Just Another Wretch, Slave of Christ: Apologetics , Topic 1

I was recently asked to teach the junior and senior high school kids for a few Sundays to cover for the current teacher. I was surprised and humbled by the request. It is a daunting task. I would not consider myself a teaching kind of person, but I was told I would be teaching on basic apologetics and tie it in to witnessing. I was given the added help of teaching through a book called The Ten Most Common Objections to Christianity by Alex McFarland. Although I have not read the entire book as of yet, I have found the book to be a good resource thus far. After going through the first chapter; I came to the conclusion that this is an important area to learn and was very glad I agreed to do it. I think this can be beneficial for everyone who shares their faith. You are bound to run into one the these questions at some point, which is why I decided to post the notes/handouts that I make based off the book for all to read and learn from.

1 Peter 3:15
...Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you...

Please note, unless otherwise expressed all of my notes are either directly taken from the book or my paraphrase from the book.

Ok, to start off we should probably define what apologetics is and define some terms:

Apologetics - Definition- speaking in defense of what you believe.
Atheist - Someone who completely rules out the existence of God.
Agnostic - Someone who says that you can’t know for sure about the existence of God.

Psalm 14:1
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God”...

Does God exist? Let’s look at some of the following “proofs” and see what conclusions we can come to.

Every Effect Has a Cause
The universe had to have a cause; the atheist will say that it was the Big Bang; Christians believe that the cause is Almighty God. For something to be or an action to happen there has to be and outside force that is larger, stronger, and more powerful to cause it – God.
Every Creation Has a Creator
Based on the previous point, life could not have just appeared out of nowhere. We have a universe that was caused, it is a creation, and therefore their must be a Creator of it. Of course the Bible states who the Creator is and how He did it.
Every Design has a Designer
The complexity of design displays the intelligence of the designer. Look at a cell phone. It is incredibly complex. When you look at it you wonder who made it, you never think that it just designed itself. Now look at a single cell. It is an extremely complex organism; more complex than a cell phone. So, if things have been designed, they must have an intelligent designer.
Communication Requires a Communicator
Communication is going on all around - in humans, animals, even our cells. DNA is a complex coded system of instructions for our cells. This complex coded system revels that it was created by an intelligent Communicator. There cannot be communicated information without a Communicator.
Evey Law Has a Lawgiver
Every society and culture has a set of moral rules or laws that are used to keep the peace. These may not necessarily been written down, but they are known by all. When we study these societies, we find that though isolated from each other by time, location, and culture, all of the moral laws are almost identical at their core. All humans (in general) are against injustices like rape, murder, theft, etc., but are also in favor for those who exhibit heroism, altruism (selfless concern for the welfare of others), and self-sacrifice for others. Is it coincidence that all societies and cultures, even those isolated from each other, would develop almost identical moral laws? Or have these moral laws that we all have been preprogrammed into us from an outside source? How could we all have developed the same moral laws if it had not been intentionally put there (conscience – “with knowledge”)? If we have moral laws, there must be a moral Lawgiver outside of us. If there are moral laws and a moral Lawgiver, we must now ask what the repercussions of breaking that moral Lawgiver’s laws are.

So, do these “proofs” prove God exists? Not entirely. These only prove that there is something lager, more powerful and more intelligent than us out there that is the cause of all there is. So, what conclusions can we then come to? This Causer must be a personal being because we are personal beings. The One who causes must be at least as personal as us (the effect) or we would be more advanced than the One who created us. Nothing that is made can be more advanced than the one who made it. This all essentially boils down to this: If God is the Causer/Creator/Intelligent Designer/Communicator/Lawgiver, He would have to be over and above the effect/creation/design/communication/law, and be at least as personal as us. We have discovered that God has revealed Himself as a personal being, and as such we discover that God is also a revelatory being. How does He choose to reveal Himself?

General

Creation – The universe is not only proof of His existence, but it also gives us a small glimpse of who He is.
Conscience – The basic moral laws that we all have shows us God’s standards, which in turn shows us His character.

Specific

Scripture – The entire Bible shows us who God is and what He expects of us.
Savior –Jesus came to Earth to show us, in the flesh, who God is in a way that no one (or thing) ever could.

Conclusion

We know that God exists and that He is not a distant, unknowable, vague Supreme Being. But that He is a personal and knowable God who allows us to have knowledge of and learn about Him and wants us to know Him!