Defending the Faith PLANTING THE SEED OF TRUTH AND HOPE IN OTHERS WEEK 7

The Creator is our God THE ONE AND TRUE GOD

Quick Definitions  Pantheism  Polytheism  Monotheism  Deism

So Many Religions  Christianity  Judaism  Buddhism  Islam  Hinduism  Taoism  Paganism  Mormonism  Jehovah’s Witnesses  Amish  Unitarianism  Animism  Shinto  Atheism  Scientology  Greek Mythology  Bahai  Spiritism  Quakers  Shinto  Sikhism

Can all religions be correct?  1. Logical consistency – the religious claims of the belief system must logically  Buddhism – one belief is to rid oneself of all desires  You must desire to rid oneself of all desires  2. Empirical adequacy –evidence to support the belief  Archeological evidence  Mormons believe that Jesus visited North America

Can all religions be correct?  3. Existential relevancy –address the big questions of life  1. Origin – where did we come from?  2. Ethics – how should we live?  3. Meaning – what is the purpose for life?  4. Destiny – where is mankind heading?

Questions to ask  Does absolute truth exist?  Do reason and religion mix?  Does God exist?  Can God be known?  Is Jesus God?

Law of Non-Contradiction Aa Something cannot be both at the same time

Law of Non-Contradiction Something cannot be both at the same time

Does this work?

Or this?

How about this? “They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:5-8

ChristianityIslam God vs AllahPersonal (can be known) Revealed Himself in Incarnation of Jesus Loving Concerned for individual Just Holy & Almighty Distant (unknowable) Does not reveal himself – reveals only his will Merciful (forgives at his will) Capricious (both “leads” and “misleads) Vengeful (honor restored only by “getting even”) Almighty ChristGod’s SonProphet Total denial of incarnation BibleRevealed by God Authorative Word Revealed by God Changed and corrupted by unfaithful Jews and Christians TrinityFather, Son, and Holy SpiritGod, Mary and Jesus (Islam’s view of Christian trinity)

AuthorityChristianityIslam Sacred TextBible – OT (Jewish Bible) & NTQur’an (Koran) Inspiration of Text Views vary: Literal Word of God, inspired human accounts, or of human origin only Literal Word of God Bible ProphetsTrue prophetsTrue Prophets Status of Jewish Bible CanonicalNonanonical but useful as a (corrupted) inspired text Jewish Apocrapha Canonical (Catholic); useful by noncanonical (Protestant) Noncanonical Status of NTCanonicalNonanonical but useful as a (corrupted) inspired text Summary of Doctrine Apostle’s Creed, Nicene CreedSix Article of Faith

Proof of God’s Existence - Scripture  Psalm 19:1-4 – Heavens declare His glory  Hebrews 3:4  Acts 1:3 “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.” “He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.”

Proof of God’s Existence  Creation – “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20  Conscience – “They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.” Romans 2:15-16