Some time has passed since controversial advice resurfaced from popular preacher Alistair Begg on his radio program, “Truth for Life.” The controversy revolves around Pastor Begg shocking a grandmother with the advice to not only attend her grandson’s transgender wedding but also to buy them a gift.
To reinforce the grandmother attending the trans wedding, pastor Begg prefaced it by saying, “Well, here’s the thing: your love for them may catch them off guard, but your absence will simply reinforce the fact that they said, ‘These people are what I always thought: judgmental, critical, unprepared to countenance anything.'”
Days following the backlash Begg and his ministry received, a spokesman for “Truth for Life” published this statement: “Alistair’s advice to the inquirer was that of a grandfather [Mr. Begg] seeking to help a believing grandmother maintain a relationship with her unbelieving [grandchild] and was in no way an endorsement of the unbiblical ceremony.”
Before delving into my thoughts on Alistair Begg’s troubling advice, I want to express my deep appreciation for him. Pastor Begg is undoubtedly one of our era’s most humble and thought-provoking preachers. His profound biblical teachings have significantly nurtured my faith and honed my pastoral skills. My forthcoming comments are solely in response to his controversial remarks. They should not be misconstrued as a critique of his admirable character, his unwavering love for the Bible, or his impactful public ministry.
Against this background, I will present three areas of biblical doctrine that will act as direct confirmation to pastor Begg that his advice is inconsistent with what he believes doctrinally and reveals a compromise that caters to the sexual revolution currently undermining Christian ethics.
Compromise #1: Attending an LGBT wedding overlooks God’s identity of male and female
Before Begg shared his insights, he inquired if the grandmother had made it clear to her grandson that attending a trans wedding does not necessarily mean endorsing LGBT ideology. While this is an important consideration, it still leaves an unresolved issue that Begg overlooks – what exactly is being celebrated at an LGBT wedding?
Answer: A gay couple’s sexuality. A trans person believing they are a different gender than what God gave them at birth.
Let us now compare that with what the Bible says about humanity. From the beginning, God made humans with two biological sexes, male and female. God did not make male and female “according to their own kind” but in the likeness of Himself—making the two fit together in a complementary (suitable) way for each other (Genesis 2:18-20).
Although God made us sexual creatures, our sexuality, however, is not our identity. It is not what defines us. Sexuality merely explains an aspect of our identity. It is not who we are but how we are. Anything that runs contrary to God’s design is dishonorable to Him and is not (in any way) to be excused, ignored, or celebrated.
Just to be clear, Begg wholeheartedly affirms the Bible and never in any of his preaching condones homosexuality or transgenderism. In fact, in 2022, Pastor Begg preached a sermon at Parkside Church from the very contentious Romans 1:26-27 passage, in which he said, “Why would I ever come here and do verses 26 and 27 unless I absolutely believed that the Bible is God’s Word that it is unerring, and it speaks truth, even on a Sunday morning like this in 2022. We’re not at liberty to rewrite the Bible to accommodate godless perspectives on abortion, on euthanasia, on same-sex marriage, on transgenderism, and more. We’re not.”
That is why it is even more troubling to hear Begg advocating for Christians to attend an LGBT wedding.
How is the presence of a Christian attending a wedding an act of love when the couple at the altar is a public display of the sexualized revolution that vehemently opposes God’s creational order?
How does this demonstrate the Christian’s respect for God, others, and their personal beliefs?
Christians are duty-bound to uphold God’s standards for what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman.
Compromise #2: Attending an LGBT wedding undermines God’s definition of marriage between a man and a woman
According to the Word of God, marriage is a sacred union intended to be shared between a man and a woman. It reflects the desire for intimacy that God instilled in men and women. Faithfully being married and sharing in sexual intimacy is considered one of the most rewarding relationships created by God.
For this reason, Begg’s comments are more than a “agree-to-disagree” matter between Christians. Striving to be a practitioner, Begg exaggerated the perception that not attending is a sign of rejection rather than acknowledging the mandate to “take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:8).
Attending an LGBT wedding or any other ceremony that goes against biblical teachings raises the question of whether we should ignore Jesus’s teachings for the sake of our witness. According to Jesus (see Matthew 19:4-9), divorcing and remarrying without biblical grounds is considered adultery. So, do we apply Begg’s same reasoning to attending such a wedding?
Again, this flawed reasoning contradicts what we read in Scripture. The answer lies in understanding the Bible’s teachings about marriage and human sexuality. Hebrews 13:4 states, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” Here, the writer of Hebrews maintains the sacredness of sexual intimacy within the marriage bond while, at the same time, warning of God’s judgment on those who commit sexual immorality and adultery.
While it is essential to love and show respect to all individuals, any “marriage” that goes against God’s standards is not something Christians should support. Otherwise, they may be perceived to support a union that deviates from God’s divine design and, therefore, be judged for passively allowing people to celebrate their sin.
Compromise #3: Attending an LGBT wedding actually weakens a Christian’s witness
In his final comments about attending an LGBT wedding, Begg concluded, “We’re going to have to take that risk a lot more if we want to build bridges into the hearts and lives of those who don’t understand Jesus and don’t understand that he is a King.”
What exactly does Begg mean when he says Christians are ‘going to have to take that risk a lot more’?
Is Begg suggesting that Christians should attend a “gay” wedding for the gospel’s sake? Yes, I think that is the real motivation behind Begg’s advice. The potential harm this could cause a Christian is far more significant, however, than he implies.
It is false to say that attending an LGBT wedding is a sign of true love and “building bridges.” If anything, the Christian who attends an LGBT wedding is risking their witness before God and man. Not the reverse. This does not mean that Christians should act in judgment or condemnation towards those with different beliefs or lifestyles. It is important, however, to consider how our actions may be perceived by others while remaining true to our convictions.
Let us not sugarcoat it. Your presence as a Christian speaks volumes at an LGBT wedding, but not because the gay-affirming wedding party is blown away by your showing up. Instead, your presence signifies that they have persuaded another Christian to (in some small way) embrace inclusivity despite any pressures or convictions.
Do you remain silent when the Wedding Officiant asks if anyone objects to this marriage? If you do, are you indicating your approval to the couple and everyone in attendance? When the couple kiss and are announced married, do you smile and cheer? When everyone raises a glass to the couple, do you raise yours in solidarity?
In his thoughtful article, “Should Christians Attend Gay Weddings? Does It Matter Whether They’re Religious or Secular?” Randy Alcorn clears things up by writing,
“When you attend a gay person’s birthday party, you’re joining in celebrating their birthday, right? That’s great. When you invite your gay or lesbian friend over for dinner, you’re celebrating friendship and life—no problem. When you toast to good health, great. But when you raise your glass and toast to a wedding that you are convinced dishonors God, or is not a true wedding at all, isn’t that radically different?”
Attending an LGBT wedding can be seen as giving a blessing to the gay or trans couple. This is not a risk any Christian should be willing to take in order to stand as a witness for Christ.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, your ultimate goal is to obey His commandments and fulfill His purpose for your life. The primary commandment is to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:36-40). As a devout Christian, your priority is not primarily focused on making and maintaining friendships. Instead, you are called to dedicate yourself to serving God rather than pleasing others. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul questions whether he seeks approval from man or God. He emphasizes that seeking favor from man alone would make him inadequate as a “servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).
A loving relationship should not be limited to whether you attend a gay wedding. You can show love for your gay or trans friend or family member by respectfully declining to attend their wedding. Let them know how much you love and care for them but that your relationship with Jesus comes first, and you hope they can respect that about you. You can still love your gay or trans friend or family member in other ways. You can support and show love for your LGBT community by communicating openly, being friendly, and valuing their worth as individuals created in God’s image.
Pastor Begg and I may not see eye-to-eye when it comes to attending an LGBT wedding, but despite our disagreement, I pray for him and his ministry. I hope that one day, he will change his heart on this issue. Until then, I will remain hopeful and seek to preserve the unity in the body of Christ.
Recommended Resources On This Topic
Correct, Not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism 2023 Edition by Dr. Frank Turek Book
You Can’t NOT Legislate Morality mp3 by Frank Turek
Does Love and Tolerance Equal Affirmation? (DVD) (Mp4) by Dr. Frank Turek
4 P’s & 4 Q’s: Quick Case FOR Natural Marriage & AGAINST Same-Sex Marriage (DVD) by Dr. Frank Turek
Jason Jimenez is President of STAND STRONG Ministries and author of Challenging Conversations: A Practical Guide to Discuss Controversial Topics in the church. For more info, check out www.standstrongministries.org.
Originally Posted at: https://bit.ly/3Xgh8pB
How to Talk with Your Teens about Sex and Love from a Biblical Worldview: Interview with Sean McDowell
Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Theology and Christian ApologeticsOver the last several years, I’ve spoken on the subject of apologetics to many groups of parents at churches and conferences. Although none of my talks deal with the topic of sexuality, I can hardly think of a time when I wasn’t asked a question about it either in the Q & A or in private conversation afterward with an individual parent. In particular, parents always want to know what they should say to their kids about homosexuality and transgender questions. These are undoubtedly the most top of mind questions parents have today.
Not the Sex Question Again!
While I can appreciate that these specific questions are front and center in culture, I always feel a bit disappointed when I get them. Frankly, I feel like we’ve really missed the boat if this is the “big” question people have after a much broader talk on apologetics. I say that for two reasons.
First, kids won’t care what the Bible says about homosexuality and transgender questions if they don’t view the Bible as authoritative. That’s why my answer to parents always begins the same: “Can you tell me first what your child believes about the Bible? Does he/she believe it’s the authoritative Word of God?” I’d say that out of 10 people who ask the question, a solid 7 of them will say, “I’m not sure.” It’s deeply problematic that many Christian parents have come to believe that our biggest conversation challenge in today’s culture is how to answer controversial questions about sexuality . . . even though they often aren’t sure what their kids believe about the Bible itself! If we spent as much time teaching kids why there’s good reason to believe the Bible is true as we did addressing subjects that today’s culture happens to bring to the forefront, we would be in a much more natural position to address difficult topics.
Second, there is so much more than homosexuality and transgender questions that our kids need to understand about a biblical view of sexuality. That’s why I’m thrilled about Sean McDowell’s new book, Chasing Love: Sex, Love, and Relationships in a Confused Culture. It’s a book for teens that provides a comprehensive biblical look at sex, love, and relationships–the best resource I’ve seen on the subject!
Sean took the time to answer several questions I sent him on how to talk with teens about sex and love. Enjoy the following interview, and if you have kids in this age range, you must get this book.
An Interview with Sean McDowell
Natasha: Sean, when Christian parents think about conversations they need to have with their kids about sex, they’re often thinking about two basic things: 1) How do I teach my kids (and convince them!) that it’s biblically right and best to wait for marriage? and 2) How do I talk about the hot cultural topics of homosexuality and gender identity from a biblical perspective? But, as your book shows, these questions only scratch the surface of a whole framework kids need to have for thinking about love and sex from a biblical worldview. Can you explain why this approach is so important, and give some examples of subjects you cover outside of what parents typically think about?
Sean: After working with thousands of young people for a couple decades, I am convinced that the vast majority of Christian kids are far more secular in their thinking than we realize. Studies by the Barna Group support this observation. Thus, it’s not enough to simply teach biblical principles to our kids–we have to first deconstruct their secular ideas about love, freedom, and happiness, and then biblical teaching will make sense.
I was speaking at a conference in early 2020 and a teenager came up to me and said, “Thanks for your talk on pornography. I have been told my whole life why porn is wrong, but I never understood why.” Being told what to believe is not enough today. Kids need to know why the Bible gives the teaching that it gives. In my experience, when kids get the “why” behind the “what,” they are empowered to live out a Christian sexual ethic.
Once kids understand the positive reasons for the biblical teaching on sex, love and relationships, then they are in a much better position to discuss some of the “thornier” topics today including pornography, sex abuse, LGBTQ issues, and so on. That’s why I arranged the book in three main sections: (1) Clearing away faulty ideas from our culture, (2) explaining the biblical view of sex, love, and marriage, and then (3) “hot topics.”
Natasha: Christians are often known for what we’re “against” when it comes to topics of love and sex, and that perception easily gets passed on to teens. What are some things Christian parents do that inadvertently solidifies this view in their kids’ minds?
Sean: One trap Christian parents can fall into is being entirely critical of how non-Christians tend to approach sex and relationships. While there is undoubtedly a time and place to criticize how our world approaches sex, I try to help students find redeeming truths underneath the surface. Let’s lead with common ground, and then we can get to our differences.
For instance, consider the topic of cohabitation. As I document in Chasing Love, the research shows that living together before marriage puts a future marriage at a serious disadvantage. Students need to know why cohabitation is a bad idea. But we also need them to realize that many people live together first because they actually think it will help them in their future marriage. Many have seen their parents go through a divorce and they don’t want to make the same mistake. So, underneath the bad idea of living together is often a good desire to have healthy relationships.
Rather than leading with criticism, let’s lead with what we have in common with others. In this case, it’s the desire for lasting relationships. Then we can get to our differences. In my view, this approach is biblical, charitable, and often more effective (see Proverbs 24:3).
Natasha: What are some of the big things you want teens to understand Christians are “for” in the areas of love and sex?
Sean: One of the main takeaways I hope students get is that the commands of Jesus are for our good. In one of the early chapters, I ask students to imagine what the world would be like if everyone followed the sexual ethic of Jesus. There would be no sexually transmitted diseases, crude sexual humor, sex abuse, pornography, abortion, or deadbeat dads. My goal is for students to realize that the teachings of Jesus are for individual flourishing and for societal good. God’s commands are not to harm us, as our society proclaims, but are actually for our good.
In sum, God is for marriage. God is for love. God is for commitment. God is for meaningful relationships. God is for sex. But He has given us guidelines about how to experience these in a way that shows love to Him and to others.
Natasha: You speak to and teach a lot of kids in the age range this book is written for. In your experience, what do they most misunderstand about what the Bible teaches on these subjects?
Sean: In my experience, students are deeply confused about the nature of freedom. Many young Christians think that freedom is doing whatever they want without restraint. But this freedom from is only half the story. There is also freedom for. Think about it this way: Just like a car that has been designed by its creator to operate in a certain fashion, and is only “free” when used accordingly, humans have been created for a greater purpose and experience freedom when they discover and live that purpose. The free person not only has the capacity of choice (freedom from) but orients his or her life to God’s design (freedom for).
So, what have we been made for? Scripture says we are made to love God and love other people. In other words, we are only free when we are in healthy, intimate relationships with others. Here is how I put it in Chasing Love: “According to the Christian worldview, true freedom is not a matter of doing what you want without restraint, but cultivating the right wants and living in obedience to God’s will. In other words, freedom results when our wants align with the will of God.”
Students tend to believe that God’s commands limit their freedom. What we must help them see is that God’s commands actually set them free. That’s why David rejoiced in the law of the Lord (Psalm 119). And that’s why Moses said that God’s commands were for the good of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 10:13).
Natasha: Let’s be honest—a lot of parents are pretty uncomfortable talking about sex-related subjects with their kids. For some parents, it may even be hard to hand their kids a book like Chasing Love! Can you share some ideas for how to break the ice and not feel completely awkward handing your teen a book on these subjects? And what might a parent say to get their child interested in reading this if they don’t necessarily want to read another “Christian” book from mom and dad?
Sean: I told my 12-year-old daughter that if she read the book and was willing to simply talk with me about it, I would buy her some new shoes. This strategy may not work with all kids, but it did with her. She agreed to read it entirely and then go to the local coffee shop with me and simply discuss it (no lectures!). I asked her what she learned, what stories stood out to her, and if there was anything she disagreed with. And then we went together to buy the shoes (for the record, she talked me into buying two pairs at the outlet since they’re the price of one pair elsewhere!).
If you haven’t talked with your kids about sex, I would encourage you to take your son or daughter out for a meal or coffee and just share your story. Don’t lecture your son or daughter, but just share your experience with relationships and some lessons you’ve learned along the way. And then you can give the book as a follow up that expresses your heart for your son or daughter.
Natasha: If you could give parents one piece of advice on using your book effectively in their kids’ lives, what would it be?
Sean: Find a way to motivate your son or daughter to read it. And consider reading it alongside them. Students will benefit from reading it alone, but they will benefit immensely from discussing it with you. Studies show that worldviews are best passed through relationships. Simply discussing these issues with your kids, even if you don’t have all the answers, is a “win” for them. I realize these conversations can be awkward, but if we don’t talk with our kids, they will almost assuredly take their cues about sex, love, and relationships from the wider culture.
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Sex and Your Commanding Officer (DVD) (Mp4 Download) by Dr. Frank Turek
4 P’s & 4 Q’s: Quick Case FOR Natural Marriage & AGAINST Same-Sex Marriage (DVD) by Dr. Frank Turek
Correct not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism by Frank Turek (Book, MP4)
Jesus vs. The Culture by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp4 Download, and Mp3
Natasha Crain is a blogger, author, and national speaker who is passionate about equipping Christian parents to raise their kids with an understanding of how to make a case for and defend their faith in an increasingly secular world. She is the author of two apologetics books for parents: Talking with Your Kids about God (2017) and Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side (2016). Natasha has an MBA in marketing and statistics from UCLA and a certificate in Christian apologetics from Biola University. A former marketing executive and adjunct professor, she lives in Southern California with her husband and three children.
Original Blog Source: https://bit.ly/45rXVDj
Jacob, Joseph, and Jesus: EVEN MORE “Third Day” References in the Old Testament | with Dr. Chip Bennett
PodcastIs the whole of Scripture just a disorganized collection of conflicting documents? Some scholars think so, claiming it to be a battleground for historical contradictions. But what if it’s actually a carefully orchestrated thread, woven together and preserved by the Divine Author Himself?
Just a few episodes ago, Dr. Chip Bennett wowed listeners with his insights into the resurrection themes and third day narratives from the Old Testament. For this midweek podcast episode, Chip returns to dive even deeper into the Hebrew Bible and to uncover how the Messianic prophecies are intertwined with the tales of patriarchs like Jacob, Joseph, Joshua, and Judah. How do some of our daily routines point to the resurrection? Can the story of Cinderella shed light on the Gospel? How does the third day relate to life and death motifs? All these questions and more will be answered in the conclusion of this special three-part series. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out the previous two podcasts in the list of resources below to make sure you’re all caught up on Frank and Chip’s full conversation!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Resources mentioned during the episode:
Part 1 – Where is the Resurrection Predicted in the Old Testament?
Part 2 – Moses, Joshua, and Jesus: MORE “Third Day” References in the Old Testament
Grace Community Church
Chip’s YouTube Channel
Watermark Gospel Videos
Chip’s TikTok Videos
A Compassionate Response to Alistair Begg’s ‘Bad Advice’ on LGBT Weddings
Legislating Morality, Culture & PoliticsSome time has passed since controversial advice resurfaced from popular preacher Alistair Begg on his radio program, “Truth for Life.” The controversy revolves around Pastor Begg shocking a grandmother with the advice to not only attend her grandson’s transgender wedding but also to buy them a gift.
To reinforce the grandmother attending the trans wedding, pastor Begg prefaced it by saying, “Well, here’s the thing: your love for them may catch them off guard, but your absence will simply reinforce the fact that they said, ‘These people are what I always thought: judgmental, critical, unprepared to countenance anything.'”
Days following the backlash Begg and his ministry received, a spokesman for “Truth for Life” published this statement: “Alistair’s advice to the inquirer was that of a grandfather [Mr. Begg] seeking to help a believing grandmother maintain a relationship with her unbelieving [grandchild] and was in no way an endorsement of the unbiblical ceremony.”
Before delving into my thoughts on Alistair Begg’s troubling advice, I want to express my deep appreciation for him. Pastor Begg is undoubtedly one of our era’s most humble and thought-provoking preachers. His profound biblical teachings have significantly nurtured my faith and honed my pastoral skills. My forthcoming comments are solely in response to his controversial remarks. They should not be misconstrued as a critique of his admirable character, his unwavering love for the Bible, or his impactful public ministry.
Against this background, I will present three areas of biblical doctrine that will act as direct confirmation to pastor Begg that his advice is inconsistent with what he believes doctrinally and reveals a compromise that caters to the sexual revolution currently undermining Christian ethics.
Compromise #1: Attending an LGBT wedding overlooks God’s identity of male and female
Before Begg shared his insights, he inquired if the grandmother had made it clear to her grandson that attending a trans wedding does not necessarily mean endorsing LGBT ideology. While this is an important consideration, it still leaves an unresolved issue that Begg overlooks – what exactly is being celebrated at an LGBT wedding?
Answer: A gay couple’s sexuality. A trans person believing they are a different gender than what God gave them at birth.
Let us now compare that with what the Bible says about humanity. From the beginning, God made humans with two biological sexes, male and female. God did not make male and female “according to their own kind” but in the likeness of Himself—making the two fit together in a complementary (suitable) way for each other (Genesis 2:18-20).
Although God made us sexual creatures, our sexuality, however, is not our identity. It is not what defines us. Sexuality merely explains an aspect of our identity. It is not who we are but how we are. Anything that runs contrary to God’s design is dishonorable to Him and is not (in any way) to be excused, ignored, or celebrated.
Just to be clear, Begg wholeheartedly affirms the Bible and never in any of his preaching condones homosexuality or transgenderism. In fact, in 2022, Pastor Begg preached a sermon at Parkside Church from the very contentious Romans 1:26-27 passage, in which he said, “Why would I ever come here and do verses 26 and 27 unless I absolutely believed that the Bible is God’s Word that it is unerring, and it speaks truth, even on a Sunday morning like this in 2022. We’re not at liberty to rewrite the Bible to accommodate godless perspectives on abortion, on euthanasia, on same-sex marriage, on transgenderism, and more. We’re not.”
That is why it is even more troubling to hear Begg advocating for Christians to attend an LGBT wedding.
How is the presence of a Christian attending a wedding an act of love when the couple at the altar is a public display of the sexualized revolution that vehemently opposes God’s creational order?
How does this demonstrate the Christian’s respect for God, others, and their personal beliefs?
Christians are duty-bound to uphold God’s standards for what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman.
Compromise #2: Attending an LGBT wedding undermines God’s definition of marriage between a man and a woman
According to the Word of God, marriage is a sacred union intended to be shared between a man and a woman. It reflects the desire for intimacy that God instilled in men and women. Faithfully being married and sharing in sexual intimacy is considered one of the most rewarding relationships created by God.
For this reason, Begg’s comments are more than a “agree-to-disagree” matter between Christians. Striving to be a practitioner, Begg exaggerated the perception that not attending is a sign of rejection rather than acknowledging the mandate to “take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:8).
Attending an LGBT wedding or any other ceremony that goes against biblical teachings raises the question of whether we should ignore Jesus’s teachings for the sake of our witness. According to Jesus (see Matthew 19:4-9), divorcing and remarrying without biblical grounds is considered adultery. So, do we apply Begg’s same reasoning to attending such a wedding?
Again, this flawed reasoning contradicts what we read in Scripture. The answer lies in understanding the Bible’s teachings about marriage and human sexuality. Hebrews 13:4 states, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” Here, the writer of Hebrews maintains the sacredness of sexual intimacy within the marriage bond while, at the same time, warning of God’s judgment on those who commit sexual immorality and adultery.
While it is essential to love and show respect to all individuals, any “marriage” that goes against God’s standards is not something Christians should support. Otherwise, they may be perceived to support a union that deviates from God’s divine design and, therefore, be judged for passively allowing people to celebrate their sin.
Compromise #3: Attending an LGBT wedding actually weakens a Christian’s witness
In his final comments about attending an LGBT wedding, Begg concluded, “We’re going to have to take that risk a lot more if we want to build bridges into the hearts and lives of those who don’t understand Jesus and don’t understand that he is a King.”
What exactly does Begg mean when he says Christians are ‘going to have to take that risk a lot more’?
Is Begg suggesting that Christians should attend a “gay” wedding for the gospel’s sake? Yes, I think that is the real motivation behind Begg’s advice. The potential harm this could cause a Christian is far more significant, however, than he implies.
It is false to say that attending an LGBT wedding is a sign of true love and “building bridges.” If anything, the Christian who attends an LGBT wedding is risking their witness before God and man. Not the reverse. This does not mean that Christians should act in judgment or condemnation towards those with different beliefs or lifestyles. It is important, however, to consider how our actions may be perceived by others while remaining true to our convictions.
Let us not sugarcoat it. Your presence as a Christian speaks volumes at an LGBT wedding, but not because the gay-affirming wedding party is blown away by your showing up. Instead, your presence signifies that they have persuaded another Christian to (in some small way) embrace inclusivity despite any pressures or convictions.
Do you remain silent when the Wedding Officiant asks if anyone objects to this marriage? If you do, are you indicating your approval to the couple and everyone in attendance? When the couple kiss and are announced married, do you smile and cheer? When everyone raises a glass to the couple, do you raise yours in solidarity?
In his thoughtful article, “Should Christians Attend Gay Weddings? Does It Matter Whether They’re Religious or Secular?” Randy Alcorn clears things up by writing,
“When you attend a gay person’s birthday party, you’re joining in celebrating their birthday, right? That’s great. When you invite your gay or lesbian friend over for dinner, you’re celebrating friendship and life—no problem. When you toast to good health, great. But when you raise your glass and toast to a wedding that you are convinced dishonors God, or is not a true wedding at all, isn’t that radically different?”
Attending an LGBT wedding can be seen as giving a blessing to the gay or trans couple. This is not a risk any Christian should be willing to take in order to stand as a witness for Christ.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, your ultimate goal is to obey His commandments and fulfill His purpose for your life. The primary commandment is to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:36-40). As a devout Christian, your priority is not primarily focused on making and maintaining friendships. Instead, you are called to dedicate yourself to serving God rather than pleasing others. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul questions whether he seeks approval from man or God. He emphasizes that seeking favor from man alone would make him inadequate as a “servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).
A loving relationship should not be limited to whether you attend a gay wedding. You can show love for your gay or trans friend or family member by respectfully declining to attend their wedding. Let them know how much you love and care for them but that your relationship with Jesus comes first, and you hope they can respect that about you. You can still love your gay or trans friend or family member in other ways. You can support and show love for your LGBT community by communicating openly, being friendly, and valuing their worth as individuals created in God’s image.
Pastor Begg and I may not see eye-to-eye when it comes to attending an LGBT wedding, but despite our disagreement, I pray for him and his ministry. I hope that one day, he will change his heart on this issue. Until then, I will remain hopeful and seek to preserve the unity in the body of Christ.
Recommended Resources On This Topic
Correct, Not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism 2023 Edition by Dr. Frank Turek Book
You Can’t NOT Legislate Morality mp3 by Frank Turek
Does Love and Tolerance Equal Affirmation? (DVD) (Mp4) by Dr. Frank Turek
4 P’s & 4 Q’s: Quick Case FOR Natural Marriage & AGAINST Same-Sex Marriage (DVD) by Dr. Frank Turek
Jason Jimenez is President of STAND STRONG Ministries and author of Challenging Conversations: A Practical Guide to Discuss Controversial Topics in the church. For more info, check out www.standstrongministries.org.
Originally Posted at: https://bit.ly/3Xgh8pB
The 1916 Project | with Seth Gruber
PodcastHow did things like third-trimester abortions, infanticide, euthanasia, critical race theory, transgender ideology, and drag queen story hour become embedded in modern American culture? In an age where children are exposed to pornographic material in their own school libraries and concerned parents are labeled as “domestic terrorists”, where can we find the root cause of the underlying worldview that’s currently dominating our society? And how did we end up here so quickly? The answers may shock you!
In what may be one of the most controversial and revelatory podcast episodes to date, Frank interviews pro-life speaker Seth Gruber, author of the book and soon-to-be released documentary called ‘The 1916 Project‘, which explores how abortion became the linchpin of secularism and how it’s destroying western civilization. As founder of the fastest-growing pro-life non-profit organization in America, The White Rose Resistance, Seth’s jaw-dropping research has uncovered the dark history of Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, and her disturbing, undeniable connection to Nazism, Darwinism, the Jewish Holocaust, and even BLM! During their conversation, Frank and Seth will answer questions like:
This episode is rated PG-13, so please proceed with caution if you have young children in the room! No stone will be left unturned in this eye-opening conversation that will shed light on Sanger’s satanic religious and political views, America’s journey to “progressive” regression, and how you can fight for the future of the nation and the unborn. Pre-order your copy of ‘The 1916 Project‘ today and be on the lookout for an upcoming podcast episode where Seth will return to dive even deeper into this topic!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Seth’s Website
The 1916 Project
The White Rose Resistance
Why the Best Explanation Can Be a Miracle
3. Are Miracles Possible?, 4. Is the NT True?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 pieces of evidence to support the belief that the Resurrection took place, many apologists will make the case using a “minimal facts” approach. These generally undisputed facts include that Jesus lived, that he was put to death on a Roman cross, that his tomb was later found empty, and that his followers experienced encounters with him which were, simply put, life changing. These followers included skeptics who knew him well, such as his brother James; zealots who were persecuting his followers, such as Paul; and numerous men and women who had been following him during his earthly ministry.
A Cumulative Case
What best accounts for these well-established facts? Could it be they were all hallucinating? That makes little sense as we know that hallucinations do not occur in mass settings. Were they simply mistaken about who it was they were seeing? This too lacks explanatory appeal as mistaken identification is not plausible for family members and close friends and certainly not for many such people. Was it simply wishful thinking? While his followers no doubt missed him dearly, it is not reasonable to conclude that they would face death by insisting that he was still alive, when they knew he was not. Nor would wishful thinking explain the change in those who were initially persecuting Jesus’ followers, nor for those who only became followers after his death. Seeing that the cumulative case points to the fact of the Resurrection can be a powerful way to support the faith.
Losing the Case Before the Courtroom
But many remain unconvinced. When I have encountered such people, I have found that by and large they do not employ abductive reasoning as described above. They have not assessed and considered the piles of evidence from history to determine what other reasonable inference would better fit the known facts. Instead, they begin with the presupposition that miracles – which of course include resurrection from the dead – simply cannot occur. Consequently, any explanation of the historical facts and events which posit a miracle are to be rejected out of hand. The case is lost before it is even considered.
In short, many argue that relying on the possibility of a miracle is simply an admission of ignorance. If you cannot first explain how the miracle occurred, they argue, you should not be able to rely on it.
We can know THAT it happened without knowing HOW it happened.
This challenge to provide an explanation for the “best explanation of the facts” – that is, to explain the miracle – is clever but misplaced. There are many circumstances in which we can know something to be true, or to work, without knowing how it is that this is so. Take our ability to reason or our native sense of fair play: I make use of these things even though I have no way of explaining how reason works, or why I should be able to rely on it to reach true conclusions. I cannot explain how I know that “playing fair” is something that should matter to me. Consciousness is another example: in operating rooms around the world, anesthesiologists make use of drugs that can put people “under” and then restore them to consciousness without knowing how it is that this occurs. They understand the effect these drugs have on the cellular level, and they can measure differences in brain wave activity, but understanding how a grouping of brain cells goes from conscious to unconscious and back is still beyond scientific understanding. Though not usually considered as such, consciousness and reason are themselves “miraculous” – no sufficient naturalistic processes can account for them.
So, if the evidence that a man was put to death and then appeared again in a re-animated and enhanced body is sufficiently credible, then the fact that we cannot currently “explain” how it occurred does not prove that it did not occur. Consider for a moment the many medical “miracles” that have occurred. There are countless cases in which a disease process stops, or reverses, for reasons that are unclear, at least at present. As knowledge and technology advance, some of these miracles will be explained through naturalistic mechanisms. But how can the skeptic possibly know that this will always be the case? Would this not require perfect knowledge on his part, in order to know with certainty that departures from the laws of nature can never occur?
There is nothing wrong with wanting to know more, with seeking more knowledge and more information to get the “how” questions answered. There is nothing wrong with trying to rule out all naturalistic explanations before considering the supernatural. And it may be, in the end, that additional knowledge will modify, or perhaps even change, some of our views.
But refusing to go where the evidence leads because of a belief that supernatural events are “impossible” is a reflection of underlying bias, not an expression of enlightened thinking.
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Miracles: The Evidence by Frank Turek DVD and Mp4
Two Miracles You Take With You Everywhere You Go by Frank Turek DVD, Mp3 and Mp4
Early Evidence for the Resurrection by Dr. Gary Habermas (DVD), (Mp3) and (Mp4)
Debate: What Best Explains Reality: Atheism or Theism? by Frank Turek DVD, Mp4, and Mp3
Al Serrato earned his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1985. He began his career as an FBI special agent before becoming a prosecutor in California, where he worked for 33 years. An introduction to CS Lewis’ works sparked his interest in Apologetics, which he has pursued for the past three decades. He got his start writing Apologetics with J. Warner Wallace and Pleaseconvinceme.com.
Moses, Joshua, and Jesus: MORE “Third Day” References in the Old Testament | with Dr. Chip Bennett
PodcastWhere can we find the concept of the third day being played out in the Old Testament? Esther, Isaac, Daniel, Jonah and even Goliath point to the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But how do the stories surrounding these Old Testament figures relate to events in the New Testament that occurred both before and after the resurrection of Jesus? Once you see all of these connections, you won’t be able to unsee them!
Last week, podcast listeners were blown away by Dr. Chip Bennett‘s exposé of how Jesus is revealed in the Old Testament. And for this midweek podcast, he returns to unpack significant parallels that every Bible-believing Christian needs to know about! By exploring the richness of interpreting the Scriptures through the literary hermeneutic, Chip will explore key passages from the Old and New Testaments that show how God weaved these stories together to beautifully illustrate the message of the Gospel. How is Jesus greater than Moses and David? What’s the difference between how the Antiochian Church and Alexandrian Church interpreted Scripture? How is Chip using TikTok to reach the next generation with the Gospel? Listen as Frank and Chip continue their discussion and uncover MUCH more in the second part of this eye-opening journey through the Bible that’s guaranteed to cause a burning in your heart!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Resources mentioned during the episode:
Listen to Part 1: Where is the Resurrection Predicted in the Old Testament?
Grace Community Church
Chip’s YouTube Channel
Watermark Gospel Videos
Chip’s TikTok Videos
What Philosophy Is, And Why You Can’t Avoid It
1. Does Truth Exist?Many Christians believe that philosophy is a pagan discipline practiced either by ivory tower professors or Starbucks hippies. This belief has led some to object to the relevance of philosophy, as either they believe only a few can do it, or that it deals with such weird and abstract issues that it is a waste of time. Many Christian theologians object that philosophy is rooted in paganism, and thus has no place in Christian theology. After explaining what philosophy is, it should become clear that not only do these objections fail, but philosophy is unavoidable.
For the Love of Wisdom…
‘Philosophy’ literally means “love (phil) of wisdom (sophia).” It is the quest for knowledge, truth, and how to live the good (moral) life.
Fields of Philosophy
There are several branches of philosophy. One, and the most foundational, is metaphysics. Metaphysics is the study of being, or what it means to be real. While biologists study life insofar as things are living, and mathematicians study being as quantified, and physicists study being that is physical or in motion, the metaphysician studies what it means to “be” in general. They ask questions like, what is the difference between Snoopy and a beagle one can take for a walk?
Another branch of philosophy is epistemology, which is the study of knowledge. Epistemologists ask questions like, “How can knowledge be attained,” “What is knowledge,” and “Is there a difference between knowledge and belief?”
Moral philosophy seeks to know what it means to be good in the moral sense. Where does goodness come from, and what makes something good?
Logic studies right reasoning and the mistakes (fallacies) that are sometimes made when trying to make a rational argument.
Aesthetics studies the nature of beauty, and asks “What does it mean to be beautiful? Is beauty objective?” And so on.
From these categories there are any number of other philosophical fields. The philosophy of math deals with the nature of numbers, and asks if numbers are real (e.g. does the number 4 actually exist). In other words, it deals with the nature of math. Philosophy of science deals with the nature of science. The philosophy of history deals with the nature of history and historical knowledge. My area is philosophy of religion, which deals with issues like God’s existence, nature, how we talk about him, the problem of evil, and the nature of miracles.
Is Everyone a Philosopher?
When you say something that purports to be true, you are talking about reality, and are claiming to know something. You are also making a logical claim. Further, you are assuming (explicitly or implicitly) a certain view of how language works (philosophy of language). Even if you are just talking about the tree in your front yard, you are saying something about the tree’s existence and nature. I am not saying that everyone is a “philosopher” in the strict, academic sense. What I am saying, is that it is not possible to make statements about the world, God, or the Bible without taking philosophical positions, regardless of if you are aware of them or not.
Theology Can’t Avoid Philosophy
The same holds true for theology and biblical studies/interpretation. We cannot make theological claims without using philosophy. For example, when we talk about Jesus taking on a human nature, we must understand what a “nature” is. This is a philosophical category. When a scholar says that biblical interpreters cannot be objective due to their biases, this is a philosophical statement about the nature of objectivity, bias, the knower, and the knowing process.
Far from this being a pagan practice, it is how God made us. He made us rational beings. This is what makes us different from other animals. Philosophy is useful and unavoidable. Instead of trying to avoid it, we should try to become better philosophers, and worship God with our minds.
Recommended resources related to the topic:
How Philosophy Can Help Your Theology by Richard Howe (MP3 Set), (mp4 Download Set), and (DVD Set)
Your Most Important Thinking Skill by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, (mp4) download
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
When Reason Isn’t the Reason for Unbelief by Dr. Frank Turek DVD and Mp4
J. Brian Huffling, PH.D. have a BA in History from Lee University, an MA in (3 majors) Apologetics, Philosophy, and Biblical Studies from Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES), and a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from SES. He is the Director of the Ph.D. Program and Associate Professor of Philosophy and Theology at SES. He also teaches courses for Apologia Online Academy. He has previously taught at The Art Institute of Charlotte. He has served in the Marines, Navy, and is currently a reserve chaplain in the Air Force at Maxwell Air Force Base. His hobbies include golf, backyard astronomy, martial arts, and guitar.
Original Blog Source: Brian Huffling
Where is the Resurrection Predicted in the Old Testament? | with Dr. Chip Bennett
PodcastJesus told His disciples that every story in the Old Testament points to Him. But what did He mean? If you look closely, you’ll find that the Hebrew Bible contains 30+ “third day” references and parallels to Jesus that fly under the radar for most readers. But where exactly are these resurrection prophecies located? And why do so many Christians have trouble picking up on them and making the connection to the prophecies that were fulfilled through Jesus in the New Testament?
This week, Dr. Chip Bennett, founding and leading pastor of Grace Community Church in Sarasota, FL, joins Frank to uncover some of the Old Testament resurrection parallels that often go unnoticed, even by dedicated students of the Bible. More than just your average pastor, Chip also holds a PhD in Systematic Theology and a Doctorate of Ministry, and is here to enthusiastically unpack some of the third day references that are hidden in plain sight and to give listeners a lesson on the significance of literary hermeneutics. During their conversation, Frank and Chip will answer questions like:
This podcast episode is chock full of fascinating material that Chip will delve into at a rapid pace, so get your pen and paper ready! As he unveils some of the captivating connections between people and events of both the Old and New Testaments, you’re likely to hear information that you’ve never been exposed to before! This episode is just the tip of the iceberg, so be sure to stay tuned for not one, but TWO more episodes where Chip will continue to unpack what the Old Testament has to say about the promised Messiah.
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Resources mentioned during the episode:
Grace Community Church
Chip’s YouTube Channel
Watermark Gospel Videos
Chip’s TikTok Videos
Why Is God’s Word So Hard To Understand?
Theology and Christian ApologeticsThe following question comes from one our Crossexamined Community members.
“Why did God allow the Bible to be written in a way that gives Christians an opportunity to misunderstand it?” – Vinnie B.
This question intrigues me because it’s a universal problem. Every human being who’s ever tried to dig into Scripture has found it difficult at times to understand what God is saying. And some passages are so difficult that theologians across Church history can’t agree on what they mean.
Of course we could all benefit from learning how to interpret the Bible correctly. Sometimes we struggle over a passage and it would easy to understand if we just knew a few basic principles for interpretation. But, even if you go to seminary, and you have years of practice interpreting and studying God’s word, if that’s you, then you know that there are still some passages that baffle you. No amount of classes and seminary courses will be enough. God’s word can still be difficult.
Moreover, this interpretive problem points to a theological problem. If God’s word is so easy to misinterpret and so hard to understand, then what does that say about God? Is God just playing games with us? Is this some big game of “keep-away” and He’s eluding us, refusing to let us understand what He’s saying? That sounds like a capricious, mischievous God. Not a good look.
Not ALL the Bible is Hard to Understand
First, we should note that a lot of the Bible is straightforward, fairly easy to understand, and there’s no real challenge in figuring out how to rightly apply it. That’s important to remember, so we have a sense of balance between the easy and hard parts of the Bible. Jesus was able to translate the Gospel message so that an uneducated foreign woman – the woman at the well – was able to understand exactly what He meant (John 4). God can, and does, communicate in ways that anyone, with ears to hear, can understand Him.
But one chapter earlier, Jesus was confusing the well-educated Pharisee, Nicodemus (John 3). Pharisees were some of the most educated and biblically literate scholars in their day. To this day, we don’t know if Nicodemus ever grasped what Jesus meant by being “born again.” Sometimes, God communicates in ways that challenge and confound the most educated among us. Other times, God speaks clearly, His words cutting like a knife so that everyone understands what He’s saying.
Sometimes We’re the Problem
We also should admit that often the problem isn’t in the Bible. It can be straightforward, easy-to-understand, yet if we don’t like what God is saying to us, we might play dumb, thinking that we aren’t responsible to follow directions that we don’t understand. But, playing dumb is a dangerous game. If you keep acting dumb, eventually you won’t acting. We’ll just be dumb. I call this “sin-stupid.” When people suppress God’s truth long enough, their conscience is seared (1 Timothy 4:2), their hearts become hard (Romans 2:5), their spiritual discernment numbed, till they can’t understand things that used to be obvious. Repeated unrepentant sin makes people stupid over time.
Or perhaps we aren’t rebelling against God, or suppressing His word. We might just be a little lazy, or distracted, and we aren’t paying close attention to see what God is saying to us. If God’s word were on billboard, we’d at least need to stop speeding, stop multitasking, and slow down enough to read what He’s telling us. God’s word might be easy enough to understand, but if we’re just sprinting past, paying little attention, then we’re liable to misinterpret Him. That’s not God’s fault. That’s ours .
God Has Other Purposes Besides Clarity
At the heart of this question is the assumption that God wants to be understood. And, yes, God relates with mankind in ways that invite us to know Him more, understanding who He is, how He works, and what He wants. But we cannot assume that God’s only purpose in communication is clarity.
Sometimes God speaks in riddles, or indirectly, or in downright incomprehensible ways. If God was aiming primarily at being clear, then He’s failed. But, we have no good reason to think that clarity is the God’s one and only aim here. Indeed, we have reason to believe he’s trying to murky and confusing to some people.
1. God Is Sorting Out the Followers from the Fans
Jesus famously explained his use of parables saying that they were not just to clarify kingdom principles among believers but also to confound non-believers (Matt 13:10-17).
“The disciples came to him and asked, ‘Why do you speak to the people in parables?’ 11He replied, ‘Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’” (Matthew 13:10-13; NIV)
Scripture has some passages for easy-reading and some for difficult-reading. And this is an intentional sifting method to bless those believers who have “ears to hear” without rewarding non-believers with kingdom insights that aren’t fit for them.
2. God is Beautiful, Not Basic
Another one reason for these difficult passages is that God isn’t a “bread-and-water” God. He’s not basic. He could have made a world without tastes, and colors, and smells, and experiences. But He included all that stuff because He’s an artist, an aesthete. Likewise, God’s word isn’t reducible simply to information, any more than food is reducible entirely to fuel. It’s designed for an an aesthetic interaction. It’s a beauty to be enjoyed. It’s an encountered to be experienced. Just as food is more than calories, so God’s word is more than information. It has flavor, and texture, and ambience so that there’s more to imbibe raw information. If Scripture were just about information transfer, then we could hurry through it – get the info and leave. But Scripture is to be experienced, and that means ruminating on it sometimes. Let the flavors simmer a bit.
3. God Promotes Wisdom
Sometimes the difficulty we face in God’s word is a matter of wisdom. By that I mean, there’s supposed to be a bit of a wrestling match with the language and ideas in Scripture, a struggle to pry wisdom from those obtuse words. The struggle is part of the path to wisdom. Without the struggle one might gain some head-knowledge, but they’re liable to miss the deeper application of wisdom. Plus, as Jesus explained, not everyone will understand the hard-language sometimes. So, the challenging parts of the Bible can be a filtering mechanism that way, separating the wise and foolish, the sheep from the goats.
4. God Promotes Personal Growth
Besides wisdom, and aesthetics, there’s also personal growth to be found as we struggle through God’s word. If everything was laid out for us easy-peasy, then we might never face the kind of resistance-training needed to get strong, so we’d never grow strong enough to live out the tasks God has for us.
In sum, there is more to God’s purposes than just being clearly understood. Sometimes God speaks in ways that keep his Kingdom truths out-of-reach, out of the “wrong hands” so to speak. For disciples, the difficult passages in Scripture slow us down so we can relish experiencing God’s word, chewing and savoring what He’s saying. The same passages can also lend a sense of mystery, so that in searching for the answers we can find wisdom along the way. And they can present obstacles for us to press into, and struggle over it. There we can gain strength and grow through the experience.
Yes, we can still learn what God has said through Scripture. But beyond mere head knowledge, God imparts character, wisdom, and beauty through His written word.
Thanks for the great question, Vinnie B.
If you want to find out more about our Crossexamined Community you can sign up here for your own free trial.
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
The New Testament: Too Embarrassing to Be False by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3, and Mp4)
Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3 and Mp4)
Oh, Why Didn’t I Say That? Is the Bible Historically Reliable? by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp4, Mp3 Download.
How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide
How Philosophy Can Help Your Theology by Richard Howe (MP3 Set), (mp4 Download Set), and (DVD Set)
Dr. John D. Ferrer is an educator, writer, and graduate of CrossExamined Instructors Academy. Having earned degrees from Southern Evangelical Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he’s now active in the pro-life community and in his home church in Pella Iowa. When he’s not helping his wife Hillary Ferrer with her ministry Mama Bear Apologetics, you can usually find John writing, researching, and teaching cultural apologetics.
What Does Biblical Inerrancy REALLY Mean? | with Dr. Mike Licona
PodcastIs it possible that the Bible actually contains errors? And if so, how would these errors impact the message of the Gospel? These are fair questions that some Christians may be afraid to ask. But does an error or two discredit the overall authenticity and reliability of the Scriptures or the historicity of the Resurrection?
For this midweek podcast, Dr. Mike Licona, author of the brand new book ‘Jesus, Contradicted: Why the Gospels Tell the Same Story Differently‘ returns to continue unpacking the true meaning of biblical inerrancy and to explore the significance of compositional writing styles of the ancient world. What are some of the “errors” that can be found in the Old and New Testaments, and how do scholars attempt to reconcile some of these discrepancies? Why would God even allow the Bible to include mistakes? Do most Christians really have a high view of Scripture? And just how important was precise accuracy to ancient writers? All this and more will be discussed in the conclusion of this controversial (and important) talk surrounding the trustworthiness of the Bible.
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST, be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into great discussions with like-minded Christians while providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Mike’s book: Jesus, Contradicted: Why the Gospels Tell the Same Story Differently
Listen to Part 1: Jesus, Contradicted? with Dr. Mike Licona