What are the greatest commandments?
Love God and love people( Mark 12:28-31). Another command Jesus gives his disciples is to, " Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to every creature."(Mark 16:15). The method I use to share is not the only way to share, but it is a biblical way. Please keep in mind that every situation and person is different. You must know who you are talking to and what they believe before you can effectively share with your neighbor(Romans 13:9).
Where to start?
As a Christian we must have a deep love for the lost. Preaching the gospel doesn't always have to do with being bold or brave. It has every thing to do with love and obedience. If you knew me 2 years ago you would know that I was not bold or brave, I was very shy. Once my Dad was saved he would bring home "movies" from Living Waters about sharing the gospel. Ray Comfort and the Living Waters team showed my family and I how to share the gospel biblically and effectively. Before we start straight with the gospel, we first must point out that they are borrowing from the Christian worldview.
How to answer the fool.
Dr. Greg Bahnsen helped me understand presupps and worldviews. Sye Ten Bruggencate helped with taking it to the streets and to strangers.
Proverbs 26:4-5
Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.
This looks like a contradiction, but its not, its exactly how we answer the fool. Read it like this:
Answer not fool according to his ignorance,
lest you become ignorant yourself.
Instead answer him in showing he is ignorant,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.
The Bible doesn't use the term fool to deteriorate the unbelievers knowledge. Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." In the fools worldview, he/she can't account for reasoning or logic, thus meaning they can't know anything for certain.(Col 2:2-3) That's the problem, an unbeliever knows things because he/she was created by God. The fool already knows about God, the parable of the wise and foolish builder is a prime example. The foolish builder knew the risk, and heard the truth, yet he suppressed the truth and went on building his beach-front apartment only to have it destroyed in the end.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:18-21)
According to this verse who needs evidence that God exists? Nobody, why, because they already have evidence all around them. In court who do you give evidence to? The judge and jury, so by giving evidence to an unbeliever you are elevating him to the position of judge and putting God on trial(Luke 14:12). Is evidence a bad tool to use? Not at all, we must be careful how we use it.
When using presuppositional apologetics we must remember we are not talking about the complexity of the eye, we are destroying worldviews. Everything the unbeliever believed is crumbling right before his eyes." But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15. If we destroy the unbelievers worldview and then leave he/she will turn to deism or another religion. We must show them why they need God.
The Gospel
In order to know anything we must know all things, or have a revelation from someone who does. The very fact that unbelievers know things shows they know God exists. Unbelievers are made in the image of God, they can reason and think for themselves. The bible talks about sheep and goats, but never does a goat become a sheep. Do we know who are Christ's sheep and who aren't? No, because, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."(Deut. 29:29) So we preach to everyone because, "And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
In order for someone to understand the love of the Father who sent his Son to die for their sins, they must first know they sinned. "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20). What is the law? The law of God is the ten commandments. Taking people through the law is as easy as asking if they are a liar, thief, murderer, adulterer(Matthew 5:21-30), blasphemer, or if they even honor their parents. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"(Romans 3:23). After they realize they are sentenced to eternal fire, only then will they see why they need the forgiveness of God. "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."(Romans 5:8)
Repentance
The word Repent is not spoken of or used when sharing with the unbeliever. Metanoia is Greek for having a change of mind or heart, or to repent. To repent is to stop, turn around, and go in the opposite direction. We should preach how Jesus preached, "Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”(Mark 1:14-15). How does someone repent? YOU can't, YOU have nothing to do with this. Repentance is a gift from God. (2 Timothy 2:25). What about all the people at the Harvest crusades, they said the sinners prayer? The prayer doesn't save you, God does, saying the sinner's prayer (which should not replace baptism) may be a way of declaring to God that you are relying on Jesus Christ as your Savior. There are no "magical" words that result in salvation. Ephesians 2:8 declares, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." This verse implies we have nothing to do with our salvation, God does.
What is stopping you?
In America we have the right to speak freely. We don't have to worry about imprisonment or the death sentence. The worst we as American Christians have to face is rejection. Even if we have to face death, how bad is that. “My religious beliefs teach me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time of my death. I do not concern myself with that, but to be always ready whenever it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, and all men would be equally brave.”
― Stonewall Jackson
"But I'm only a teen." Guess what, so am I. I am fourteen, my friend Gabrielle is also fourteen. A great book on teens is Do Hard Things. The verse that has helped me the most with my age is, 2 Timothy 4:12,"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe."
Are you like Moses, afraid to speak in front of people? Acts 18:9 "And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent." I can be an example of that, I would hardly talk to my family about football, how was I supposed to talk to a stranger about the spiritual? God has given you his word, and has gifted preachers to explain things to you. In apologetics, the key is to study the bible, study methods, and study the unbeliever. One mistake my Dad and I made was we memorized the terms and the answers, but we ourselves didn't understand the terms and why we used them.
If we truly follow the omnipotent (all powerful) God of the Bible, why are we intimidated by the unbeliever? If you do not have God as the ultimate authority your thinking becomes inconsistent, arbitrary, and unreasonable. We have a powerful weapon we must not let the unbeliever take a hold of. The best way to prepare yourself is to watch movies on the subject and to watch it in action(YouTube).A website that is helpful in understanding presuppositions and logic and why they belong only to God, is Proofthatgodexists.org
Here is some people that have helped my family and I in understating this subject.
Dr. Greg Bahnsen
Sye Ten Bruggencate
Eric Hovind
Dr. Jason Lisle
Ray Comfort
Mark Spence
I encourage you to do your research, study and prepare yourself, then JUST DO IT!
Where to start?
As a Christian we must have a deep love for the lost. Preaching the gospel doesn't always have to do with being bold or brave. It has every thing to do with love and obedience. If you knew me 2 years ago you would know that I was not bold or brave, I was very shy. Once my Dad was saved he would bring home "movies" from Living Waters about sharing the gospel. Ray Comfort and the Living Waters team showed my family and I how to share the gospel biblically and effectively. Before we start straight with the gospel, we first must point out that they are borrowing from the Christian worldview.
How to answer the fool.
Dr. Greg Bahnsen helped me understand presupps and worldviews. Sye Ten Bruggencate helped with taking it to the streets and to strangers.
Proverbs 26:4-5
Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.
This looks like a contradiction, but its not, its exactly how we answer the fool. Read it like this:
Answer not fool according to his ignorance,
lest you become ignorant yourself.
Instead answer him in showing he is ignorant,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.
The Bible doesn't use the term fool to deteriorate the unbelievers knowledge. Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." In the fools worldview, he/she can't account for reasoning or logic, thus meaning they can't know anything for certain.(Col 2:2-3) That's the problem, an unbeliever knows things because he/she was created by God. The fool already knows about God, the parable of the wise and foolish builder is a prime example. The foolish builder knew the risk, and heard the truth, yet he suppressed the truth and went on building his beach-front apartment only to have it destroyed in the end.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:18-21)
According to this verse who needs evidence that God exists? Nobody, why, because they already have evidence all around them. In court who do you give evidence to? The judge and jury, so by giving evidence to an unbeliever you are elevating him to the position of judge and putting God on trial(Luke 14:12). Is evidence a bad tool to use? Not at all, we must be careful how we use it.
When using presuppositional apologetics we must remember we are not talking about the complexity of the eye, we are destroying worldviews. Everything the unbeliever believed is crumbling right before his eyes." But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15. If we destroy the unbelievers worldview and then leave he/she will turn to deism or another religion. We must show them why they need God.
The Gospel
In order to know anything we must know all things, or have a revelation from someone who does. The very fact that unbelievers know things shows they know God exists. Unbelievers are made in the image of God, they can reason and think for themselves. The bible talks about sheep and goats, but never does a goat become a sheep. Do we know who are Christ's sheep and who aren't? No, because, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."(Deut. 29:29) So we preach to everyone because, "And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
In order for someone to understand the love of the Father who sent his Son to die for their sins, they must first know they sinned. "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20). What is the law? The law of God is the ten commandments. Taking people through the law is as easy as asking if they are a liar, thief, murderer, adulterer(Matthew 5:21-30), blasphemer, or if they even honor their parents. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"(Romans 3:23). After they realize they are sentenced to eternal fire, only then will they see why they need the forgiveness of God. "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."(Romans 5:8)
Repentance
The word Repent is not spoken of or used when sharing with the unbeliever. Metanoia is Greek for having a change of mind or heart, or to repent. To repent is to stop, turn around, and go in the opposite direction. We should preach how Jesus preached, "Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”(Mark 1:14-15). How does someone repent? YOU can't, YOU have nothing to do with this. Repentance is a gift from God. (2 Timothy 2:25). What about all the people at the Harvest crusades, they said the sinners prayer? The prayer doesn't save you, God does, saying the sinner's prayer (which should not replace baptism) may be a way of declaring to God that you are relying on Jesus Christ as your Savior. There are no "magical" words that result in salvation. Ephesians 2:8 declares, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." This verse implies we have nothing to do with our salvation, God does.
What is stopping you?
In America we have the right to speak freely. We don't have to worry about imprisonment or the death sentence. The worst we as American Christians have to face is rejection. Even if we have to face death, how bad is that. “My religious beliefs teach me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time of my death. I do not concern myself with that, but to be always ready whenever it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, and all men would be equally brave.”
― Stonewall Jackson
"But I'm only a teen." Guess what, so am I. I am fourteen, my friend Gabrielle is also fourteen. A great book on teens is Do Hard Things. The verse that has helped me the most with my age is, 2 Timothy 4:12,"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe."
Are you like Moses, afraid to speak in front of people? Acts 18:9 "And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent." I can be an example of that, I would hardly talk to my family about football, how was I supposed to talk to a stranger about the spiritual? God has given you his word, and has gifted preachers to explain things to you. In apologetics, the key is to study the bible, study methods, and study the unbeliever. One mistake my Dad and I made was we memorized the terms and the answers, but we ourselves didn't understand the terms and why we used them.
If we truly follow the omnipotent (all powerful) God of the Bible, why are we intimidated by the unbeliever? If you do not have God as the ultimate authority your thinking becomes inconsistent, arbitrary, and unreasonable. We have a powerful weapon we must not let the unbeliever take a hold of. The best way to prepare yourself is to watch movies on the subject and to watch it in action(YouTube).A website that is helpful in understanding presuppositions and logic and why they belong only to God, is Proofthatgodexists.org
Here is some people that have helped my family and I in understating this subject.
Dr. Greg Bahnsen
Sye Ten Bruggencate
Eric Hovind
Dr. Jason Lisle
Ray Comfort
Mark Spence
I encourage you to do your research, study and prepare yourself, then JUST DO IT!
Such an inspiring post!! My family and I have been leaning so much! We are role playing with each other(Abraham and I were actually role playing with my Uncle Justin!) and STUDYING. Thank you so much, looking forward to the next post!
ReplyDeleteNo problem. Remember practice makes you better. I enjoy reading your posts as well. They let me know I am not alone in this fight. I am always read for role play
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