Thoughts and Theology: apologetics

Showing posts with label apologetics. Show all posts

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Twisting Scripture

It's not only cults that take verses from the Bible and twist them, or take them out of context, to try to prove their false doctrine, but some Christians do this as well---especially many televangelists and some popular Christian book authors.

Some televangelists, and even Pastors, are fond of doing "word studies." Now, Lexicons (i.e., a Greek Lexicon) are great for Bible study when used properly (note: the 'lexicon' of a language is its vocabulary, including its words and expressions). But to the uneducated, they can quickly make some word or passage in the Bible say nearly anything you want, if you don’t use the proper procedures. Often, a televangelist or preacher will have a point to make, so, using a Lexicon, they look at every possible or conceivable angle, until they find something close, and then they twist it around to make their point. Using a Lexicon like that is very dangerous and completely irresponsible. Context is the key. Taking verses out of context, and comparing them to other verses out of context, is not only how cults and some Christians find their so-called 'proof texts' for their false doctrines, but it's also the method some non-Christians, seeking to discredit the Bible, use to try to show that the Bible contradicts itself. In addition, people will sometimes quote a Bible verse out of context in order to justify their argument. In such a case, when the verse is checked in context, you will find it does not support their claim. Such "reading into the text" (i.e., trying to make the text mean something it was never meant to mean) is called eisegesis. Cults are masters at eisegesis, but it’s also a danger for Christians. Christians who support the Gap Theory, for example, are reading into the text things that the text never says.

While a particular passage may have many applications, it has only one meaning - the one the author (through inspiration of the Holy Spirit) intended. Hermeneutics is the science that teaches the principles and methods of interpreting the Word of God. Proper hermeneutics provide tools to help ensure that we are basing our interpretations on the truth as God has revealed it, while avoiding error to the greatest degree possible.

The Error of Taking Verses Out of Context

The Error of Selective Citing of Bible Verses

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Some interesting blog sites

Please check out these interesting blog sites:

Straight Truth

James Tippins

Christian Theology

Theology Spot

Law and Theology

Apologetics.com

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Todd Bentley and the Lakeland, Florida Revival

This is concerning a so-called "Revival" that is currently occuring in my state, which has become extremely popular.

Coming as far as England to see this "Florida Revival"

This is what they came to see:

Todd Bentley Raging Revival

The Luminous Vibrating Todd Bentley

Raised From the Dead?

In defense of false prophets

Article on Todd Bentley being Fraudulent

A False Revival?

Article by Andrew Strom, who spent 11 years in the same Prophetic movement as Todd Bentley

Angels, 'Healing Mantles' and William Branham

The following is not Todd Bentley. It is Patricia King and Joshua Mills, but they are involved in the same kind of thing as Todd Bentley.

Examining Claims of Faith Healers

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Cartoon showing Mormon doctrine

"Mormonism teaches that God the Father has a body of flesh and bones (D. & C. 130:22) and that Jesus is a creation. It teaches that he was begotten in heaven as one of God’s spirit children (See the book Jesus the Christ, by James Talmage, p. 8). This is in strict contrast to the biblical teaching that he is God in flesh (John 1:1, 14), eternal (John 1:1, 2, 15), uncreated, yet born on earth (Col. 1:15), and the creator all (John 1:3; Col. 1;16-17). Jesus cannot be both created and not created at the same time. Though Mormonism teaches that Jesus is god in flesh, it teaches that he is "a" god in flesh, one of three gods that comprise the office of the Trinity (Articles of Faith, by Talmage, pp. 35-40). These three gods are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. This is in direct contradiction of the biblical doctrine that there is only one God (Isaiah 44:6,8; 45:5).

Mormon theology teaches that god is only one of countless gods, that he used to be a man on another planet, that he became a god by following the laws and ordinances of that god on that world, and that he brought one of his wives to this world with whom he produces spirit children who then inhabit human bodies at birth. The first spirit child to be born was Jesus. Second was Satan, and then we all followed. But the Bible says that there is only one God (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8; 45:5), that God has eternally been God (Psalm 90:2) -- which means he was never a man on another planet. Since the Bible denies the existence of other gods (and goddesses), the idea that Jesus is the product of a god and goddess couple is rejected.

Mormonism teaches that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross itself (and receiving it by faith) is not sufficient to bring forgiveness of sins. It teaches that the forgiveness of sins is obtained though a cooperative effort with God; that is, we must be good and follow the laws and ordinances of the Mormon church in order to obtain forgiveness. Consider James Talmage, a very important Mormon figure who said, "The sectarian dogma of justification by faith alone has exercised an influence for evil," (Articles, p. 432), and "Hence the justice of the scriptural doctrine that salvation comes to the individual only through obedience," (Articles, p. 81). This contradicts the biblical doctrine of the forgiveness of sins by grace through faith (Rom. 5:1; 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9) and the doctrine that works are not part of our salvation but a result of them (Rom. 4:5, James 2:14-18).

Why is Mormonism a non Christian religion? It is not Christian because it denies that there is only one God, denies the true Gospel, adds works to salvation, denies that Jesus is the uncreated creator, distorts the biblical teaching of the atonement, and undermines the authority and reliability of the Bible.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"

-the above text is from: http://www.carm.org/lds/lds_christian.htm

Friday, May 23, 2008

The Doctrine of Original Sin

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Suetonius

"Suetonius was a secretary and historian to Hadrian, Emperor of Rome from 117 to 138 AD. Regarding Emperor Claudius (41-54 AD) and the Riot of Rome in 49 AD, Suetonius wrote:

As the Jews were making constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus [Christ], he [Claudius] expelled them from Rome.

Interestingly, Acts 18:2 relates that Paul met Aquila and his wife Priscilla just after they left Italy because Claudius had expelled them.

Later, Suetonius wrote about the great fire of Rome in 64 AD:

Punishment by Nero was inflicted on the Christians, a class of men given to a new and mischievous superstition.

Mara Bar-Serapion, a stoic philosopher from Syria, wrote this letter to his son from prison sometime after 70 AD:

What advantage did the Athenians gain from putting Socrates to death? Famine and plague came upon them as a judgment for their crime. What advantage did the men of Samos gain from burning Pythagoras? In a moment their land was covered with sand. What advantage did the Jews gain from their executing their wise king? It was just after that that their kingdom was abolished. God justly avenged these three wise men: The Athenians died of hunger; the Samians were overwhelmed by the sea; the Jews, ruined and driven from their land, live in complete dispersion. But Socrates did not die for good; he lived on in the statue of Plato. Pythagoras did not die for good; he lived on in the statue of Hera. Nor did the wise king die for good; he lived on in the teaching which he had given.

This letter refers to Jesus as being the "wise king." The writer is obviously not a Christian because he places Jesus on an equal level with Socrates and Pythagoras. Without bias in his reference to Jesus and the church, this letter is a valuable historical reference regarding the historicity of Jesus.

Lucian of Samosata was a 2nd century Greek philosopher. This preserved text is obviously satirical, but it's a powerful "extra-biblical source":

The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day -- the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account... You see, these misguided creatures started with the general conviction that they are immortal for all time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion which are so common among them; and then it was impressed them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. All this they take quite on faith, with the result that they despise all worldly goods alike, regarding them merely as common property.

This piece is unflattering at best, but it absolutely supports the person of Jesus Christ ("the crucified sage") and the survival of the Christian Church into the second century."

from:
http://www.allaboutthejourney.org/suetonius.htm

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Evidence for Jesus outside the Bible in an unlikely place: Jewish Tradition

"Of all the ancient sources for Jesus, the least favorably biased seem to be rabbinic in origin. There are actually a significant number of references to Jesus in the Jewish tradition, but many of them use names like "that man" when they refer to Jesus Christ. Therefore, some of the references are now considered unreliable.

Regardless, in the Babylonian Talmud, the formal commentary on the Jewish Laws compiled between 200-500 AD, there's a powerful reference to Jesus:

It has been taught: On the Eve of the Passover, they hanged Yeshu. And an announcer went out in front of him, for forty days saying: 'he is going to be stoned because he practiced sorcery and enticed and led Israel astray.' Anyone who knows anything in his favor, let him come and plead in his behalf.' But, not having found anything in his favor, they hanged him on the Eve of the Passover.

This is considered to be a very credible reference to Jesus ("Yeshu") from the Jewish tradition. Here, the rabbinical writers verify that Jesus was an historic figure, that he was crucified on the eve of the Passover and that he did miracles, referred to as "sorcery." The events surrounding the life of Jesus were not denied, but definitely verified in the Jewish tradition.

Well, I was looking for unbiased sources, outside the Bible, that speak to the person of Jesus, his death by capital punishment, and the rise of a religion in his name. Remarkably, that's exactly what I got!

The non-Christian historical accounts of Cornelius Tacitus, Flavius Josephus, Pliny the Younger, Suetonius, Mara Bar-Serapion, Lucan of Samosata, and even the writings of the extremely biased Jewish Sanhedrin all vindicate the Biblical accounts of the life and death of Jesus Christ in the first century AD.

In addition to the nine New Testament authors who wrote about Jesus in separate accounts, I found at least twenty additional early Christian authors, four heretical writings, and seven non-Christian sources that make explicit mention of Jesus in their writings within 150 years of his life. This amounts to a minimum of 40 authors, all of whom explicitly mention Jesus and the expansion of a spiritual movement in his name. More authors mention Jesus Christ within 150 years of his life than mention the Roman Emperor who reigned during His lifetime. Scholars are only aware of ten sources that mention Emperor Tiberius within 150 years of his life, including Luke, Tacitus, Suetonius, and Paterculus. Thus, within this short time frame, the number of ancient writers who mention Jesus outnumber those who mention the leader of the entire Roman Empire (effectively, the ancient world of the time) by a ratio of 4:1!"

from:
http://www.allaboutthejourney.org/jewish-tradition.htm

Monday, May 19, 2008

Jehovah's Witnesses: History of Shame

Monday, May 12, 2008

Generational curses

Ah, televangelists. They spread the gospel all over the earth via television. Yet, at the same time, they often give a bad name to Christianity, because of things like committing adultery or their extravagant wealth and spending. Unfortunately, and more and more it seems, these are not their only faults. Many of them also teach false doctrines which are not biblical. I could devote an entire blog to this. Yet, my purpose is not to attack other Christians. After all, we are all sinners; therefore, none of us is perfect. In addition, with any person on this earth, I could eventually find something that they believe that I disagree with. But, at the same time, I do want to warn against false doctrine. In this post, I merely want to briefly address one such widespread false doctrine which is extremely common among Christians today (at least, American Christians); and that is, the idea of 'generational curses.' The following quote sums it up nicely, I think:

"Question: "What does the Bible say about breaking generational curses?"

Answer: The Bible mentions “generational curses” in several places (Exodus 20:5; 34:7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9). It sounds unfair for God to punish children for the sins of their fathers. However, this is looking at it from an earthly perspective. God knows that sin is passed down from one generation to the next. When a father has a sinful lifestyle, his children are likely to have the same sinful lifestyle as well. That is why it is not unjust for God to punish sin to the third or fourth generation – because they are committing the same sins their ancestors did. They are being punished for their own sins, not the sins of their ancestors. The Bible specifically tells us that God does not hold children accountable for the sins of their parents (Deuteronomy 24:16).

There is a trend in the church today to try and blame every sin and problem on some sort of generational curse. This is not Biblical. The cure for generational curses is salvation through Jesus Christ. When we become Christians, we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). How can a child of God still be under God’s curse (Romans 8:1)? The cure, then, for a generational curse is faith in Christ and a life consecrated to Him (Romans 12:1-2)."

from:
http://www.gotquestions.org/generational-curses.html