Tag Archives: Apologetics

The Basis of Morality

Apologetics, Church Bulletin, Culture, News, ,

Khalid_Shaikh_MohammedTerrible. Awful. Horrible. Confusing. Evil. Five words heard all week describing the events in France. It is hard to find words that adequately describe the carnage and brutality produced by Islamic terrorists. In my circle of associates, I know no one who would support these murderous activities.

Elsewhere in the news we hear of other barbaric events. A 10 year old girl was strapped with explosives and sent into a crowded market. The bomb was detonated killing her and at least 20 others.  In my area a man was sentenced to death this week for murdering his 3 and 4 year old children by choking them to death. His wife goes on trial next.

There is plenty of death and destruction to talk about.

But consider that every description declares or implies these events to be bad or evil. They are correct. They are evil. But what is the basis for that declaration? How can I say anything is morally repugnant or wrong? Is it simply a matter of law?

No. By declaring a thing to be wrong, we necessarily imply the existence of a lawgiver that is beyond our world. We cannot declare a thing to be absolutely wrong without God.

Indeed, morality without God is only an opinion.

Morality has only two possible sources apart from God.

Morality Comes From Law

We quickly see the emptiness of equating law with morality. Our national history is speckled with clearly immoral laws. Slavery was legal in this country until the mid-19th century. While some states did not allow slavery within their borders, the federal government did permit and condone its practice. I know of no one who would argue that slavery is moral.

Many of the actions of 1930’s and 1940’s Germany were legal within that country. Yet, when the war was over, Germans were adjudicated guilty. They were judged against the lofty standards of the victors yet we must agree that their evil conduct was legal within their country.

Oddly enough, El Salvador is being targeted by one human rights organization because abortion is banned in that country. It is illegal. Regardless of how you feel about abortion, note that law is not an acceptable substitute or foundation for morality. Even pro-abortion voices, who believe the pro-abortion stance is moral, will conclude the same.

Morality based on law is changed when opinions change. Slavery ended. Germany was defeated. If we argue that morality is based on law then we must accept that morality is easily changed and shifted. There is no objective standard. That’s not stable. It’s not moral.

Morality without God is only an opinion.

Morality Comes from Society

An advertising executive once said, “Truth is what the people believe.” I don’t agree and you probably do not either. We like to think of truth as being objective. Like 2 + 2 = 4. It doesn’t change. Truth and morality are inextricably linked. If truth remains firm and unchanging so does the behavior it reflects.

But if morality and truth are subject to societal shifts, we are again left with little more than an opinion. Until the 1970’s, homosexuality was considered wrong, even sinful. But today, society has largely changed its mind. Even some religious denominations now openly accept the practice of homosexuality. So what changed? Did morality change that quickly? If society and culture determine morality we must ask where we will be in another 50 years. Will society soften its view of pedophilia? In Utah the age of consent is 18 but a 23 year old may engage in sex with a 16 year old. In Mexico, the age of consent is 12 although there are some constraints until the child is older. Already, some communities view sex with children as acceptable in some circumstances. In this country, a small subset of the population argues for legalization of pedophilia.

What society once viewed as immoral is fast gaining acceptance. Ideas and opinions are changing.

Morality without God is only an opinion.

Our point is simply this: God, that is, a lawgiver apart from our own existence, is the only reasonable foundation for any moral proclamation. Otherwise, what is evil today is heroic tomorrow.

 

Intellectual Baggage

Bible General,

VTBS-Check-In-baggage_tagsI travel a lot. Sometimes I go domestically, sometimes internationally. But wherever I travel, I always have baggage. It’s a necessary evil. When you travel you have to carry your stuff. That is a real pain.

But managing a suitcase or duffel bag is easy compared to intellectual baggage. Known by other pejorative names like bias or prejudice, it is always nearby. I’m not sure anyone is ever free of its weight.

For the Bible student, an awareness of and careful approach to these prejudices is critical. As I approach any subject I must accept at least two critical facts.

  1. I don’t know everything,
  2. I could be wrong.

Jesus often dealt with such baggage in others. Do you recall his gentle rebuke of Nicodemus (John 3:1-15) who should have known better? Do you remember his words to the misguided woman of Samaria (John 4:1-26)? What about his harsh words to the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23? Even the thinking of his own apostles was clouded by their preconceived notions of physical, political deliverance (Acts 1:6).

Errors find an easy path when we assert our own near omniscience.

Let the Bible student use extreme caution when “rightly handing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

But before plunging into a sort of spiritual agnosticism we should add two more critical facts to our list.

  1. God’s word is truth (2 Samuel 7:28; Psalms 119:16; John 17:17),
  2. I can know God’s word (1 John 5:13).

While many will agree that God’s word is truth they will quickly deny the fourth point. They would argue that our biases are too big to be removed. They would say that our particular upbringing and our education (formal and informal) clouds our understanding.

I differ.

We do have intellectual baggage but it can be set aside. Just as I check my bags before boarding the airplane and stow my carry on in the overhead, I can check and stow my prejudices too. Then, I can know God’s word. Truth can be known. It is intellectually dishonest to discount reasoning and argument simply because it agrees with my “tradition.”

I appreciate those who warn against our biases. But I see increasing numbers of those who suppress truth (Romans 1:18) in favor of an agnostic method of knowing nothing. Such strikes at the very heart of God’s revelation.

I am full of biases, prejudices and preconceived notions. I have to work to set them aside as I study. You do too. But do not think that truth cannot be known.

 

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

Bad Things Happen to Good People

Apologetics, Church Bulletin, Daily living, Genesis, ,

Bad things happen to good people. The faithful suffer illness and death. The righteous are persecuted by the unrighteous. The devout face ruin and destruction. Such trials have happened since the days of the first couple and they continue even now. People much wiser than I have tried to explain this phenomenon in volumes of writings. How can it be that the God of the Bible can allow such suffering? We cannot argue that suffering is not real or that it is some imagination of an active mind. Good people really do suffer.

But it may help to examine one righteous struggler and see what lessons we can learn. Joseph, son of Jacob is a perfect example.

Joseph’s story is found in Genesis chapters 37 through 50. He was born into a family of 12 boys and one girl. Only one brother was younger. Joseph is born to Rachel, the favored wife of Jacob. He the favored child (Genesis 37:3) and serves his father well although even his mother and father become troubled because of dreams that Joseph has which cast them as subservient to him (Genesis 37:9-11).

The resulting jealousy of his brothers causes Joseph to be kidnapped and sold into slavery by his brothers (Genesis 37:12 ff). He rises to prominence and responsibility in the house of Potiphar, a military commander of Egyptian King Pharaoh (Genesis 39:2-6). An encounter with Potiphar’s wife forces Joseph to choose between good and evil. He chooses good and is falsely accused of attempted rape. He is cast into an Egyptian prison. But even in prison God brings him success and causes him to find favor in the jailer’s eyes (Genesis 39:21-23). Joseph precisely interprets dreams of two fellow inmates but even when one returns to his position of honor at the Pharaoh’s side, Joseph is forgotten and languishes for two years in the prison (Genesis 40:1).

Finally, a troubling dream causes Joseph to be brought before Pharaoh himself. The king is so impressed with Joseph that he not only takes him from prison but elevates him to a position second only to the Pharaoh himself (Genesis 41:40-45). For 13 years (c.f. Genesis 37:2; Genesis 41:46) Joseph had ridden roller coaster. At just the moment life began to look better, everything crashed. But through it all Joseph was faithful. Not one word is written that even hints at Joseph losing faith in Jehovah.

It is true that bad things really do happen to good people. But it is also true that even in the darkest hour, God stays with the faithful and brings them through to better days.

It is also true that God’s will is always done even when we suffer.  Although Joseph is not a direct ancestor of Jesus, his life and struggles were required for the coming of our Lord. Pharaoh’s dreams were a divine warning of a coming famine. Joseph, having interpreted the dream, was put in charge of preparations. Joseph was so successful that his estranged family, living in another country, came to Egypt to buy food so that they could survive the foot shortages. Without Joseph’s work, they likely would have succumbed to hunger and disease thus eliminating the line of Jesus.

Because Joseph was so beloved by Pharaoh and the people, an invitation was extended to his family to come and live in Goshen, a province of Egypt. It was there they grew into a mighty people.

Our lives seem to mirror Joseph’s sometimes. One day things are great and the next we can barely hold our heads up. The lesson from Joseph is one of endurance and faithfulness. God can and will do great things with us when we place all of our faith and trust in him. We see the result of Joseph’s life but he could not. Like us, he could only see the walls of a pit and the walls of a prison. But he trusted that God would bring him to a better place, and he did. Does this encourage you? It should. Trust God!

Militant Atheism

Apologetics, Culture, ,

Militant atheists are in the news again. This subset of the larger God-denying population is not content to live in disbelief themselves. They need to attack those who do believe in God and in the concept of a higher being. In California a militant group is publicly tearing pages from a Bible on a public pier. They argue that the Bible contains immoral passages. It’s a curious charge. From where, exactly, do morals arise? From government? Ask survivors of the American slave trade how that worked out. From the international community? Do you really want the United Nations declaring morality while it includes leaders of terrorist nations on its human rights committees? Maybe from the individual perhaps? Sure, let everyone craft a moral standard that meets their desires. We have name for that: chaos. Morality cannot come from within man or even from within society. The existence of common morals points to a divine God.

Meanwhile, another militant atheist group says Christians and Muslims must be “eradicated.” To be fair, the writer added a postscript to his article after he was called on the carpet. He says he means the doctrines of Christianity and Islam must be eradicated. But again, to be fair to both sides, his rant is full of hate speech and it doesn’t take much imagination to conclude that he would be just fine without any Christians around. In an incredible part of his  writing he links Christians together with those who practice bizarre and fringe conduct in the name of faith.

As long as they are allowed to exist, we will continue to be inundated with accounts of buses, buildings, markets and abortion clinics being blown up, rape victims being murdered for adultery, wives being beaten (sometimes to death), airplanes being flown into buildings, people being tortured and sometimes beheaded for blasphemy, people being burned for witchcraft and sorcery and all the other horrific, inhumane and insane practices that are part of fundamental Christianity and Radical Islam.

Read the article for yourself and judge.

We must not respond in kind to these sorts of attacks. Instead let us proclaim loudly the love of Jesus Christ for all men and that salvation is offered to whosoever will come. Only by shouting and living love can we silence the hate speech of others.

 

Has God Surrendered?

Apologetics, Culture, Doctrine,

It’s over. The battle has been fought. We lost. It’s true, science has finally beaten the Bible.

New Age spiritualist Deepak Chopra, a friend of Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey and an author of many self-help books has offered two pronouncements: Science has won over Genesis and organized religion is unnecessary. The Indian born American educated M.D. He opines:

I’m thinking instead of Charles Darwin, whose theory of evolution has proved victorious over the Book of Genesis and its story of God creating the universe in seven days. Since then, God has been found wanting when measured against facts and data. With no data to support the existence of God, there is also no reason for religion and science to close the gap between them.

I am afraid, sir, that you are just wrong. While opponents of the Biblical account of Creation like to suggest a victory they are short-sighted and over confident in their thinking. Despite all their pronouncements, the moment of Creation remains beyond their ability to observe or test. Without observation and without the ability to test and replicate those tests, science is powerless. At the very best, a scientist can offer educated speculation about the Creation but he cannot know that his imaginations are accurate.

In other words, and building on Chopra’s comment, there is no data to support scientific ideas of Creation. It cannot be seen, observed, tested or replicated. It cannot be known through science.

Somehow, people have elevated science to god status. Yet science is ever changing and can never offer a truly stable foundation for any eternal question. But the Bible, rooted in the truth of God, does not change. It is true that God changes his methods in order to deal with man appropriately in every age but He does not change nor does his truth.

Curiously, Chopra argues in the above article against the current attitude of science. He notes that researchers are today asking questions that sound more like religion than old style science. In this he is correct. Scientists of renown are beginning to ask the basic “how” and “why” questions. Their answers are moving many closer to the concept of intelligent design in which some knowledgeable force set the world in motion. Now, that’s still a long way from the God of the Bible but it is a start.

As to the question of organized religion Chopra notes in passing its passing from the scene:

Religion and spirituality didn’t go away just because organized religion has been losing its hold, as suggested by showing decades of  declining church attendance in the U.S. and Western Europe.

There is some truth in that statement. Church attendance is declining. But Chopra is trying to make the case for his brand of internal, isolationist faith which is driven by feelings. He uses the Bible to support his claim.

If God is to be found anywhere, it is inside the consciousness of each person. Even in the Christian West we have the assurance of Jesus that the kingdom of heaven is within, while the Old Testament declares, “Be still and know that I am God.”

Like many false teachers, Chopra does a fine job quoting the Holy Scriptures.  Satan knows the Bible (Matthew 4:5-6), can appear as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14) and trembles at the presence of God (James 2:19). But the Bible teaches that he church was given by Jesus Himself (Matthew 16:18) and was bought and paid for by Jesus’ own blood (Acts 20:28). It is true that attendance is declining. But it is not true that people have found a better way. Instead they walk the path of emotion and navigate the trail of feelings. They indeed have a zeal without knowledge (Romans 10:2).

Chopra may have some good ideas about alternative medicine, I don’t know, but he is bankrupt when speaking of the divine path of salvation.


Jonah and the Whale Could Not Have Happened!

Apologetics, Bible General, Jonah, ,

One of the most memorable Biblical stories is that of Jonah and the great fish found in the Old Testament book of Jonah. Almost everyone knows the story. But now we learn that it didn’t happen. That’s right. Some “experts” who also claim to be Christians have decided that the science rules out the possibility that a man could live inside a great fish for three days and three nights. Let’s think about this.

If the story of Jonah is not true, God did not create the heavens and the earth

We really cannot discount the story of Jonah unless we are willing to say that the Creation came by some means other than God. After all, it would be a small thing for God to cause a great fish to swallow a single man if he created all men.

If the story of Jonah is not true, Jesus was not raised from the dead

The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest event in Biblical history. Paul goes so far as to say that if the resurrection is false, our faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:13-14). If God could not cause a man to live inside a fish for three days, he cannot raise Jesus. And if Jesus is not raised then why bother with our faith.

If the story of Jonah is not true, Jesus & God lie

It is God’s word that makes the claim of Jonah. If it is false, God is false and cannot be trusted. Likewise, Jesus speaks of Jonah in Matthew 12:40 (and other places). If Jonah is not real, Jesus is mistaken or a liar and if mistake or a liar he cannot be the divine God worthy of worship.

When we quickly submit to scientific analysis of spiritual claims we set ourselves up for failure. Science cannot answer the questions of the soul because such things are beyond the reach of their methods. If we must choose between a scientist or God I am with God. How about you?

Hawking Misses the Point About Science and God

Apologetics,

Acclaimed physicist Stephen Hawking says God is not necessary. In a new book Hawking declares that a superior, divine being is not needed to explain the existence of the Universe. In the book he argues that creation can be explained by the presence of gravity. The story is at CNN.com:

“Hawking says in his book “The Grand Design” that, given the existence of gravity, “the universe can and will create itself from nothing,” according to an excerpt published Thursday in The Times of London.”

He continues by giving us a peak at what did actually cause the Creation:

“His answer is “M-theory,” which, he says, posits 11 space-time dimensions, “vibrating strings, … point particles, two-dimensional membranes, three-dimensional blobs and other objects that are more difficult to picture and occupy even more dimensions of space.” He doesn’t explain much of that in the excerpt, which is the introduction to the book.”

This is not a terribly surprising statement from a scientist given  the usual atheistic themes often promoted by some scientists. But it is notable because of the one who made the pronouncement. Hawking is not only an accomplished physicist respected among his peers but also a well known popular writer. Some will no doubt gain  Continue reading Hawking Misses the Point About Science and God →

Book Review “The Case for Christianity” by C.S. Lewis

Apologetics, Book Review,

C.S. Lewis is a well known author who has penned many classic volumes on the subject of Christianity and Christian living. “The Case for Christianity” is perhaps his shortest book and is a very easy read. It is a nice introduction to this author as well as a pleasing read of the thoughts that flow from a former atheist.

The ten chapters reflect ten radio broadcasts made by Lewis while living in Great Britain. The [esvignore]56[/esvignore] pages are basically a transcript of those broadcasts.

The talks are divided into two sections. The first is entitled “Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe.” This is basically a beginners discussion of the moral argument for the existence of God. You can find deeper and more in depth discussions of this powerful apologetic elsewhere but for most people this book will provide a solid background on the basics of the argument. Let me say that in my judgment, the moral argument is at least as strong as the other two, namely the Cosmological and the Teleological arguments.

The second part is simply called “What Christians Believe.” Lewis tries to stay in the mainstream of Christendom and deliberately seeks to avoid some of the disagreements among the church and the denominations. He does a pretty good job. He will deal largely with the idea of a sacrificial death as a means for the redemption of men. He acknowledges that this seems to be an odd concept for the person outside of Christ. But he explains how the process makes sense to him as a reformed atheist.

Inasmuch as this is a very basic, foundational book on a subject of import to Christians; and because C.S. Lewis is a noted author and highly respected; the Christian should own a copy and read it. I highly recommend The Case for Christianity by C.S. Lewis to you.

Should Mark 16:9-20 Be In The Bible?

Bible General, Mark,
(This article and the linked paper are from an old Freed-Hardeman friend, David Hester. This is an important scholarly work which should be considered by mature Christians. I think David has reached some very valid conclusions here and I commend his article to your reading. As always, please post your comments below and we will ask David to address them here -jbe)

We live in a world that is more hostile towards the Bible than ever before. No longer can one assume that all people are familiar with Scripture. As a result, infidelity is gaining ground. The Jesus Seminar—a group of theological liberals who deny the deity of Jesus and His miracles—dominates mass media. TV shows such as “Frontline” and cable channels such as the Discovery Channel frequently showcase such liberals as the “experts” in religion. One such liberal had the audacity to write a chapter for a book entitled, “The Irrelevancy of the Empty Tomb.”

In such a climate, the Lord’s church needs reasoned, informed individuals responding to such attacks. It does not necessarily take advanced degrees to be able to be effective. We must get back to what we are best at—familiarity with the Word of God. And, we must hold up the hands of those who are on the front lines of the battle for the minds of men.

Mark 16:9-20 is a passage that has been rejected by many. In the first edition of the New International version (NIV),  the passage was nowhere to be found (though in subsequent editions, it was included).Denominational preachers argued in debate that Mark 16:16 is irrelevant, because it “doesn’t belong in the Bible.” The scholarly world, for many years, agreed with this view.

However, that view is changing. In recent years, there has been a reevaluation of the evidence. And, it is about time. Gus Nichols, Guy N. Woods, and B. C. Goodpasture were right. May their tribe increase.

Please read the article on Mark 16 here.