“Does God exist?” This isn’t a bad question to ask. If you don’t know something, ask a question. The use of apologetics isn’t being sorry – or apologizing – for our faith. Apologetics is the defense of our faith. If we are using Law and Gospel in our apologetic arguments, then the Spirit can use our witness to create and change faith. However, it’s not a waste of time to learn apologetic arguments that don’t use Law and Gospel. Just understand that if there is no Law and Gospel (you’re a sinner/Jesus died for your sins) then the purpose for your apologetic argument is to gain an audience for Law and Gospel. In other words, apologetics is useful because Christianity isn’t irrational. People can dismiss what you say, but there is nothing wrong with you saying it.
This Sunday we begin a study of apologetics. Most of the arguments presented in this series will us Law and Gospel. The vast majority of the content will be based on the two book series written by Mark Paustian, Prepared to Answer. You check out a list of the topics the books address HERE and HERE.
For our first topic we look at the question, “Does God exist?” It isn’t a waste of time to take a minute and consider two points. First, has there ever been a time in your life when you were convinced that there was a God? Second, has there ever been a time when you doubted that there was a God? I will submit to you that the Bible trumps your feelings and beliefs, but as we speak the truth in love, it’s helpful to remember that many of the people we meet only have those moments of conviction or doubt. Exploring that with people can be a starting point for your witness.
The author of these books uses Bible stories to answer the questions. For this first question we go to Luke 1 and the angel announcing to the Virgin Mary that she is about to have a baby. How did Mary know that there was a God? He was growing inside her! Want to hear more? Watch this weeks study, the first in our series, Not Sorry – Apologetics.
Please click HERE to find the Bible class slides.
Please click HERE to find the Bible study event page with a list of the lessons.