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Defend Your Faith Lesson 5 Is Christianity the Only Way? Presented by Chris Reeves * Warfield Blvd. church of Christ * Gospel Meeting * October 23, 2011

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” – 1 Peter 3:15

Christianity Is the Only Way Ready to give an answer (1 Peter 3:15) The importance of this question (John 8:24) The logic of this question (Matthew 7:13-14; 25:41,46) Two important terms: worldview and religion

Presenting Your Case for Christianity All man-made religions are in rebellion to the one, true God (Genesis 2:16-17; 4:1-5; 6:5; 8:20 - 9:1; 11:1-9)

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” – Genesis 2:16-17

“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell” – Genesis 4:1-5

“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” – Genesis 6:5

Man-Made Religion In Rebellion to God One God – One Religion (Genesis 2:16-17) One God – Two Religions (Genesis 4:1-5) Many Gods – Many Religions (Genesis 6:5)

“And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” – Genesis 8:20-9:1

“And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do” – Genesis 11:4-6

Man-Made Religion In Rebellion to God One God – One Religion (Genesis 8:20 – 9:1) Many Gods – Many Religions (Genesis 11:1-9)

Man-Made Religion In Rebellion to God One True God – One True Religion Secular religions World religions Cult religions Denominational religions Etc. religions

Presenting Your Case for Christianity Man-made religions are in rebellion to God – Secular religions: Agnosticism, Atheism, Humanism, etc. – World religions: Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. – Cult religions: Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness, Christian Science, etc. – Denominational religions: Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, etc.

Presenting Your Case for Christianity Christianity is the only way back to God – Because Jesus Christ is the only true representation of God: confirmed by miracles (John 1:1,14,18; 8:24; 11:25; 14:6-7) – Because the Bible is the only true representation of God’s word: confirmed by miracles (2 Timothy 3:16)

Answering Objections to Christianity Objection #1: Many terrible things, like the Crusades or the Inquisition, have been done in the name of Christianity. When terrible things are done in the “name” of Christ, those who do it are in the wrong. Doing something in the Lord’s “name” does not necessarily make the person right (Matthew 7:21-23). Christianity, when practiced according to the New Testament, does not lead to terrible things, but peace and goodness (Galatians 5:22-23).

Answering Objections to Christianity Objection #2: There are many who claim to be Christians, but are actually hypocrites. All hypocrites, religious or otherwise, will be judged and condemned (Matthew 23:13,15,23,25,27,29). Not all religious persons are hypocrites and it is possible to practice Christianity with a genuine and sincere heart of love (2 Corinthians 6:6; Ephesians 6:24; 1 Peter 1:22).

Answering Objections to Christianity Objection #3: All religions have valid truth claims. Are all religions true? One’s idea of “truth” differs between religions. Therefore, we must first define what is “true”. Truth is our subjective mind conforming to God’s objective word (John 17:17). There are in fact elements of “truth” in all religions (even Satan speaks some truth sometimes). All religions present some truths in their teachings. The problem is that religions other than Christianity contain elements of truth and falsehood at the same time.

Answering Objections to Christianity Objection #4: All religions offer a valuable way of life. While all religions contain elements of truth, they do not offer the best way of life. Not all worldviews are equal. Jesus offers forgiveness of sins in this life and a hope of heaven in the next (Mark 10:30). Other religions offer endless cycles of reincarnation, meritorious works, cessation of existence after death, no hope, etc.

Answering Objections to Christianity Objection #5: Jesus was just a mystic guru like others in Eastern religion. This is a “No,” for several reasons. Jesus was a Jew, not a Hindu. Jesus taught what could be verified outwardly by God’s law, not by an esoteric (private), inner experience. Jesus taught that God and man are separate, not one and the same. Jesus taught that God is an individual person, not all-in-all (pantheism). Jesus taught that time and history are real, not illusionary.

Answering Objections to Christianity Objection #5: Jesus was just a mystic guru like others in Eastern religion. Jesus believed God is knowable, not unknowable. Jesus taught that God seeks us, not that we seek to be God. Jesus taught that God gives us morality (right and wrong), not that we give ourselves morals. Jesus taught about a coming judgment, punishment, reward, separation, heaven and hell, not universalism.

Answering Objections to Christianity Objection #6: What about those who have never heard about Jesus? How can you say they will be lost? First, God has revealed himself to everyone (Romans 1:19-20; 2:14-15; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Colossians 1:23). Second, mankind must seek God and God has promised that he will be found by all who seek him (Matthew 7:11-12; Acts 17:21).

Answering Objections to Christianity Objection #7: A sincere attempt to find truth is all that matters to God. No. Sincerity is not the issue. Sincerity alone is not enough. One can be sincere and be wrong (Matthew 7:21-23; 1 Timothy 1:13).

Defend Your Faith Satan’s attack from the beginning has been against God (Genesis 3:4-5) We believe Christianity is true and the only way because it is reasonable and rational to do so (1 Corinthians 15:1-6,12-19) Do you have the will to believe today (John 7:17)?

“Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” – John 7:16-17