4. Is the NT True? – Page 5 – Christian Life Coaching Franklin Tennessee

16Sep 2024 by Post

The Early Martyrs Were Cross Examined to Death

4. Is the NT True?, Al Serrato, Apologetics, Early Church, Gospel, historical apologetics, Martyrdom, New Testament, Persecution. Evidential Apologetics

Skeptics often challenge believers by claiming that the “evidence” for Christianity would never hold up in a courtroom. It’s hearsay, they contend, and since these witnesses can’t be cross-examined, the case would never even see the inside of a courtroom. For many unfamiliar with the legal system, this challenge seems solid. After all, why should we trust our eternity to a message that wouldn’t pass muster in a court dealing with comparatively less important issues? Christianity On Trial A bit of reflection shows the problem with this line of reasoning. First, it doesn’t take into consideration that we know many things that could never be “proven” according to the rules of evidence in a courtroom. Just about any historical event that is beyond the lifetime of living persons would suffer…

04Sep 2024 by Post

Becoming Skeptical of Modern Skepticism

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, bellatorchristi.com, Brian Chilton, Charles Darwin, Christianity, cynicism, David Hume, Doubt, faith, Gospel, Michael Licona, rudooph Bultmann, skepticism, Stephen Meyer, Theology and Christian Apologetics, william lane craig

Some skepticism is warranted. None of us want to live within a paradigm of naivety. No one wants to blindly accept every foolish notion that comes down the pipeline. A quick glance at social media along with the acknowledgment of the tweaks and twists that artificial intelligence can bring to videos and audio files only intensifies our need for discernment. Even still, as believers, we must differentiate between discernment and all-out skepticism. Discernment evaluates data to see whether the information is valid and trustworthy. In contrast, skepticism doubts or denies claims that seem to be grandiose or beyond the status quo. Even more to the point, skepticism can deny propositional claims. When left unrestrained, skepticism could lead to doubt, which in turn can lead to the denial of propositions (i.e.,…

21Aug 2024 by Post

The Probability of a Past Event is One

4. Is the NT True?, Al Serrato, Evidential apologetics, evidential methods, history, naturalism, probability, Resurrection, scientism

In recent posts (here and here), I considered some of the difficulties inherent in defining what constitutes a miracle or recognizing an event as miraculous. The skeptic usually approaches the issue with the set presupposition that miracles, however defined, are not possible. They typically contend that what the believer concludes is a miracle is in fact explainable naturalistically and that the believer has allowed himself to be misled by limited knowledge, ignorance or wishful thinking. The skeptic, placing unquestioned faith in the power of science, confidently asserts that someday we will see that the miracle we assumed occurred was actually no such thing at all. This is a difficult topic to tackle in the abstract. If a miracle is defined as a departure from the known laws of nature, then…

12Aug 2024 by Post

How To Help Muslims Think Deeply and Differently About the Deity of Christ

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Bellator Christi, bellatorchristi.com, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Islam, Islamic Apologetics, Koran, Muslim, Muslims, Quran, Sherene Khouri, Theology and Christian Apologetics

I was in a Global Studies conference a few months ago when a retired minister asked me an interesting question. He told me, “I like to take Christian young men to the local mosques so they can learn about Islamic beliefs; however, I’m wondering what would be a good question to ask our Muslim friends in order to get to know them and let them know about Jesus.” I believe this is a very important question I would like to answer here. Talk about Jesus Christ from A Christian Perspective One of the sharp differences between Islam and Christianity is the nature of Jesus. Who he is and what he did. Christians can approach their Muslim neighbors and tell them about Jesus in two ways: 1) What do the Gospels…

19Jun 2024 by Post

Why the Best Explanation Can Be a Miracle

3. Are Miracles Possible?, 4. Is the NT True?, abductive reasoning, Al Serrato, Apologetics, Christianity, Cumulative Case, Evidence, forensics, historical apologetics, J. Warner Wallace, miracles, New Testament, theology

By Al Serrato We all intuitively seek the best explanation for a set of facts or circumstances. It’s called abductive reasoning. Detectives make use of this method of reasoning when endeavoring to solve a crime; they put the pieces together so that a picture of what occurred emerges in sufficient detail to have confidence that it is true. Parents do it when they notice that a freshly baked pie has a piece missing and little Johnny has crumbs on his fingers and fruit staining his lips. Perfect knowledge is not required to know with sufficient certainty what occurred. Abductive Reasoning in Christian Apologetics As it relates to apologetics, abductive reasoning is a formal way of supporting the case for the validity of Christian truth claims. Though there are dozens of…

10Jun 2024 by Post

Andy Stanley’s Unbiblical ‘Affirming’ Stance

4. Is the NT True?, Andy Stanley, Apologetics, Christianity, False Teachers, gay christian, Gospel, Homosexuality, Jason Jimenez, LGBTQ, North Point Community Church, Stand Strong Ministries, Theology and Christian Apologetics

In the following piece, I will discuss the ongoing controversies surrounding Andy Stanley and the recent Unconditional Conference held at North Point Church — outlining clear departures from the scriptural teachings found in the Bible. I will spotlight three key concerns to illustrate how Andy Stanley promotes an approach and an ideology contradicting New Testament teachings on homosexuality. Say it Ain’t So! As followers of Christ, we strive to align our lives with God’s Word, maintaining unwavering faith in times of discord. It is disheartening to see influential Christian figures like Andy Stanley, who command extensive ministry recognition, endorsing views contrary to biblical Christianity. Even as I profoundly disagree with the path Andy Stanley and his church are taking, I remain hopeful for him to reconsider his wayward stance as…

27May 2024 by Post

Recommended Books on Historical Apologetics for The Gospels & Acts

4. Is the NT True?, Acts, Apologetics, Bible, Erik Manning, Gospel, historical apologetics, history, New Testament, Testify, The Gospels

I am often asked which books I recommend for defending the reliability of the Gospels/Acts and Christianity in general, so here is my list. It is not exhaustive, but it will definitely give you a good start. The categorized as “mandatory” are more basic, while some of those labeled as “recommended” or “supplementary” delve into more profound and scholarly content. Any item marked with a * can be accessed for free online as PDF files. A significant number of these works are downloadable from http://historicalapologetics.org, http://books.google.com, or http://archive.org. Mandatory Reading: Recommended Reading: Author Book Title Bauckham, Richard Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, 2nd edition Blomberg, Craig The Historical Reliability of John’s Gospel Blomberg, Craig The Historical Reliability of the New Testament Boyd, Greg & Eddy, Paul Rhodes The Jesus Legend:…

24Apr 2024 by Post

Evidence for the Book of Esther

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Archaeology, Bellator Christi, Bible, bible archaeology, Christianity, Darius, Esther, Gospel, Mordecai, Persian Empire, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Tony Williams, truth

My family recently took the opportunity to attend a live theater production of The Book of Esther in Branson, Missouri. The Sight and Sound Theater production was riveting, and I was not prepared for how wonderful the set, the performers, and even the livestock (yes, livestock) brought the story of Esther to life. One of the other reasons I loved the show was that I happened to have recently read a wonderful historical summary of the evidence that exists to give good reasons to believe this is more than a fairy tale. In his book, The Authenticity of the Book of Esther, the late British historian Dr. Bill Cooper brings out the evidence, including extra-Biblical writings, archaeology, and even Nazi executions that bring the story to life in a different…

27Mar 2024 by Post

Dismantling Doubt

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Christianity, Deanna Huff, Doubt, Evidence, faith, Gospel, John the Baptist, Matthew 11, miracles

Is God really there for me? God, do you see? Do you hear my prayer? Experiences such as job loss, broken relationships, mental illness, or any unyielding pain can stir up questions of doubt. Doubt is standing at your door desiring to chip away at your faith. During these seasons of sorrow and pain, many days can be filled with questions like: Why are you silent? Why didn’t you save them? Why won’t you show them they are wrong? Will you resolve the situation? When you feel as if there is no answer, doubt festers. Is what I believe true? Lest someone think that non-religious persons are different, C.S. Lewis’s personal comment is very instructive. “Now that I am a Christian, I do have moods in which the whole thing…

13Mar 2024 by Post

Timothy’s Tale: Unveiling Undesigned Coincidences In Paul’s Journeys

1 Corinthians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, 4. Is the NT True?, Acts, Apologetics, biblical apologetics, Christianity, Erik Manning, Inerrancy, IsJesusAlive, New Testament, Paul's Missionary Journeys, theology, Timothy, Undesigned Coincidences

Because Paul crisscrossed paths with many folks, some repeatedly, it’s quite enlightening to compare how these people are portrayed in the book of Acts with what Paul hints at in his own letters. Among these characters, Timothy stands out as a particularly intriguing figure. In 1 Corinthians 4:17, Paul mentions sending Timothy, his “beloved and faithful child in the Lord,” to jog the Corinthians’ memory about Paul’s ways in Christ. Now, from this passage alone, it’s a bit tricky to figure out if Timothy was sent before the letter or with it. In 1 Corinthians 16:10-11, though, Paul makes it clear that Timothy was dispatched before the letter was penned. He talks about Timothy’s impending arrival as something distinct from when the Corinthians would receive the letter itself – “When Timothy comes, …” Contradictory Accounts?…

Category: 4. Is the NT True?