Gregory Koukl's Blog, page 34

Challenge: There Was Nothing Unique about Jesus

This week, we have a challenge from ���40 Problems with Christianity���:

Most Christians believe that Jesus was a unique figure in his time, a one-of-kind preacher who mesmerized followers with his wisdom and magical acts. This is not true. There were many messiahs at this time including Hezekiah the bandit, Simon of Peraea, Athronges the shepherd boy, and Judas the Galilean. In addition, there were many other preachers and prophets who were gathering followers and preaching a messianic message about the coming of the Kingdom of God. Some advocated a violent overthrow of the Roman occupiers as a prelude to the coming. Others stressed a less violent approach including repentance, prayers, and beseeching of God for deliverance. Added to this list is the most popular preacher of all, John the Baptist. Jesus was possibly a follower of John until John���s arrest and execution (as exemplified by the subservient act of submitting himself for baptism), and then he may have assumed leadership of John���s movement.

Jesus was just one of many itinerant preachers of his day, and there was nothing particularly unique about him, because all were preaching the same ideas, and almost all of them ended up being crucified for the crime of sedition against the Roman Empire. It is a historical fluke that Christians pray to Jesus instead of John or Simon or Hezekiah.

Is Christianity just a historical fluke, or was there something unique about Jesus and His history? How would you respond to this challenge? Answer in the comments below, and then come back on Thursday to see Alan���s video response.

[Explore past challenges here and here.]

What Is the Christian's Role in Caring for Creation?

Tim explains how caring for creation and loving people are intertwined. 

Can We Escape the Law of Non-Contradiction?

A while back, I met with a local pastor to talk about apologetics���the defense of the Christian faith. During our friendly discussion, we got on to the subject of the nature of truth, at which time I made a case for the correspondence theory of truth.

This particular pastor subscribed to a postmodern view of truth���that there is no objective truth and that truth is a social construction based on linguistic practices.

While making my case, I referred to the laws of logic, and specifically, to the law of non-contradiction. The pastor immediately denied the law of non-contradiction. I was completely taken aback and could not believe what I was hearing. It was bad enough that I had to argue for truth, but now I found myself arguing for something as foundational as the laws of logic.

For those who don't know, the law of non-contradiction states that A and not-A (where A is a proposition) cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense. For example, my car cannot be parked in my driveway and not parked in my driveway at the same time and in the same sense. This just seems so obviously true, and yet this notion was being rejected.

This pastor was convinced that the law of non-contradiction is just a Western convention. Furthermore, he indicated to me that he believes that Western ���Either-Or��� logic is too arrogant, dogmatic, and exclusive. He prefers to use the Eastern ���Both-And��� system of logic. Fortunately for me, this conversation that I found myself in was beginning to sound a lot like a story I heard Ravi Zacharias tell during one of his keynote addresses. You can listen to the story in the video below. (If you're in a rush, you can start listening at the 2:25 minute mark.)

During my conversation with this pastor, I asked the very same question that Dr. Ravi Zacharias asked the American philosophy professor in his story. I asked, ���Are you saying that it���s either the Eastern ���Both-And��� system or nothing else?��� He didn't catch it the first time, and simply responded, ���Yes!��� The question was worth repeating, but this time I put emphasis on two significant words.

I asked, ���Are you saying that it���s either the Eastern ���Both-And��� system or nothing else?��� That's when you could see the light bulb go on. A simple smile let me know that he got it!

The ���Either-Or��� logic is impossible to avoid. Ironically, this person needed the law of non-contradiction to try to prove the ���Both-And��� system. The very fact that he disagreed with me communicated that he really did believe in the law of non-contradiction. The law of non-contradiction isn���t just a Western convention. In fact, it���s not a convention at all. The laws of logic aren���t invented; they���re discovered. They are facts about reality���the way the world really is.

There���s no doubt in my mind that this challenge would have caught me off guard if it wasn't for this video by Dr. Zacharias. This short YouTube clip changed everything. Don't ever underestimate the power of a 10-minute YouTube video or a podcast. You just never know when God is going to use what you���ve learned for his glory!

Links Mentioned on the 10/30/15 Show

The following is a rundown of today's podcast, annotated with links that were either mentioned on the show or inspired by it:

Guest: Bobby Conway ��� Doubting Toward Faith (0:00)

Bobby Conway Online
The One Minute Apologist videos
Doubting Toward Faith: The Journey Toward Confident Christianity by Bobby Conway
The Reformation the Church Doesn't Need Part 1, Part 2 by Greg Koukl and Alan Shlemon
J. Warner Wallace's Blog
Disproportionately Gay: Alarming Trend in Youth Lit by Eric Metaxas

Listen to today's show or download any archived show for free. (Find links from past shows here.)

To take part in the Twitter conversation during the live show (Tuesdays 4:00���6:00 p.m. PT), follow @STRtweets and use the hashtag #STRtalk.

Live Event: 5 Tools to Help You Equip Your Kids with the Truth

Raising kids to be faithful followers of Christ in the 21st century can be very challenging. Our culture continues its secular slide, with entertainment and education���which permeate our kids lives���leading the way. Of course, life is busy and it's difficult for families to avoid simply being pulled along with the world. In light of the current challenges, parents and the church must be very intentional in their discipleship of the next generation. We must think carefully about our strategies and be more aggressive in training up our children. 

As our oldest daughter approached the junior high years, my wife and I began to rethink our views on educating and discipling our own kids. We were dissatisfied with things we were seeing in her life not only academically, but also spiritually and morally. In that process of reevaluation, we discovered ���classical education.��� Educator Susan Wise Bauer offers a concise description of this approach: 

���Classical education depends on a three-part process of training the mind. The early years of school are spent in absorbing facts, systematically laying the foundations for advanced study [Grammar Stage]. In the middle grades, students learn to think through arguments [Logic Stage]. In the high school years, they learn to express themselves [Rhetoric Stage].���

I think this model offers parents a way forward. My wife and I have been using it with our own kids and I think the church can also use it as it comes alongside families to help disciple our children. 

On Tuesday night, November 17th, at 6:30 pm (Pacific Time), I will host a live online event to help parents and pastors think through the discipleship of the next generation. We'll dialogue more about this classical method. I'll also offer some very specific ideas and practical tools to equip families and churches. And you can participate too. We'll be taking live questions and interacting with your comments. Follow this LINK and join us for this live online conversation.

Churches and families must be focused and intentional in order equip our kids with the truth, and I think this event will help you do just that. 

Links Mentioned on the 10/28/15 Show

The following is a rundown of today's podcast, annotated with links that were either mentioned on the show or inspired by it:

Commentary: reTHINK Student Conference Wrap Up ��� Dallas Version (0:00)

reTHINK Student Apologetics Conferences ��� Next year's Orange County conference is on September 23-24
D.O.L.L.S. ��� Daughters of Our Living Lord & Savior
STR's vision: "Confidence for every Christian, clear thinking for every challenge, courage and grace for every encounter."

Questions:

1. Can healing be done on demand if you pray with enough faith? (0:21)

Joni Eareckson Tada
A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God's Sovereignty by Joni Eareckson Tada
1 Peter 4:12���5:11

2. Advice on writing master's thesis (0:38) 

3. Why can good people go to Hell? (0:48)

God Cares More about Behavior than Most People Think by Amy Hall

Listen to today's show or download any archived show for free. (Find links from past shows here.)

To take part in the Twitter conversation during the live show (Tuesdays 4:00���6:00 p.m. PT), follow @STRtweets and use the hashtag #STRtalk.

Why Abortion Is Unjust Discrimination

Our new motion graphic video on the S.L.E.D. test explains why no human being���regardless of size, race, sex, etc.���should be excluded from the community of human persons.

October Newsletters: Faith, Abortion, and Youth Ministry

Tim���s, Alan���s, and Brett���s October newsletters are now posted on the website:

Getting Faith Right by Tim Barnett: ���Here���s how I explain faith to students. Imagine you are standing at the edge of Niagara Falls. While you are watching this magnificent waterfall, you notice there is a tightrope walker walking from one side to the other, pushing a wheelbarrow full of rocks. You are mesmerized by his amazing ability, so you keep watching him do it over and over again. The tightrope walker sees that you have been watching for some time and walks towards you. He asks, ���Do you believe that I can do it again?��� Given that you have seen him do it numerous times already, you reply, ���Of course, I���ve seen you doing it all day.��� Without hesitation, he dumps out all the rocks and replies, ���Okay, climb in the wheelbarrow.��� You believe based on evidence. And stepping into the wheelbarrow is active trust. Therefore, biblical faith is active trust based on evidence.��� (Read more.) 


Planned Parenthood Isn���t the Only Abortion Problem by Alan Shlemon: ���Planned Parenthood was evil last year, long before they were exposed. They were evil the year before that, and the year before that. The reason is because they take advantage of vulnerable women who face crisis pregnancies and help them kill their innocent children. They���ve been doing that with government protection for over 40 years. These videos have not changed what Planned Parenthood does, only the public���s perception of them. Don���t get me wrong. I���m glad these videos have exposed Planned Parenthood���s barbaric behavior. I want as many people as possible to see them. More than that, though, I want pro-lifers to be passionate about saving the lives of unborn children for as long as abortion remains legal, not just as long as the hype of these videos remains.��� (Read more.)


reTHINKING Youth Ministry by Brett Kunkle: ���My passion has always been discipling the next generation, and it���s motivated me to seek out ways to more effectively reach students. That's why I started and developed Stand to Reason's apologetic mission trip to Berkeley and our theological mission trip to Utah. Due to the nature of these trips, though, most Christian kids won't have the opportunity to experience them. So I've thought a lot about strategies to reach and train larger numbers of students.... Four years ago, we tried out one of my ideas: an apologetics conference tailored for youth. I called it the reTHINK Student Apologetics Conference. Approximately 400 students, youth workers, and parents attended the first conference in Southern California, and we were ecstatic. We did it again in 2013 and more than 600 showed up. Last year, almost 1,100 came out. And just last month, 1,504 people (most of them students) turned out for our fourth annual reTHINK Conference. The response was tremendous.��� (Read more.)

You can subscribe to their newsletters here.

Why Did Christ Need to Die in Order for Us to Be Saved?

Brett explains why Jesus' death was the just payment for our sins.

Rich Theology in MacArthur���s Book on Jesus��� Parables

John MacArthur has a new book coming out on Jesus��� parables, and I recommend it. It���s called Parables: The Mysteries of God���s Kingdom Revealed through the Stories Jesus Told, and while it didn���t radically change my understanding of any of the parables, it did deepen it, both theologically and devotionally���more than I was expecting.

MacArthur explains what a parable is in this way:

A parable is an ingeniously simple word picture illuminating a profound spiritual lesson���. Parables are not to be mined for layer upon layer of secret significance. Their lessons are simple, focused, without much embellishment.*

As the parables are designed to teach one particular point, each of the chapters is titled according to the theological lesson taught by the parable (or parables) discussed in that chapter���lessons about receiving the Word, the cost of discipleship, justice and grace, neighborly love, justification by faith, faithfulness, being wise as serpents, Heaven and Hell, and persistence in prayer. 

MacArthur doesn���t just explain the historical and cultural background of each parable, along with the context of each one within the surrounding text; he also brings in quite a bit of theology, gathering relevant verses from other parts of the Bible to round out each lesson Jesus is teaching.

Because of the richness of the theology, it took me longer than usual to read this book. But don���t conclude from this that this was a difficult book to read. It was actually very readable. Rather, I just found myself frequently wanting to pause to meditate on these truths about Jesus and His kingdom. I wanted to slow down and go over every angle of each bit in my mind���to let it shape my view of Jesus and become part of the way I see the world.

We often hear that we should tell stories, like Jesus, because that���s the best way to help people clearly learn and remember significant truths. But when asked by His disciples, ���Why do You speak to them in parables?��� Jesus responded, ���Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.��� In other words, the parables actually obscure truths from people who don���t want hear them. MacArthur explains:

The symbolism hides the truth from anyone without the discipline or desire to seek out Christ���s meaning. That���s why Jesus adopted that style of teaching. It was a divine judgment against those who met His teaching with scorn, unbelief, or apathy���.

In short, Jesus��� parables had a clear twofold purpose: They hid the truth from self-righteous or self-satisfied people who fancied themselves too sophisticated to learn from Jesus, while the same parables revealed truth to eager souls with childlike faith���those who were hungering and thirsting for righteousness.

These parables have been given to you ���to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,��� and MacArthur���s book will help you understand and appreciate them. Since the book is both readable and theologically rewarding, I especially recommend it for new Christians. What better way for them to see Jesus more clearly and build a theological foundation than by learning from Jesus��� parables?  

___________________________

*All quotes are from the uncorrected proof provided to us for reviewing purposes.