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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | How to explain Jesus' exclusive claim? | John 14:6 | Lionstrong | 47693 | ||
Dear Parable, Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, was not intellectually ashamed of the Gospel of Christ before the Greek worldview and culture. He openly challenged the Greek world to explain their objection to the idea that God raises the dead. Even in a totally non-Jewish environment in the Areopagus of Athens he was not intellectually intimidated to be kept from preaching the resurrection, an idea ridiculed by the Greek mind. When Paul stood in the midst of Mar’s hill his method was not to aviod biblical teaching, but to make the biblical teaching understood, even though it might be intellectually ridiculed The aim of our apologetic does not end with the defense of the truth against attackers, but in making the Gospel understood, as Paul did. This does not mean that we ever back off presenting what the Bible teaches, but if you will notice, Paul did not quote Scripture to those who were unfamiliar with it. But he gave them the biblical worldview nonetheless. With the Jews he did give Scriptural support for his arguments. Another point: it is one thing to explain the Gospel to the biblically illiterate, and another to explain it to hostiles who are familiar (or think they are familiar) with biblical concepts. Even familiar opponents may really be ignorant of the concepts of Scripture. Here it is a judgement call weather to support your arguments with Bible quotes. Even if they don’t believe what they think they know of the Bible, they at least may be convinced by proof texts weather the knowledge they thought they had was really accurate or not. It is still an improvement or progress when your opponent has accurate knowledge of Christianity. Some unbelievers are really fighting a misconception of Christianity rather that Christianity itself. Biblical proof texts are really for believers and for those who accept the Bible as, if not the authority, at least an authority. Sometimes it is not the exclusivity of Christianity that must be defended, but the beliefs (presuppositions, if you will) of the unbeliever that must be attacked before the Gospel will be given a hearing. At that point the argument become ad hominem, that is, taking the opponents position and demonstrating the futility of it. The unbeliever’s beliefs/presuppositions causes him to see Christianity as being absurd or to not see it at all! Therefore ad hominem arguments become necessary in order to remove those roadblocks to understanding the Gospel. What is sometimes behind an objection to the exclusivity of Christ is the belief that truth is relative, and it is that notion which must be defeated first. Without the understanding that Christianity sees truth as absolute, the Gospel will not be properly understood. Without the understanding that relative truth is self-contradictory, biblical Christianity will be misunderstood or seen as absurd. Peace, |
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2 | How to explain Jesus' exclusive claim? | John 14:6 | Parable | 47744 | ||
Excellent response! Clearly, you have the kind of insight that comes from practical experience. We should highlight this response somehow for those who later do a search on this topic. Thank you! |
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