A Case for an Eternal Hell (Part 1): A Biblical Defense

annihilationism, Apologetics, bellatorchristi.com, Brian Chilton, Christianity, ECT, end times, eschatology, eternal conscious torment, Gospel, Hell, Theology and Christian Apologetics
Recently, the Christian world was abuzz with the news that popular Christian star Kirk Cameron had considered switching his view of hell from the traditional view to annihilationism.[1] While I will not engage the specific comments made by Kirk Cameron on his podcast, I do think that it is important to discuss the topic of hell’s duration, annihilationism, and the traditional view known as eternal conscious torment (ECT). Also, we should note that Kirk is working through his beliefs about hell. Therefore, this article and series are not a response to Kirk Cameron or his beliefs. Rather, the series serves as a necessary engagement on a hotly contested issue. This article is the first of a three-part series defending the traditional view of hell, otherwise known as ECT. The series will…
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Do the Crusades Prove that Christianity is Evil?

Anthony Williams, Apologetics, Christianity, Crusades, Gospel, historical apologetics, Islam, Theology and Christian Apologetics
There have been many reasons people have refused to take on the Christian faith since the time Christ was on earth. Some couldn’t believe in miracles. Some rejected Jesus’ claim to be the only way to God. Others didn’t want to abide by God’s rules for living and chose to risk the threat of an eternity separated from their Creator. Today, those reasons seem to be less cited by those who reject or leave the faith. When you read or hear the stories of many who “deconstruct” their faith or deny Christianity, the reason often comes down to one central idea: Christianity is “evil”. The Crusades are pointed to as evidence that Christianity is used for conquest and subjugating people. Is this true? How should a Christian respond to this?…
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Scott Adams and Death Bed Conversions

Apologetics, Christianity, Deathbed Conversions, Dilbert, eternity, Gospel, salvation, Scott Adams, Theological Apologetics, Theology and Christian Apologetics
Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic strip died recently, and reports are saying that he had a death bed conversion. Lord willing, he meant it. I enjoyed his cartoons. He had some clever commentary. But of course, no amount of good works, humor, or wit can get anyone to heaven. I hope for his sake that his last rites were sincere, and that I’ll be able to meet him in heaven one day. Death bed conversions however pose a real problem. The problem isn’t about the fact that they happen. That’s not a problem for Christian theology. We teach that salvation isn’t earned as a reward, it’s a received gift. So, death-bed conversions are possible even for people who’ve lived a long and rebellious life. Just ask the…
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Can Christians Lose Their Salvation?

Adam Lloyd Johnson, Apologetics, Assurance, Christianity, ConvincingProof.org, Eternal Security, Gospel, Grace, salvation, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
Most Christians will struggle, at least once, with the issue of losing their salvation. For some people this struggle becomes a lifelong trial of frustration and anxiety. Some protestant denominations, including Methodists and Lutherans, teach that it is possible to lose your salvation. But other denominations, such as Presbyterians and Baptists, teach that once you become a Christian, you can never lose your salvation. So, who has the final say in such matters? We should always look to God and His Word as our first and final authority. He has given us His instructions in the Bible, and we’re responsible to study it diligently so we know the truth. In this article I will make the case that the Bible teaches that a Christian cannot lose their salvation. What Does…
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If Life Ends at Death, Then Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, for Tomorrow We Die

Theology and Christian Apologetics
The book of Ecclesiastes is notoriously difficult to interpret. In this article I share my best attempt at understanding and explaining what this book is about. Many have argued that the main message of Ecclesiastes is that we shouldn’t look for meaning and purpose in this world or in this mortal life. While that might be a valid application of the truths found in Ecclesiastes, I don’t think that is its primary message. It seems to me that the main purpose of Ecclesiastes is to teach the following conditional: If life ends at death, then life, and the toil of this life, is vanity because it’s fleeting, futile, meaningless, and absurd. Yes, one of the applications we can learn from Ecclesiastes is not to look for ultimate meaning in this…
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What is the Gospel?

Apologetics, Christianity, Evangelism, FreeThinkingsMinistries, Gospel, Mere Christianity, Revival, soteriology, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Thomas Moller
Recent events have shaken the world. The various murders, and specifically the assassination of Charlie Kirk, have left many Americans with questions of justice, the future, and truth. Our world has never seemed so dark, and the divide in America has never seemed so wide. Yet despite the horror and darkness of the past few weeks, hope is on the horizon. Revival. Never, in recent years, has the Church had such a potential harvest laid at our feet. God is truly turning evil to good with millions of Americans returning to church for the first time (Gen 50:20). If revival is coming, we must be ready. We need to be prepared for the harvest (Luke 10:2). But how do we prepare? What is our greatest tool? The Gospel. Why is…
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Was the Messiah Predicted in the Old Testament?

Adam Lloyd Johnson, Apologetics, biblical apologetics, Christianity, christology, ConvincingProof.org, Gospel, Jesus, messianic prophecy, Old Testament, Theology and Christian Apologetics
In Galatians Paul wrote that the Law served as a “tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24). Even though Paul was specifically referring to the Mosaic Law, the same could be said concerning the Old Testament as a whole. The Messiah, His person, His work, and His ministry were anticipated through allusion and imagery, not the least of which was the establishment of a theology concerning substitutionary atonement. This laid the groundwork for understanding our need for a Messiah because it explained how we came to be the wretched beings that we are, why God’s moral righteousness means our situation is so dire, and what must be done to reconcile us back to the loving relationship with God we were created…
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Ambiguous Islam

Apologetics, Caliphate, Christian Research Journal, Christianity, Extremism, fundamentalism, Gospel, Islam, Islamism, Jihad, John Ferrer, Muslim, Quran, Religion of Peace, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Usama Bin Laden
[Editor’s Note: This article first appeared in 2011 in Christian Research Journal, vol. 34, no. 6, and reprinted online in 2014 at: https://www.equip.org/articles/ambiguous-islam/. Any additions are in [brackets]]. Usama Bin Laden was a moderate. Right?    Was he not a tragic peace-loving hero with a grand vision for a democratic Afghanistan? Like a photograph overexposed, zeal overcame him, his greatness o’er shadowed by bright dots of violence. Seal Team Six made sure his violence met violence and his vision was ended. We might expect that portrayal from Afghan extremists or Hamas radicals. But that’s also the Bin Laden you find in the short-lived May 4 press release from moderate group Muslim American Society (MAS). They say of him, “I do not believe that any human being relished the terror and the…
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The Role of Apologetics in Student Ministry

Apologetics, Bellator Christi, Christianity, Daniel Sloan, Gospel, Intro Apologetics, Student Ministry, Theology and Christian Apologetics
I have recently become involved in student ministry as a Family Life Pastor over the last few months. As a trained academic with a PhD in Apologetics, I wondered how much of my training I would really be able to use in this capacity. Would students care about apologetics? Would they even need it? What I quickly learned is that apologetics can and really should have a major role in student ministry. Students Have Access to More Challenges than Ever Before           As someone that had mainly been involved with college students for the past decade plus, I was shocked at some of the questions that I received within weeks at the new ministry. One student said she had seen someone on TikTok claim that the New Testament was untrustworthy. Others…
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The Bible Tells Us That We Need Apologetics

Apologetics, Bibliolatry, Blind Faith, Christianity, Conversion, Evangelism, fideism, Gospel, Sean Redfearn, Theology and Christian Apologetics
Paul met the Lord on a road (Acts 9:1-9), Peter fell down before him by the sea (Luke 5:1-11), the Ethiopian eunuch came to him after having the scriptures explained to him (Acts 8:26-40), and the man possessed by a legion of demons believed after experiencing a liberating miracle on his life (Mark 5:1-20). The same gospel which unites us reaches us in different ways. Many people encounter Jesus and come to faith immediately when the Bible is preached and explained to them. Becket Cook is an example that immediately springs to my mind. Others encounter Jesus after a long and detailed analysis of the evidence, and after having their friends engage them with the evidence for Christianity. Nabeel Qureshi is a big example here. Still others encounter Jesus after…
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