LESSON ONE INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL APOLOGETICS INTRODUCTION T he attacks against God and the Bible are increasing in number and intensity. This course evaluates the arguments used by critics to deny that God is Creator and that the Bible is God’s Word. This course also presents significant evidences that confirm God as Creator and the Bible as God’s scientifically, doctrinally, and historically accurate Word. Most of the evidence in favor of God and the Bible was discovered in the 20th Century. Some of the lessons in this course reveal amazing new discoveries that have only recently been uncovered and that are not yet known by the general public. The students should be prepared for an exciting intellectual and spiritual journey that will enable them to see new places, new concepts, and new evidences that will challenge their minds and strengthen their faith. LESSON AIM: To give the students a preview of the entire course that is designed to strengthen their faith, equip them to answer the arguments of the critics, and convince the honest and humble of heart that God is Creator, Jesus is His Son, and that the Bible is His Word. LESSON OBJECTIVES: You will . . . 1. Learn five sources of evidences or fountains of faith. 2. Understand the attitude of mind and heart that is necessary to perceive the logical and spiritual significance of the many evidences available. 3. Preview Lessons 2-24 to see the scope of the evidences in this course. 4. For many more evidences for Christ and the New Testament, the student is referred to Ed Wharton’s Course, Historical Christian Evidences. THE TECHNICAL SUBJECT OF THIS COURSE: BIBLICAL APOLOGETICS A. Definition of “Apologetics” “The branch of theology having to do with the defense and proofs of Christianity.” B. Apologetics Comes from the Greek Word, Apologia Apologia: apo = from; logia = reason. Apologetics presents logical reasons and evidences that support our faith. C. The Need to Defend God, Christ and the Bible 1. Paul was set for the “defense (apologia) and confirmation of the gospel” (Philippians 1:7, 16). 2. “Always be prepared to give an answer (apologia = defense) to everyone who asks you to 2 give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). FIVE SOURCES OF EVIDENCES OR FOUNTAINS OF FAITH A. Special Revelation The written testimony of inspired men (John 14:26; 20:30-31). 1. The Scriptures are self authenticating and are sufficient to convict. 2. Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” B. Natural Revelation Evidence for God in the Universe, matter and living beings. 1. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1-4). 2. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-- His eternal power and divine nature-- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). C. Historical and Archaeological Testimony 1. Histories of other nations. 2. Testimony of eyewitnesses (the apostles and others). 3. Archaeological discoveries. D. God’s Word Demonstrated in the Lives of His People 1. “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). 2. The Christian life, good or bad, is evidence for or against the Bible and God. 3. Christian women can convert their unbelieving husbands by the testimony of their godly and spiritual beauty (1 Peter 3:1-3). 4. Answered prayers and answered promises of God’s Word in the life of His children demonstrate the validity of our faith (Matthew 7:7). E. Logical Reasoning Based on Evidence and Common Sense. 1. God Himself said, “Come now, let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18). 2. Paul “reasoned” with the Thessalonians from the Scriptures (Acts 17:2). 3. Paul reasoned with Jews who disagreed with him (Acts 18:19). EVIDENCES FOR AND AGAINST GOD AS CREATOR A. Attacks Against God as Creator 1. During the last 20 years scientists have made an intensive attack against belief in God as Creator. 2. Biology text books openly affirm that the origin of the universe was a “Big Bang” about 10 billion years ago and that all life on earth gradually evolved over millions of years. 3. The government will not permit creation to be taught in the public schools. 4. University professors ridicule Christian, Jewish and Muslim students who maintain their belief in an omnipotent Creator. 3 B. Attacks Against God’s Law of Morality 1. Related to this growing unbelief in God is rampant immorality, perversion and violence in the public schools and universities. 2. Romans 1:20-31 says that rejection of God as Creator leads to rejection of God’s law of morality and to the practice of violence, perversion and every other imaginable sin. C. Philosophical Arguments For and Against God 1. Most classes on philosophy in universities are designed to destroy faith in God. 2. Philosophy is largely based on logical reasoning. EVIDENCES FOR AND AGAINST THE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE A. Attacks Against the Divine Inspiration of the Bible by Religious Scholars 1. Many seminaries and universities that were originally established to uphold God as Creator and the Bible as God’s Word, now destroy the faith of their students. 2. A growing number of students studying in some Christian universities are losing their faith in Biblical inspiration because their teachers introduced “alleged discrepancies” without giving possible solutions. B. Positive Evidences in Favor of the Inspiration of the Bible The Bible, like Creation, has unique characteristics that can only be explained by a Super Omniscient God. EVIDENCE FOR AND AGAINST BIBLE HISTORY A. Many Are Not Aware of the Scholarly Rejection of Old Testament History 1. Genesis 4:17-22 affirms that from Adam to Noah, men developed rapidly in technological progress, building cities, raising livestock, and inventing the harp, the flute, and all kinds of tools of bronze and iron. 2. Scholars claim this was the Stone Age, when cave men did not build cities, could not play, much less make, musical instruments and were ignorant of bronze and iron. 3. Genesis 6-8 claims that a universal flood covered the globe in Noah’s time. 4. Scholars reject the Biblical stories of Noah and the flood, Abraham, and others. 5. For the past 10 years the inerrancy of Scripture has been a main issue discussed in the Southern Baptist Convention. 6. The faith of some of the brightest and most talented preachers has been weakened and sometimes destroyed by institutions of higher learning. 7. Bible critics classify those who believe in the inerrancy of the Scriptures as being legalistic, ignorant, naive, and close minded. B. Evidence for Bible History From Adam to Moses 1. Remarkable evidence has been discovered that supports Bible history from Adam to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. 2. 210 points of Biblical history from Joseph to the Exodus in documents of the 12th Dynasty of Egypt have been found. 3. The end of the 12th Dynasty is dated 300 years prior to the Biblical Exodus, which 1 Kings 6:1 dates to 1446 B.C. 4 4. Scholars claim Egyptian history is astronomically dated and cannot be revised. 5. Fallacies found in the entire system of dating Egyptian history (See Lesson 19). C. New Evidence to Confirm Biblical History from the Exodus to Solomon 1. Lessons 17 and 18 contain new discoveries that identify the true locations of Mt. Horeb (Sinai) and the Red Sea Crossing. 2. Lesson 20 shows how a three-century revision of Egyptian history results in amazing evidence for Israel’s conquest of Canaan. 3. Lesson 20 shows how the Biblical history of the period of the Judges runs parallel with Egyptian Dynasties 13 through 18. 4. This three-century revision of Egyptian history causes the Amarna Letters of the late 18th Dynasty to synchronize with Israel’s monarchy under Kings David and Saul. 5. The archaeological evidence in Canaan linked to the end of the 18th Dynasty confirms the richest period in the history of Palestine at the time of Solomon. 6. Biblical history from Solomon to the Babylonian Quest has been confirmed by the astronomically dated documents of Assyrian and Babylonian history (Lesson 21). D. Evidence for the Canonicity and Preservation of the Bible 1. Internal and external evidences. 2. The Bible itself explains the process by which God revealed, inspired, confirmed, collected and preserved His word. 3. Both Old and New Testament writers believed they were writing the permanent and eternal Word of God. a. Isaiah 40:6-8 and 1 Peter 1:23-25 state, “The Word of the Lord will endure forever.” b. Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” 4. Significant evidence, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, support the accurate preservation of the texts of the Bible. 5 COURSE OUTLINE OF APOLOGETICS II New Discoveries That Confirm Our Faith A. INTRODUCTION Lesson 1 Introduction to Biblical Apologetics B. EVIDENCES FOR GOD AND CREATION Lesson 2 Origin of the Universe: Mind or Matter? Lesson 3 Evolution: Fact or Fiction? Lesson 4 Fingerprints of the Creator Lesson 5 Evidence for A Young Universe and a Young Earth Lesson 6 Philosophical Arguments: For and Against God C. EVIDENCES CONFIRMING THAT THE BIBLE IS GOD’S INSPIRED WORD Lesson 7 The Bible’s Claim to Be God’s Inspired Word Lesson 8 Marvelous Evidence that the Bible is God’s Word Lesson 9 Solutions to O. T. Riddles Lesson 10 Solutions to N. T. Riddles D. EVIDENCES THAT CONFIRM OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY Lesson 11 Discovery of Evidence For Bible History from Adam to the Flood Lesson 12 Discovery of the Remains of Noah’s Ark Lesson 13 Discovery of Evidence for the Patriarchal Period of Bible History Lesson 14 Discovery of the Remains of Sodom & Gomorrah Lesson 15 Egyptian History Contradicts Bible History From Joseph to Solomon Lesson 16 Discovery of the True Pharaohs of Joseph, Moses and the Exodus Lesson 17 Discovery of the Red Sea Crossing Lesson 18 Discovery of The True Mount Sinai Lesson 19 The Myth of Egypt’s Astronomically Absolute Chronology Lesson 20 Discovery of Bible History from Sinai to Solomon in Egyptian History & Palestinian Archaeology Lesson 21 Confirmation of Bible History of Israel’s Divided Kingdom Lesson 22 Discovery of How Dynasties 19 to 26 Fit Bible History from Solomon to Ezra. E. EVIDENCES FOR THE CANONICITY AND PRESERVATION OF THE BIBLE Lesson 23 Canonicity and Preservation of the Old Testament Lesson 24 Canonicity and Preservation of the New Testament 6 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. What has happened to our society as a result of its rejection of God as Creator? 2. What verse of Scripture vividly describes the consequences of a society that has rejected God as Creator? 3. What should the Church do, since public schools and universities are not permitted to teach Creation as a optional possibility for the origin of the universe? 4. Name another area of education in universities that is designed to destroy faith in God. 5. What educational institutions especially attack belief in the Bible as God’s infallibly inspired word? 6. What three things are necessary to find solutions for Biblical problems? 7. What period of Old Testament history is rejected as mythical by most liberal Bible scholars, historians and archaeologists? 8. What two kind of evidences will be presented to prove the genuineness and Canonicity of both the Old Testament and New Testament? 9. What Old Testament verse is quoted in 1 Peter 1:23-25 that affirms, “The Word of the Lord will endure forever?” 10. What did Jesus say about His words in Matthew 24:35? SELF EXAM FOR LESSON ONE 1. Give the meaning of the Greek work apologia and explain its meaning as related to a course of study._____________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 2. What is the Greek word for “answer” in 1 Peter 3:15 and what did Peter command Christians to do in this verse that applies to apologetics?______________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 3. What are the five sources of evidences that are fountains of faith? 1)_________________________________________________________________________ 2)________________________________________________________________________ 3)________________________________________________________________________ 4)_________________________________________________________________________ 5)_________________________________________________________________________ 4. What area of science in schools and universities teach that all living creations evolved by blind chance rather than being created by God in four days? __________________________________________________________________________ 5. Give the five major divisions of this study. 1)_________________________________________________________________________ 2)________________________________________________________________________ 3)__________________________________________________________________________ 4)________________________________________________________________________ 5)________________________________________________________________________ LESSON TWO ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE: MIND OR MATTER? INTRODUCTION W hich is eternal: mind or matter? Scientist are convinced that the Universe could not have come into existence in any way which would indicate an Eternal Being. The scientific world cannot logically and reasonably supply evidence as to the origin of the Universe. Evidence must be presented for whatever claim is made for the world’s existence. In this lesson evidence will be presented both for the claim of super-natural creation and to disprove the scientific claim of accidental explosion existence. LESSON AIM: To investigate evidence presented and determine the origin of the Universe and all it contains. LESSON OBJECTIVES: You will: 1. Examine evidence which substantiates that matter is not eternal but was created by an Eternal God. 2. Determine by logic, reason and evidence that the organized universe did not happen by blind chance but by an intelligent designer. 3. Learn that organized matter is a result of divine design not accidental formation. WHICH IS ETERNAL: MIND OR MATTER? A. Axiom of Eternity 1. Something cannot come from nothing (self evident proposition). 2. Therefore, something always was or nothing could now exist. B. Two Options of Eternity: Intelligent Mind or Mindless Matter 1. Most scientists believe matter is eternal and accidentally formed the universe. 2. Christians believe God (super-intelligent mind) always existed and designed and created the universe and all life. C. Scientists Reject the Eternity of God Because Creation is “Miraculous” 1. Webster defines a miracle as “an event or action that apparently contradicts known scientific laws.” 2. Most scientists have concluded that creation is “anti-scientific.” D. God’s Miracles Follow Superior Scientific Laws 1. God has many laws of science that man cannot understand (Job 9:10). 2. God has even higher laws of science that govern the heavenly realms (Isaiah 55:9). 3. God’s miracles appear to contradict scientific laws, but they actually follow these higher 8 scientific laws. E. Scientists’ Theory of the Eternity of Matter Contradicts Their Own Scientific Laws 1. First Law of Thermodynamics: Energy Conservation: a. Energy can be converted into different forms, but cannot be created or destroyed. b. Since the whole universe is in a state of conservation, it could not have created itself. 2. Second Law of Thermodynamics: Energy Decay: a. Every energy system moves from order to disorder and will eventually reach the state of equilibrium when all energy will be exhausted. b. Scientists have concluded that the universe had a beginning. c. The decay process is gradually wearing away the universe so that one day it will cease to exist in its present form. 3. Since matter will have an end, it is not eternal. 4. Since something must be eternal in order for any thing to exist now, and since matter is not eternal, only one option is left: Eternal Mind (God). F. God’s Eternal Pre-existence and His Creation of the Universe Are Consistent with the Laws of Thermodynamics 1. First Law of Energy Conservation harmonizes with the Bible miracle of creation (Genesis 2:1-3). 2. Second Law of Energy Decay harmonizes with God’s curse of creation with decay (Genesis 3:1-19; Romans 8:20-23). 3. The universe is headed toward extinction taught by Jesus and Peter (Matthew 24:35; 2 Peter 3:7-12). 4. Since God is Spirit (John 4:24) and preexisted creation, He is separate from, and therefore not subject to, the two Laws of Thermodynamics. 5. An eternal mind (God) harmonizes with the scientific Laws of Thermodynamics. 6. The scientific belief in the eternity of matter contradicts these laws. THE ORGANIZED UNIVERSE: BLIND CHANCE OR INTELLIGENT DESIGN? A. Faith of Christians: That A Super-intelligent, Super-powerful God Designed and Created the Amazingly Organized Universe (Genesis 1:1) 1. God designed and created the universe, and all life, including intelligent man within six days (Genesis 1:1-2:1). 2. “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day” (Exodus 20:11). 3. It is more reasonable to believe that an intelligently designed universe indicates an Intelligent Designer rather than a mindless explosion of unorganized matter. B. Objections of Scientists to the Christian Faith in Creation 1. Webster defines science as “systematized knowledge derived from observation, study and experimentation.” 2. Claim: Creation is unscientific because it has never been observed and it cannot be repeated in the laboratory. C. Faith of Scientists: Universe Was Formed by Blind Chance from “The Big Bang” 1. All the universe was once compacted into a single, tiny molecule which accidentally 9 exploded from an unknown cause and expanded into the present universe. 2. The universe continues to expand laterally (not vertically) in two opposite directions from a common center. 3. This expanding debris accidentally organized itself into millions of separate galaxies, each composed of billions of stars. 4. This expanding debris accidentally formed the Milky Way Galaxy close to the center of the supposed explosion. 5. A minuscule bit of the debris that formed the Milky Way Galaxy accidentally formed our sun, one of its billion stars, and also the solar system, including the tiny planet earth. 6. Planet earth had just the exact correct composition and climatic conditions to produce spontaneously by blind chance living plants and animals, which in turn accidentally evolved into higher life forms. D. Objections to the Faith of Scientists in Relation to the Origin of the Universe 1. The Big Bang Theory would be a miracle greater than creation. Mindless matter would accomplish what intelligent scientists have been unable to do in the laboratory. 2. Scientists have never observed, nor demonstrated by experiment, how all the matter of the universe could be compacted into a single molecule. 3. Scientists have never observed or experimented with a molecule that exploded by itself. 4. All experiments with explosions of molecules destroy. ORGANIZED MATTER: DIVINE DESIGN OR ACCIDENTAL FORMATION? A. Matter is Composed of Invisible, Intelligently Designed Atoms 1. Non-living matter is composed of invisible components of highly intelligent design: “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible” (Hebrews 11:3). 2. Non-living matter is composed of at least 109 elements. 3. Each element is composed of atoms of a unique molecular design. 4. 20th century scientists learned how to split the atom and discovered on the inside of each atom a nucleus of unique molecular design. 5. Nuclear scientists learned how to split the nucleus and this discovery led to the nuclear bomb. 6. Scientists discovered in the nucleus of each atom of each element a unique number of combinations of neutrons, protons, and other elements. 7. Scientists found that each element has a different number of protons inside the nucleus from 1 to 109, without skipping a single number. (New Encyclopedia Britannica, 1991 Ed., I.678).1 8. Each element (gold, silver, iron, etc.) can be identified by the number of protons inside the nucleus of its atoms. 9. Random formation of elements by chance could not produce such orderly sequences (1 to 109) without gaps. An intelligent designer could do this. B. Organized Non-living Matter Could Not Have Evolved by Chance 1. Non-living matter is unable to reproduce itself. 1 “Atomic Weight,” New Encyclopedia Britannica, 1991 Ed., I.678. 10 2. Non-living matter is in a state of decay and will eventually exhaust all of its energy and reach a state of motionless equilibrium in obedience to the 2nd Law of Thermo-dynamics. 3. Scientists are unable to explain how a mass of unorganized matter organized itself by chance into 109 elements, each with a highly intelligent, complex molecular design of protons, neutrons, and particles. C. The Complex Intelligence Seen in Non-living Matter Demands an Intelligent Creator 1. A random explosion could not produce such intelligent, organized results. 2. Neither crude nor highly developed machines came into existence by chance. 3. The only logical explanation is a super-intelligent and all powerful Creator. 4. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--- His eternal power and divine nature---have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). ORGANIZED UNIVERSE: INTELLIGENT PLAN OR CHANCE EXPLOSION? A. Cosmological Argument: Every Effect must Have an Adequate Cause 1. The Big Bang Theory cannot explain how a single molecule accumulated all of the matter in the universe, nor why the molecule exploded and formed into millions of organized galaxies. 2. A super-intelligent and super-powerful God adequately explains how all the matter of the universe could be compacted and designed into one molecule, exploded by the voice of God, and expanded in organized galaxies, all according to God’s predetermined and intelligent design. B. The Intelligent Design of the Universe Indicates a Divine Designer 1. Chance explosions do not accidentally produce intelligently organized and designed objects. a. A wrecked airplane in the forest indicates an intelligent designer in spite of the defect of the crash. b. A discarded computer in a junk yard would logically indicate an intelligent designer instead of an explosion in the junk yard. 2. The orderly expansion of the universe and the logical organization of billions of rotating stars in millions of galaxies indicates an Omnipotent and Omniscient Astronomer, not a chance explosion. 3. The gorgeous Milky Way Galaxy is located near the center of the universe, placing tiny earth in a central position to view the entire expanse of the universe (Psalm 19:1-4). C. The Intelligent Design of the Solar System Indicates an Intelligent Creator 1. Our sun is one of the stars of the Milky Way Galaxy and forms the solar system in which 9 planets revolve around the sun. 2. The earth is 93 million miles from the sun, perfectly sustaining life on earth. A million miles closer to the sun would burn up all life. A million miles farther away would freeze all life on earth. 3. The earth rotates around the sun every 365.21299 days, causing a constant solar year for man to count time. 4. The moon’s rotation around the earth permits man to have light on the earth at night so that both man and animals can operate after the sun sets. 5. The speed of the moon’s rotation enables earth’s inhabitants to divide the solar year in 12 lunar months.