God Healing Nabeel Qureshi Christianity

Why Didn’t God Heal Nabeel Qureshi?

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How does a man facing his own premature death exude an uplifting combination of grace, love and truth? My friend Nabeel Qureshi, who has done that for more than a year, died at age 34 on Saturday. In case you don’t know, Nabeel was a former devout Muslim who became a powerful defender of Christianity after a seven-year process of evaluating the evidence for Christianity with his friend David Wood. His first book, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus is an international best seller.

Since being diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer last year, Nabeel has shared his thoughts, concerns and prayers through 43 video blogs on his YouTube channel. His last video, recorded from his hospital bed just seven days before his death, is a request for us to use his work and example to love others to the truth.

As you will see in his videos, Nabeel exhibited the love of Christ to the end. He never wavered in his confidence that God could heal him, but recognized that He might not. Nabeel understood that we live in a fallen world, and that God doesn’t promise any of us a long, trouble free life. In fact, Jesus promised more of the opposite. He said that we “will have trouble in this world, but take heart, I’ve overcome the world.”

Nevertheless, while it seems insensitive to ask this while we grieve, people are wondering why didn’t God heal Nabeel. After all, he was a brilliant and charismatic young man taken away from his wife Michelle and daughter Ayah, and the rest of us, far too early. Nabeel had so much more to give to his family and the Kingdom of God that his death seems senseless.

So why didn’t God heal Nabeel?

Tough Questions

Is it because an evil, such as a premature death, proves that there is no God? No, because evil wouldn’t exist unless Good existed, and Good wouldn’t exist unless God existed. Evil doesn’t exist on its own. It only exists as a lack in a good thing. Like cancer. So when we complain about evil we’re actually presupposing Good. An objective standard of Good is a standard that is beyond mere human opinion. That can only be God’s nature. So evil may prove there’s a devil out there, but it can’t disprove God. Instead, evil boomerangs back to show that God actually does exist.

Is it because the Muslim God is the true God, and He punished Nabeel for leaving Him? No, there’s excellent evidence for the Christian view of God (see Nabeel’s book No God but One). Moreover, Muslims who suggest this should be asked, “Why did your God wait until Nabeel had written three best-selling books, made hundreds of hours of videos, and helped bring hundreds of Muslims to Christ? Is his timing off?” Not only that, Nabeel’s work will continue to bring people to Christ, probably in an accelerated manner after his passing.

So why didn’t God heal Nabeel? What purpose could God have for allowing Nabeel to die?

Some might suggest that people like Nabeel who experience tragedy must be worse sinners than others. Jesus refuted that kind of shallow speculation directly in Luke 13, when he said, “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Indeed, we are all sinners who will perish and we need to repent before it’s too late.

Is it because Nabeel didn’t have enough “faith”? People who claim such nonsense don’t know Nabeel or correct theology. Nabeel’s trust in Christ was deep and unwavering. But the larger point is that faith doesn’t guarantee good health and wealth as “Word of Faith” preachers assert. In fact, their self-serving theology can be refuted by one simple observation: Jesus and the apostles weren’t healthy and wealthy. In fact, they suffered and died for their beliefs. Don’t tell me they didn’t have enough faith!

The Ripple Effect

So why didn’t God heal Nabeel? What purpose could God have for allowing Nabeel to die? In answering that question, we need to admit that there can be no ultimate purpose to Nabeel’s death (or any event) if there is no purpose to life. But since God does exist, and the purpose of life is to be reconciled with Him though His son, Jesus, then even tragedies can help achieve that purpose. Perhaps more people will come to know Christ because of Nabeel’s death. It’s impossible for us to know the extent of that right now, but it’s not impossible for God.

We can’t see it fully because every event, good and bad, ripples forward into the future to touch countless other events and people. This ripple effect is also known as the butterfly effect. The idea is that a butterfly flapping its wings in South Africa, for example, could ultimately bring rain to a drought stricken portion of the United States. We can’t trace all of those ripples, but an all powerful God who is outside of time can. In fact, there have been billions of events in history, both good and bad, that helped make you who you are and helped put you where you are.

So we don’t know why God didn’t heal Nabeel, but we know why we don’t know. We’re finite and God is infinite. The good news is God’s character and power guarantees that He will bring good from evil “to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). That may happen later in this life. It certainly will spill over into eternal life.

The ripple effect led Jacques Marie Louis Monsabré, a former pastor at Notre Dame in Paris, to trust God even when he couldn’t see any good coming from evil. He said: “If God would concede me His omnipotence for 24 hours, you would see how many changes I would make in the world. But if He gave me His wisdom too, I would leave things as they are.”

Indeed, God will redeem Nabeel’s death for good like he redeemed Nabeel himself. But while Nabeel is now with the Lord, Michele and Ayah remain with us. As Nabeel asked in one of his final videos, please pray for them as well as Nabeel’s loving parents. And If you can help Michele and Ayah financially, would you please do so here?

While we grieve let us be thankful for Nabeel’s eternally significant life. He did more for the Kingdom of God in 34 years than ten thousand people do in 80. And the ripples he created — waves really — will help carry people into Heaven for generations. Blessings to you Brother. See you on the other side.

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Nabeel Qureshi Muslim

Remembering Nabeel Qureshi

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By Brian Chilton

The Christian community lost a wonderful man of God this past Saturday, September 16, 2017. Nabeel Qureshi entered his eternal home after a year-long battle with stomach cancer at the tender age of 34. While Nabeel has left us, he has left behind a wonderful legacy that will impact countless individuals for years to come. How will Nabeel be remembered? I think that he will be remembered in three major ways.

(1) Nabeel Qureshi will be remembered for his miraculous conversion. Nabeel recounts his miraculous conversion in his book Seeking Allah: Finding Jesus. Nabeel was raised in a loving Ahmani Muslim home by his Pakistani-American parents.[1] While attending medical school, Nabeel was challenged by his good friend David Wood to examine the evidence for the Christian faith. Because of the challenges given by Wood and Christian apologist Michael Licona, Nabeel looked into the evidence and was amazed to find that Christianity had a compelling case for authenticity.

After heavy investigation, Nabeel finally came to the point where he laid down a copy of the Bible next to a copy of the Qu’ran and prayed to God to reveal himself. Was he found in Jesus or the writings of the Qu’ran? After that moment, Nabeel had visions and dreams that clearly indicated that the Bible was true and the Jesus was God come to humanity. Nabeel, then, received Christ as his Savior despite the problems that would come from his family and friends because of his decision. Nabeel Qureshi will forever be remembered for his amazing conversion.

(2) Nabeel Qureshi will be remembered for his passion for the lost. Nabeel was highly educated. He received his M.D. from Eastern Virginia Medical School, a M.A. in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and a masters degree in religion from Duke University. Nabeel was pursuing a Ph.D. from Oxford University before he died. Nabeel had a passion for the lost. He had joined the RZIM team, headed by famed apologist Ravi Zacharias, had frequently lectured to crowds across the globe, and was featured in a few debates in his young career. Zacharias noted that Nabeel was “not just an evangelical; he was passionately evangelistic. He desired to cover the globe with the good news that God’s forgiveness was available to all. I have seldom seen a man with such deep conviction and proportionate passion and gifting. When he spoke, he held audiences spellbound.”[2]

(3) Nabeel Qureshi will be remembered for his desire for love. In the last video Nabeel Qureshi posted before his untimely death, Nabeel said, “I hope my ministry leaves a legacy of love, of peace, of truth, of caring for one another. That is my hope and purpose behind all of this.” Nabeel never intended his ministry to be used as a means to attack Muslims, but rather as a means of exposing the truth of Christianity. Nabeel went on to remind everyone that our God is a God of love. You can find Nabeel’s video below. One would be egregious to use Nabeel’s materials to attack Muslims when his goal was to demonstrate love. May we all be reminded through Nabeel’s life that God is a loving God.

Nabeel Qureshi is a man whom one should never forget. His life and legacy serve as a reminder that life is short and that while one is on earth, God has a purpose and a plan for that person. Join me in praying for Nabeel’s family and that God will be glorified through the loss of his young servant. While I never had a chance to meet Nabeel Qureshi on this side of eternity, I look forward to talking with him when I reach the heavenly home promised to us by Christ Jesus.

Additional Video Lectures by Nabeel Qureshi

“Death and Life in Jesus: 1 Corinthians 15 and the Ailing Christian”

“Can We Know if God is Real?”

“My Journey to Christ”

 

Notes

[1] Kate Shellnut, “Died: Nabeel Qureshi, Author of ‘Seeking Allah: Finding Jesus,’”ChristianityToday.com (September 16, 2017), retrieved September 18, 2017,http://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2017/september/died-nabeel-qureshi-author-seeking-allah-finding-jesus-rzim.html.

[2] Ravi Zacharias, “Ravi Zacharias Remembers His Young Protégé, Nabeel Qureshi,”ChristianityToday.com (September 17, 2017), retrieved September 18, 2017,http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2017/september-web-only/ravi-zacharias-nabeel-qureshi-apologist-rzim.html.

Original Blog Source: http://bit.ly/2ykpKO8

 

About the Author

Brian Chilton is the founder of BellatorChristi.com and is the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast. He received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); and received certification in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Brian is in the Ph.D. program in Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University. Brian is full member of the International Society of Christian Apologetics and the Christian Apologetics Alliance. Brian has been in the ministry for over 14 years and serves as the pastor of Huntsville Baptist Church in Yadkinville, North Carolina.

 

 

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Wrote Letters John

Who Wrote the Letters of John?

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By Brian Chilton

The website has devoted substantial time in exploring the identity of the authors of the New Testament texts. This journey continues as we explore the three letters attributed to John. Who was the person named John behind these letters?

Author:          The early church nearly unanimously attributed the three letters of John to the apostle John. It was not until modern times that serious attention was given to the idea of two Johns: one the apostle John and the other a different John known as the elder. In 2 and 3 John, the author mentions that he is the elder. Some have also contemplated the idea of a Johannine school that preserved the teachings of John and wrote the letters giving credit to the aged apostle.

The confusion between the apostle and the elder is found in Papias’ statement as preserved by Eusebius which reads:

But I shall not be unwilling to put down, along with my interpretations, whatsoever instructions I received with care at any time from the elders, and stored up with care in my memory, assuring you at the same time of their truth. For I did not, like the multitude, take pleasure in those who spoke much, but in those who taught the truth; nor in those who related strange commandments, but in those who rehearsed the commandments given by the Lord to faith, and proceeding from truth itself. If, then, any one who had attended on the elders came, I asked minutely after their sayings – what Andrew or Peter said, or what was said by Philip, or by Thomas, or by James, or by John, or by Matthew, or by any other of the Lord’s disciples, [and] which things Aristion and the presbyter John, the disciples of the Lord, say. For I imagined that what was to be got from books was not so profitable to me as what came from the living and abiding voice.[1]

The view with the best support, however, is that John the apostle and John the elder are the one and same person.

The letters of John, particularly the first letter, bear a remarkable similarity to the Gospel of John. The evidence for apostolic authorship of the Fourth Gospel is quite strong. Thus, the correlation between the Gospel and the letters demonstrate a high probability that John the apostle also authored the letters along with the Gospel.

In addition to the association that John’s Gospel holds with the letters, second-century sources strongly suggest that John the apostle served as a pastor in Ephesus, living up until the rule of Emperor Trajan in AD 98. George Beasley-Murray notes,

“John, the disciple of the Lord, who leaned on his breast, also published the gospel while living at Ephesus in Asia” (Adv. Haer. 3.1, 2). The “disciple” is clearly the apostle John, who is identified with the “beloved disciple” of the Gospel. Irenaeus also acknowledged the authority of the church in Ephesus, since “it was founded by Paul, and John lived there till the time of Trajan” (3.3, 4). This testimony is the more significant in view of Irenaeus’ acquaintance with Polycarp, who was martyred in his old age in a.d. 155.”[2]

In light of the strong ancient evidence, one can claim with confidence that John wrote the letters attributed to him in Ephesus. It is possible that John used an amanuensis to write the Gospel and the first letter and wrote 2 and 3 John with his own hands. Nonetheless, John is clearly the author of all four documents.

Date:   Since one can align the documents attributed to John while also noting that the apostle ministered in Ephesus while living to 98 AD, the Gospel and letters can confidently be pegged to the mid-80s to the mid-90s.

Purpose:         1 John was written to guide Christians into true doctrine while helping them to avoid false beliefs and actions. In 1 John, John focuses on the truth of Christ (1:1-4), the lifestyle of the authentic believer (1:5-2:14), the believer’s relationship with those outside the church (2:15-27), along with a personal exhortation to the believers to love one another and to shine the light of God in their lives (2:28-5:21).

2 John is a more personal letter written to the church of Ephesus. John commands the church to “(1) walk in the truth, (2) obey God’s commandments, (3) love one another, and (4) guard the teachings of Christ and they would not be deceived by the antichrist.”[3] John greets and blesses the believers (1-3), exhorts the believers to love (4-6), warns of false teachers (7-11), and plans a visit to the local churches in the area (12-13).

3 John like 2 John is a personal letter. Whereas 2 John is written to the church, 3 John is written to three individuals: Gaius (1), the one receiving the letter; Diotrephes (9), a troublemaker in the church; and Demetrius (12), the one carrying the letter to Gaius. In 3 John, the apostle greets Gaius (1-2), commends the Gaius for standing for truth (3-4), discusses issues with Gaius (5-12), and discusses his future visit with Gaius (13-14).

The letters of John are quite powerful and important for teaching about the nature of God and of the believer’s stance during difficult times. Everyone would do well to take time to read through John’s Gospel and his three letters. The apostle has some important words for all the church for every generation.

Notes

[1] Eusebius of Caesarea, Church History, III, 39.

[2] George R. Beasley-Murray, John, vol. 36, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 2002), lxvi.

[3] CSB Study Bible (Nashville: Holman, 2017).

Original Blog Source: http://bit.ly/2xFNzCD

 

 

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Humorous Bible Translations

Humorous Bible Translation Errors…and What They Mean for Biblical Reliability

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Jewish and Christian scribes took inordinate care in copying the Bible from one generation to the next. For a variety of reasons, we can have great confidence that our present Bibles have considerable fidelity to the original writings.[1] Hands down, the Bible is the most carefully preserved book from the ancient world.

And yet throughout the history of biblical transmission , there have been some intentional and unintentional changes in the text. Some people think this undermines its reliability, but that is not necessarily the case. While there were certain scribes with doctrinal agendas, the vast majority considered it their duty to copy the scriptures faithfully. And they did so. Typically, when variants are found across different manuscripts, textual scholars can reconstruct the correct reading with a high degree of probability.

According to professor Dan Wallace, one of the leading textual critics in the world, there has not been a single manuscript discovery that has produced an authentic reading of the New Testament that tells a totally different story of Jesus.[2]

The reason for this is the remarkably careful procedures practiced by the scribes. When scribes made a mistake in copying a Biblical book by hand, it would only produce one flawed copy. Later scribes would often catch these mistakes by comparing them against earlier copies to preserve the original reading. Even today, textual scholars can catch copying mistakes by comparing them with other ancient manuscripts.

But this changed with the introduction of the printing press. After the press, a single bad copy could result in hundreds or thousands of defective Bibles. Here’s a few of the most famous (or you might consider them infamous) examples.[3]

1631: Readers were stunned encounter to Exodus 20:13, “Thou shalt commit adultery.” (Instead of, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”)

1653: 1 Corinthians 6:9 read, “Know that the unrighteous shall inherit the kingdom of God,” (Instead of, “Know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”)

1763: The final printed text of Psalm 14:1 read, “The fool hath said in his heart, there is a God.” (Editors accidentally inserted the word a for no).

These humorous examples show that despite the utmost care and effort, humans do make mistakes. But they also illustrate how scholars are able to correct such mistakes and still be able to transmit ancient texts with care and precision.

While there have been many intentional and unintentional mistakes throughout the history of biblical transmission, scholars are able to catch the vast majority of these (as we have with the examples above), and transmit the Bible with remarkable accuracy.

If you are not convinced, we invite you to check out the soon-to-be-released update of Evidence that Demands A Verdict. My father first wrote this book chronicling the evidence for the Christian Scriptures, even though, ironically, he began the journey attempting to disprove the Bible. In this updated edition, we have carefully and painstakingly laid out the textual, historical, and literary evidence that the Bible has been preserved with the highest care.

Yes, there have been some mistakes in transmission. But the vast majority of these have been identified and corrected. All things considered, evidence shows that the Bible is the most well-preserved book of antiquity.

Sean McDowell, Ph.D. is a professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University, best-selling author, popular speaker, part-time high school teacher, and the Resident Scholar for Summit Ministries, California. Follow him on Twitter: @sean_mcdowell and his blog: seanmcdowell.org.

[1] See chapters 2-4 in Josh and Sean McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2017).

[2] Ibid., 66.

[3] Lawrence H. Schiffman & Jerry Pattengale, The World’s Greatest Book: The Story of How the Bible Came to Be (Franklin, TN: Worthy Publishing, 2017), 176-177.

 

 

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Wouldn’t a Loving God Make Sure Everyone Gets to Heaven?

The concept of Hell is daunting for many Christians. It’s not pleasant to think our unbelieving loved ones might spend eternity separated from God, regretting their decision forever. Several religious traditions seek to avoid the problem by offering a second chance to those who reject God’s gift of forgiveness. They envision a place where rebellious souls can, in the next life, reconsider their choice or earn their way toward heaven; the Catholic tradition offers “Purgatory” and Mormonism describes a “Spirit Prison”. Both seek to offer solutions to commonly asked questions: Wouldn’t a Loving God love all of His creation? Wouldn’t He make sure everyone goes to Heaven (regardless of what they might believe in this life)? A loving God would never limit Heaven to a select few and allow billions of people to suffer in Hell, would He?

Let’s consider, however, the nature of Heaven and the truth about humans. Heaven is the realm of God, and those who ultimately enter into Heaven will be united with God forever. While that sounds fantastic for some of us, it sounds ridiculous, boring or offensive to many who reject the existence of God (and resist God’s guidelines and obligations). If everyone will eventually end up in Heaven, it is inevitable and compulsory. This type of eternal destination seems contrary to the nature of God and the nature of human “free will”:

A Compulsory Heaven Would Eradicate “Free Will”
People who deny the existence of God relish the fact they have the freedom and ability to do so. Some of these same people, however, argue a loving God would make certain everyone goes to Heaven after they die. But this kind of “universalism” actually denies human “free will” altogether. If Heaven is the only destination awaiting us (based on the assumption all who die eventually end up there), it is truly compulsory. In this view of the afterlife, we have no choice about where we end up; everyone is united with God, like it or not. A compulsory Heaven rejects the importance of human liberty, the very thing those who deny God cherish the most. By offering (but not forcing) Heaven to those who freely choose to love the One who reigns there, God is actually honoring and respecting our “free will” universally. He is, in fact, treating us with the utmost respect and dignity; something we would expect if He is all-loving in the first place.

A Compulsory Heaven Would Embrace the “Unsuited”
In addition to this, a Heaven including anyone and everyone is counter intuitive and un-reasonable. Just think about it for a minute. Most of us would agree: A Holy place of eternal reward is simply not suited for people with a certain kind of character or certain kinds of desires. All of us can think of someone from history who (by our estimate) is unqualified for eternal reward. We may not all agree on who should or shouldn’t be included in such a place, but most of us would hesitate when considering people like Hitler (or perhaps lifelong unrepentant pedophiles with murderous desires) for eternal reward in Heaven. If there is a Heaven, it is surely unsuited for certain kinds of people, and even the most skeptical among us can find someone he or she would place in this category. A compulsory Heaven, including the most vile and dangerous people from history, is not likely what skeptics have in mind when they argue for an all-inclusive final destination.

A loving God would make Heaven possible for all of us while respecting the free will desires of some of us. A loving God would reward those of us who have decided to choose Him while dealing justly with those of us who have decided to choose against Him. For this reason, Heaven simply cannot be the destination of every human who has ever lived. Heaven is not compulsory, but is instead the destiny of those who love the God who reigns there and have accepted His invitation.

J. Warner Wallace is a Cold-Case Detective, Christian Case Maker, Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, and the author of Cold-Case Christianity, Cold-Case Christianity for Kids, God’s Crime Scene, God’s Crime Scene for Kids, and Forensic Faith.

Comment or Subscribe to J. Warner’s Daily Email

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God Transgender Debate

God and the Transgender Debate: Book Review

The transgender debate is threatening to rip apart our culture. And it is raising a deep divide within the church. How should Christians respond?

I recently picked up a copy of the new book by Andrew Walker entitled God and the Transgender Debate. It has significant endorsements—e.g., Robert George, Rod Dreher, and Albert Mohler—and so I had high expectations, and yet I still found it a valuable read.

Compassion and Truth

Walker approaches the transgender issue with both compassion and truth. For instance, he goes out of his way to remind readers that this is not ultimately about a debate, but about people who are made in the image of God and deserve honor and respect. He presses readers to ask this question:

“Have I actually made an effort to understand the perspective and pain of someone experiencing gender dysphoria?”[1]

As Christians, we must ask ourselves this question so we can approach this issue with both tenderness and gentleness.

And yet Walker firmly believes that Christians must be willing to speak truth, not for the sake of winning an argument, but because truth is what ultimately sets people free. He writes:

If I affirm transgenderism, I am actually doing an unloving thing. I am withholding truth because I value my own reputation or my own friendships or my own comforts more than I value the eternal happiness of the person made in the image of God who stands in front of me (p. 99).

Tough Questions and Issues

One of my favorite parts of the book is when Walker describes how, sadly, some Christians have cut off their transgender kids. In response, he simply says: “This is wrong…There is no justification for abandoning your child—ever.” Amen. Stories of Christian parents turning their transgender kids away are both heartbreaking and contrary to biblical principles.

At the end of the book, Walker offers his thoughts on some of the most pressing questions. For instance, he addresses the common question: “What about people who are born intersex?” In other words, does the existence of people with ambiguity regarding their biological sex imply that gender is not binary, but a spectrum?

Walker provides a few helpful responses. First, intersex is a physical condition (ambiguity regarding biological sex) whereas transgender is a psychological condition (feeling that gender identity does not match biological sex). Thus, comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges.

Second, transgenderism assumes that sex is binary. Walker notes,

“Transgender identities are built on the assumption that biological sex is known and clear—and then rejected. Medical intervention for intersex people is aimed at enabling them to live out the sex and gender that they were both with, but which is physically unclear one way or another. Medical intervention for those identifying as transgender is aimed at the very opposite—at obscuring the sex they were born with.”

Final Thoughts

Much more could be said about the book. Walker regularly writes on issues of ethics and public policy, but in this book, he writes with a pastor’s heart. His love for both the church and people who wrestle with gender dysphoria is clear.

If you want to know how to relate to someone who is transgender, or you’re simply interested in thinking through how Christians ought to approach the issue, then I am confident you will find this book helpful.

Sean McDowell, Ph.D. is a professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University, best-selling author, popular speaker, part-time high school teacher, and the Resident Scholar for Summit Ministries, California. Follow him on Twitter: @sean_mcdowell and his blog: seanmcdowell.org.

[1] Andrew T. Walker, God and the Transgender Debate (Denmark: The Good Book Company, 2017), 97.

 

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Mathematics God Apologetics

Mathematical Apologetics: Discovering Divine Attributes in Math

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By Brian Chilton

On today’s podcast, Brian discusses how one discovers the mark of the divine in math. In the book Faith and Learning: A Handbook for Christian Higher Education, edited by David S. Dockery, Jeanette Russ, in her chapter “Christian Scholarship in Math, Physics, and Engineering, provides several ways that math demonstrates the divine attributes of God. Brian discusses the mathematical apologetics that he found in Russ’s work. Such as:

Calculus and Physics: The infinitesimally small and extremely large note the unlimited nature of God (see Dockery, Faith and Learning, 394).

Georg Cantor’s Theory of the Infinite: The nature of the infinite (Dockery, Faith and Learning, 395).

Einstein’s Theory of Relativity: There is no passage of time at the speed of light, which could illustrate God as he is explained as light (1 John 1:5) and that he exists outside the scope of time (Dockery, Faith and Learning, 395).

Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle: The principle shows that God could intervene in the world and that humans play a role in the great, as Russ notes, “cosmic drama” (Dockery, Faith and Learning, 395).

Concept of Unification: This could show that all truth is God’s truth (Dockery, Faith and Learning, 395).

Come join us for this interesting journey into mathematical apologetics as we step into the arena of idea on today’s edition of the Bellator Christi Podcast.

About the Host

Brian Chilton is the founder of BellatorChristi.com and is the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast. He received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); and received certification in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Brian is currently studies in the Ph.D. program in Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University. Brian is full member of the International Society of Christian Apologetics and the Christian Apologetics Alliance. Brian has been in the ministry for over 14 years and serves as the pastor of Huntsville Baptist Church in Yadkinville, North Carolina.

Original Blog Source: http://bit.ly/2xRVwkn

 

 

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Book Hebrews Authorship

Who Wrote the Book of Hebrews?

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By Brian Chilton

Throughout the past several weeks, we have been exploring who the authors of the books of the New Testament were. Already we have seen that there are good reasons for supporting the traditional view that the apostles Matthew and John wrote the Gospels attributed to them, John Mark writing the Second Gospel which was a documentation of Simon Peter’s testimony, Dr. Luke as the author of the Third Gospel and Acts after having attributed information from numerous eyewitnesses, and the apostle Paul as the author of all thirteen epistles attributed to him. Now, we examine a more mysterious letter. Let’s look at the Book of Hebrews.

Date: Many scholars believe that Hebrews was written sometime before the destruction of the temple (AD 70). More likely than not, the epistle was written sometime during the reign of Emperor Nero (AD 64-68).[1]

Purpose: The book of Hebrews exalts Jesus and shows that he is superior to the sacrifices of old. The term “kreitton” (literally, “more excellent” or “better”) permeates the book. The book of Hebrews ties together the Old and New Testaments better than any other in the New Testament.

Author: Here is the million-dollar question; Who wrote the book of Hebrews? Many early church leaders believed Paul to have been the author. Origen is often quoted as saying in reference to the book of Hebrews’ authorship that “in truth, only God knows.” However, a further investigation of Origen’s writings will demonstrate that he believed Paul to have been the author.[2] But was Paul the author? It’s possible, but not certain.

Unlike the thirteen letters attributed to Paul,[3] Hebrews nowhere identifies Paul nor anyone else as its author. There is one certainty pertaining to the author of Hebrews and that is that the author was someone who was known in the ranks of Paul’s cohorts. The author knew Timothy and referred to him as “our brother” (Hebrews 13:23, CSB) rather than “my son” as Paul did in (1 Timothy 1:2). Thus, it would seem as though the writer is a cohort of Paul, perhaps even a second-generation Christian as the writer notes that “salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him” (Hebrews 2:3). Scholars have proposed Luke, Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Apollos, Timothy, Philip, Peter, Silas, Jude, and Aristion as the authors.

Because the author is a second-generation Christian, I do not think Barnabas, Peter, Silas or Jude (if referencing the Lord’s brother) would be candidates. Because the author references Timothy as a brother, I do not think Timothy is a likely candidate either. I used to think Barnabas was the author, but since Barnabas was an early Christian and the author of Hebrews is a second-generation Christian, I no longer think that is the case. In all likelihood, I believe Luke to have been the author of the book. In the end, though, God knows. The author, whomever it may be, had the backing of the apostle Paul and that is why the book was established as canonical as far as apostolic authority is concerned.

About the Author:

Brian Chilton is the founder of BellatorChristi.com and is the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast. He received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); and received certification in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Brian is a Ph.D. student at Liberty University in the Theology and Apologetics program. Brian is full member of the International Society of Christian Apologetics and the Christian Apologetics Alliance. Brian has been in the ministry for over 14 years and serves as the pastor of Huntsville Baptist Church in Yadkinville, North Carolina.

[1] CSB Study Bible (Nashville: Holman, 2017), 1946.

[2] Origen writes, “However, some one hard pressed by this argument may have recourse to the opinion of those who reject this Epistle as not being Paul’s; against whom I must at some other time use other arguments to prove that it is Paul’s.” Origen, A Letter from Origen to Africanus, 9.

[3] See Brian Chilton, “Did Paul Write All Thirteen Letters Attributed to Him?,”BellatorChristi.com (July 17, 2017), retrieved August 1, 2017,https://bellatorchristi.com/2017/07/17/did-paul-write-all-thirteen-letters-attributed-to-him/.

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Debate Atheist Jesus

Debating Atheists: Arrival of Jesus (Part 5/5)

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By Dan Grossenbach

Ancient history is a funny thing. We depend on the information, but no one was there to see it. Historians meet this challenge with the standard method of historiography.

Historiography is scientific in a sense, albeit different than the hard sciences like physics and chemistry. In both cases, absolute certainty still evades us. Historians seek only to identify what events are more likely than not to have happened. Famous religion skeptic Bart Ehrman says human events that occurred in the past are always a matter of what probably did or did not happen[1].

History’s witnesses contain lore and exaggeration but also facts. It’s inherently problematic that there’s much about the ancient world we’ll never know. In fact, an overwhelming majority of events and people left without a trace. When it comes to Jesus of Nazareth, however; there’s little else we can know so well.

Surprised? It turns out there are a few facts about his life, death, and post-death events that aren’t even contested among historians today. So, it’s safe to say we can know with relative historical certainty that these things actually happened. Don’t take our word for it, but see what the scholars who reject Christianity say about him.

Jesus died by Roman crucifixion in first century Palestine

“Jesus death as a consequence of crucifixion is indisputable.” – Atheist Gerd Ludemann[2]

“The crucifixion of Jesus by the Romans is one of the most secure facts we have about his life.” – Atheist Bart Ehrman[3]

We can take it “absolutely for granted that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate” Skeptic John Dominic Crossan[4]

Jewish scholar Paula Fredrickson tells us “the crucifixion is the single strongest fact we have about Jesus”[5].

Even the radical and anti-supernatural Jesus Seminar claims that the crucifixion is “one indisputable fact”[6]. Finally, New Testament scholar Marcus Borg articulates for us:

“[S]ome judgments are so probable as to be certain; for example, Jesus really existed, and he really was crucified, just as Julius Caesar really existed and was assassinated. …. We can in fact know as much about Jesus as we can about any figure in the ancient world”[7].

With such strong endorsement by non-Christian scholars who may otherwise be inclined to dismiss this fact, it seems as though no one would oppose it. Nonetheless, there are a few who do. Muslims, of course, are theologically committed to reject this fact at the outset. There are also a handful of scholars who argue the crucifixion was an allegorical story based on pagan mythology. An excellent rebuttal to this view by Greg Koukl can be found here[8]. The interested reader is encouraged to look into the reasons these scholars have for or against all three of these facts about Jesus[9]. The point of this article is to show basic facts most non-Christian scholars concede to when everything is considered.

Surprising as it may be, non-Christian scholars accept most of Paul’s letters and much of the gospel narrative as authentic. Honest historians apply the same standard to the New Testament as they give other available textual witnesses. Almost all scholars give credit to Paul for at least 7 of his 12 letters which give us more than enough for all three points in this post by itself.

Even non-Christian historians don’t dismiss the gospels which provide independent and early accounts. It’s important to realize the passion narratives that provide an account of the crucifixion have distinct differences even among the “synoptic” gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). This indicates the written narrative comes from a unique prior source even when other parts of the gospels may share a common tradition. Additionally, the crucifixion is presumed as historical in non-canonical material such as the Shepherd of Hermas and two letters of Clement, Gnostic texts, and the writings of early church fathers.

Contemporary non-Christian sources help too. Admittedly, some Christian apologists have overstated ancient witnesses that mention Christ, but others have dismissed them too quickly (the latter possibly due to the former). At the very least, the extant material left from ancient writers who mentioned Jesus relayed what they took to be contemporary common knowledge. Non-Christians Tacitus, Lucian, Mara Bar Serapion, and Josephus each have different reasons for mentioning Jesus of Nazareth, but they all assume his execution to be a fact taken for granted by their first century audience. It is also worth noting that ancient writings of the time confirm specific crucifixion details described in the gospels and no ancient source contradict this was Jesus’ fate[10].

Jesus had followers who had experiences they believed to be the risen Jesus

Once again, this point can be made by those who we would expect to disagree. Mike Licona points out that Jewish scholar Pinchas Lapide in his work titled, The Resurrection of Jesus: A Jewish Perspective,gives a case that the post-resurrection appearances in the New Testament originate from the apostles themselves[11].

Atheist New Testament scholar Gerd Ludemann thinks the appearance narratives were so well attested that Paul cited them to support his argument. Commenting on the famous appearance narrative in 1 Cor 15, Ludemann thinks Paul referenced the 500 witnesses to encourage his audience to go interview them[12]. Skeptic Robert Funk reports the findings of the hypercritical “Jesus Seminar” who believe the 500 witnesses actually had an appearance, albeit a visionary one[13]. From this and many other passages, we know that the followers sincerely believed Jesus appeared to them both individually and in group settings – both to disciples who knew him well and those who did not – both to friend and to foe alike. The accounts are so well attested one scholar who even proposes the idea that Jesus never existed concedes this point (yes, you read that right). The skeptic Richard Carrier puts it this way…” Obviously, I also agree there were appearances, but I argue the appearances were hallucinations”[14].

Here Carrier supports the most common critical view in contrast to the resurrection hypothesis. His biased approach of methodological naturalism rules out the existence of God thereby excluding the resurrection option from the start. He’s so committed to avoid the resurrection that he proposes contradictory theories and admits he doesn’t intend to provide a plausible alternative theory – only something that’s possible. In his view (akin to Hume and Ehrman), miracles are the least probable event regardless of the evidence, so any alternative to the resurrection is more likely. The implicit assumption is this: since God isn’t an option, anything else will work better. He can then lob spaghetti at the wall and take whatever sticks because he took the supernatural noodles out before the toss.

Hostile skeptics Paul and James changed from hostile critics to teach the resurrection as their central message and lived an increasingly hostile life of suffering and ultimately faced a violent death for it.

James:

Admittedly the weaker of the “minimal facts” gleaned from his exhaustive study, Dr. Gary Habermas cites the conversion of James as a fact supported by the writings of a majority of scholars who are published on the topic in English, French, or German since 1975. In his book co-authored by Mike Licona, he lists four reasons given by the skeptics:

  • James rejected Jesus’ ministry (Mk 3:21, 31; 6:3-4; John 7:5)
  • 1 Cor 15:3-7 believed by skeptics to be authentic lists James as a witness to the risen Jesus
  • James becomes a Christian leader (Acts 15:12-21; Gal 1:19)
  • James died as a martyr for being a Christian leader (Hegesippus and Clement of Alexandria)[15]

Flavious Josephus was a contemporary to both James and Paul and was a Jewish historian financed by the Roman Emperor. His familial heritage was of Jewish elite in the capital city of Jerusalem where he lived while these events were unfolding. If anyone would have known about the early Christian movement, Josephus would. So, what he says about James the Just, the brother of Jesus of Nazareth and leader of the Jerusalem church carries some weight:

Having such a character, Ananus thought that with Festus dead and Albinus still on the way, he would have the proper opportunity. Convening the judges of the Sanhedrin, he brought before them the brother of Jesus who was called the Christ, whose name was James, and certain others. He accused them of having transgressed the law and delivered them up to be stoned[16].

The testimony of James is affirmed by Christian and non-Christian sources alike.

Paul:

The fact that Paul was a skeptic who converted to Christianity is so uncontroversial that we can take it directly from the source, Paul himself. There’s no need to do otherwise since the non-Christian scholars endorse his authorship to his testimony. According to skeptic John Dominic Crossan, Paul’s personal testimony exceeds even the events recorded in Acts[17]. Paul writes of his personal conversion experience in Galatians, 1 Cor, Philemon, and 1 Timothy. It’s also accounted for in a separate source on two different occasions in the book of Acts, which ironically, is also the book that most vividly speaks of his prior violent opposition. Virtually no scholar goes against the overwhelming majority consensus that Paul once was a skeptic who became a believer. Given the drastic shift in position, that is a tremendous understatement. Even atheist philosopher Michael Martin has concluded this[18].

Conclusion:

In closing, let’s review what we can know from these facts that non-Christians support: 1) Jesus was crucified, 2) apostles had post-resurrection appearances, and 3) Hostile critics Paul and James converted. Which explanation best accounts for these three facts? Skeptics have offered a range of theories, but far and away, the most common naturalistic explanation offered is grief hallucinations. This is the most common way to avoid a supernatural explanation, but fitting the skeptic’s prior presupposition is where the advantages end.

Hallucinations fail to account for group appearances granted as historical by skeptics and doesn’t work for hostile witnesses like Paul who didn’t even know Jesus but wanted to kill his followers. The best explanation is the one offered by Christianity: that Jesus rose from the dead. The only reason to keep it off the table is if you take God off the table before you start looking.

Dr. Shapiro mentioned many things about the life of Jesus but didn’t face any of these three facts. Instead, he cited clearly inaccurate information to lead the audience astray. For example, he said Jesus may never have existed at all. To this point, scholar and skeptic Bart Ehman pulls no punches. In a friendly crowd, receiving an award from Freedom from Religion Foundation president Dan Barker, Ehrman said:

There is so much evidence that….this is not even an issue for scholars of antiquity…There is no scholar in any college or university in the western world who teaches Classics, Ancient History, New Testament, early Christianity, any related field who doubts that Jesus existed…That is not evidence…but if you want to know about the theory of evolution vs the theory of creationism and every scholar in every reputable institution in the world believes in evolution. It may not be evidence, but if you have a different opinion you’d better have a pretty good piece of evidence yourself…The reason for thinking Jesus existed is because he is abundantly attested in early sources…Early and independent sources certainly indicate that Jesus existed…One author we know about knew Jesus’ brother…I’m sorry, I respect your disbelief, but if you want to go where the evidence goes…I think that atheists have done themselves a disservice by jumping on the bandwagon of mythicism, because frankly, it makes you look foolish to the outside world[19].

We need go no further than the peer-reviewed literature published by skeptics who should otherwise be inclined not to say such things. To be fair, these very same critics don’t conclude the resurrection best explains the facts, but conclusions about things with such weighty implications don’t happen in a vacuum. All sorts of factors influence our conclusions. Remember, history is a science of discovering what most probably happened so the urge is strong to wedge in other factors such as philosophical presuppositions, lifestyle habits, emotional attachment, upbringing, social setting, academic pressure, wealth, and recognition. No matter where we fall on the resurrection question, a variety of influences come into play. It’s at this point where we must part with the skeptics cited above with whom we’ve agreed with so far on key matters of science, ethics, human experience, and history. For those following their desires, just about any theory can be made to fit. For the rest of us who go where the evidence leads, there’s the hope eternal in the resurrection of Jesus.

[1] Bart Ehrman quoted in How to Defend the Christian Faith: Advice from an Atheist By John W. Loftus, Peter Boghossian viewed in Google Books preview

[2] Gerd Ludemann, 2004. The Resurrection of Christ. p50 quoted by James Bishop here

[3] Bart Ehrman, http://ehrmanblog.org/why-was-jesus-killed-for-members/)

[4] John Dominic Crossan quoted by R. Stewart & Gary Habermas in Memories of Jesus. p282 quoted by James Bishop here

[5] Paula Frederickson, remark during discussion at the meeting of “The Historical Jesus” section at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, November 22, 1999 as cited at ReasonableFaith.org

[6] Robert Funk, Jesus Seminar videotape as cited by James Bishop here

[7] Marcus Borg, 1999. The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions. Chapter 5: Why was Jesus killed? as cited by James Bishop here

[8] Greg Koukl, Jesus Recycled Redeemer, Solid Ground, September 1, 2009http://www.str.org/publications/recycled-redeemer#.WJajTVMrLIU

[9] A great resource on the most current peer-reviewed literature on the topic is by Micheal R. Licona,The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach, IVP Academic, 2010

[10] ibid, pp303-318

[11] ibid, pp323-324 – citing Pinchas Lapide, The Resurrection of Jesus: A Jewish Perspective, 2002, p99

[12] Gerd Ludemann, The Resurrection of Christ: A Historical Inquiry, 2004, p41

[13] Licona (2010), p321 – citing Funk and the Jesus Seminar (1998)

[14] Richard Carrier, March 18, 2009, Missouri State University debate with William Lane Craig at approximately 47 min 23 sec.

[15] ibid, pp323-324 – citing Pinchas Lapide, The Resurrection of Jesus: A Jewish Perspective, 2002, p99

[16] Gary Habermas and Michael Licona, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus, (2004) Kregel. Grand Rapids, MI. p68

[17] Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 20:200

[18] Licona (2010), p396

[19] Gary Habermas “The Case for Christ’s Resurrection” in To Everyone an Answer: The Case for the Christian Worldview. “[W]e have only one con­temporary eyewitness account of a postresurrection appearance of Jesus, namely Paul’s.” found here http://www.garyhabermas.com/books/inbook_to-everyone-an-answer/habermas_case-for-xp-res.htm

Original Blog Source: http://bit.ly/2gRmPbt

 

 

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Progressive Christianity Atheism

El cristianismo progresista es una amenaza para la fe de tus hijos como el ateísmo

Por Natasha Crain

En nuestro patio, solíamos tener un hermoso tilo.

Progressive Christianity Atheism

Un día me di cuenta de que una vid espinosa de algún tipo había comenzado a crecer alrededor de ella. Se veía lo suficiente como el resto del árbol que pensé que era sólo otra etapa de crecimiento. Una búsqueda rápida de Google me dijo que las espinas a menudo crecen alrededor de los árboles de cítricos, así que no pensé mucho más al respecto.

Luego, en un par de meses, las espinas se apoderaron del árbol y éste comenzó a morir. Un jardinero lo miró y dijo que estas espinas en particular no eran parte del árbol en absoluto. Resulta que fue un invasor extranjero.

Si el invasor extranjero hubiera parecido más extranjero, me habría dado cuenta de la necesidad de desarraigarlo inmediatamente. Pero debido a que compartía semejanzas superficiales con el árbol, me engañé al pensar que todo era lo mismo.

A menudo escribo aquí sobre la amenaza que los ateos hostiles plantean a la fe de los niños hoy. Pero el ateísmo no es la única amenaza. De hecho, hay una amenaza en particular que puede ser aún más peligrosa porque obviamente requiere menos atención. Es como la planta espinosa que gradualmente mató a mi tilo porque ni siquiera me di cuenta de que era extraña.

Esa amenaza se llama cristianismo progresista.

¿Qué es el cristianismo progresista?

Puede ser difícil definir el cristianismo progresista porque es un término sombrilla para muchas creencias diferentes. Pero creo que mi amiga y compañera bloguera, Alisa Childers (que alguna vez formó parte de una iglesia cristiana progresista) golpeó el clavo en la cabeza cuando lo resumió de esta manera en un reciente blog:

  • Una visión empobrecida de la Biblia.
  • Los sentimientos se enfatizan sobre los hechos.
  • Las doctrinas cristianas esenciales están abiertas a la reinterpretación.
  • Los términos históricos son redefinidos.
  • El corazón del mensaje del evangelio cambia del pecado y la redención a la justicia social.

Todo el artículo literalmente hizo que me doliera el corazón.

Las vistas como éstas son espinosas, invasoras extranjeras en la iglesia.

¿Por qué a los cristianos progresistas no les gusta la apologética?

El blog Un fundamentalista Parenting recientemente presentó otro post que llamó mi atención: Por qué sus hijos NO necesitan apologética. (Si no estás familiarizado con el término, la apologética es el estudio de por qué hay buenas razones para creer que el cristianismo es cierto). El mensaje está lleno de malentendidos, pero mi propósito aquí no es refutarlo. En su lugar, quiero destacar por qué a los cristianos progresistas no les gusta la apologética… y por qué eso demuestra lo importante que es el estudio de la apologética en realidad.

El autor lamenta el hecho de que la apologética “confina la fe como doctrina”, explicando:

Nuestra fe es una experiencia dinámica que cambia y evoluciona para nosotros y especialmente para un niño que está creciendo a pasos agigantados en su desarrollo. No podemos capturar esa experiencia y encajarla en un conjunto de proposiciones para memorizar y defender, eso limita y niega las realidades de la experiencia humana.

Esta afirmación dice mucho. El autor está confundido entre la verdad objetiva e inmutable de Dios y las experiencias subjetivas y cambiantes que tenemos al relacionarnos con Dios a lo largo de nuestras vidas.

Dios y la verdad que Él ha revelado no cambian ni evolucionan.

Nuestras experiencias cambian y evolucionan, pero eso no tiene nada que ver con lo que es verdad.

La apologética de los niños no se trata de poner sus experiencias en una “caja”. Por el contrario, la apologética consiste en salir de la experiencia personal y examinar la razón por la que hay que creer que el cristianismo es verdadero independientemente de nuestros sentimientos.

Si los niños sólo están desarrollando una fe basada en experiencias “cambiantes y evolutivas”, no tienen manera de saber si su fe está bien situada. Podría tener fe de que un ratón saldrá de un árbol en este momento, pero eso sería una cosa mala en la que confiar.

La fe, en y de sí misma, no es virtud.

Es tan sólida como el objeto de la fe.

La pregunta es, ¿cómo podemos estar seguros de que Jesús, como objeto de la fe cristiana, es “sólido”?

Apologética.

A los cristianos progresistas no les gusta la apologética porque les desafía a pensar en las enseñanzas bíblicas en una categoría de verdad objetiva—algo que no somos libres de cambiar solo porque pasamos a “experimentarlo” de varias maneras.

Dos más dos es igual a cuatro ya sea que tenga dificultad con eso o no.

La experiencia no puede elevarse sobre la verdad objetiva.

El cristianismo progresista es solo una razón más para que sus hijos y la Iglesia en general necesiten desesperadamente de la apologética

El estudio de la apologética es desesperadamente necesario para todos los cristianos de hoy, tanto para participar con el mundo secular y, menos obviamente, para participar con grupos que enseñan una versión no bíblica del cristianismo.

Pero, por alguna razón, la iglesia sigue siendo en gran parte ciega a esta necesidad.

El detective de homicidios de Casos Sin Resolver, apologista y autor J. Warner Wallace ve esto todo el tiempo. Habla casi todas las semanas en iglesias y conferencias en todo el país sobre la confiabilidad de los Evangelios, la inferencia razonable de la resurrección y la evidencia de la existencia de Dios. Wallace tiene la oportunidad de involucrarse con el espectro de los creyentes de una manera que pocos otros lo hacen.

Lo que ha encontrado ha sido decepcionante en el mejor de los casos.

Wallace dice en su nuevo libro, Forensic Faith:

En muchas de estas iglesias, la gente que conozco no está realmente interesada en la “apologética” cristiana… De hecho, la mayoría aún no está familiarizada con la palabra, y algunos incluso rechazan el valor de tal esfuerzo. En más de una ocasión, he oído a un creyente bienintencionado decir algo parecido: “Bien, eso es bueno, pero realmente no necesito ninguna evidencia. Sólo creo que el cristianismo es cierto”.

En otras palabras, los cristianos están en gran medida desprevenidos para hacer valer lo que creen y muchos en la iglesia todavía niegan la necesidad de estar preparados en primer lugar.

La iglesia está dormida.

Y mientras la iglesia duerme, el mundo secular avanza, cada vez más hostil a la verdad del cristianismo, y espinosos invasores extranjeros continúan creciendo dentro.

Por esa razón, no creo que haya un libro más importante para la iglesia en este momento que Forensic Faith. En él, Wallace hace valer con fuerza la importancia de la apologética para cada cristiano. Es un despertador para la iglesia dormida.

Para los nuevos a la apologética, es un lugar perfecto para comenzar. Wallace te motiva a tomar en serio tu deber cristiano de hacer casos y te muestra, paso a paso, qué hacer una vez que hayas aceptado ese deber.

Para aquellos que ya entienden la importancia de la apologética, es el último recurso para compartir con otros creyentes que necesitan la comprensión que tienen. Es el libro que puedes dar a los miembros de tu pequeño grupo, pastores, líderes de los ministerios infantiles y amigos.

Oro para que este libro fantástico realmente pase a través de la iglesia.

Como padres cristianos, debemos estar continuamente vigilantes. Las amenazas a la fe de nuestros hijos no siempre son tan evidentes como las vallas publicitarias de la autopista que proclaman “No hay Dios”. Proporcionar a los niños una base de apologética, sin embargo, les dará el entrenamiento de un jardinero listo para identificar y desarraigar cualquier tipo de invasor que no debería existir junto con la verdad bíblica.

 

Natasha Crain administra su blog de apologética cristiana para padres, ChristianMomThoughts.com. Obtuvo su MBA en Marketing y Estadísticas en UCLA y consiguió un certificado de apologética cristiana de la Universidad de Biola. Actualmente reside en California con su esposo Bryan junto con sus tres pequeños hijos.

Blog Original: http://bit.ly/2OlBaJa

Traducido y Editado por Jairo Izquierdo

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