt.6 www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdUM4LWalXA
Pt.7 www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfl2o1AHij0
QUALITIES OF SUCCESS WITH ZIG ZIGLAR
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k18-W_9C2-w
GOALS - ZIG ZIGLAR AUDIOBOOK FULL
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdoS59-2q1U

* TITHING AND GIVING

Tithing was a requirement of the Old Testament where the
Israelites would give back to God, by giving to the temple 10% of
the crops they grew and animals they raised. They did this to
recognize that God had provided for them. While tithing is not a
mandatory requirement in the New Testament, the New Testament
does show giving as an indicator of the state of our spiritual lives.

400

 Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your

heart will be also.
As well, while the Old Testament indicated 10%, the New
Testament allows for giving more than, if moved to do so.
2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in
his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves
a cheerful giver.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT CHRISTIAN TITHING?
www.gotquestions.org/tithing-Christian.html
MONEY: IS IT SERVANT OR MASTER? - SHANE IDLEMAN
http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/8312013-money-
is-it-servant-or-master-pastor-shane-idleman
DAVE'S ADVICE ON TITHING AND GIVING
www.daveramsey.com/article/daves-advice-on-tithing-and-
giving/lifeandmoney_church/

* THE TRIBULATION AND THE END TIMES

Regardless of the views people hold in this area, nobody
knows when the Tribulation will start and no one can have any
impact on it when it will happen. God is in control, and His plans
will be accomplished. This is one of the reasons I personally dont
spend much time dwelling on it. I feel I can be more effective in
other ways.
Even so, the End Times can be very interesting because of
the prophesies which have yet to be fulfilled. One prophesy which
has been fulfilled within the last century is the prophesy of Israel
coming back into its own homeland in 1948, fulfilling a 2600 year
prophesy.
Here are links if you are interested in learning more or just curious.
WHAT IS THE END TIMES TRIBULATION?
www.compellingtruth.org/end-times-tribulation.html
THE GREAT TRIBULATION
www.end-times-prophecy.com/tribulation.html

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END OF DAYS PROPHECIES, RAPTURE, AND CHRISTIAN TRIBULATION

www.godandscience.org/doctrine/trib.html
THE RAPTURE AND THE TRIBULATION
www.truthnet.org/Endtimes/introduction/Rapturetribulation

* LEADING CHRISTIAN SPEAKERS AND THINKERS

While I have not had the privilege, (due to limited time), to
learn from all of the extensive teachings of all of the teachers listed,
I have been blessed by many of their teachings and know them to
be very sound teachers. This is confirmed by their association with
and recommendation by other sound teachers. Remember though,
youll want to be like the Berean Jews in any particular subject area,
and check what is being taught and compare it to the Bible.
Besides the main website listed for each speaker, you can
search for additional resources by these teachers on YouTube,
Bing (Bing video), and others. Use the following search examples:
Jay Wegter audio, Jay Wegter articles, Jay Wegter video
(Jay Wegter was one of our Youth Pastors excellent professors)
Jays audio messages: http://gospelforlife.org (Jays website)
www.sermonaudio.com/sermonsspeaker.asp (search: Wegter)
http://gospelforlife.sermon.net/main/main/20110732
Mike Adams http://townhall.com/columnists/mikeadams
Randy Alcorn www.epm.org
Kerby Anderson www.probe.org/author/kerbyanderson/
www.youtube.com/user/PointofViewTube
http://kerbyandersonspointofview.blogspot.com/
John Ankerberg www.jashow.org
www.youtube.com/user/johnankerberg
Kay Arthur www.precept.org
David Barton www.wallbuilders.com
www.youtube.com/user/wallbuilders
Frank Beckwith http://www.patheos.com/blogs/returntorome
Michael Behe http://behe.uncommondescent.com
www.youtube.com/user/IDquest
Rob Bowman http://irr.org
J Budziszewski http://undergroundthomist.org
http://www.boundless.org/ - search for: Budziszewski
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Chuck Coleson www.breakpoint.org

www.youtube.com/user/ColsonCenter
Francis Chan www.youtube.com/channel/UCyxyqm4GSqywqfkulXA4o8w
www.preachitteachit.org/about-us/the-team/francis-chan/sermons
Bobby Conway http://oneminuteapologist.com/
www.youtube.com/user/oneminuteapologist
Paul Copan www.paulcopan.com
William Lane Craig www.reasonablefaith.org
www.youtube.com/user/ReasonableFaithOrg
Dinesh D'Souza www.dineshdsouza.com
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdMutxaYUR325O05J6kj2bA
Norman Geisler www.normgeisler.com
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Norman+Geisler+
Douglas Groothuis http://douglasgroothuis.com/
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Douglas+Groothuis
Wayne Grudem www.waynegrudem.com
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22wayne+grudem%22
Os Guinness www.osguinness.com
www.monergism.com/topics/mp3-audio-multimedia/all-north-
american-speakers-messages/os-guinness
www.cslewisinstitute.org/search/node/os%20guinness
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22Os+Guinness%22
Gary Habermas http://garyhabermas.com
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22Gary+Habermas%22
Ken Ham https://answersingenesis.org
www.youtube.com/user/answersvideos
Craig Hazen www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Craig%20Hazen
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="craig+hazen"
Phillip Johnson www.touchstonemag.com/archives/author.php?id=40
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLutjxyYic6vRANCTAcEF7ViSBE8_Asxq0
Tim Keller www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/bio/timkeller.html
www.youtube.com/channel/UCpl7Fleiicgj3bLV4eeZrQw
Scott Klusendorf http://prolifetraining.com/
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22Scott+Klusendorf%22
Greg Koukl www.str.org
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Greg%20Koukl
http://christianaudio.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=koukl
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stand-to-reason-weekly-
podcast/id278207524?mt=2
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Greg+Koukl"
Peter Kreeft www.peterkreeft.com
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Peter+Kreeft"
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Brett Kunkle www.str.org

www.youtube.com/user/BrettKunkleSTR/videos
John Lennox http://johnlennox.org http://johnlennox.org/resources
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="John+Lennox"
C.S. Lewis www.cslewis.com www.cslewisinstitute.org
www.lewissociety.org/articles.php
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="C.S.+Lewis"
John MacArthur www.gty.org www.macarthurcommentaries.com
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=%22john+macarthur%2
2&qpvt=%22john+Macarthur%22&FORM=VDRE
Paul L. Maier www.paulmaier.com www.mtio.com/articles
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Paul+Maier"
Walter Martin http://waltermartin.com/
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Walter+Martin"
Josh McDowell www.josh.org
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Josh+McDowell"
Sean McDowell http://seanmcdowell.org
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Sean+McDowell"
Stephen C. Meyer http://stephencmeyer.org/ www.discovery.org
www.youtube.com/user/DiscoveryScienceNews
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=stephen+c.+meyer
Chuck Missler http://khouse.org
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Chuck+Missler"
J.P. Moreland www.jpmoreland.com
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="J.P.+Moreland"
Robert Morey http://faithdefenders.com/index.html
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Robert+Morey"
Ronald Nash www.biblicaltraining.org/speakers
www.biblicaltraining.org/christian-apologetics/ronald-nash
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Ronald+Nash+"
Nancy Pearcy www.pearceyreport.com
Johnson C. Philip http://johnsoncphilip.com
Alvin Plantinga www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Alvin+Plantinga"
www.calvin.edu/academic/philosophy/virtual_library/plantinga_alvin.htm
John Polkinghorne www.starcourse.org/jcp
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="John+Polkinghorne
Amy Orr-Ewing www.rzim.eu/tag/amy-orr-ewing
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Amy%20Orr-Ewing
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Amy+Orr-Ewing"
Michael Ramsden http://rzim.org/bio/michael-ramsden
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=%22michael+ramsden%22&qp
vt=%22michael+ramsden%22&FORM=VDRE
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 www.youtube.com/results?search_query=michael+ramsden&spf
reload=1
www.bethinking.org/author/michael-ramsden
Ron Rhodes http://ronrhodes.org
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Ron+Rhodes+"
Hugh Ross www.reasons.org
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Hugh+Ross"
Ken Samples www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Kenneth%20Samples
Jonathan D. Sarfati http://creationwiki.org/Jonathan_Sarfati
http://creation.com/dr-jonathan-d-sarfati
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="dr.+jonathan+Sarfati"
Francis Schaeffer www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Francis%20Schaeffer
http://www.labri-ideas-library.org/lecture-list.asp?s=5
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Francis+Schaeffer"
Mary Jo Sharp www.confidentchristianity.blogspot.com
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Mary+Jo+Sharp"
James Sire www.apologetics315.com/search/label/James%20Sire
R.C.Sproul www.ligonier.org
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/R.C.Sproul
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="R.C.Sproul"
Lee Strobel http://leestrobel.com/
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Lee%20Strobel
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Lee+Strobel"
Frank Turek http://crossexamined.org/
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Frank%20Turek
www.youtube.com/user/TurekVideo
J. Warner Wallace http://pleaseconvinceme.com/
http://coldcasechristianity.com/
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Jim%20Wallace
www.youtube.com/user/pleaseconvinceme
Jay Wegter http://gospelforlife.org/sermons/
www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?SpeakerOnly=true&currSecti
on=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Jay%5EWegter
www.youtube.com/user/MrJwegter
James White www.aomin.org
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/James%20White
www.youtube.com/user/AominOrg
Dallas Willard http://www.dwillard.org/resources/Default.asp
Ravi Zacharias www.rzim.org
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Ravi%20Zacharias
www.youtube.com/results?search_query="Ravi+Zacharias"

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100 Christian Apologists

www.apologetics315.com/2009/06/100-christian-apologists.html

CHRISTIANITY REASON AND SCIENCE

www.youtube.com/user/religionphilosophy
THE VERITAS FORUM www.youtube.com/user/VeritasForum
TACTICAL FAITH www.youtube.com/user/tacticalfaith
THEOLOGY, PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE
www.youtube.com/user/godlogicscience
THOMISTICTHEIST www.youtube.com/user/ThomisticTheist
ACTS17APOLOGETICS www.youtube.com/user/Acts17Apologetics
OXFORDCHRISTIANMINDS VIDEOS
http://vimeo.com/oxfordchristianmind/videos

CHRISTIANITY 9 TO 5: PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR THE OTHER SIX DAYS

www.youtube.com/channel/UCferVIbckm_j1L8cFtaMGXQ
TWO-MINUTE WARNING: ART OF PERSUASION - COLSON CENTER
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9qFR2JDsHQ

* TERMINOLOGY
The following are many terms you will find when studying Apologetics.
Searching for them as in the following examples should give you a high probability of
finding a Christian perspective on the term.
Examples: Worldview and Christian and Secular Humanism and Christian
(Putting words in quotation marks will give you more accurate search results)
Absolutes Epistemology Pluralism
Agnosticism Ethics Presupposition
Anthropic Principle Evangelism Prophesy
Apologetics Fallacy Relativism
Argument Hermeneutics Secular Humanism
From Design Inclusivism Scientific -
Atheism Intelligent Design Naturalism
Christianity Irreducible - Teleological -
Cosmological Complexity Argument
Argument Logic Theology
Creationism Moral Argument Tolerance
Cult Morality Truth
Dead Sea Scrolls Ontological Worldview
Design Arguments Argument
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 * CHRISTIAN APOLOGETIC SITES

Note: In addition to the sites already indicated in this guide, many
of the following sites have information from more than just the
category they are listed in here. While in a site, make time to look
around.
APOLOGETICSDEFENDINGTHETRUTHSOFCHRISTIANITY
www.4truth.net www.godandscience.org
www.acts17.net www.inplainsite.org
www.aomin.org http://impactapologetics.com
www.apologetics315.com http://instituteofbiblicaldefense.com
www.apologetics315.com/2009/07/christ http://ironmanapologetics.wordpress.com
ian-apologetics-blog-directory.html http://irr.org
www.knowwhatyoubelieve.com
http://apologeticjunkie.blogspot.com http://letusreason.org
http://apologetics.com www.pleaseconvinceme.com
www.apologeticsdirectory.com www.preventingtruthdecay.org
www.apologeticsguy.com www.reasonablefaith.org
www.apologeticspress.org www.reasons.org
www.bethinking.org www.risenjesus.com
https://biblescienceguy.word http://rzim.org
press.com www.scienceandgod.org/
http://carm.org http://simpleapologetics.com
https://chab123.wordpress.com https://sounddoctrineministries.word
www.christianarsenal.com press.com
www.christiancadre.org/purpose.html www.str.org
www.christianministriesintl.org www.strangenotions.com
http://coldcasechristianity.com www.summit.org
www.comereason.org www.tektonics.org
www.compellingtruth.org http://thefailedatheist.com
http://creation.com/ http://theologicalresources.wordpress.co
www.crossexamined.org m/category/apologetics-audio
www.christianapologeticsalliance.com www.thepoachedegg.net
www.equip.org www.thinkchristianly.org
http://evangelism.intervarsity.org www.thinkingchristian.net
www.everystudent.com www.toughquestionsanswered.org
http://evidencebible.com http://truthbomb.blogspot.com
www.exploregod.com http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2009/03/
www.faithinterface.com.au apologetics-arsenal.html
www.focus.org.uk/index.php www.youthapologetics.com/
http://garyhabermas.com www.youthapologeticsnetwork.com

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 FREE ONLINE APOLOGETICS TRAINING
www.apologetics315.com/2012/05/31-actions-to-advance-
apologetics.html
www.apologeticscourses.com
http://apologetics.theologytraining.com
www.apologeticspress.org/homestudycourses.aspx
www.apologeticstraining.com
http://christiancourses.com (click "Courses"-"Free Courses")
http://christian-apologetics.org
www.cslewisinstitute.org/Basic_Apologetics_Course
www.free-bible-study.org/apologetics.html
http://freebibleseminary.net http://freecourses.org
www.knowwhatyoubelieve.com
http://pleaseconvinceme.com/academy
http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/topic-index
www.trinitytheology.org
http://youthapologeticstraining.com/
The following online schools are not specifically APOLOGETIC, but
appear to offer a number of free courses in theological education
TRINITY SCHOOL
www.trinitytheology.org/courses-offered/
INTERNATIONAL SEMINARY FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION IN THEOLOGY
http://isdet.com
BIBLE.ORG THEOLOGY PROGRAM
https://bible.org/article/theology-program
BIBLICAL TRAINING
www.biblicaltraining.org
www.biblicaltraining.org/classes/all
www.biblicaltraining.org/seminars
SOUTHEASTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
www.sebts.edu/distance/mooc/default.aspx
WORLDVIEW WEEKEND ONLINE ACADEMY
www.worldviewweekend.com/academy/topics.php#topic84
THINKING CLEARLY - Greg Koukl - 4 part series
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcLIDtrKzpg&list=PLGzZYVID5fAH
oXiLf_l16gUtc4dToNEOu

408

 APOLOGETICS AND EVANGELISM TRAINING - Wes Moore

www.youtube.com/user/themakernovel/videos
APOLOGIA STUDIOS - YouTube Channel
www.youtube.com/channel/UCK9RJwC7Er16-Y8dvIQ-3tw
CAN YOU DEFEND YOUR FAITH? APOLOGETICS AND BIBLICAL LITERACY
http://onlyamustardseed.blogspot.com/2010/06/can-you-defend-
your-faith- apologetics.html
DEFENDING YOUR FAITH R C Sproul 25 part video series
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOKL-
7P3g04&list=PL7E536ECD7A6A4D41
http://freebibleseminary.net/?page_id=16
www.cslewisinstitute.org/Resource_Center (check free video and audio)
www.cslewisinstitute.org/Basic_Apologetics_Course
APOLOGETICS CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
www.facebook.com/apologeticsevents
COLD CASE CHRISTIANITY TRAINING VIDEOS
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1440A16CB619C264
CHRIST CENTERED LESSONS
www.christcenteredlessons.com/follow-the-evidence-seminar.html
SUMMIT LECTURE SERIES
www.summit.org/resources/summit-lecture-series/archive/
PRAGER UNIVERSITY
www.prageru.com

ANSWERS TO CHRISTIANITYS CRITICS

APOLOGETIC SUBJECTS IN A NUTSHELL
www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/category/in-a-nutshell/
http://faithdefenders.com/from-the-
desk/How_When_AnswerYourCritics.html
http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2009/07/usual-suspects-responses-to-
notable.html
http://essentialmatters.blogspot.com/2013/05/answering-christianitys-
critics-part-1.html
http://essentialmatters.blogspot.com/2013/05/answering-christianitys-
critics-part-2.html
www.watermark.org/media/series/281/
www.thetrumpet.com/article/1460.31409.73.0/religion/christianity/answeri
ng-bible-critics
www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=578

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 www.inplainsite.org/html/asinine_assault.html
http://creation.com/countering-the-critics-questions-and-answers
SHORT ANSWERS TO BIG QUESTIONS - VIDEOS
http://www.rzim.ca/events/sabq/

COMPREHENSIVE SITES - SITES COVERING MANY TOPICS

http://apologeticjunkie.blogspot.com
www.bethinking.org
www.case.edu.au
www.christiancadre.org/purpose.html
http://discoveryseries.org
www.jpmoreland.com/jps-
library/recommended-resources-and-links
http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2009/03
/apologetics-arsenal.html
http://mywisegeneration.blogspot.com
www.mitchin.com/home.html
www.str.org/training
www.seanmcdowell.org
http://thinkingmatters.org.nz
www.toughquestionsanswered.org
www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com
http://wellspentjourney.wordpress.com

COUNTRY, CULTURAL, AND CURRENT EVENTS

www.breakpoint.org http://wallbuilderslive.com
www.probe.org www.watchman.org

CULTS
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/Cults
http://carm.org/cults-outline-analysis
http://theologicalresources.wordpress.com (links in right column)

PROPHESY
www.allaboutthejourney.org/power-of-prophecy.htm
www.faithfacts.org/search-for-truth/maps/fulfilled-prophecy-as-evidence
www.reasons.org/articles/articles/fulfilled-prophecy-evidence-for-the-reliability-of-the-bible

SITES WITH AUDIO & VIDEO

www.apologetics315.com/2008/03/ultimate-apologetics-mp3-audio-page.html
www.apologetics315.com/2007/10/16-best-apologetics-podcasts.html
www.apologetics315.com/search/label/debate
http://christianaudio.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?limit=15&q=koukl
Many free audio downloads from Greg Koukl. Search for other authors also.
www.christiancadre.org/Audio.html
www.cornerstonebible.org/resources/sermons/author
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 www.criticalthinkeracademy.com
www.cslewisinstitute.org/Resource_Center (check free video and audio)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/ReasonableFaithPodcast
http://htwins.net/scale2 (Shows incredible scale of Universe)
www.jpmoreland.com/media
www.marketfaith.org (links in Worldview Resources)
http://www2.masters.edu/pulpit/speakers
www.mitchin.com/home.html http://oneminuteapologist.com
www.onegodonegospel.org/audio.htm www.relyonchrist.com/lecture.htm
www.rzim.org/media
http://server.ffmp3.com (Click Audio then FFFC Catalogs)
www.str.org/explore#&format=PodcastEntry
www.summit.org/resources/summit-lecture-series/archive
http://thinkingmatters.org.nz/resources
http://theologicalresources.wordpress.com (links in right column)
www.veritas.org www.waltermartin.com/realaudio.html
www.watermark.org/media/series/281 www.watermark.org/media
www.youtube.com/user/OnGuardConference/videos
www.youtube.com/user/ReasonableFaithOrg/videos
SURVEY OF CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS
12 part video presentation by the Clear Thinking Christianity YouTube channel
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCqM21hWRtY&list=PLyryMVVZEmUhf6W4N
ZML6xP3swnup1GCT

SHARING THE TRUTHS OF CHRISTIANITY

www.wayofthemaster.com www.christianwitnessingtools.com
www.christiananswers.net/evangelism/home.html
www.gotquestions.org/effective-witness.html
www.amazingfacts.org/news-and-features/inside-report/id/481/the-road-to-
emmaus-15-tips-for-effective-witnessing.aspx
www.cru.org/train-and-grow/evangelism.html
www.allaboutgod.com/christian-witnessing.htm
www.whitestonejournal.com/witness1.html

SITES TO GET YOU THINKING DEEPER

www.bethinking.org www.discovery.org www.str.org/explore
www.ccel.org/index/author www.probe.org www.veritas.org
www.reasonablefaith.org/scholarly-articles
www.thoughtfulchristianity.net
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 TRUTH
www.knowtruth.com/truth http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/truth
www.allabouttruth.org www.preventingtruthdecay.org
http://bibleencyclopedia.com/truth.htm http://truth-defined.com/index.htm

WORLDVIEW
www.marketfaith.org/worldview-resources
www.christianworldview.net/resources/worldview-ministries
(Listing of organizations with information about worldviews)
www.compellingtruth.org/Christian-worldview.html
www.gotquestions.org/Christian-worldview.html
www.inplainsite.org/html/world_views.html
www.projectworldview.org/worldviews.htm
www.thepoachedegg.net www.worldview.org/podcast

* CULTURAL ISSUES CHALLENGING TO CHRISTIANS

This section covers prominent cultural issues with which
many of us as Christians have found ourselves tongue tied when in
conversations with others. This is usually because we dont know
the Biblical position, nor how to effectively explain and defend the
Biblical position. Often it is when we are pressed to give a yes or no
answer to a question such as, Is _____ a sin? As you saw earlier
with the question, If I dont accept Christ, am I going to hell? a
single word answer isnt an effective reply to most of these types of
questions people ask. As well, even if you are a Christian, you may
wonder and even disagree with the Bible indicating certain things as
sin. This is usually due to the influence of the culture and the well
sounding arguments affecting our limited perspectives.
When we find ourselves thinking contrary to what the Bible
indicates as right and wrong, it is good remind ourselves about many
of the things which our culture now accepts and how that may have
influenced us. Many of these accepted things were not accepted by
our culture even 50 years ago; whether abortion, homosexuality,
adultery, etc. Are we really going to believe that this God who knows
everything and created the entire Universe out of nothing got it
wrong for the thousands of years before the last 50? Or could it be
that we have bought into what the culture says is right.
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 It has been proven that if a person is told something

repeatedly for a long enough period of time, they will start to accept
it as true, even if it isnt. Remember John Stockstills question to one
of his congregation working at the video store which rented adult
videos? Does it bother you that it doesnt bother you
anymore? With the cultural standards on many issues even in just
in the last 50 years, Isaiah 5:20 seems to be a very accurate
observation.
Isaiah 5:20, Woe to those who call good evil, and evil good.
When those who have done this are standing in front of God after
this life, how do you think they will be judged?
If after checking out these subjects and sites you realize that
you have things in your life that you now realize are sin according to
God, God wants to forgive you. If you are hesitant to call on him
because you are ashamed, remember, there is nothing in your past
that he doesn't already know about. He knew about it before you
ever sinned, before you were ever born. While he wont always take
away the consequences of our sin, he wants to forgive us and relieve
us of the guilt we are experiencing.

CURRENT GOVERNMENT ACTIONS WITH THE POTENTIAL

TO AFFECT CHRISTIANS
If you watch the news, there seems to be an increase of
stories about what is happening in the government and what is
happening in education. Many of these situations have the potential
to affect Christians and their rights.
One example of this is in Houston where the Mayor
subpoenaed the last three years of sermons from 5 different pastors,
with another article indicating the subpoena of their email and phone
conversations as well. The controversy stems from an ordinance
which passed in Houston. One of the provisions of the ordinance
allows for any person, including adult, who feels they are the
opposite gender, to use the bathroom of that opposite gender.
www.inquisitr.com/1547906/mayor-of-houston-backs-down-on-
unconstitutional-demand-for-sermons-after-major-backlash

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 In California, the legislature passed AB1266 that was signed

by Governor Jerry Brown that went into law January 2014. The
purpose of the law is explained as being to help reduce bullying and
discrimination against transgender students. The new law gives
students the right:
"to participate in sex-segregated programs, activities
and facilities" based on their self-perception and
regardless of their birth gender.
So, any child from kindergarten through 12th grade can decide
which gender identity they prefer and use the sports teams and
bathrooms that correspond. Can you imagine having a 9th grade
daughter, and a 12th grade student who was born male but identifies
as female who will be able to use the locker-room at the same time.
CALIFORNIA'S TRANSGENDER-STUDENT LAW: KIDS CAN CHOOSE
BATHROOMS, SPORTS TEAMS
www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-
Wires/2013/0812/California-s-transgender-student-
law-Kids-can-choose-bathrooms-sports-teams
A friend who works at one of the local high schools mentioned
to me the wording of an announcement for soccer tryouts she heard
announced over the PA. This is part of the speakers message,
Any male, or if you identify yourself as male . . .
The following websites have up to date information about
efforts by the government and public education affecting Christians
and other people of faith.
www.frc.org http://www.issuesineducation.org
http://tunein.com/radio/The-World--Everything-in-It-p43670
www.wallbuilderslive.com https://washingtonwatch.com

ABORTION AND EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH

Abortion in its simplest description, is the taking of innocent
human life while still in the womb. Embryonic stem cell research is
the harvesting of embryonic stem cells for research and treatment of
medical conditions in others. Harvesting embryonic stem cells
results in the destruction, and thus the death, of the embryo from
which the stem cells are removed.
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 Considering that LIFE is one of the first foundational rights in

our country, abortion and stem cell research are of significant
concern, especially for the reasons given for the justification for
these practices. One reason is in the event of rape or incest.
Considering that less than 1% of the abortions performed are for this
reason, wouldnt it be reasonable to eliminate the other 99%? What
about PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION? This process delivers the unborn
baby feet first, and with the body partially delivered the life of this
unborn is terminated. This is legal, but if the unborn baby is fully
delivered and then terminated, it is illegal. What reasoning makes
any sense that the 6 to 8 travel of an unborn baby through the birth
canal makes the difference as to if the termination of the life of that
baby is legal or not?
The reason for this concern about Embryonic Stem Cell
research is that the destruction of human life takes place. Some are
of the belief that the unborn are not actual persons till they are born,
so that the termination of the unborn, either through abortion or
embryonic stem cell harvesting, is fully acceptable. The links below
show scientific and logical evidences for the unborn deserving the
same full protection as any person who has been born.
While the embryonic type of stem cell research is fairly well
known, there is another type of stem cell research. It is called Adult
Stem Cell Research. Adult Stem Cell Research doesnt end the life
of an unborn as the embryonic version does. Adult stem cells can
be harvested from various tissues, like umbilical cords, pulled teeth,
etc. Those in favor of Embryonic Stem Cell Research again usually
indicate that these unborn are not full human persons and so they
shouldnt have the rights that full human persons do. But should we
arrive at conclusions based upon SUBJECTIVE feelings or OBJECTIVE
facts? Again, the following links indicate the facts of the processes
and the ethical concerns raised.
Scott Klusendorfs Presentations
What is the Issue? www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnDooyEvaRI
What is the Unborn? www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt7GAhbxfHY
Why are Humans Valuable pt1? www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qot0zsqqoJ8
Why are Humans Valuable pt2? www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N9jSTvdipk

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 THE BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW OF ABORTION WITH SCOTT KLUSENDORF

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ORtEXKp1U0
WHEN IT COMES TO ABORTION, NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THE
ONE QUESTION THAT MATTERS.
www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/December%201997%20-1.pdf
THE S.L.E.D. TEST
www.str.org/articles/the-s.l.e.d.-test www.sledtest.org/
PRECIOUS UNBORN HUMAN PERSONS
http://server.firefighters.org/catalog/1999-2000/00602.mp3
www.prolifetraining.com
http://makeabortionunthinkable.net
THE 180 MOVIE www.180movie.com
MAKING ABORTION UNTHINKABLE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eKmPqW0RZY
MAKING ABORTION UNTHINKABLE: THE ART OF PRO-LIFE PERSUASION
5 part teaching presentation by Greg Koukl
www.soku.com/t/nisearch/Making%20Abortion%20Unthinkable?f=1&kb=
050200000000000__Making%20Abortion%20Unthinkable
MAKING ABORTION UNTHINKABLE Information and student study guides
http://codylindley.com/abortion
LIFE REPORT
http://prolifepodcast.net
ONE OF THE BEST PRO-LIFE SPEECHES EVER!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOWMmx6eBjU
ANTIDOTE TO ABORTION ARGUMENTS
http://creation.com/antidote-to-abortion-arguments
A PRESENTATION BY AN AMAZING 12 YEAR OLD.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOR1wUqvJS4
EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH
www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=7&article=496
www.godandscience.org/doctrine/stem_cell_research.html
www.str.org/articles/embryonic-stem-cell-research-means-and-ends

416

 PRO-LIFE ANSWERS TO PRO-CHOICE QUESTIONS

Part 1 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_XfihgY7ew
Part 2 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO_SPzFo3YQ
LIFE TRAINING INSTITUTE
http://prolifetraining.com
CANADIAN CENTER FOR BIOETHICS Caution: Graphic photos on main page
www.unmaskingchoice.ca

Some object to showing the graphic results of the abortion

process because the pictures are much too offensive. The
following three links show the reasons for doing this.
SHOULD PRO-LIFE ADVOCATES USE GRAPHIC IMAGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ABORTION?
www.lifenews.com/2014/01/30/should-pro-life-advocates-use-graphic-
images-in-the-fight-against-abortion/
PRO LIFE ON CAMPUS: WHY THE DRAMATIC PICTURES?
www.prolifeoncampus.com/anti-abortion-pro-life/why-the-graphic-
abortion-procedure-pictures
SHOW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHAT AN ABORTION IS!
www.priestsforlife.org/resources/abortionimages/
OTHER SITES
www.str.org/Search?q=abortion
http://thefailedatheist.com/category/abortion
www.cbn.com/spirituallife/CBNTeachingSheets/Abortion_You_Are_Not_
Alone.aspx
http://hopeafterabortion.com
If you are a victim of abortion or have caused another to
obtain an abortion, and you have come to the realization through the
information and resources in this section that the decision was a sin,
you may want to see a counselor at your church. God wants to
forgive you of that sin, and provide healing for you.

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 CREATION EVOLUTION
I have included this topic not only because of its cultural
importance but also because it is used as one of the primary
arguments against the existence of God. I have also gone into
greater detail with this topic because of the significance of the
controversy and the many confusions that people seem to have
about the facts of the subject.
Many believe science has proven that Evolution has
happened, and because of this many uninformed Christians either
believe that God must have used Evolution, or they eventually
abandon their belief in God because of the seemingly convincing
arguments presented. As I have emphasized considering evidences
throughout this guide, what is the best conclusion based on the
evidences which exist?
WHY DOES THE DEBATE ABOUT EVOLUTION MATTER?
www.str.org/quickthoughts/why-does-the-debate-about-evolution-matter
As with the terms TRUTH and MORALITY, it is also important
to understand the definitions of the terms dealing with the CREATION-
EVOLUTION CONTROVERSY. The terms SCIENCE, EVOLUTION, and
CREATION, have more than one definition depending on how the term
is used, and the understanding of the person using or hearing the
term. When in conversation about Creationism and/or Evolution, it
can be very helpful to use the first TACTICS question? What do you
mean by that?
People will say that Evolution has been proven, but which
Evolution are they referring to? The term EVOLUTION can mean
different things, and unless you understand the specific meaning
being referred to you wont know which definition the person is
indicating. Two of the specific categories of Evolution are
MICROEVOLUTION, and MACROEVOLUTION. These terms are used to
describe the process. There are two additional terms; NATURALISTIC
EVOLUTION, and THEISTIC EVOLUTION. These describe how the
process of evolution got started in the first place.
MICROEVOLUTION, better understood as TRANSITION, is
defined as variances within a species over time. Examples of this
would be changes in the size and shape of the beak of a bird, the
418

thickness or length of fur, etc. Descendants of the species are of the

same species as their predecessors. As an example, a Chihuahua
is as much a dog as a Great Dane is. I know, some of you may
disagree ;-) Even though there is amazing variance between
different breeds, they are all still dogs. The same is true of all other
species. These changes are visible and fully consistent with the
concept of CREATION because one species never change into a
different species.
MACROEVOLUTION is defined as changes which extend
from one species to another, where a less complex (lower level)
organism will increase in complexity to become a higher level
organism, as in changing from ape to human through multiple
TRANSITIONARY steps. These are much larger changes, usually
claimed by Evolutionists to be caused by mutation. Evolutionary
scientists refer to TRANSITIONAL SPECIES as MISSING LINKS. With the
exception of a few controversial examples given as supposed
evidence in support of evolution, almost all MISSING LINKS are artists
renditions, with no fossil evidence found. As Ken Ham states in
regards to Missing Links,
What do scientists find? Nothing. What do they label
it as? Missing. Is it that it is missing or that it just isnt
there to begin with?
MICROEVOLUTION, or variance within a species, is fully
observable whereas MACROEVOLUTION has never been observed.
Many proponents of evolution point to genetic mutations as the force
behind the changes, but mutations have almost always proven to be
harmful and none have been found to be helpful or useful.
Evolutionists look at micro evolutionary changes and they
extrapolate that if small variances show very small changes then
multiple small variances would result in large changes over long time
frames. They claim this is evidence of evolutionary changes
happening. Brett Kunkle refutes this theory fairly effectively in this
video:
EVOLUTION: THE BIG QUESTION Brett Kunkle
www.str.org/quickthoughts/evolution-the-big-question
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MICROEVOLUTION AND MACROEVOLUTION?
www.gotquestions.org/microevolution-macroevolution.html
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 WHAT IS THE MISSING LINK, AND HAS IT BEEN FOUND?

www.compellingtruth.org/missing-link.html
DOCUMENTED TRANSITIONAL FORMS?
www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=2437
SURVIVAL OF THE FAKEST A great article showing disproven evidences
still being used in textbooks to support the theory of Evolution.
www.discovery.org/articleFiles/PDFs/survivalOfTheFakest.pdf

The concise definition of NATURALISTIC EVOLUTION is

Change over time from one species to another. For this to be
true as described by scientists, thousands of transitional species
would need to be found to confirm this evolutionary process. Other
than a few fossils classified by Evolutionists as transitional, the
thousands of transitional fossils necessary have not been found. As
a result, a theory was proposed by Stephen J. Gould called
PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIA. This is where huge jumps in evolution take
place. An example would be where a lizard lays an egg and instead
of a lizard hatching from the egg, a bird hatches instead. As such,
there are no transitional species and so no fossil evidence. Some
will say that this lack of fossil evidence is actually evidence for
evolution, because there are no transitional fossils. Does this
sound logical? This explanation would be circular reasoning
GENERAL REBUTTAL TO THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION - RICH DEEM
www.godandscience.org/evolution/evolution.html
There are some Christians who believe science has proven
evolution true, and they believe that God used evolution to bring
about the changes we see. This is called THEISTIC EVOLUTION.
THEISTIC EVOLUTION: DESIGNED BY CHANCE?
www.str.org/articles/theistic-evolution-designed-by-chance
THEISTIC EVOLUTION
https://carm.org/secular-movements/evolution/theistic-evolution
The Scientific non-Bible believing community typically
believe that Evolution is a naturalistic process and call it
NATURALISTIC EVOLUTION. This form of Evolution is completely
absent of any supernatural intervention, and this is why it is called
NATURALISTIC. If there is no God, then God obviously couldnt be
involved, and only natural process were responsible.

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 WHAT IS EVOLUTION? - www.str.org/articles/what-is-evolution

15 ANSWERS TO JOHN RENNIE AND SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN'S NONSENSE
www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=9&article=1046
While evolution is promoted by Atheists and Evolutionists as
the explanation of the development of life, it still doesnt answer the
question of how life came to exist in the first place. Evolution is only
an explanation as to what happened after life was present. The
concept of life arising by chance from non-life is called ABIOGENESIS.
The Law of Biogenesis indicates life only comes from life with life
never coming from non-life. This is fully consistent with what is found
in nature and in the Bible, and is completely contradictory to the
concept of Abiogenesis. The Theory of Abiogenesis (life from non-
life), is disproven by The Law of Biogenesis.
ABIOGENESIS IS IRRELEVANT TO EVOLUTION
http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=1631
THE LAW OF BIOGENESIS
Pt.1 www.apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=1&issue=1018
Pt.2 www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=4178

CREATIONISM and INTELLIGENT DESIGN are terms used for the

concept of life being brought into existence by an intelligent creative
force. As there are other religions which teach this (Judaism, Islam,
etc.), the terms are not exclusive to Christianity. However, they are
typically associated with Christianity in articles, books, and news
reports.
CREATIONISM doesnt specifically indicate the method God
used to create, only that God did. In contrast, INTELLIGENT DESIGN
holds that certain features of the Universe and of living things are
best explained by an intelligent cause rather than by an undirected
process, such as natural selection. Opponents of the idea that God
was responsible for life coming into existence commonly confuse the
terms of CREATIONISM and INTELLIGENT DESIGN.
CREATIONISM https://carm.org/creationism
WHAT IS INTELLIGENT DESIGN
www.intelligentdesign.org/whatisid.php
INTELLIGENT DESIGN NETWORK
www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org
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 The last term to consider in this section is SCIENCE. One of

the definitions for Science at www.freedictionary.com is:
Systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained
through observation and experimentation. Science is the
process and method we use to discover information no matter where
the evidence leads. However, today there is a new definition for
SCIENCE. This new definition of science by evolutionary scientists
requires that if the evidence leads to any conclusion which infers the
existence of God, then you are not doing science.
This definition of science used in many schools today only
allows for natural materialistic conclusions that WILL NOT ALLOW the
possibility of God regardless of where the evidence leads. The fancy
name for this type of science is METHODOLOGICAL NATURALISM. This
phrase means that the only METHOD that you can use is one which
only arrives at a NATURALISTIC conclusion. If you are using the
above original definition of science, but the evidence you find points
in any way to the existence of God, you arent doing science
according to METHODOLOGICAL NATURALISM.
Thinking Clearly (3 of 4) - Greg Koukl
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU0XJ1K9EIE
At the 37 minute mark, Greg goes into a more thorough
explanation of the two definitions of Science. This should give
you a better understanding of how the two definitions are used
and the significant importance of understanding which definition
a person is assuming when talking about science as it relates to
the Creation Evolution controversy.
As you can also see with this topic, asking the TACTICS
question What do you mean by that? is essential. Using the
TACTICS methods will allow you to make sure as to which meaning a
person is using for scientific terms used when you are in
conversation with them.
DARWIN ON TRIAL - PHILLIP E. JOHNSON
http://server.firefighters.org/catalog/1999-2000/01037.mp3
12:18 Realization of the problems with Evolution as presented.
14:05 Observation of the word definitions and logic being used.
WHY DOES SCIENCE LEAVE GOD OUT? (METHODOLOGICAL NATURALISM)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmom0jlgc_Q

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EVOLUTIONARY ARGUMENT AGAINST NATURALISM (AN INTRODUCTION)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpQ1-AGPysM
Many evolutionists have raised criticisms about Phillip E.
Johnson commenting about evolution because he is not a scientist
but a lawyer. This is an example where the person is attacked or
criticized rather than dealing with the conclusion the person provides
reasons for.
The following video shows why Professor Johnson is fully
qualified to speak on the subject of Evolution.
CAN A LAWYER SPEAK ON SCIENCE AND EVOLUTION?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mJTZiEu3k0
If you are new to much of this information about evolution, it
can seem a little overwhelming since much of it isnt taught in your
school textbooks. Naturalistic Materialism is usually the only
science taught. If you are somewhat familiar with the subject
matter, you could use the following tactic if in conversation with an
evolutionist:
SIMPLE TACTIC WITH TOPIC OF EVOLUTION Brett Kunkle
www.str.org/blog/what-is-a-simple-tactic-you-can-use-with-the-topic-of-
evolution-video
Even after being shown the incredible odds against Evolution
some Evolutionists will still make a statement similar to this,
Evolution has to be true because we are here. How would they
respond if we used almost the same statement? That statement
being, Creationism has to be true because we are here. These
are not objective statements but subjective, and any person making
either of them is presuming what they are trying to prove.
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
What does the Bible say? www.gotquestions.org/creation-evolution.html
FrequentlyraisedbutweakargumentsagainstIntelligentDesign
www.uncommondescent.com/faq
Categories www.uncommondescent.com/faq/%20-%20notsc
You must paste this address in the ADDRESS bar, and then press Enter.
Once you are taken to the page with the "The page you are looking for is
not here" message, scroll down past message for the categories.

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ANSWERS IN GENESIS ONLINE BOOKS

https://answersingenesis.org/answers/books/
MARK EASTMAN:
Former Atheist/Evolutionist: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBG9VwdDotg
The Cosmos & The Creator www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mtzMrceQuM
IN THE BEGINNING BOOK BY DR. WALT BROWN
www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/IntheBeginningTOC.html
AMAZING SEMINAR ON INTELLIGENT DESIGN
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7Vf6MvBiz8
DEMOLISHING STRONGHOLDS VIDEOS:
War of the Worldviews - Session 1 & 2 - Ken Ham
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/worldview/war-worldviews/
Evolution in Pop Culture - Session 3 & 4 - Carl Kerby
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/evolution/evolution-pop-culture/
Counterfeit Reality - Session 5 & 6 - Bill Jack
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/worldview/counterfeit-reality/
Answers to Difficult Issues: How to Share
Your Christian Worldview- Session 7 & 8 - Carl Kerby
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/god/difficult-issues/
Simple Tools for Brain SURGERY - Session 9 & 10 - Bill Jack
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/worldview/brain-surgery/
Special Forces for the Savior - Session 11 & 12 - Charles Ware
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/god/special-forces/
ANSWERS ACADEMY VIDEOS:
Defending the Faith
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/bible/aa-defending-the-faith
Where Did God Come From?
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/god/aa-god-come-from
The Rocks Cry Out
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/science/aa-rocks-cry/
Big Problems with the Big Bang
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/evolution/aa-big-bang/
Astronomy: What Do We Really Know?
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/science/aa-astronomy/
A New Reformation: Changing Lives, Rocking the Culture!
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/bible/aa-reform/

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 After Its Kind

https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/creation/aa-after-its-kind
The Ultimate Proof of Creation
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/creation/ultimate-proof/
Nuclear Strength Apologetics
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/bible/nuclear-strength-apologetics
Why Won't They Listen?
https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/god/why-wont-they-listen
NW CREATION NETWORK - http://nwcreation.net
www.nwcreation.net/videos http://www.nwcreation.net/audio/
CREATION EDUCATION CENTER - www.cecwisc.org
INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH - www.icr.org/creation-astronomy
DARWIN ON TRIAL - Philip Johnson
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwj9h9Zx6Mw
THE CREATION CONVERSATION Dr'. Stephen Meyer, Dr. Michael Behe,
and Dr. David Berlinski: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgsEtVe_Bis
EXPELLED NO INTELLIGENCE ALLOWED
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5EPymcWp-g
ADDITIONAL VIDEOS https://answersingenesis.org/media/video/creation
More video links in left margin
ID QUEST YOUTUBE VIDEOS
www.youtube.com/channel/UCV4Zy3ry9DrDCdxwyAxXs0g
FOCUS PRESS YOUTUBE CHANNEL
www.youtube.com/user/FocusPress1
ARGUMENTS WE THINK CREATIONISTS SHOULD NOT USE -
http://creation.com
http://creation.com/qa#bad_arguments
DARWIN CONSPIRACY
http://darwinconspiracy.com/index.php
APPEARANCE OF DESIGN
http://creationism.org/heinze/AppearanceOfDesign.htm
INTELLIGENT DESIGN - www.intelligentdesign.org
INTELLIGENT DESIGN NETWORK - www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org

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Understanding Intelligent Design - Sean McDowell

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqEzRapv5LU
THE CATCH-22 OF PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS
www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=9&article=2508
This presentation answers the claim that Creationist scientists arent
legitimate scientists because they have few Peer-Reviewed articles.
WHY IM NOT AN EVOLUTIONIST
https://speakingthetruthabouteverything.wordpress.com/category/why-
im-not-an-evolutionist/
WHY IM NOT A THEISTIC EVOLUTIONIST
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/why-im-not-a-theistic-evolutionist/
EVOLUTION: PHILOSOPHY, NOT SCIENCE Greg Koukl
http://intelmin.org/2011/09/greg-koukl-evolution-philosophy-not-science/

DATING
Modesty can also be a consideration in our dating actions too.
The dating world can be a great challenge for Christian students, and
their ability to maintain a standard of modesty. I believe that the
following scenario encompasses many of the situations Christian
students find themselves in, and the conflicts they are forced to deal
with. I hope the questions in this section help to give you a more
complete perspective in this challenging area.
Suppose that you found out an attractive and popular person
wanted to date you but you didnt know much about them. Others would
think you were crazy if you were to turn down a date offer from this
person. You decide to agree to go on a date with them but then found
out before the date that they usually dated people who were willing to
be quite intimate with them. And maybe that this person had
expectations as to what they felt they were entitled to because they
were spending money on the date. Would you still accept the date, or
would you cancel knowing that others would look at you as THAT TYPE
OF STUDENT who turned down a date with one who others would jump
at the chance to date?
This may seem like a difficult question but if you think about the
following questions, they might help to put this scenario in perspective.

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 Is it important to find out about the reputation of another person

before agreeing to date them?
Can you think of possible consequences of accepting a date with
this person, even if you plan on keeping your modesty?
If you do accept the date, what conclusions do you think others
might come to about your modesty?
If other students think you are that kind of girl/guy, do you think
a committed Christian student would then be more or less
interested in considering going out with you on a date?
Similarly, if others know you are a Christian, do you want to risk
your reputation by going out with someone as was indicated
above? And if you did go out with them, knowing how others
would think of you, how seriously do you think non-Christians will
consider your Christian commitments and message?
Considering all of the above, would dating this person be worth it?
I hope these questions illustrate how important your
reputation is, and the potential impact to your reputation if you dont
think through the choices you make. I believe a fairly well-known
saying applies in this situation. The saying is,
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Here are a few other questions to think about:
What kind of first impression do you want others to have of you?
If you focus primarily on the looks or popularity of another
person, what does that convey to others about your character?
Remember, does God look on our appearance or our heart, and
what should we consider as important in others?
Is your character and reputation worth protecting?
Are you willing to sacrifice personal satisfaction, and possibly
ridicule from other students at times to maintain your personal
integrity and character?
Its natural to want to try to fit in, but is fitting in at the expense
of your character worth it? Statistics indicate that there is little
difference these days between the sexual ethics of many Christians
when compared to the sexual ethics of non-Christians. If the world
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sees no difference in how Christians live, why would they be

motivated to become a Christian? Another quote which made me
really think about how others see me is:
If you were arrested for being a Christian,
would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Again, when we invite Christ to be our Lord, Christ will convict
us of our sin. If you call yourself a Christian and are living no different
than your non-Christian friends, and you are not feeling any
conviction about aspects of your lifestyle which are unpleasing to
God, you should really consider whether you have truly accepted
Christ, or have only said a phrase. God knows our thoughts,
motivations, actions, and he knows our heart. Since your eternal
destiny is at stake, isnt this important for you to consider?!
WHAT ARE THE BIBLICAL GUIDELINES FOR DATING RELATIONSHIPS?
http://christiananswers.net/q-dml/dml-y006.html
SHOULD CHRISTIAN TEENAGERS DATE?
www.justindeeter.com/archives/1208
THE TOP FIVE MYTHS OF CHRISTIAN DATING
www.crosswalk.com/family/singles/the-top-five-myths-of-christian-dating-
11620987.html
BIBLICAL DATING: HOW IT'S DIFFERENT FROM MODERN DATING
http://www.boundless.org/relationships/2012/biblical-dating-how-its-different-from-
modern-dating
DATING & RELATIONSHIP ADVICE
Jefferson & Alyssa Bethke Dating Series
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFkX75yrdZI&list=PLhZejCzDImAcVrWfDwBThtBzc6x
PJlCd8
CHRISTIAN DATING CULTURE PART 1
www.christianpost.com/news/christian-dating-culture-part-1-majority-of-single-
christians-reject-idea-of-waiting-for-marriage-to-have-sex-114422/#
Click the small Magnifying Glass and search CHRISTIAN DATING
CULTURE for parts 2 and 3.

ECONOMICS AND POLITICS

These two subjects have many related points and they are
sometimes controversial issues for Christians. Political decisions
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usually have an effect on the economies of both the States as well as

the Nation, and this can ultimately affect our own personal economies.
As in every area of life, worldviews impact economic and political
decisions as well.
With economics, there is confusion among Christians as to
which system is most consistent with the Bible. Some believe that a
SOCIALISTIC system is more consistent with the truths of Christianity.
They claim that since Jesus called for helping the poor and downcast,
Socialism is the most consistent with the teachings of the Bible. Others
believe a CAPITALISTIC system is more in line with the truths of
Christianity, because Jesus spoke against theft, and if the government
takes from you to give to others then that is theft. There are aspects of
both systems which are consistent with the Bible, and aspects which
are not. The links below will give you greater insight into the teachings
of the Bible pertaining to economics.
With politics, the philosophies of the two primary political parties
have resulted in different outcomes in the past, and both having
significant economic results. As with economics, there have been
aspects of both which are consistent with the Bible and aspects which
are not. Additional considerations are whether or not it is Biblical to be
involved in the political process, and whether we should vote or even
running for political office. There are those both inside and outside the
church who argue for Christians to be involved or not be involved in
politics.
ECONOMICS
CHRISTIAN ECONOMICS
www.allaboutworldview.org/christian-economics.htm
A BIBLICAL VIEW OF ECONOMICS
www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/bib-econ.html
ECONOMICS HAS CONSEQUENCES http://vimeo.com/55419730
Study Guide: www.compassclassroom.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/02/Economics-for-Everybody-Study-Guide-Sample.pdf
THE FINAL ECONOMIC COLLAPSE
www.gty.org/resources/sermons/80-195/the-final-economic-collapse-part-
1?Term=economics
www.gty.org/resources/sermons/80-196/the-final-economic-collapse-part-
2?Term=economics

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THINKING BIBLICALLY ABOUT THE ECONOMY, GOVERNMENT, AND YOUR MONEY

www.gty.org/resources/sermons/80-358/thinking-biblically-about-the-economy-
government-and-your-money?Term=economics
Prager University Economics
www.prageru.com/courses/economics

Socialism is an economic system often promoted as most

consistent with the Bible. At the time Im writing this small section, a
presidential candidate is running on a position promoting Socialism,
and is fairly popular. Considering his popularity, it is clear that many
people believe that changing from a Capitalistic to a Socialistic
economic system would be a positive change for our country. Is this
accurate to the facts, especially in light of aspects of Socialism which
are considered by many Christians to be opposite the Bible?
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN VIEW SOCIALISM?
www.gotquestions.org/socialism-Christian.html
KENNEDY CLASSICS - SOCIALISM: A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rSqnKKvVMY
SUNDAY TV SPECIAL: 'SOCIALISM: A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER'
www.renewamerica.com/columns/crane/100514
KENNEDY CLASSICS: THE BANKRUPTCY OF SOCIALISM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6ojx_yLQfY
SOCIALISM IS NOT COMPASSIONATE,
AND WHY THIS SHOULD MATTER TO CHRISTIANS
www.faithfacts.org/christ-and-the-culture/socialism-not-
compassionate

POLITICS
Politics has become increasingly volatile for Christians to
express an opinion about, or for them to even being involved in. Many
people are calling more and more issues Political, with the effect being
that Christians are left feeling that they have to be less involved,
believing the phrase Christians shouldnt be involved in politics or
political issues.
Politicians are the people whose job it is to make and pass laws.
As Christians, we are to be about the job of changing hearts. We should
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realize that establishing and changing laws without changing hearts

only changes the behavior of a person and not their heart. Changing
the behavior of people through laws is important, but long term change
only comes through changing hearts.
So, how do we navigate this subject from a Christian standpoint,
what are the facts, and what is the Biblical involvement we can or should
have as Christians? Hopefully through this sub-section you will become
much more knowledgeable and be able to make decisions more in line
with the Bible.
CHRISTIANS AND POLITICS John MacArthur
www.gty.org/resources/articles/A124/christians-and-politics-part-1
(Links to the other parts of the article are below Part 1)
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN VIEW POLITICS?
www.gotquestions.org/Christian-politics.html
WHAT ABOUT CHRISTIANS IN POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
http://carm.org/christian-politics-government
CHRISTIANS AND POLITICS
http://townhall.com/columnists/gregorykoukl/2007/04/30/political_passivity
%E2%80%94vice_or_christian_virtue
CHRISTIANS AND POLITICS
www.gty.org/resources/Articles/A124/Christians-and-Politics-Part-1
CHRISTIANS AND POLITICS - PART OF THE BIBLICAL CITIZENSHIP
SERIES
www.focusonthefamily.com/socialissues/christians-in-politics/biblical-
citizenship/christians-and-politics
SHOULD CHRISTIANS SEEK POLITICAL POWER, OR SHOULD WE ONLY
FOCUS ON CHARITY AND EVANGELISM?
http://christiananswers.net/q-wall/wal-g005.html
WAS JESUS A PACIFIST?
www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-pacifist.html
PRAGER UNIVERSITY POLITICAL SCIENCE
www.prageru.com/courses/political-science

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 HOMOSEXUALITY
This is another dividing issue in our culture and also in some
churches. Some churches, Christians, and many Christian students
seem to be unclear as to what the Bibles position is on same sex
relationships. After all, if two people love each other, then what could
be wrong? This section will give you resources to learn the Bibles
position on this subject, as well as the reasons behind the Bibles
position and how we need to respond to this issue.
I have included this topic specifically because it causes so much
criticism of Christians. Many non-Christians believe that Christianity
teaches that homosexuality is a sin far worse than other sins.
Considering most non-Christians dont consider it a sin, this belief
contributes toward their feeling that Christians are intolerant. This is not
the case. Remember, all sin is an offense to God, and any sin which
isnt forgiven by God is enough to keep a person out of heaven for
eternity. We are all sinners, and deserve hell. Only God can and did
pay the price for our sin so that we could have the opportunity to choose
to accept the price he paid for us, choose Him and live eternally with
him. As you can see by the following verse, the Bible classifies
homosexuality as no greater or lesser a sin than the others listed.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous
will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the
kingdom of God.

What is true is that all sin comes from us giving into the
temptation to think of ourselves above others, to give in to our selfish
desires. Whatever we are tempted with; be it money, power, sex,
etc., the temptation is to choose our will over Gods will for us. When
we choose our will, knowing that Gods will is different, it is sin. And
any sin is enough to damage our relationship with God to the point
of being separated from him. Unless we choose to accept His will
for our lives, and accept the price He paid to provide us with eternal
life, we are going our way. The Bible shows where our way leads.

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 Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its
end is the way to death.
I indicated earlier that God will not force His will on us. He
allows us to choose His way or our own way, and He will respect the
choice we make. So will each of us follow Him or ourselves? He
pursues us while we are alive here, and he has sacrificed His own
son to prove His love for us. He paid the debt that we owe, so that
we have the opportunity to choose Him. He has done everything
that can be done, but He cannot choose for us. And once we pass
from this life, the opportunity to choose him is gone forever. The
God who created the Universe came into time and space to provide
us the opportunity of an eternal life with Him, but again, its our
choice.
If you are a follower of Christ and have looked down on
anyone who is a homosexual, I would suggest that you look at your
own life and see if you are guilty of any of the other sins listed in just
this passage. Even if only in our thoughts, all of us are guilty of at
least one of these sins listed, just like the Ten Commandments. If
you dont accept the Biblical position on this or other topics, then you
are making the Bible say what you want it to. You are making it into
something other than what it is, Gods Word to us.
We are all sinners, and because we are so loved by God, He
paid the greatest price so that we could spend eternity with Him.
HOMOSEXUALITY: COMPASSION AND CLARITY Sean McDowell
This is a powerful message showing the importance of our being
compassionate when discussing this issue.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7a2RJgAGcM
TIM KELLER ON HOMOSEXUALITY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dY0ZTuFGCE
WHAT DO CHRISTIANS HAVE AGAINST HOMOSEXUALITY?
Tim Keller at Veritas [8 OF 11]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZFCB9sduxQ
RAVI ZACHARIAS ON THE CHRISTIAN VIEW OF HOMOSEXUALITY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPYRXop7aPA

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THE HOMOSEXUAL QUESTION: SIN?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y_lQlAXN-I
STAND TO REASON'S PAGE LISTING GOOD ARTICLES ON HOMOSEXUALITY
www.str.org/Search?q=homosexuality
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
www.gotquestions.org/homosexuality-Bible.html
www.openbible.info/topics/homosexuality
www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=7&article=358
www.crossconnection.net/2011/07/apologetics-homosexuality
http://ratiochristi.org/uncg/blog/post/sex-faith-and-utter-
confusion/3068?tab=all_blogs_tab#.VBelX8WwIr1
www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=1627
www.alwaysbeready.org/homosexuality http://carm.org/homosexuality
www.str.org/articles/homosexuality-giving-your-point-of-view
HOMOSEXUALITY: KNOW THE TRUTH, SPEAK IT WITH COMPASSION
www.conversantlife.com/god-and-culture/homosexuality-know-the-truth-
speak-it-with-compassion-part1
www.conversantlife.com/god-and-culture/homosexuality-know-the-truth-
speak-it-with-compassion-part2
www.conversantlife.com/apologetics/homosexuality-know-the-truth-speak-it-
with-compassion-part3

MODESTY
When looking at TV shows, movies, commercials, magazines,
billboards, and the selection of clothing we see being worn, it is easy to
conclude that our culture has an obsession with sexuality. What does
the Bible say? Weve already seen Matthew 5:28:
Matthew 5:28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a
woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with
her in his heart.
See the other verses listed here: www.openbible.info/topics/modesty
To see the importance in the way a woman dresses and how
this effects guys, check the first link below. To see information about
studies showing scientific evidence about how guys view a woman
when she dresses immodestly, check the second link below.
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WHAT GUYS THINK ABOUT MODESTY MODESTY PART II - CJ MAHANEY

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpWMlacQqzY
CAN MODESTY MAKE A COMEBACK? - THE EVOLUTION OF THE SWIMSUIT
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYY2mqIr7cA
When a woman veils her body in modest clothing, she is
not hiding herself from men. On the contrary, she is revealing her
dignity to them. This great quote and others, showing the value of a
Godly woman, are at this link:
http://sistersinchrist-bethany.blogspot.com/2012/05/quotes-godly-women.html
Guys, after youve watched the videos at these links, please
dont get the idea that you are excused from taking any responsibility
for what you allow yourself to see and your thoughts about a woman
who may not be dressed modestly. You must exercise every effort to
not see women as objects. The evangelistic preacher Billy Graham
said,
You may not be able to help the first look, but you can
help the second look.
This means that we may not always be able to help the first
glimpse of images; whether a billboard, a magazine ad or similar, or a
woman dressed in revealing and/or very form fitting attire. However, we
are responsible for what we do with the second look, whether we will
choose to look away or continue looking. Continue looking and
entertaining thoughts.
And just in case you think that once you are older or married
that you wont have to worry about the visual impact a woman can have
if she is dressed in certain attire, you will. In his message EVERY MANS
BATTLE, (39 mins into Pt.1), Jay Wegter talks about one of the founders of
the Dallas Theological Seminary, Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer. He recounts
a story that Dr. Chafer told him. While Dr. Chafer was walking down the
longest hallway of the seminary with a young male student, they found
that they were going to have to walk the length of the hallway just a few
feet behind a woman wearing a skin-tight leotard. The young student
said to Dr. Chafer, who was in his 80s,
Boy Dr. Chafer. It will sure be great to reach that age
where that type of thing wont bother me.
Dr. Chafer replied, It sure will.

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 Every Mans Battle - Jay Wegter

Pt1 www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=32008027544
Pt2 www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=32008032490

Guys, this will be a challenge for most of you for your entire life.
This temptation to lust does not go away, and you will need to decide
every day, and sometimes multiple times each day, whether you will
control this temptation or allow it to control you.
Girls, when you think of the description Jay gave of the woman
walking in front of Dr. Chafer and the young student, what very popular
garment for women could be compared to a skin tight leotard? Can
someone say YOGA PANTS? Im sure they are very comfortable, but so
many women are wearing them and they dont even seem to realize the
thoughts guys are having about them. Its not right for a guy to not
control his thoughts, but do are the types of thoughts you want to
encourage in guys? My purpose in sharing this information is so that
as a woman you will know what many guys are thinking. If the guy is
not a Christian, they dont really have any reason to control their
thoughts and think otherwise. Do they?
OVERCOMING LUST
www.thestraitgate.org/devotionals/faith-at-work-devotional/overcoming-lust-part-one
www.thestraitgate.org/devotionals/faith-at-work-devotional/overcoming-lust-part-two
ADDITIONAL ARTICLES www.overcoming-lust.com/articles
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT OVERCOMING LUST?
www.gotquestions.org/overcoming-lust.html
KEYS TO POWERFUL LIVING: OVERCOMING LUST
www.cbn.com/spirituallife/cbnteachingsheets/keys-Overcoming_Lust.aspx
HOW TO OVERCOME LUST http://brotherjohn.org/how-to-overcome-lust
OVERCOMING LUST Book Preview
https://books.google.com/books?id=djvKy3iTDp4C&printsec=frontcover&dq=o
vercoming+lust

PORNOGRAPHY
Pornography is another significant threat to a persons
Christian witness and their walk with the Lord. It has caused people
to lose their jobs, in some cases ruined their marriage and family
relationships, and in cases of illegal pornography, imprisonment.

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Using pornography to lust is also one of the most difficult temptations

to resist because the material is so easy to access. As well, since
giving into the temptation involves us individually, we are never
without ourselves. And also we can give in to this temptation in
private, hidden from everyone. Everyone except from God that is.
God knows everything and he knows our thoughts before we do.
The aspect of pornography that makes it such an offense to
God is that it objectifies people. It degrades the people in the
pictures by making them less than people and turning them into
nothing more than objects, objects used to satisfy our selfish desires.
Can we have any kind of relationship with a picture or video? No.
As well, can you have a genuine demonstrate love for the person in
the pictures or video, if you are only looking to satisfy your selfish
desire for physical satisfaction?
And lastly, what is one thinking of when they are giving in to
the temptation of lust? Arent we imagining a physical relationship
with the person in the picture or video? If we are married, this is
adultery. And if we are single, this is fornication. Both sins. I would
also add that if you are married and treating your spouse as a way
for you to achieve physical satisfaction, you are treating them as an
object and not a person. You should be clear not on how God views
our viewing our spouse like this. Not loving them in such a way that
we consider them above ourselves.
If you have read the sections on Temptation and
RELATIONSHIPS, LOVE, AND SIN, you realize the issues with
pornography. The root of sin is the temptation to selfishness, in that
we think of ourselves and our desires above others. When we think
of ourselves above others, we damage relationships, which is Gods
highest ideal.
Did you realize that sex sins are sins against our own bodies?
Fornication Sinning Against Your Own Body
www.pawcreek.org/end-times/fornication
God commands that we glorify Him in our bodies. Can we
be glorifying God while we indulge selfish sexual sin?
1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought with a price. So glorify
God in your body.
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 When we think of loving God, doesnt that then mean that we

consider Him and his wishes above our own? And arent Gods
wishes only for our best? He shows this through his warnings about
our actions and consequences of our actions.
1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil, like
a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.
Pornography used to be an issue primarily for men, however
due to the effective message of our culture that women should
enjoy this too, this is a growing issue for women as well. If you
are struggling with this issue, PLEASE use the information at these
links, and talk to someone to help you gain victory in this area.
FAST FACTS ON PORNOGRAPHY
www.preparetheway.us/CEDocuments/Downloads_GetFile.aspx?id=300405&fd=0
WHATS THE BIG DEAL WITH PORN?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/pornography/whats-the-big-deal-with-porn
SO WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT PORNOGRAPHY?
www.porn-free.org/porn_is_bad.htm
JEFFERSON BETHKE: PORN AND TECHNOLOGY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKqAd9TBPeo
WHAT PORN-IFIED CULTURE DOES TO MARRIAGE
www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-porn-ified-culture-does-to-
marriage
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
www.gotquestions.org/pornography-Bible.html
www.itbn.org/index/detail/ec/N2cmIzMzrP3aAYGy5Bzbkwi8a1EylvH2
(Every Young Mans Battle)
www.alwaysbeready.org/pornography http://just1clickaway.org
www.befreeinchrist.com (also click the Links category at the right)
JAY WEGTER http://gospelforlife.org/videopage Great articles and audio
EVERY MANS BATTLE - Jay Wegter
This is an outstanding message showing the battle men face and how
vigilant we need to be to battle this temptation.
Pt1 www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=32008027544
Pt2 www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=32008032490
OVERCOMING SEXUAL LUST
http://gospelforlife.org/s/Overcoming-sexual-lust-4w7e.mp3

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HOW TO DEAL WITH LUSTFUL THOUGHTS - PAUL WASHER

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsmOumG8g70
A BATTLE PLAN AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY
www.desiringgod.org/interviews/a-battle-plan-against-pornography
SERMONS ON OVERCOMING PORNOGRAPHY
www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?keyworddesc=Pornography&keyword=Pornograph
JOHN PIPER: THE KEY TO ESCAPING PORN
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ4FHQZ8cT0
HOW TO GUARD YOUR EYES FROM PORNOGRAPHY AND NUDITY
www.virtualpreacher.org/contemporary-issues/guard-eyes-porn-nudity
LIES YOUNG WOMEN BELIEVE
www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=1836
RESOURCES FOR THE SEXUAL INTEGRITY
www.briangardner.org/wordpress/?page_id=7
HOW TO FIGHT ADDICTION IN A PORNOGRAPHIC CULTURE
https://vimeo.com/131814292
5 STEPS TO BREAKING FREE FROM PORN
www.crosswalk.com/11717933/
Book Preview:
https://books.google.com/books?id=eUaUV-
bry1sC&printsec=frontcover&dq=5+Steps+to+Breaking+Free+fr
om+Porn&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwixmrewk_7JAhUI5GMK
HYUFD78QuwUIHzAA#v=onepage&q=5%20Steps%20to%20B
reaking%20Free%20from%20Porn&f=false
THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON PORN: VIRTUAL SEX AND BRAIN CHEMISTRY
www.christianity.com/11610664/
This is taken from the book: WIRED FOR INTIMACY: HOW
PORNOGRAPHY HIJACKS THE MALE BRAIN . You can view
a Google book preview of this and other books on the
effects of pornography and living porn free at this link:
www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Wired+for+Intimacy
%3A+How+Pornography+Hijacks+the+Male+Brain

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SITES FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE THEY HAVE A PROBLEM

I had previously titled this section SITES FOR THOSE ADDICTED
TO PORN, but after a Mens Conference on Purity at our church this
past weekend, I realized that I needed to change it.
The speaker reminded us that it is incorrect for us to call this
problem an addiction, because to call it an addiction gives the
impression that we really cant control it. This feeling of a lack of
control can cause some to no longer fight against it and instead
resign themselves to the idea that there is nothing they can do about
it and give in to it. He illustrated this by using the example of an
ISIS terrorist having broken into your house. He asked, If this
terrorist had a knife to the throat of one of your loved ones
threatening to kill them if you clicked a porn link, would you click it?
Of course the answer is No.
What he was illustrating is that we have greater self-control
then we realize and that we take responsibility for. It is human nature
to take the easy way out. Doing this we can feel better about
ourselves not making any effort, because were convinced that
anything we do wont have any effect. As we see with the ISIS
illustration, this is wrong.
JOHN PIPER: THE KEY TO ESCAPING PORN
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ4FHQZ8cT0
In the above video, John Piper indicates that trying to stop
using porn BY trying to stop using porn will never work long term.
Simply trying to will ourselves to give up giving into a temptation will
work for a short while, but it is not going to be a strong enough
reason to give this desire up completely. Heres a quote that says
this very effectively,
"God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him."
If you think about a persistent temptation, it is something that
pulls at our hearts affections. It affects our emotions, and as such,
this type of temptation is difficult to combat using only logic and
reasoning. What is necessary is the replacement of this affection

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with a new stronger affection. The classic sermon about this

replacement is Thomas Chalmers sermon

THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION .

The link below is the printed original sermon from 1901. The
language used is from that time, is somewhat challenging, and may
be distracting from the message. A much shorter and updated
message is the video from the video in the second link
THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION
www.newble.co.uk/chalmers/comm9.html
THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION
https://vimeo.com/54112571
THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION
www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=102006183035
This is a longer more explanatory sermon based upon
Thomas Chalmers original sermon.
As we realize that this temptation to lust is not a true addiction,
what is true is that this will be a temptation most will have to fight
against their entire lives. As indicated in the TEMPTATION section,
Satan doesnt take vacations and has had thousands of years to
perfect his methods to ensnare us. Considering this realization,
temptations are not something that we only need to deal with
periodically, like a work schedule. Temptations, particularly in this
area need to be resisted every time they appear. This is due to how
significantly pornography affects our Christian walk. Since Satan is
relentless in his efforts, our efforts to resist him must be relentless.
John Piper effectively illustrates the greatest loss we can
experience giving into the temptation to lust. Here is his quote,
"The beauties of Christ can be lost forever by the
destructive habit of lust. The beauties of Christ can be
enjoyed forever by the life giving habit of a pure heart."
Now that I have given you a kind of bad news, let me now give
you some good news. We all know that when you have the right
tools, any job is easier. Resisting Satans temptations is no different.
For the last session of the mens purity conference, the speaker and
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a panel of pastors and elders answered questions from the

attendees. The first question the panel was asked was about the
tools they have found helpful in resisting the temptation to lust. The
following are tools the speaker and pastors mention they use to fight
this temptation. Most of these tools will help in resisting most other
temptations as well.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the
devil, and he will flee from you.
One things to consider about tools though. Tools are only
useful if they are actually used. A great quotes by Andy Stanly is,
Path, not intent, determines destination.
We can have all the good intentions we want, but if we never
act on them or do anything to put our intentions into action, they are
nothing more than intentions. It is only when we have a path or a
direction combined with action, that we make progress.
And similar, but I wasnt able to find an author reference for them,
"Boys make excuses, Men make plans."
"Men with good intentions make promises.
Men with good character keep them."
"Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done.
Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen."

Ill list first the tool which all of the panelists indicated as one
of the most important. That tool is having an ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNER. This is a person you partner with to keep you accountable
in your goal of resisting a temptation, and being open with them in
both your successes and failures in resisting those temptations. As
you can imagine, knowing that you will have to confess to another
person your failure is very motivational in not giving in to a
temptation.
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
WHAT IS AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER?
www.covenanteyes.com/support-articles/what-is-an-
accountability-partner/

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 CHRISTIAN ACCOUNTABILITY
www.allaboutgod.com/christian-accountability.htm
WHY AN ACCOUNTIBILITY PARTNER IS VITAL TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH
http://christianity.about.com/od/singlesresources/qt/JB-
Accountability-Partners.htm
CHRISTIAN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER: A BEGINNERS GUIDE
http://barbraveling.com/2015/03/04/christian-accountability-
partners-a-beginners-guide/
10 STEPS TO FINDING A GREAT ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
www.covenanteyes.com/2013/03/08/accountability-partner-
script/
HERE ARE OTHER TOOLS THE PANEL RECOMMENDED.
If you are single, the tools referencing a spouse wont yet apply.
However, you could instead use your family in place of a wife.

-WORSHIP MUSIC -BIBLE MEMORIZATION -PSALM 13: ESPECIALLY V5-6

v5. But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
v6. I will sing to the Lord,
because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Doesnt this sound like the message of
THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION?

-KNOW THE PATH THAT LEADS TO YOU GIVING IN TO THE TEMPTATION.

If we pay attention, we will see patterns in all of the temptations
we fail to resist. There are markers on each path to that failed
temptation. Remember that progression: THOUGHT ACTION
HABIT - DESTINY? If when we recognize those thoughts that
lead to the temptations we have fallen for, and then we change
our thoughts, we will then change our actions and develop new
habits leading to a changed destiny.
-TRY TO ELIMINATE TIMES OF IDLENESS
Like King David in the Old Testament and idleness leading him
to sin with Bathsheba, we need to be vigilant with this pathway
to temptation.

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 Here are a few good quotes,

"If you are idle, be not solitary. If you are solitary, be not idle"
Samuel Johnson
"Satan finds mischief for idle hands to do." Warren Weirsby

-HAVE PICTURES OF THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT CONCERNS WHEN TEMPTED:

My grieving Savior My wife (or family) to whom Im committed
My children who watch me Friends I would let down
Crime scene tape to guard my heart from contamination
-Determine to give up one thing looking at other women
-MAKE AND KEEP A LIST OF CONSEQUENCES of giving into the
temptation. Ex. Consequences to our family and our church
-REMEMBERING THAT GOD IS THERE SEEING us and us not
wanting to shame him.
-HAVING A DEVOTIONAL TO REFOCUS OUR THOUGHTS
-MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE One passage in particular is Psalm 19:9-11
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules[a]
of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them
there is great reward.
-PRAYER personal and with my wife (or family).
-IN OUR WORKPLACE, A PICTURE OF MY WIFE. (or family)
-TALK WITH MY SONS AND STAY ACCOUNTABLE
-BE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT

-CONTROL INTERNET ACCESS ON YOUR DEVICES:

Place computer in visible area not your bedroom
Provide access to your devices by your parents/spouse at any time
BOOKS RECOMMENDED BY THE PANEL:
Handbook of Prayer Ken Boa
Yawning at Tigers - Drew Nathan Dyck
The Expulsive Power of A New Affection
Anything by J.C. Ryle

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CAN THE EFFECTS OF PORN BE REVERSED?

http://marriagemissions.com/can-effects-porn-reversed-mark-gungor
40-DAY E-COURSE - http://2.bebroken.com/40-day-e-course.html
CHAOS COMPASS - www.chaoscompass.org/how-to-use.html (phone app)
ONLINE COURSES - www.porn-free.org/online_courses.htm
TOXIC PORN, TOXIC SEX: A Real Look at Pornography
www.everystudent.com/wires/toxic.html
Also check Jay Wegters message above EVERY MANS BATTLE
Pt1 www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=32008027544
Pt2 www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=32008032490
BRAIN CHEMICALS AND PORN ADDICTION:
SCIENCE SHOWS HOW PORNOGRAPHY HARMS US
www.covenanteyes.com/2014/02/03/brain-chemicals-and-porn-addiction
www.covenanteyes.com/2010/04/19/your-brain-on-porn-part-1-interview-with-
dr-bill-struthers
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
http://churchpurity.com/resources.php
http://curetobepure.blogspot.com
www.thepureman.org/help-overcoming-pornography-addiction.html
http://porntopurity.com www.puresexradio.com
ADDITIONAL BOOKS
EVERY YOUNG MAN'S BATTLE: Stategies for Victory in the Real
World of Sexual Temptation
https://books.google.com/books?id=BWYcNaOg6lwC&printsec=f
rontcover&dq=Every+Young+Man%27s+Battle:&hl=en&sa=
X&ved=0ahUKEwj4qPnf_-
TKAhVUzWMKHX5BA6EQ6AEIMDAA#v=onepage&q=Ever
y%20Young%20Man's%20Battle%3A&f=false
Previews of other books in this category:
www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=Every+Young+Ma
n%27s+Battle%3A+
TEMPTATIONS MEN FACE Tom Eisenman Book Preview
https://books.google.com/books?id=V7t4fmfkZUMC&printsec=fr
ontcover&dq=%22temptations+men+face%22&hl=en&sa=X
&ved=0ahUKEwjZ-
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 6LXhOTKAhUEyGMKHfW2AkkQ6AEIHTAA#v=onepage&q=
%22temptations%20men%20face%22&f=false
Previews of other books in this category
www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q="temptations+men+face"
FINALLY FREE - Heath Lambert Book Preview
https://books.google.com/books?id=nQWdWY6qDYsC&printsec
=frontcover&dq=%22finally+free%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ah
UKEwjr7r7IjeTKAhVR-GMKHX2-
Cj8QuwUILTAA#v=onepage&q=%22finally%20free%22&f=f
alse

BUT ISNT PORNOGRAPHY JUST A FORM OF ART?

One of the arguments Ive heard against the criticism of
pornography is that it is merely art. That even the great artists of
history, like Michelangelo, used the nude form in some of their art.
When I first heard this justification, I was a little at a loss as to
identifying the specific reasons pornography wasnt art. You may
have wondered too.
Those looking to use this justification ignore a simple
realization. The essential difference between art and pornography
is the intent and motivation of the person creating the work. Ravi
Zacharias indicates in the excellent video at the YouTube link below
that when Michelangelo was asked by his teacher why he used the
nude form of the human in his art, Michelangelo responded,
I want to see man as God sees man
Michelangelo used the nude form to reveal the beauty of the human
form and bring glory to God, the creator of man.
What is the motivation behind the creation of pornography?
It is solely for the purpose of generating sexual lust in the viewer. In
contrast to the motivation of Michelangelo, it is to conceal the beauty
of Gods design, and make the person in the pornographic work
nothing more than an object to achieve the sexual gratification of the
viewer.

446

 The reality of this difference is confirmed by a quote of Ravi

Zacharias in the same video below. Ravi says,
"I don't know anyone whom I have met whose marriage
broke up because he went to see museums and art galleries
quite often. But I do know a lot of people whose marriages
have collapsed because of the erotic escapes into a mindset
that no one human being can ultimately satisfy."
ART VS. PORNOGRAPHY: WHATS THE DIFFERENCE?
https://theosophical.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/art-vs-
pornography-whats-the-difference/
PORN AND NUDE ART: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
www.catholic.com/video/porn-and-nude-art-whats-the-
difference
PORN AND ART DEFINED
http://photography.about.com/od/takingpictures/a/Is-Nude-
Photography-Art-Or-Porn.htm
NIGHT ONE: UPPSALA UNIVERSITY OPEN FORUM with Ravi
Zacharias and Michael Ramsden (Part 1)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3drzfhRr0is

SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE

This area is similar to pornography in that it can have a very
harmful effect on your Christian walk. Unlike pornography though,
the consequences can be even greater than those of Pornography,
and can last a lifetime. Consequences such as pregnancy, disease,
the regret of an abortion and possibly the inability to ever conceive
again, ruining a marriage, losing a job . . . you get the idea. In
addition to these consequences is the incredible hurt that this can
cause to others, damaging relationships.
Sex outside of marriage affects both those who are married
as well as those who are single, in that any sex outside marriage, is
outside of Gods design. Because of the damage to relationships,
and the potential for damage to relationships now and in the future,
God has instructed us not to engage in it.

447

 In regards to sex outside of marriage some have said God

doesnt want me to have fun. But is this true?
In actuality, could it be that God doesnt want us to be hurt,
or experience the negative consequences listed above, so that we
can truly enjoy this gift within His guidelines which are designed to
virtually guarantee we wont be hurt? Consider a couple who is
married, and their wedding night is the first time either of them are
ever intimate sexually with another person. If they remain faithful to
each other for the rest of their lives, will they ever need to worry
about any of the dozens of sexually transmitted diseases that exist?
Would they ever need to go through the emotions felt by those who
have been dropped by another after sex, and feel they have been
used for sex? Would they ever need to go through the hurt caused
by the unfaithfulness of the other? The answer to all of these
questions is a resounding NO!
In addition to the other links in this section, I have included
one that responds to, God doesnt want me to have fun, which
is sometimes spoken by those not, or not yet married.
The following are some of the Bible verses related to this
subject, and links to be able to research further.
Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual
immorality, impurity, sensuality,
Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:
sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and
covetousness, which is idolatry.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 For this is the will of God, your
sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that
each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness
and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not
know God;
1 Corinthians 7:2 But because of the temptation to sexual
immorality, each man should have his own wife and each
woman her own husband.

448

 Hebrews 13:4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and

let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the
sexually immoral and adulterous.
1 Corinthians 6:13 Food is meant for the stomach and the
stomach for foodand God will destroy both one and the
other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the
Lord, and the Lord for the body.
2 Corinthians 12:21 I fear that when I come again my God may
humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of
those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity,
sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE?

www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/what-does-the-bible-say-
about-sex-before-marriage-510492.html
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE?
www.gotquestions.org/sex-before-marriage.html
NO SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE
www.openbible.info/topics/no_sex_before_marriage
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE?
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-does-the-bible-
teach-about-sex-outside-of-marriage/
IF I'VE HAD SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE, CAN I STILL BE FORGIVEN?
https://carm.org/fornication-sex-marriage-forgiven

Engaged couples will sometimes feel that since they are

getting married, there isnt any real issue. Since they would be
intimate with the same person they will be married to, this almost
sounds logical. However, the reality is that an engagement is not a
guarantee of marriage. If a large percentages of marriages dont
stay together, with all the commitments in marriage, do you think
there is a greater or lesser motivation for an engaged couple to stay
together? And are the potential issues already indicated any less
possible for an engaged couple?

449

 If you are a woman reading this section, ask yourself the

question, If I am intimate with a guy before marriage, which of
us has the most to lose? It should be pretty easy question to
answer. You do! This was illustrated briefly in just the first few
paragraphs. Considering being sexually intimate with a guy, you are
considering giving him the most personal part of yourself that you
can ever offer anyone, and you are also putting yourself at risk for
issues which could last the rest of your life.
Men are typically visual, while women are typically relational,
as the relationship and security aspects are typically more important
to a woman initially. So what a man will often be drawn toward
initially is the visual impression a woman makes on him, while a
woman often thinks more long term, and places importance on a
man she could see herself in a relationship with. Its not that a guys
looks arent important to a woman, but the relationship is usually as
important, if not more so. If both looks and relationship are present
in the guy, so much the better from the womans perspective.
Now, while the above has been the typical motivations of
men and women in the past, this has probably changed as well
because of the emphasis our culture places on sex. Our culture tries
to get us to believe that men and women arent different, and like
pornography, women should be motivated primarily by a mans looks
without much regard to his character. You see it throughout
advertising. Use this product, and get someone who looks like the
person in the advertisement. If we think back to the question as to
who has the most to lose in a sexually intimate relationship outside
of marriage, again it is the woman. If you are a woman reading this,
what is the characteristic of a man that has the greatest appeal to
you, and do you think you have been influenced by the culture?
Also, as we all have a tendency to conceal what we believe
would be found negative by others, men wont typically acknowledge
how strongly they are motivated by the physical appearance of a
woman.
Considering the impact of a womans appearance on a guy;
how a young woman dresses has a significant effect on guys
whether intended by a woman or not. If you have not yet checked

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out the links in the MODESTY section, I really encourage you to do

so.
Another thing to realize is that guys are usually goal oriented.
One of the phrases I was reminded of while writing this section is
that of a man telling a woman, If you loved me you would. Can
you tell what the goal is of someone making this kind of statement?
Considering the influence of todays culture on women, this might
not only be said by a man to a woman but also by a woman to a
man. If you are dedicated to remaining pure until marriage or have
made mistakes in the past and you are dedicated to remain pure
from now until you get married, there are a few responses to the
above statement you might find helpful.
It is not my intention for anyone reading this to be made
uncomfortable by my bluntness, but as in other areas of this guide
my desire is to provide you with tools and resources to be able to
respond to the challenges you may be confronted with.
I believe that the following statement has a lot of truth to it,
Guys use love to get sex, and girls use sex to get love. Being
that many guys are typically GOAL ORIENTED, and not initially
RELATIONSHIP ORIENTED, they have been known to promise LOVE to
a woman to achieve their goal of sex with that woman. The
unfortunate truth is that many guys lie when they tell a young woman
that they love her. They do this to convince her to give them this gift
intended for the wedding night.
Unfortunately many young women have given into this
deception only to find out that the guy didnt really mean it when he
said that he loved them. The guy got the sex he wanted but the girl
didnt get the love, the relationship, the security she wanted. Ive
seen this happen more than a few times, and remember a group I
was with which went skiing. This young woman in the group liked
one of the guys who looked to have everything going for him. I heard
the next day that they had slept together the previous night. The
next day this guy was only interested in skiing, and the young woman
was very hurt. Was this guy caring about what she wanted or only
what he wanted?

451

 When challenged by the statement, If you loved me you

would, it might seem that the intent of someone who says this is to
provoke the other person to actually PROVE their love to the one who
is making the statement. Unfortunately, many young women have
been tricked into actually believing they can prove their love by
sleeping with the guy. Isnt this statement requesting the proof of
love one-sided by the one saying this? Why is it that one person has
to prove their love to the other by sacrificing the most intimate gift
they will ever give their future spouse? Since they are asking the
other person to sacrifice this gift, shouldnt they be the one proving
their love?
In reality, the person making the statement is incredibly
selfish. If you are a young woman and a guy says this to you, he is
basically saying that he wants you to give your most personal and
intimate gift to him, to prove that you love him. Hes asking you to
give up your confidence in; not contracting an STD (Sexually
Transmitted Disease), not getting pregnant and then not going
through a 9 month pregnancy, not going through a long and likely
painful delivery of a child, and not potentially having to raise the child
by yourself. Or the other position you are put in, having to consider
even the possibility of ending the babys life through abortion, and
possibly be rendered sterile through the process of an abortion.
And he is asking you to do this why? So that he can satisfy
his desire for a few moments of pleasure, at your expense! This
sounds like a fair trade-off, right? . . . . . NOT!
How much concern for YOUR SAFETY, YOUR PHYSICAL AND
MENTAL WELL-BEING, and YOUR CONFIDENCE does a guy like this
have for you? Hopefully you understand why I feel this is an
important subject to cover, and to provide you with answers to this
challenge.
If told, If you loved me you would, a direct response is,
Well, if you loved me, you would respect my choice/decision.
When you think about a person proving their love, who
has provided the greatest example of proving their love? God has!
God loves you so much that he sacrificed his life so that you could
spend eternity with Him. The Creator of the entire Universe, 100
billion galaxies containing 100 billion stars each, it was He who did

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this to prove his love for you, and did it before you or I could change
and become better!
How highly are you valued by God? You can tell by what He
was willing to sacrifice, His Son? You are of infinite worth to Him! If
you know that God loves you this much, how much do you need the
selfishly motivated affections of the kind of guy who would ask this
question of you? Yes, another question with an obvious answer.
You dont need the kind of love that one like this has.
If this selfish immature guy persists further by saying, But
everyone is doing it, you should respond, Great! You shouldnt
have any problem finding someone to satisfy your immature
need. I thought of one more possible follow up response if the guy
is very persistent (and not getting the hint), But I want to do it with
you. Your response should be, No, you want to do it with
anyone.
And considering the scenario of getting engaged. Could a
guy deep down use getting engaged as a justification to be sexually
intimate? Is there a significant difference between a guy saying, If
you loved me you would and Since were engaged, we
should?
Remember, you are of infinite worth to God, as evidenced by
Christs decision to die on the cross to pay the incredible price
required because of our sin. If you are worth this much to God and
he loves you so much, do you think you need to get any proof of your
value from a person who is only concerned about their own selfish
desires; a person who has such disregard for you, your safety, and
your confidence?
Tim Keller contrasts the difference between a guy like this
and Jesus. Tim mentioned that a man who does this is essentially
saying I want you to give your life for me, (to fulfill my wants,
while Jesus says, Ive given my life for you, (to fulfill all your
needs and give you eternal life). Jesus wants so much more for you
than to fulfill some guys selfish desires.
Can you see now why God has designed the intimacy of sex
to be shared only within the marriage between one man and one
woman, and only between those two people for life? As a young
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woman, if a man is willing to wait until you are both married to be

sexually intimate with you, he is proving his love to you. God doesnt
want you to settle for anything less than the best, since you are so
valuable to him.
Considering how valuable you are to God, think about the
comments weve all heard people make which are critical about the
physical aspects of another person. If those comments have been
made about you, how does that make you feel? If you have made
those comments about another, do you realize now that you have
made those comments about a person who the Creator of the entire
Universe died and shed his blood for?
If you have had those comments made about you, especially
about something about you that you have no control over, these
comments have probably caused you to feel inferior to others and
also to the person making the comments. As such, you might be
willing to compromise your virtue and change yourself in some way,
to make yourself more accepting to this other person or group. I
hope you realize that the approval of this person or group is
meaningless when compared to the love and affection of the God of
the Universe. And he already died to prove his love for you! Isnt
waiting till you meet a real man worth it, (or a real woman, if you are
a guy), who is willing to love you the way that God has intended?
Ever since Ive heard the following songs, Ive thought of
those who have questioned their worth, or allowed their worth to be
determined by others. Watch and listen to the lyrics and know that
the God of the Universe loves you so much and wants the best for
you.
Again, how did he show His love? By paying the debt for the
sin we have committed, that He didnt deserve. To provide us the
opportunity to spend eternity with Him, which we dont deserve. The
following links and songs contrast Gods love for you and for each of
us as compared to the selfish and hurtful comments and actions of
people.

HE KNOWS MY NAME - FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI

Video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYpBgJHmGmw
Lyrics - www.metrolyrics.com/he-knows-my-name-lyrics-francesca-battistelli.html

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FURIOUS LOVE - VERIDIA

Video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts_osvAzEhA
Lyrics - www.metrolyrics.com/furious-love-lyrics-veridia.html
JONNY DIAZ - MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU
Video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNqQUojBg84
Video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5LPc9jXk80
Lyrics - www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BWI1PxWrcw
SOMETHING EVERY GIRL NEEDS TO HEAR - Alyssa Bethke
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhOLl86Y5YA
10 THINGS EVERY TEENAGE GIRL NEEDS TO KNOW
www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/teens/10-things-every-teenage-girl-
needs-to-know.html
10 LIES CHRISTIAN TEENS TELL THEMSELVES ABOUT SEX, DATING, AND
HOW FAR IS TOO FAR
http://christianteens.about.com/od/dating/tp/liessexdating.htm
Peer Pressure www.creationtips.com/peer.html
www.jesusisthelight.net/PEER-1.htm

MY STORY
When my wife and I were dating and then engaged, we had
already made the decision that we would not be sexually intimate till
our wedding night. One of her friends asked her, Dont you want
to make sure you are both compatible physically before you get
married? Shouldnt you both TRY IT OUT so that you know
everything will work, like trying on a pair of shoes? Using the
SHOES illustration, my wife responded to her, Hugo doesnt want
to buy a pair of shoes that have already been tried on by other
people. Also, think about this logically. With millions and millions
of marriages happening since the beginning of mankind, it is pretty
easy to conclude that the physical aspect of the marriage
relationship is virtually guaranteed to work just fine.
If you are a virgin, hopefully you have decided to remain so
till marriage. Hopefully, knowing how valuable you are to God, how
much He loves you, and that the earlier illustrations showing how
much you stand to lose gives you encouragement to wait until
marriage. You may have friends who have already made the
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decision to give away their virginity, and they are giving you a hard
time and/or are pressuring you to lose your virginity. An effective
response Ive heard to answer them is,
Any time I want, I can become just like you.
But you can never again become just like me.
You may no longer be a virgin because of a mistake youve
made in your past, and have now decided to remain pure until
marriage. If youve not already asked God to forgive you of these
mistakes I encourage you to do so. He is the God of forgiveness
and second chances. If you have given away your virginity in the
past but are committed to remaining pure till marriage, you may still
be wondering how God can give you a second chance in this area.
Check out the following links for encouragement in your commitment
to now honor God in your physical life:
WHAT IS SECONDARY VIRGINITY?
www.reapteam.org/what-is-secondary-virginity
CAN YOU BECOME A VIRGIN AGAIN?
www.christianitytoday.com/iyf/hottopics/sexabstinence/can-you-
become-virgin-again.html
My wife was a virgin when we married, but I very regrettably
was not. While she had committed to save herself for her future
husband - even though we had never met - I had not saved myself
for her. I had given in to the lies of the culture; cost-free pleasure
and its not hurting anyone. In doing so, I sacrificed the gift I
should have been saving for her on our wedding night.
The Wedding Gift I ended up giving to my wife for our
marriage was to cause my wife to question herself for the first year
of our marriage. She questioned herself, wondering how she
compared to the other intimate relationships I had experienced in my
past. Even though we talked about my past before we married, she
still had concerns and doubts for the better part of the first year we
were married. Even though I repeatedly told her that she had
nothing to worry about, it didnt lessen her concern for almost the
first year of our marriage! I share this with you to encourage you to
remain committed to save yourself for your spouse on your wedding
night so that you dont bring this gift of doubt into your marriage,
as I had.

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 Something to think about regarding my wifes feelings that

first year, which I didnt realize at that time. No matter how much
reassurance I gave her, it didnt lessen her concerns about being
compared. What caused this was that my previous decisions had
really touched her heart, and the only solution for this was time.
You may not have realized it before either, but emotions are
so very influential to what we feel and the decisions we make.
Advertisers know this, and that is why the best commercials are the
ones that you connect with emotionally. Companies who market a
product that makes you feel an emotion, are the ones who usually
sell more of that product. Politicians also use this to appeal to voters.
We see these examples throughout the Bible of stories told
to touch others emotions. Read the account of King David and the
impact of his affair with Bathsheba, and how the Prophet Nathan
brought the King to the realization of his wrong actions by telling him
a story. Considering the following reaction by King David, it is easy
to see how effective a story can be.
"As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!"
Nathan then revealed the truth to King David that he, the king, was
the wealthy man in the story. The story touched Davids heart.
2 SAMUEL 12 - NATHAN CONFRONTS DAVID
www.enduringword.com/commentaries/1012.htm
Jesus used parables throughout the Gospels, to touch
people and bring them to the realizations he wanted them to reach:
The Woman at The Well, The Prodigal Son, The Sower and the
Seeds, etc.
THE PARABLES OF JESUS
www.rc.net/wcc/readings/parables.htm
Hopefully you now see that when our emotions are involved,
we can be hurt very deeply. Both men and women are affected by
emotions, but I believe in the area of physical relationships that
women can be affected to a much greater degree than men because
they have so much more to lose. So guys, you want to be very
careful as to the emotions you stir in a young woman. You can leave
here with a very lasting and painful impression of you. And if you
are a young women, you want to make sure you guard your heart

457

against persuasions designed to influence you to change your

standards.
I also want to stress the importance of deciding your limits
before you are in a situation where you could be compromised. The
saying Ive heard which best describes this is,
You need to decide what you are going to do in a parked
car before you are ever in the situation where you are in
a parked car, not once you are there.
I guarantee that if you choose to be in that type of situation,
you will not be thinking clearly about your limits of intimacy and
potential consequences. You will be caught up in the emotions of
the moment, and much more willing to make them flexible. A
discipline to practice in situations like this is to not allow yourself to
be alone with that other person. If going on a date, make it a double
date. If at a house, make sure other people are there. When we are
alone with the other person we have feelings for, it is easy to find
ourselves having good intentions, but remember what happens to
GOOD INTENTIONS when you dont have a plan. And if you dont have
transportation, call a friend or your parents. If you are thinking that
you dont want to inconvenience them, think about this question. Do
you think they would consider it an inconvenience if they knew they
could help you hold to your standards? Of course not.
Lastly, many students try to think about limits in this area
using the question, As a Christian, how far CAN I go? You
should change at least one word and ask, As a Christian, how far
SHOULD I go? To illustrate this idea, if you were at the Grand
Canyon, would it be better to ask, How close to the edge can I
go? or How close to the edge should I go?
If you are really committed to honoring God, change in those
times, change the statement to How close to God can I get?
Remember, God will always honor your life if your decisions and
actions are to honor him.
I would encourage you to work with Godly adults and/or your
youth pastor/leaders to get their perspective on potentially
compromising situations and how best to prepare/deal with them.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Definition http://carm.org/dictionary-fornication
www.gotquestions.org/sex-before-marriage.html
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 www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=7&article=1726
WHY SHOULD I SAVE SEX FOR MARRIAGE?
http://christiananswers.net/q-sum/sum-f001.html
http://carm.org/fornication-sex-marriage-forgiven
www.ucg.org/christian-living/sex-outside-marriage-whats-big-deal/
SEX HAS A PRICE TAG PAM STENZEL GREAT PRESENTATION!
CHURCH VERSIONwww.youtube.com/watch?v=yigIdLStbwY
PUBLIC SCHOOL VERSION www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL48E0AE8ACB0DC78D
IS SEX ESSENTIAL FOR HAPPINESS?
www.breakpoint.org/tp-home/blog-archives/12985-is-sex-essential-to-happiness
THE GIFT OF SEX www.rogerswebsite.com/others/The-Gift-of-Sex.htm
MY BOYFRIEND WANTS TO HAVE SEX. I DON'T WANT TO LOSE HIM. WHAT
SHOULD I DO? (Could also apply to a Christian guy by his girlfriend)
www.christiananswers.net/q-dml/dml-y010.html
6 REASONS GOD CREATED SEX FOR MARRIAGE
http://stuffthatsrelevant.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/mark-driscoll-6-
reasons-why-god-created-sex-for-marriage/
IVE GOT SEX ON MY MIND
http://chadfisheronline.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/ive-got-sex-on-my-mind-part-1
ANSWERING THE GOD DOESNT WANT US TO HAVE FUN ARGUMENT
www.missiontoamerica.org/christianity/fun.html
SEX, LOVE, & RELATIONSHIPS - JOSH MCDOWELL
Pt 1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8VSA_jCTnM
Pt 2 www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA21Gnk3zuo
Pt 3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFKa3sxA-1g
STATISTICS, REALITY, AND RESOURCES
www.puritycoalition.org/web_page.html
http://createdforpurity.com/crisis/crisis.html
www.focusonthefamily.com/lifechallenges/love_and_sex/purity.aspx
http://disciplesforpurity.com/materials
www.premaritalsex.info
http://restoringsexualpurity.org
http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/topics/charctr_05_sexual_purity.cfm

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 * DEFENDING AGAINST PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ASSAULT

This is a section I chose to add because of the statistics of the
number of young women who are physically and sexually assaulted
every year. That statistic is that 1 in 4 young women will be assaulted
and 1 in 3 will face dating abuse. Self-defense is fully consistent with
Biblical principles. Also, consider 1 Timothy 5:8
1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his
relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has
denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
As a brother in Christ, it is my desire TO PROVIDE FOR MY
RELATIVES, my Christian sisters, by showing you a tool for your
safety against any who would try to take your virtue by force.
The program was created by a young woman who was a high
school student at the time and studying Jiu Jitsu. She was motivated
to do something after hearing the same statistics that 1 in 4 young
women will be assaulted and 1 in 3 will face dating abuse. The very
effective program she was motivated to create is called JUST YELL
FIRE. It initially has you become proficient with just 8 moves. Since
the first program, she has developed a program for female students
in the college environment. Check her website here and the links
below: www.justyellfire.com
As a 25 year veteran police officer, my brother recommends
learning a few techniques till they are 2nd nature rather than trying to
learn many techniques which you need to think to use. Any defense
which is not second nature is completely useless if you are ever in a
situation where you need to defend yourself. The only defenses that
you will be able to use are the ones which you have trained to become
automatic. The 8 techniques shown in the first part of this program fit
my brothers recommendation. I recommend partnering with a family
member or friend to practice the techniques shown until they are
second nature for you. In doing so, hopefully you can reduce the
possibility of becoming one of the statistics indicated above. If you
have been the victim of assault, please talk to someone you trust.
Hopefully the JUST YELL FIRE program will help keep this from
happening again.

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 JUST YELL FIRE Original Film For Girls 11 to 19

www.justyellfire.com/movie.php?video=Just_Yell_Fire_Movie
JUST YELL FIRE CAMPUS LIFE Newest Film For College Girls
www.justyellfire.com/movie.php?video=JYF_Campus_Life
THE BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW ON SELF-DEFENSE AND RETALIATION
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1eJ4j7eFBY - Greg Laurie

RECOMMENDED FULL LENGTH VIDEOS

Expelled No Intelligence Allowed www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5EPymcWp-g
LOUIE GIGLIO:
How Great Is Our God www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCrvibgo1LM
Indescribable www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNgJhuICrVA
Unthinkable You www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA4gI-6PM2s
When God Breaks Through www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH5OyEHzgn4
Check other videos by Louie Giglio on YouTube and Bing Videos
LEE STROBEL:
THE CASE FOR A CREATOR www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajqH4y8G0MI
THE CASE FOR CHRIST www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikxb09pyZwM
THE CASE FOR FAITH AUDIOBOOK www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zDdd-PzWZc
THE CASE FOR THE REAL JESUS www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooItL-caoyg
THE CASE FOR THE RESURRECTION www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVoKR_cvJJM
ADDITIONAL VIDEOS:
ICONS OF EVOLUTION www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKD12szbshY
THE PRIVILEGED PLANET www.godtube.com/watch/?v=7GGGGGNX
GOD OF WONDERS www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvVt4lDSPeY
UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY OF LIFE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWvS1UfXl8k&list=PL9F238BF1EB056938
SIGNATURE IN THE CELL www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW6egHV6jAw
GODS NOT DEAD - ARGUMENT SCENES
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc5s1ZKNmcc
THE SIGNS OF GOD'S EXISTENCE www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS1x-6al2pE
NW CREATION VIDEOS www.nwcreation.net/videos/
SUMMIT LECTURES www.summit.org/resources/summit-lecture-series/archive/
THE VISUAL BIBLE
Gospel of John www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ-xbrMecBc
Gospel of Matthew www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3XOO-yLv2c
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Gospel of Mark (audio) www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhjkxfiakLg

Gospel of Luke www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTb4UIbnOHE
The Book of Acts: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWZKprMCFp4
The Jesus Movie www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0k_Uj3nTj4
The Passion of the Christ http://vimeo.com/92163567
INTERVIEWS
FACING THE CANON WITH PHILIP YANCEY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkuPflBXIi0&spfreload=1
FACING THE CANON WITH MICHAEL RAMSDEN
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FnZieeZlJc

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS/APPS
http://pastormattblog.com/2014/01/31/the-three-apologetic-podcasts-
that-every-christian-should-subscribe-to/
http://thefailedatheist.com/2015/01/03/top-10-recommended-podcasts/
www.apologetics315.com/2007/10/16-best-apologetics-podcasts.html
www.credocourses.com/blog/2015/the-ultimate-list-of-christian-
apologetics-podcasts/
http://reasonabletheology.org/big-list-christian-podcasts/
www.str.org/apps
YOUTH APOLOGETICS TRAINING
http://youthapologeticstraining.com/apologetics-podcast-archive/
Also at:
www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=michaelboehm
www.str.org/apps
SHARING CHRIST PODCAST
http://everyschool.com/search/tags/sharing-christ/podcast
HOW TO SHARE YOUR FAITH PODCAST
http://everyschool.com/how-to-share-your-faith-podcast
http://everyschool.com/sharing-christ
http://everyschool.com/evidences-for-our-faith
CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW THINKING
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/christian-worldview-
thinking/id923066362?mt=2

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 LISTS OF RECOMMENDED BOOKS FOR APOLOGETICS

www.apologetics315.com/2012/03/apologetics-reading-plan-for-beginners.html
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/books.html
http://1peter315.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-favorite-12-books-to-recommend.html
www.challies.com/recommendations/apologetics
http://thefailedatheist.com/book-resources
http://christianmomthoughts.com/16-book-recommendations-for-studying-
apologetics

SITES WITH BOOKS AVAILABLE TO READ ONLINE

https://answersingenesis.org/answers/books
www.apologeticspress.org/PDF-books.aspx
http://carm.org/online-bible
www.ccel.org
www.christianapologetic.org/book01.htm
http://classicapologetics.com/
www.freechristianresources.org/books
www.monergism.com/thethreshold/books/onlinebooks.html
http://ntslibrary.com/index.html
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/browse?type=lcsubc&k
ey=Apologetics
http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2009/07/free-apologetics-e-book-library.html
http://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/free-christian-worldview-and-
apologetics-books-online-week-on-veritas-domain
http://ntslibrary.com/Christian-PDF-Books.htm
www.mazeministry.com/new/downloadbooks.htm
www.josh.org/resources/publications/free-supplemental/
www.discipleofjesussite.com/freechristianebooks.htm
www.freewonderfulbook.com/pdf/freewonderfulbook.pdf
www.monergism.com/topics/free-ebooks
http://calvinistcafe.blogspot.com/
https://archive.org/search.php?query=apologetics&and%5B%5D=subject%3A
%22Apologetics%22&page=2
(subjects searched for will return links to print, audio, and video resources.)
www.ligonier.org/blog/rc-sprouls-crucial-questions-ebooks-now-free
http://crossreads.com/free-kindle-christian-books/

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 ONLINE AUDIOBOOKS
KNOWING GOD JC Ryle
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2FD9xugRY8&list=PLvwgUlicDKGoq
qzLI-Yv3cCKQLCbOajfr
HOLINESS JC Ryle
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq8FDeBjG40&list=PLzOwqed_gET1b
xl9WiAqsleAfFhskne4q
DEBATES - www.apologetics315.com/search/label/debate

APOLOGETICS STUDY BIBLE FOR STUDENTS

This section includes questions which are in the APOLOGETIC STUDY
BIBLE FOR STUDENTS. I believe the questions are very important and are those
which many people have a desire to find answers for. Below each question
are links to some of the answers found when you perform an Internet search
for the questions.

QUESTIONS FROM THE APOLOGETIC STUDY BIBLE FOR STUDENTS:

WHAT ARE WORLDVIEWS AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

http://everyschool.com/what-are-worldviews http://everyschool.com/
www.allaboutworldview.org/worldviews.htm
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2014/22-important-questions-for-the-
buddhistic-worldview/
IS RELATIONSHIP IMPORTANT IN APOLOGETICS?
www.everyschool.com/is-relationship-important-in-apologetics
www.rzim.eu/what-is-the-relationship-between-evangelism-and-apologetics
HOW OLD IS THE EARTH?
http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-old-is-earth-by-chris-sherrod.html
http://www.gotquestions.org/earth-age.html
IF GOD KNEW ADAM AND EVE WOULD SIN, WHY DID HE PUT THE
TREE IN THE GARDEN?
www.gotquestions.org/tree-knowledge-good-evil.html
www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/LVanswers/2008/02-01.html

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WHAT IS EVOLUTION?
www.allaboutscience.org/what-is-evolution-faq.htm
www.alwaysbeready.com/evolution
www.truthnet.org/Christianity/Apologetics/Evolutiontrue4
CAN WE TRUST THE OLD TESTAMENT?
www.cltruth.com/blog/2012/can-we-trust-the-old-testament
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfCWFix43E0
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYG_-6DN4bQ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulCbh_1SlwE
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT CLONING?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/ethics/what-does-the-bible-say-about-cloning
www.gotquestions.org/cloning-Christian.html
www.allaboutpopularissues.org/cloning-ethics.htm
IF I CANT SEE GOD, HOW DO I KNOW HES REAL?
www.christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c038.html
http://christianteens.about.com/od/christianliving/a/Common-Christian-Questions-
How-Do-I-Know-God-Is-There-When-I-Ca-Not-See-Him.htm
HOW CAN JESUS DEATH BRING ABOUT FORGIVENESS?
www.jesus.org/death-and-resurrection/the-crucifixion/how-does-the-death-of-
jesus-save.html
www.gotquestions.org/got-forgiveness.html
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/ethics/what-does-the-bible-say-about-
homosexuality
http://carm.org/bible-homosexuality
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcIhzSwUWnY
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: WHATS THE BIG DEAL?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/ethics/same-sex-marriage-whats-the-big-deal
http://apologeticjunkie.blogspot.com/2012/09/same-sex-marriage-equal-rights-
religion.html (check the additional links at the bottom of the article)
http://apologeticjunkie.blogspot.com/search/label/same-sex%20marriage
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXOu6hwt4jk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAYvSeDiBbM
CAN GODS LOVE BE RECONCILED WITH HIS ORDER TO KILL THE CANAANITES?
www.thinkingchristian.net/posts/2009/06/did-god-commit-genocide-in-the-bible

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http://mysavior.info/article/223
www.reasonablefaith.org/slaughter-of-the-canaanites
WHATS THE BIG DEAL WITH YOGA?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/cults-religions/whats-the-big-deal-with-yoga
www.gotquestions.org/Christian-yoga.html
http://carm.org/should-christians-practice-yoga
ARE THERE CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BIBLE?
http://christiananswers.net/q-comfort/contradictions-bible.html
http://carm.org/bible-difficulties/genesis-deuteronomy
www.exploregod.com/what-about-contradictions-in-the-bible
www.allabouttruth.org/bible-contradictions.htm
DO PSYCHICS HAVE SUPERNATURAL POWER?
www.christiancourier.com/articles/1264-do-psychics-really-have-mystic-powers
www.gotquestions.org/psychics-Christian.html
www.soundwitness.org/pop_culture/psychic_mediums.html
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT WAR?
www.gotquestions.org/war-Bible.html
http://bibleresources.org/war
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/just_war_principle.html
HASNT SCIENCE DISPROVED MIRACLES?
www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/rfsm-miracles.html
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbTft0VlcRQ
HOW DO I CHOOSE MY FAITH?
www.thinkingchristian.net/posts/2010/08/choosing-your-faith-by-mark-mittelberg
www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/how-to-choose-your-faith-wisely-
11572196.html
http://choosingyourfaith.com
http://files.tyndale.com/thpdata/FirstChapters/978-1-4143-1579-9.pdf
www.christianity.com/11572196/
WHAT IS THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT?
http://carm.org/new-age-what
www.gotquestions.org/new-age-movement.html
www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/what-is-new-age-religion-and-why-cant-
christians-get-on-board-11573681.html
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqIf_b-OOdU

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 HOW DO I GROW SPIRITUALITY?

www.exploregod.com/how-can-i-grow-spiritually
www.compellingtruth.org/spiritual-growth.html
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMiRJXMy4jA
WHATS THE BIG DEAL WITH ASTROLOGY?
www.christiananswersforthenewage.org/Articles_Astrolgy.html
www.gotquestions.org/horoscopes-Christian.html
www.christianfaith.com/resources/astrology
DOES GOD WANT ME TO BE RICH?
http://gamerfaith.com/does-god-want-me-rich
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/does-god-want-us-to-be-rich-a-bible-study
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDuDN2FtrIo
WHY DOES GOD CARE ABOUT MY ENTERTAINMENT CHOICES?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/ethics/why-does-god-care-about-my-
entertainment-choices
www.gty.org/blog/B130502
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCaPj5xYhns
IS IT OK TO PICK AND CHOOSE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES?
www.inplainsite.org/html/religious_pluralism.html
www.christianpost.com/news/most-americans-pick-and-choose-religious-beliefs-36368
www.str.org/articles/religious-stew
EVIDENCE FOR GOD: COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT
www.gotquestions.org/cosmological-argument.html
www.faithfacts.org/search-for-truth/questions-of-christians/does-god-exist
www.allaboutphilosophy.org/cosmological-argument.htm
www.cross.tv/115904
WHAT THE BIG DEAL WITH WICCA?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/cults-religions/whats-the-big-deal-with-wicca
http://carm.org/wicca
www.godtube.com/watch/?v=DKWZKWNX
CAN A CHRISTIAN BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/science/can-a-christian-believe-in-evolution
http://realtruth.org/articles/130530-006.html
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf5ovSpS2GU

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 DOES THE BIBLE DEMEAN WOMEN?
http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2012/01/common-objection-17-christianity.html
www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/A265
http://kelvinho-kh.blogspot.com/2012/01/does-bible-demean-women-by-sharon-
james.html
EVIDENCE FOR GOD: BIOCHEMISTRY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQt3b-ovbrs
http://godandscience.org/evolution/design_in_biology.html
EVIDENCE FOR GOD: PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/quotes.html (quotes from scientists)
www.alwaysbeready.com/god-evidence
https://biblescienceguy.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/17-evidence-for-god-design-
convinces-scientists-3
WHAT DO HINDUS BELIEVE?
www.christianministriesintl.org/articles/What-Do-Hindus-Believe.php
www.gotquestions.org/hinduism.html
www.compellingtruth.org/what-is-Hinduism.html
IS RELIGION THE CAUSE OF EVIL IN THE WORLD?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/apologetics/is-religion-the-cause-of-evil-in-the-world
www.allaboutworldview.org/presence-of-evil.htm
HAS GOD SPOKEN?
www.christianity.com/bible/authorship-and-inspiration/what-evidence-is-there-that-
the-bible-is-in-fact-gods-word-11542346.html
www.gotquestions.org/which-book.html
www.allabouttruth.org/how-do-we-know-the-bible-is-the-inspired-word-of-god-faq.htm
www.jashow.org/wiki/index.php?title=Can_We_KNOW_the_Bible_is_the_Word_of_God
DO CHRISTIANITY AND POLITICS MIX?
www.gotquestions.org/Christian-politics.html
www.allaboutworldview.org/christian-politics-and-obedience-faq.htm
www.allaboutworldview.org/christian-politics.htm
WHAT IS GOD LIKE?
http://everyschool.com/what-is-god-like
http://gotquestions.org/What-is-God-like.html
IS GOD MALE?
www.compellingtruth.org/God-male-or-female.html
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http://godandscience.org/doctrine/male.html
www.gotquestions.org/God-male-female.html
www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1165
WHY DOES GOD SEEM HIDDEN?
www.conversantlife.com/life-with-god/why-does-god-seem-hidden-from-us
www.gotquestions.org/God-hidden.html
www.compellingtruth.org/God-hidden.html
DOES THE FOSSIL RECORD SUPPORT EVOLUTION?
http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-c006.html
www.cecwisc.org/QuestionOfTheMonth/does-the-fossil-record-support-evolution
http://creation.com/refuting-evolution-2-chapter-8-argument-the-fossil-record-
supports-evolution
SO, WHAT MAKES THE BIBLE SO SPECIAL?
http://everyschool.com/print/article/so-what-makes-the-bible-so-special
www.josh.org/resources/study-research/answers-to-skeptics-questions/what-
makes-the-bible-so-specia/
http://biblicalreliability.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-makes-bible-so-special.html
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT ABORTION?
www.gotquestions.org/abortion-Bible.html
http://carm.org/bible-abortion
http://prolifetraining.com/resources/five-minute-5/
http://strplace.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/answer-every-defense-for-abortion-
chart-amp-video/
EVIDENCE FOR GOD: BEAUTY
www.evidence-for-god.com/
www.icr.org/Aesthetics
www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2012/03/the-beauty-of-creation
http://godandscience.info/gs/new/beautyguiding.html
IS PORNOGRAPHY THAT BAD?
www.porn-free.org/porn_is_bad.htm
www.marketfaith.org/implications-of-worldview/what-makes-pornography-so-bad/
http://carm.org/pornography
HOW DO I KNOW GODS WILL FOR MY LIFE?
http://christiananswers.net/q-dml/dml-y001.html
www.gotquestions.org/know-God-will.html
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 www.gotquestions.org/know-God-will.html
IS ALCOHOL BAD? RYAN SNUFFER
www.gotquestions.org/sin-alcohol.html
www.crosswalk.com/1120038/
http://pastorbrett.wordpress.com/2008/12/04/should-a-christian-drink-alcohol/
WHATS THE BIG DEAL WITH GAMBLING?
www.gotquestions.org/gambling-sin.html
www.christianity.com/blogs/al-mohler/a-christian-understanding-of-gambling.html
www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=1251
HOW DO WE KNOW JESUS WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN?
https://blog.apologia.com/blog/2011/11/10/how-do-we-know-jesus-was-born-of-a-virgin
www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/virgin.html
www.jashow.org/wiki/index.php?title=How_Do_We_Know_the_Virgin_Birth_Is_True
HOW COULD SATAN FALL IF HE WAS WITH GOD?
www.gotquestions.org/Satan-fall.html
www.gotquestions.org/Satan-defeat.html
http://carm.org/why-did-god-allow-satan-and-angels-to-sin
EVIDENCE FOR GOD: DNA
https://brokenredeemed.wordpress.com/2012/01/13/evidence-for-god-dna
www.allaboutthejourney.org/dna-molecule.htm
www.allaboutthejourney.org/dna-and-computers-video.htm
www.allaboutscience.org/dna-double-helix-video.htm
HOW IMPORTANT IS DARWINIAN EVOLUTION?
www.credomag.com/2012/01/05/how-evolutionary-ethics-influenced-hitler-and-
why-it-matters
http://darwintohitler.com/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_5EwYpLD6A
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mxXICZ9mXo
IN WHAT WAYS DID JESUS FULFILL PROPHECIES?
www.newmediaministries.org/Jesus/Prophecies2_S.html
www.provethebible.net/T2-Divin/D-0401.htm
www.compellingtruth.org/Old-Testament-prophesy-Christ.html
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE?
www.compellingtruth.org/Bible-translations.html
www.gotquestions.org/Bible-translations.html
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https://bib.irr.org/faq-why-are-there-so-many-different-translations-bible
HOW DO I TALK WITH SOMEONE OF ANOTHER RELIGION?
www.everyschool.com/how-do-i-talk-with-someone-of-another-religion
http://christiananswers.net/evangelism/methods/home.html
www.livingwaters.com/evangelism
WHATS THE BIG DEAL WITH SCIENTOLOGY?
www.apologeticsindex.org/s04.html
www.equip.org/articles/scientology/#christian-books-2
www.bible-study-lessons.com/Scientology.html
SHOULD ABORTION BE ALLOWED FOR RAPE OR INCEST?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/ethics/should-abortion-be-allowed-for-rape-or-incest
http://prolifetraining.com/resources/five-minute-8
http://prolifetraining.com/resources
www.equip.org/articles/abortion-and-rape-answering-the-arguments-for-abortion-rights
ARE UFOS REAL?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/theology/are-ufos-real
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/ufo.html
www.academia.edu/7197557/UFOs_ETs_and_the_new_age_a_christian_perspective
WHY DOESNT GOD ANSWER MY PRAYERS?
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/why-doesnt-god-answer-all-my-prayers/
www.bethinking.org/human-life/why-doesnt-god-answer-my-prayers
http://far-above-rubies-and-pearls.blogspot.com/2010/05/why-doesnt-god-answer-
all-prayers.html
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFdI_A7qbSQ
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT SATAN?
www.godandscience.org/doctrine/who_is_satan.html
www.epm.org/blog/2011/Jun/13/what-does-bible-teach-about-satan
www.openbible.info/topics/satan
WHY WOULD A GOOD GOD SEND PEOPLE TO HELL?
www.christiananswers.net/q-grace/hell-and-god.html
www.gotquestions.org/why-does-God-send-people-to-hell.html
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/why-would-god-send-good-people-to-hell
WAS JONAH REALLY SWALLOWED BY A BIG FISH?
http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t004.html
www.icr.org/article/did-jonah-really-get-swallowed-by-whale

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WHAT ABOUT THE CRUSADES?

http://seanmcdowell.org/index.php/apologetics/what-about-the-crusades
http://www.gotquestions.org/christian-crusades.html
www.apologetics315.com/search?q=crusades
SHOULD CHRISTIANS CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/ethics/should-christians-care-about-the-environment
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/environment.html
www.equip.org/articles/christians-and-the-environment-how-should-christians-think-
about-the-environment/#christian-books-2
HOW WERE PEOPLE SAVED BEFORE CHRIST?
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/how-were-old-testament-saints-saved
http://www.gotquestions.org/before-Jesus.html
http://carm.org/how-were-people-saved-who-died-before-jesus
WHY DO CATHOLICS HAVE MORE BOOKS IN THEIR BIBLE?
www.equip.org/perspectives/the-apocrypha-the-apocryphal-books-of-the-catholic-
bible
http://carm.org/apocrypha-it-scripture
www.str.org/articles/the-apocrypha#.VIx2j9LF_E0
IF GOD ALREADY KNOWS WHAT WE NEED, THEN WHY PRAY?
www.gotquestions.org/why-pray.html
www.oneplace.com/ministries/love-worth-finding/read/articles/since-god-knows-
everything-why-should-we-pray-9549.html
www.compellingtruth.org/Prayers-supplication-why-pray.html
www.str.org/blog/get-this-prayer-app#.VIx30dLF_E0
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT DEMONS?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/theology/what-does-the-bible-say-about-demons
www.gotquestions.org/demons.html
www.openbible.info/topics/demons
WHY ARE SOME CHRISTIANS HYPOCRITES? RYAN SHARP
http://christianteens.about.com/od/becomingachristian/a/Common-Christian-
Questions-Why-Are-So-Many-Christians-Hypocrites.htm
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/why_are_christians_hypocrites.html
www.gotquestions.org/Christians-hypocrites.html
PERSECUTION www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo1p5ZM8nyw

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IF THERE IS SUCH GOOD EVIDENCE FOR GOD,

THEN WHY DONT MORE PEOPLE BELIEVE?
www.apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=2&issue=792&article=1208
www.compellingtruth.org/scientists-believe-God.html
HOW CAN I MAKE SENSE OF THE TRINITY?
www.str.org/articles/does-the-trinity-make-sense#.VIyGENLF_E0
http://carm.org/trinity-makes-no-sense-it-isnt-logical
www.bible-truth.org/Trinity.html
DID THE APOSTLES REPORT JESUS WORDS ACCURATELY?
http://hcsb.org/b/authorjournal/archive/2012/02/22/did-the-apostles-report-jesus-
words-accurately.aspx
http://readingacts.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/are-these-really-the-words-of-jesus
www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-alone.html
IS IT OKAY TO HAVE DOUBTS?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/theology/is-it-okay-to-have-doubts
http://vimeo.com/93857093
www.reasonablefaith.org/christian-doubt
DOES THE BIBLE CONTAIN ERRORS?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/bible/does-the-bible-contain-errors/
www.gty.org/resources/bible-qna/BQ073112/Does-the-Bible-Contain-Errors
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT ANGELS?
http://christiananswers.net/q-acb/acb-t005.html
www.gotquestions.org/angels-Bible.html
www.christforums.org/forum/10-apologetics-and-theology/238-what-does-the-
bible-teach-about-angels
HOW DO I KNOW JESUS EVEN EXISTED?
https://brokenredeemed.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/how-do-i-know-jesus-even-
existed
www.gotquestions.org/did-Jesus-exist.html
www.reasonsforgod.org/the-best-reasons/did-jesus-exist/
WHATS THE PROBLEM WITH JUDGING OTHERS?
www.gotquestions.org/do-not-judge.html
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/why_are_christians_judgmental.html
www.openbible.info/topics/judging_others

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DID JESUS REALLY RISE FROM THE DEAD?

www.str.org/articles/did-jesus-really-rise-from-the-dead#.VI-3LtLF_E0
http://gracebts.com/apologia/the-resurrection-of-jesus
www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2Gl-TPTxX8&list=PL925D60A5D4241319
WHAT DO MORMONS BELIEVE?
www.mrm.org/what-mormons-believe
www.gotquestions.org/Mormons.html
http://carm.org/mormonism
www.alwaysbeready.com/mormonism?id=97
IS JESUS THE ONLY WAY?
www.str.org/articles/is-jesus-the-only-way
www.rationalchristianity.net/only_way.html
www.josh.org/resources/study-research/answers-to-skeptics-questions/why-is-
jesus-the-only-way-to-god
www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-only-way.html
DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE GOD?
http://bobsiegel.net/articles/2008/04/did-jesus-really-claim-to-be-god
www.compellingtruth.org/Jesus-claim-God-deity-biblical.html
www.josh.org/resources/study-research/answers-to-skeptics-questions/did-jesus-
claim-to-be-god
ARE THERE LOST GOSPELS THAT WERE LEFT OUT OF THE BIBLE?
www.thinkchristianly.org/what-are-the-lost-gospels-and-were-they-left-out-of-the-
bible
www.cbn.com/spirituallife/BibleStudyAndTheology/perspectives/carpenter-
missinggospels_bock.aspx
http://carm.org/are-these-lost-books-bible
WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
www.gotquestions.org/who-Holy-Spirit.html
www.everystudent.com/forum/hspirit.html
http://christianity.about.com/od/topicalbiblestudies/a/whoisholyspirit.htm
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/who-or-what-is-the-holy-spirit-a-bible-study
CAN SOMETHING BE TRUE FOR YOU, BUT NOT TRUE FOR ME? DILLON BURROUGHS
http://nightmare2atheists.wordpress.com/category/true-for-you-but-not-true-for-me
www.thewhyman.jesusanswers.com/photo6_1.html
www.mtio.com/articles/aissar23.htm
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/youth-culture/true-for-you-but-not-true-for-me
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WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF JESUS?

www.josh.org/resources/study-research/answers-to-skeptics-questions/what-
about-those-who-have-never-heard-about-jesus
www.gotquestions.org/never-heard.html
www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=423
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIXs5wOSVk4
DONT RELIGIOUS BELIEFS JUST REFLECT WHERE ONE WAS RAISED?
http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2010/02/common-objection-if-you-were-born-in.html
http://kelvinho-kh.blogspot.com/2012/01/dont-religious-beliefs-just-reflect.html
www.everyschool.com/dont-religious-beliefs-just-reflect-where-one-was-raised
WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND JUDAISM?
www.gotquestions.org/difference-Christianity-Judaism.html
www.christchurchcentralsheffield.co.uk/tough-questions/whats-the-difference-
between-christianity-and-judaism
www.diffen.com/difference/Christianity_vs_Judaism
IS HOMOSEXUALITY NATURAL?
www.thinkchristianly.org/part-8-answering-the-toughest-questions-about-
homosexuality-with-alan-shlemon
http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2013/11/video-are-people-born-gay-or-not-by.html
www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/homosexuality-know-the-truth-
and-speak-it-with-compassion-11606976.html
HOW CAN A PERSON GET INTO HEAVEN?
www.mrm.org/get-into-heaven
http://jesus-is-savior.com/how_to_be_saved.html
www.jesus-is-lord.com/2_heaven.htm
HOW CAN I BE SURE THAT I AM SAVED?
www.jesus.org/following-jesus/repentance-faith-and-salvation/how-can-i-be-sure-
im-saved.html
www.cuttingedge.org/salvation.html
www.thebiblechristian.com/?p=3945
http://so4j.com/how-can-i-know-i-am-saved
DOES WHAT I THINK REALLY MATTER?
www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/does-it-matter-what-i-think-kevin-hoddinott-
sermon-on-apologetics-general-36042.asp
http://thechristianforum.org/2014/05/it-doesnt-really-matter-what-you-think-
truthexists
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 http://dougbrittonbooks.com/onlinebiblestudies-
temptationandovercomingsin/purelife-guardyourthoughtlife.php
WHY SHOULD I WAIT UNTIL MARRIAGE TO HAVE SEX?
www.soencouragement.org/nosexbeforemarriage.htm
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/sex/answers-to-tough-questions-about-sex
http://powertochange.com/discover/sex-love/dynamicsex/
HOW DO WE KNOW THE BIBLE INCLUDES THE RIGHT BOOKS?
www.thinkchristianly.org/how-do-we-know-the-bible-includes-the-right-books/
http://thetruth-blog.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-do-we-know-66-books-in-bible-are.html
www.angelfire.com/nt/theology/theology/04canon.html
IF GOD MADE EVERYTHING GOOD, WHY SHOULDNT I SMOKE POT?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/ethics/if-god-made-everything-good-why-
shouldnt-i-smoke-pot/
www.godandscience.org/doctrine/marijuana.html
www.relevantmagazine.com/current/nation/should-christians-smoke-pot-or-not
WHAT ARE THE CRUCIAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MUHAMMAD AND JESUS?
www.godresources.org/compare-jesus-muhammad/differences-jesus-
muhammad.shtml
www.equip.org/article/muhammad-messiah-comparing-central-figures-islam-
christianity/#christian-books-3
www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/Jesus-Muhammad.htm
IS THERE EVIDENCE FOR LIFE AFTER DEATH?
www.equip.org/articles/is-there-evidence-for-life-after-death
http://discoveryseries.org/ten-reasons/in-life-after-death
www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2461227/posts?page=20
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN RELATE TO CULTURE?
http://jameseckman.blogspot.com/
http://kelvinho-kh.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-should-christian-relate-to-
culture.html
http://life.biblechurch.org/slifejom/corporate-publications/599-christians-and-
culture-tim-keller.html
www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/book/e/21/t/culture-and-the-christian.aspx
WHAT MAKES CHRISTIANITY UNIQUE?
www.christianministriesintl.org/articles/What-Makes-Christianity-Unique.php
www.everyschool.com/print/article/what-makes-christianity-unique
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www.gotquestions.org/Christianity-unique.html
www.comereason.org/what-makes-christianity-unique.asp
http://impactapologetics.com/world-religions-what-makes-jesus-unique-mp3/
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DENOMINATIONS?
www.gotquestions.org/denominations-Christian.html
www.gotquestions.org/so-many-religions.html
http://compellingtruth.org/so-many-religions.html
www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-r006.html
HOW DO I SHARE MY FAITH?
www.churchleaders.com/youth/youth-leaders-blogs/138405-
ten_reasons_i_love_sharing.html
www.christianpost.com/news/5-ways-to-inspire-your-teenagers-to-share-the-
gospel-97281/
www.sermoncentral.com/article.asp?article=a-Greg_Stier_1_15_07
www.dare2share.org/worldviews/buddhists/
www.christianitytoday.com/iyf/faithandlife/devotionals/17.10.html
www.simplyyouthministry.com/resources-curriculum-small-groups-
evangephobia.html
HOW CAN JESUS BE GOD AND MAN?
www.gotquestions.org/hypostatic-union.html
http://carm.org/jesus-two-natures
www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-can-jesus-be-god-and-man
IF GOD MADE THE UNIVERSE, THEN WHO MADE GOD?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/apologetics/if-god-made-the-world-then-who-
made-god
http://christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c039.html
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/who_created_god.html
http://carm.org/who-made-god-richard-dawkins
ARENT ALL RELIGIONS BASICALLY THE SAME?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/apologetics/arent-all-religions-basically-the-same
www.bethinking.org/is-christianity-the-only-way/q-dont-all-religions-basically-teach-
the-same-thing
http://apologeticjunkie.blogspot.com/2011/08/do-all-religions-lead-to-god.html
WHAT DO BUDDHISTS BELIEVE?
www.christianministriesintl.org/articles/What-Do-Buddhists-Believe.php
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www.compellingtruth.org/what-is-Buddhism.html
www.gotquestions.org/buddhism.html
WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT GOD INSPIRED THE BIBLE?
www.gotquestions.org/Bible-inspired.html
www.compellingtruth.org/Bible-inspired.html
www.bethinking.org/is-the-bible-reliable/q-what-does-it-mean-the-bible-is-inspired
CAN GOD MAKE A ROCK SO BIG THAT HE CANT LIFT IT? ALEX MCFARLAND
www.alexmcfarland.com/Can-God-Make-A-Rock-So-Heavy-that-He-Could-Not-
L.html
http://carm.org/questions/about-god/can-god-make-rock-so-big-he-cant-pick-it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jRMWKz4hbw
DOES THE BIBLE ENDORSE SLAVERY?
http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/201104/201104_108_NT_slavery.cfm
hwww.apologetics315.com/2011/09/slavery-in-bible-articles-audio.html
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/slavery_bible.html
WHAT IS THE CORE OF THE BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW?
www.compellingtruth.org/Christian-worldview.html
http://carm.org/what-are-some-christian-worldview-essentials
www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/christian-worldview/why-is-a-christian-worldview-
important/why-your-worldview-matters
DO CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS WORSHIP THE SAME GOD?
www.str.org/articles/do-christians-and-muslims-worship-the-same-god
www.answering-islam.org/authors/clarke/worship_same_god.html
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n52BzWKLn9g
DOES THE BIBLE TEACH REINCARNATION?
www.gotquestions.org/reincarnation.html
www.watchman.org/articles/new-age/does-the-bible-teach-reincarnation
http://whataboutjesus.com/ressurection/afterlife-series/does-bible-teach-
reincarnation
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/reincarnation.html
CAN PEOPLE WHO COMMIT SUICIDE GO TO HEAVEN?
www.godandscience.org/doctrine/christians_who_kill_themselves.html
http://christiananswers.net/q-dml/suicide-and-heaven.html
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/can-a-christian-commit-suicide-and-still-be-
saved-a-biblical-analysis

478

SHOULD CHRISTIANS BE TOLERANT?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e28x8N_T1tc
www.thinkchristianly.org/are-christians-intolerant-should-they-be/
www.compellingtruth.org/tolerance-Christian.html
www.gotquestions.org/tolerance-Christian.html
WHAT IS APOLOGETICS?
www.apologeticsindex.org/373-apologetics
www.gotquestions.org/Christian-apologetics.html
http://carm.org/apologetics
IS THE NEW TESTAMENT RELIABLE?
http://carm.org/manuscript-evidence
www.josh.org/resources/study-research/answers-to-skeptics-questions/hasnt-
the-new-testament-changed
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfCWFix43E0
IS CHRISTIANITY A COPYCAT RELIGION?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/apologetics/is-christianity-a-copycat-religion
http://carm.org/christianity/bible/doesnt-religion-mithra-prove-christianity-false
http://creation.com/pagan-copycat-thesis-refuted
www.tektonics.org/copycat/pagint.php
ARE THE TEACHINGS OF JEHOVAHS WITNESSES COMPATIBLE WITH THE BIBLE?
www.seanmcdowell.org/index.php/cults-religions/are-the-teachings-of-jehovahs-
witnesses-compatible-with-the-bible/
www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-r005.html
http://wit.irr.org/four-dangers-of-jehovahs-witnesses
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT PURGATORY?
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2014/what-does-the-bible-say-about-purgatory/
www.compellingtruth.org/purgatory.html
www.equip.org/article/is-purgatory-a-biblical-concept
WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE?
http://everyschool.com/what-is-heaven-like
www.everystudent.com/forum/heaven2.html
www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-is-heaven-like-
11636670.html
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCC4D03ED733C539E

479

 APOLOGETIC STUDY BIBLE - QUESTIONS (NON-STUDENT VERSION)

Similar to the Apologetic Study Bible for Students, the following is

the list of questions which are in the non-student edition of the Apologetic
Study Bible. As many of the questions are the same, Ive only included the
list and not the links. If you are interested, you can search for answers to
these questions as I did for the questions from the student edition.

CAN WE STILL BELIEVE IN DEMONS TODAY?

WHAT IS APOLOGETICS?
HOW CAN MODERN MEDICINE RELATE TO THE OLD TESTAMENT?
IS THE NEW TESTAMENT TRUSTWORTHY?
ARE THE TEACHINGS OF JEHOVAHS WITNESSES COMPATIBLE WITH THE
BIBLE?
THE TRINITY: IS IT POSSIBLE THAT GOD CAN BE BOTH ONE AND THREE?
DOES SCIENCE SUPPORT THE BIBLE?
CAN A CHRISTIAN HAVE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION?
HOW CAN JESUS DEATH BRING FORGIVENESS?
DOES THE BIBLE TEACH THERE IS A PURGATORY?
IS MORMONISM COMPATIBLE WITH THE BIBLE?
IS GOD A MALE?
INTELLECTUALS WHO FOUND GOD
WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD ABOUT CHRIST?
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN RELATE TO THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT?
ARE THE DAYS OF GENESIS TO BE INTERPRETED LITERALLY?
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN UNDERSTAND THE AGE OF THE EARTH
CONTROVERSY?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT ABORTION?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT EUTHANASIA?
ISNT LOGIC ARBITRARY?
WAS ISRAELS RELIGION UNIQUE IN ITS ANCIENT CONTEXT?
CAN BIBLICAL CHRONOLOGY BE TRUSTED?
CAN GODS ACTIONS BE DETECTED SCIENTIFICALLY?
IS PSYCHOLOGY BIBLICAL?
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN RELATE TO CULTURE?
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT?
CAN SOMETHING BE TRUE FOR YOU AND NOT TRUE FOR ME?
WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE OTHERS?
ISNT THAT JUST YOUR INTERPRETATION?
BUT ISNT CHRISTIANITY INTOLERANT?
DOES THE MORAL ARGUMENT SHOW THERE IS A GOD?
WHAT IS NATURAL LAW?
HOW SHOULD WE HANDLE UNRESOLVED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE?

480

DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT MISQUOTE THE OLD TESTAMENT?

WHY WOULD A GOOD GOD SEND PEOPLE TO AN EVERLASTING HELL?
ARENT RELIGIOUS BELIEFS JUST REFLECTING WHERE ONE WAS RAISED?
DOES THE BIBLE TEACH REINCARNATION?
IF GOD MADE THE UNIVERSE, WHO MADE GOD?
HOW DOES CHRISTIANITY RELATE TO OTHER EASTERN RELIGIONS?
DID JESUS REALLY RISE FROM THE DEAD?
HOW CAN THE BIBLE AFFIRM BOTH DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY AND HUMAN
FREEDOM?
DOES THE DESIGN ARGUMENT SHOW THERE IS A GOD?
HOW CAN WE KNOW ANYTHING AT ALL?
WHY SO MANY DENOMINATIONS?
DOES THE BIBLE REALLY CONTAIN NO ERRORS?
DOES THE BIBLE AFFIRM OPEN THEISM?
HOW CAN GOD HAVE ALL POWER AND BE LOVING AND YET THERE BE EVIL?
DOES THE BIBLE SUPPORT THE IDEA OF A JUST WAR?
HOW CAN WE KNOW THE BIBLE INCLUDES THE CORRECT BOOKS?
HAS THE BIBLE BEEN ACCURATELY COPIED THROUGH THE CENTURIES?
CAN RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE SHOW THERE IS A GOD?
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN RELATE TO THOSE IN NON-CHRISTIAN MOVEMENTS
AND RELIGIONS?
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN UNDERSTAND POSTMODERNISM?
HOW DOES CHRISTIANITY RELATE TO BAHAI?
ARE JESUS CLAIMS UNIQUE IN THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD?
WHAT ABOUT HOLY WAR?
WHY THE DISCIPLES CONVICTION THEY SAW THE RISEN JESUS ESTABLISHES
THE HISTORICITY OF THE RESURRECTION?
IS THE TRANSFORMATION OF JESUS DISCIPLES DIFFERENT FROM THE
FOUNDERS OF OTHER RELIGIONS?
CAN NATURALIST THEORIES ADEQUATELY ACCOUNT FOR THE RESURRECTION?
ARE BIBLICAL MIRACLES IMITATIONS OF PAGAN MYTHS?
HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT RELATE TO EVIDENCE FOR CHRISTIANITY?
WHAT SHOULD A CHRISTIAN THINK ABOUT NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES?
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN DEAL WITH DOUBT?
IS THERE EVIDENCE FOR LIFE AFTER DEATH?
ARENT ALL RELIGIONS BASICALLY THE SAME?
HOW DOES THE BIBLE RELATE TO JUDAISM?
IS BEAUTY IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER?
DOES THE BIBLE DEMEAN WOMEN?
EVOLUTION: FACT OR FANTASY?
IS THE OLD TESTAMENT TRUSTWORTHY?
DIDNT THE CHURCH OPPOSE GALILEO?
DOES THE BIBLE TEACH THE ABUSE OF NATURE?
DOES THE BIBLE AFFIRM THAT ANIMALS HAVE RIGHTS?
481

JUST WHAT IS DIVINE REVELATION?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT GOD INSPIRED THE BIBLE?
WHY DOES GOD HIDE HIMSELF?
ARE BIBLICAL GENEALOGIES RELIABLE?
IS THE BIBLE SEXUALLY OPPRESSIVE?
DOES THE BIBLE PROVIDE GUIDANCE REGARDING HUMAN CLONING?
COULD THE GOSPEL WRITERS WITHSTAND THE SCRUTINY OF A LAWYER?
DOES THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT SHOW THERE IS A GOD?
DOES THE ARGUMENT FROM MIND SHOW THERE IS A GOD?
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN RELATE TO A SCIENTIFIC NATURALIST?
DOES THE BIBLE TEACH THAT HUMANS ARE MORE THAN THEIR BODIES?
HOW DOES ONE DEVELOP A CHRISTIAN MIND?
WHAT ARE THE LAWS OF LOGIC?
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE?
MORE EVIDENCE FOR LIFE AFTER DEATH
WHAT ARE SELF-DEFEATING STATEMENTS?
DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ANNIHILATIONISM?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS?
WHAT IS A WORLDVIEW?
ARE MIRACLES BELIEVABLE?
ARENT THE GOSPELS THE PRODUCT OF GREEK THINKING?
THE INCARNATION: IS IT POSSIBLE THAT GOD COULD BECOME MAN WITHOUT
CEASING TO BE GOD?
HOW DOES THE BIBLE RELATE TO ISLAM?
DOES THE BIBLE PROVIDE ETHICAL GUIDANCE FOR BUSINESS?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY?
DOES THE BIBLE PROVIDE GUIDANCE REGARDING GENETIC ENGINEERING?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ANGELS?
ARE SCIENTOLOGY AND THE BIBLE COMPATIBLE?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SAY JESUS IS MESSIAH?
DONT CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES IMPOSE THEIR CULTURE ON OTHERS?
HAS CHRISTIANITY BEEN A BAD INFLUENCE ON HISTORY?
HAS HISTORICAL BIBLICAL CRITICISM PROVEN THE BIBLE FALSE?
ARE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE COMPATIBLE?
CAN GOD MAKE A STONE SO BIG HE CANT LIFT IT?
CAN THE GOSPEL BE PRESENTED ACROSS CULTURES?
DOES THE BIBLE TEACH THAT EVERYONE WILL BE SAVED?
WHAT ABOUT GOSPELS NOT IN OUR NEW TESTAMENT?
IS THE OLD TESTAMENT ETHICAL?
HOW DOES CHRISTIANITY RELATE TO HINDUISM?
HOW DOES CHRISTIANITY RELATE TO BUDDHISM?

482