APO Defending Your Faith An Overview of Apologetics

The Psychology of Atheism Romans 1:18 – “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” Wrath - Greek word includes in its definition “a violent eruption of passion”.

The Psychology of Atheism Romans 1:25 - “because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie….” Greek verb metallasso means to “trade or exchange”

The Psychology of Atheism Romans 1:25 - “and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen.” Greek word “para” - to place side by side, our word parallel

Circular Reasoning Avoided A fallacious argument is easily recognizable In the Bible, when God speaks, He authenticates that the message is from Him through miracles. The Bible is not the only book out there that claims to be the Word of God.

Extraordinary Truth Claims That Christ is the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity Who becomes incarnate The Crucifixion The Resurrection

Normative Authority “Normative” - Something relating to an ideal standard of or model. Something is a “Normative Authority” when it has the ability to set standards.

Biblical Authority In order for the Bible to be considered a “Normative Authority”, it’s source needs to be: – Omniscient – Infallible – Completely Incorruptible and Righteous

2 Timothy 3:14-17 “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

2 Timothy 3:14-17 “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 competent, equipped for every good work.”

2 Peter 3:14-17 “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,”

2 Peter 3:14-17 “as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.”