Unleashing Your Faith

1. Unleashing Your Faith Other Useful Tactics Discussing Truth and Christian Convictions 10

4. Unleashing Your Faith OFFENCE without being Offensive Discussing Truth and Christian Convictions 9

5. Offense Claims Consistent with a Biblical Worldview Trinity Gravity Diety of Christ Algebra Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Romanism Judaism Atheism Islam JWs Hinduism Abortion Mormonism Buddhism Oneness Homosexuality Hold to “Biblical Authority” Appeal to External Authority Giving an Answer: Offense

6. What do you believe and why do you believe it? • the authority and sufficiency of Scripture • the doctrine of the Trinity • Christ - the person, virginal conception, and two • natures of • (4) the doctrine of original sin • (5) the substitutional atonement of Jesus Christ • (6) the gospel message • (7) the Doctrines of Grace • (8) the nature and foundation of the church, • (9) ‘covenant’ theology • (10) the sacraments

7. Jehovah’s Witnesses (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society)

8. MORMONISM (Church of Jesus Christ – Latter Day Saints)

9. ONENESS PENTACOTALISM (Apostolic or Jesus' Name Pentecostalism)

10. I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth,and of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God,begotten of his Father before all worlds,God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father;by whom all things were made;who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven,and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary,and was made man;and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate;he suffered and was buried;and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures,and ascended into heaven,and sitteth on the right hand of the Father;and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. The Arian concept of Christ is that the Son of God did not always exist, but was created by—and is therefore distinct from—God the Father Modalism - Son and Holy Spirit are different modes or aspects of one monadic God, as perceived by the believer, rather than three distinct persons within the Godhead.

12. Offense Claims Consistent with a Biblical Worldview Trinity Gravity Diety of Christ Algebra Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Romanism Judaism Atheism Islam JWs Hinduism Mormonism Buddhism Oneness Hold to “Biblical Authority” Appeal to External Authority Giving an Answer: Offense

13. Examples • Atheism (agnosticism) • Hinduism • Buddhism Approach • Take up their worldview and demonstrate the lack of justification for: • Science • Morals • Logic Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Appeal to External Authority Giving an Answer: Offense

14. C. S. Lewis notes: My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I gotten this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call something crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. This is precisely the problem for the atheist. He must answer the question: Where does the moral scoring system come from that allows one to identify evil in the first place? Where is the transcendent standard of objective good that makes the whole notion of evil intelligible? Are moral laws the product of chance? If so, why obey them? What — or who — establishes how things are supposed to be?

15. Challenges for the atheist Prove that God doesn’t exist. What evidence suggests God doesn’t exist? Where does the concept of good and evil come from? In the atheistic world view: - where do you come from? - what is your ultimate destiny? - what is your life’s purpose? (why are we here?) - what is moral?

16. HINDUISM

17. “ATMAN IS BRAHMAN AND BRAHMAN IS ATMAN” Hinduism is compromised of contradictory notions. The heart of this Eastern religion teaches that “reality” as we know it is an illusion — maya — of which each of us is part. If I am an illusion, how could I know it? How could I possess true knowledge that I do not exist? (I think, therefore I ain’t?) Do people in a dream know they are imaginary? Does Charlie Brown know he is a cartoon character? This Hindu concept that the world is an illusion contradicts the idea that I can know that I am a player in the illusion. Implicitly, Hinduism claims that I am not a real self and that I am a real self at the same time. Good and bad are relative. Evil and good exist as dual poles. Each must balance the other out. (More on this next week in SUICIDE)

18. BUDDHISM

19. Unleashing Your Faith Other Useful Tactics Discussing Truth and Christian Convictions 10

20. Offense Claims Consistent with a Biblical Worldview Trinity Gravity Diety of Christ Algebra Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Romanism Judaism Atheism Islam JWs Hinduism Abortion Mormonism Buddhism Oneness Homosexuality Hold to “Biblical Authority” Appeal to External Authority Giving an Answer: Offense

22. Challenges for the atheist Prove that God doesn’t exist. What evidence suggests God doesn’t exist? Where does the concept of good and evil come from? In the atheistic world view: - where do you come from? - what is your ultimate destiny? - what is your life’s purpose? (why are we here?) - what is moral?

23. Examples • Abortion • Homosexuality Approach • Take up their view and show where it leads. Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Appeal to External Authority Giving an Answer: Offense

24. If it’s not a person, then no justification is required to do whatever you want with it. If it is a person, then it deserves the same rights and protections as all other persons. Abortion Only One Question: “What is it?” Giving an Answer: Offense

25. It's a woman's right to choose. • This is a private matter; No government influence. • Women are going to have them anyway. • Unwanted child • Not financially able • Too young to have a child • Rape and incest (it will remind the mother) • The mother's life is in danger Abortion “Defenses” Giving an Answer: Offense

26. S.L.E.D. Test Size Level of development Environment Degree of dependency Trot out the Toddler Abortion Two Key Tools Giving an Answer: Offense sled toddler

27. “It’s not a person.” Response • At what point does it become a person? • Demonstrate arbitrariness with S.L.E.D. / Toddler “It’s a person, but not with rights equal to the Mother.” Response • At what point does it get equal rights? • Demonstrate arbitrariness with S.L.E.D. / Toddler Abortion Only One Question: “What is it?” Giving an Answer: Offense

28. Homosexuality

29. Is homosexuality: moral? immoral? morally neutral? amoral? CLAIM: Homosexuality is morally neutral because it’s natural. … then adoption by same-sex couples must be wrong because for homosexuals, parenthood would be unnatural. The same principle (MORALITY) governs both issues. of, pertaining to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct  or the distinction between right and wrong;  2. expressing or conveying truths or counsel as to right conduct; founded on the fundamental principles of right conduct rather than  on legalities, enactment, or custom; 4. capable of conforming to the rules of right conduct; 5. conforming to the rules of right conduct (opposed to immoral) If nature dictates morality, and the natural consequence for homosexuals is to be childless, then it’s unnatural — and therefore immoral — for homosexuals to raise children.

30. Homosexuality Leviticus 18:22"Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin." (NLT) Leviticus 20:13"If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense." (NLT) Giving an Answer: Offense

31. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people-none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (NLT) 1 Timothy 1:8-10Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine ... (ESV) Jude 7And don't forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God's judgment. (NIV)

32. Objective: “Where does the objective standard come from?” Relative: “Why stop at two men, or two women, why not polygamy, and cross-generational, and cross species?” Homosexuality Does “Marriage” have an objective meaning, or Does it mean whatever we want it to mean? Giving an Answer: Offense

33. "Yes, thousands. But not siblings. That's incest!"“So? And, no, we’re not gay.""Not gay?? Then why do you want to get married?“ "For the financial benefits, of course. And we do love each other. Besides, we don't have any other prospects.“ "But we're issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples who've been denied equal protection under the law. You’re not gay? You can marry a woman." “Are you discriminating against us because we’re not gay?" At the Marriage Counter"Next.""Good morning. We want to apply for a marriage license.""Names?""Tim and Jim Jones.""Jones?? Are you related?? I see a resemblance.""Yes, we're brothers.""Brothers?? You can't get married.""Why not?? Aren't you giving marriage licenses to same gender couples?" Still going… "All right, all right. Next.""Hello, I'd like a marriage license.""In what names?""David Deets.""And the other man?""That's all. I want to marry myself.""Marry yourself?? What do you mean?""Well, my psychiatrist says I have a dual personality, so I want tomarry the two together. Maybe I can file a joint income-tax return.""That does it!? I quit!!? You people are making a mockery of marriage!!"

34. "Hi. We’re here to get married." “Names?""John Smith, Jane James, Robert Green, and June Johnson.""Who wants to marry whom?""We all want to marry each other.""But there are four of you!""That's right. You see, we're all bisexual. I love Jane and Robert, Jane loves me and June, June loves Robert and Jane, and Robert loves June and me. All of us getting married together is the only way that we can express our sexual preferences in a marital relationship." Your dog… Your dead friend …. Your mother or grandson… Your student… What about marrying?...

35. Homosexuality If homosexuality and heterosexuality are equally valid and desirable, then logically either sexual preference becoming dominate or exclusive in either mankind or the animal world would be just fine. If heterosexuality became the exclusive preference of all living, reproducing creatures, what would that portend for the continuation of all species on earth? If homosexualitybecame the exclusive preference of all living, reproducing creatures, what would that portend for the continuation of all species on earth? Does sexuality have a purpose beyond individual pleasure?

36. Offense Claims Consistent with a Biblical Worldview Trinity Gravity Diety of Christ Algebra Inconsistent with a Biblical Worldview Mormonism Oneness Atheism JWs Hinduism Abortion Buddhism Islam Homosexuality Romanism Hold to “Biblical Authority” Appeal to External Authority Giving an Answer: Offense

37. Set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts • and always be ready • to give an answer • to anyone who asks • about the hope you possess, • yet do it with courtesy and respect… 1 Pet 3:15 Presuppositions Tactics Know Your Audience Credo Ambassador Model Proof, Defense, Offense Defending Your Faith

39. "yin and yang", is used to describe how seemingly opposite or contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world; and, how they give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. Many natural dualities (such as male and female, light and dark, high and low, hot and cold, water and fire, life and death, and so on) are thought of as physical manifestations of the yin-yang concept. The concept lies at the origins of many branches of classical Chines science and philosophy