The Heavens Declare - 1peter315notes.comThe Heavens Declare . . . “God has provided enough evidence in this life to convince anyone willing to believe, yet has has also left enough

The Heavens Declare . . .

What is apologetics:

Greek word apologia = defense. Per Wilbur Smith: A verbal defense, a speech in defense of what one has done or of truth which one believes.

Acts 22:1: “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.”

1 Corinthians 9:3: This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.

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Philippians 1:15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.


From Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell

Christianity is either everything for mankind, or nothing. It is either the highest certainty or the greatest delusion. . . But if Christianity be everything for mankind, it is important for every man/women to be able to give a good reason for the hope that is in him in regard to the eternal verities (fundamental truth) of the Christian faith. To accept these verities in an unthinking way, or to receive them simply on authority, is not enough for the intelligent and stable faith.

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The basis apologetic thesis: there is an infinite, all wise, all powerful, all loving God who has revealed himself my means natural and supernatural in creation, in the nature of man/women, in the history of Israel, and the Church, in the pages of holy scripture, in the incarnation of God in Christ, and in the heart of the believe of the gospel.


Truth is knowable and there are absolutes.

Per Norman Geisler and Frank Turek. “Our postmodern culture has done a number on the idea of truth. It teaches that truth and morality are relative, that there is no such thing as absolute truth. To the intellectual elite dominating our universities and the mainstream media, A falling rock: Newton’s laws of

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universities and the mainstream media, these ideas are considered enlightened and progressive, even though we all intuitively understand that that absolute truth exists, and more importantly, we all conduct our lives with that recognition. If you encounter one of these “geniuses” who is so certain that truth is a social construct . . ask him if he would be willing to test his theory by leaping from the tallest building around.”

A falling rock: Newton’s laws of motion apply and cannot be argued

– they are absolute truths.


Question: Does morality and absolute truth matter?

Yes, particularly when we attempt to legislate morality:

1. 1857 Dred Scott Decision; Blacks were not citizens but the property of their slave owners

2. Nazis believe in the Aryan race and the Ultimate Solution3. Suras 8 and Suras 9 of the Qur’an: 20 citations supporting violence against infidels.

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Hebrews 4:12 and 13

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

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Per F. R Beattie as a quoted in Evidence that demands a verdict by Josh McDowell: “the Holy Spirit does not work a blind and ungrounded faith in the heart.”


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“God has provided enough evidence in this life to convince anyone willing to believe, yet has has also left enough doubt so as to not compel the unwilling.”

“For love by definition must be freely given.”

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C.S. Lewis: “But you now see that the Irresistible and Indisputable are the two weapons which the very nature of His (God’s) scheme forbids to use. Merely to over-ride a human will would be or Him useless. He cannot ravish, He can only woo.”


For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

1 Peter Chapter 3: 13 - 15

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Typical galaxies range from 10 million stars up to 1 trillion stars, all orbiting the galaxy's center of mass

The Sun is one of the stars in the Milky Way galaxy; the

Galaxy Define

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the Milky Way galaxy; the Solar System includes the Earth and all the other objects that orbit the Sun.

There are probably more than 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe. You are here


In 1916 Albert Einstein frustrated since his theory of relativity demonstrates mathematically, the universe is not eternal but had a beginning

In 1929, Einstein viewed a 100

Galaxy Define

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In 1929, Einstein viewed a 100 inch telescope on Mount Wilson, CA – saw the the universe was indeed expanding.

Supporting the Big Bang theory

You are here


There are about 100 billion stars in our galaxy.

Averaged distance between starts = 30 trillion miles – far enough so that planetary orbits do not interfere with each other.

How many stars in the universe? Answer:

Universe Defined

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How many stars in the universe? Answer: the number of grains of sand in all the beaches on earth.

Thus, 30 trillion miles between each grain of beach sand You are here


• Manufacturer Sienar Fleet Systems • Model Twin Ion Engine Line star fighter • Maximum speed : 1,967 miles per hour• Hyper drive rating None

Star Wars revisited TIE series Imperial Fighter

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• Maximum speed : 1,967 miles per hour• 2.5 X speed of sound• 17,230,930 miles traveled in one year• Total distance between starts = 30 trillion miles• 1,764,705 years to travel between grains• In 2000 years, traveled 0.00005% of the way.

Distance between grains of sand

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You are here

The heavens are awesome


Psalm 19-1

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

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CS Lewis – Screw Tape Letters:

Screwtape (Sr. Demon) to Wormwood (his associate):

“Keep pressing home on the him the ordinariness of things. Above all, do not let him attempt to to use science as a defense of Christianity. They will positively encourage him to think about realities that he can can not touch and see. There have been very “sad cases” among physicists. The “sad cases” are

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been very “sad cases” among physicists. The “sad cases” are of course physicists who have been honest with the evidence they they have seen and have become Christians.”


Existence Defined:

“For you to be hear now, trillions of drifting atoms had to somehow assemble in an intricate . . . manner to create you. It’s an arrangement so specialized and particular that it has never been tried before and will only exist this once. For the next many years (we hope), these tiny particles will uncomplainingly engage in all the billions of deft cooperative efforts necessary to keep you intact and let you experience the supremely agreeable but generally under appreciated

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and let you experience the supremely agreeable but generally under appreciated state known as existence.”

Bill Bryson – A Short History of Nearly Everything


Carbon atoms (natures 1st true party animal)↓

Amino acids ↓

Proteins

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Proteins↓

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) ↓

The incredible you


The incredible you:

1. You were issued 100 billion brain cells at birth and you lose about 500 cell per hour.

2. The human brain “connects wires” by way of neurons

3. Each brain consists of about 100 trillion

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3. Each brain consists of about 100 trillion bits of information.

4. Written in English, this would fill about 20 million books.

5. The equivalent of 20 million books are inside of our brain.

6. Until about 25 years old, your brain is still connecting wires.


Be exceptional

“Your distinctive character makes you unique and makes you powerful” (Pastor Steven Furtick)

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If we dare to probe outward to heavens or inward to the basic building blocks of life, we find vastness, order and complexity.

This intelligent design is far greater than our ability to understand.

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It is quite the mental stretch to think that all of this originated out of nothing.


If atheism is the belief in nothing . . . What is nothing?

According to Aristotle, nothing is what rocks dream about.

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dream about.

Per John Stott: “We cannot pander to a man’s intellectual arrogance, but we must cater to his intellectual integrity.”

Magma from the center of the earth


intellectual arrogance = I want to be own God

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Myth vs. legend vs. reality:

Greek mythology was not applied to real, flesh and blood individuals but rather to mythological characters.

From Evidence that demands a verdict by Josh McDowell:

A myth may be defined as a pre-scientific and imaginative attempt to explain some

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phenomenon, real or supposed, which excites the curiosity of the mythmaker, or perhaps more accurately as an effort to reach a feeling of satisfaction in place of bewilderment concerning such phenomena. If often appeals to emotions rather than reason, and indeed in its most typical forms seems to date from an age when rational explanations were not called for.



Criteria for reality:

1. Involves real characters in flesh and blood2. Events are attached to a person the writers knew in time-space dimension3. Eye witness accounts. 4. What possible motive did the New Testament writers have to make up the

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storey that was not true? They had every earthly motive to deny 5. You do not have enough faith to be an Atheist by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek: “The last time we checked, the promise of submission, servitude, persecution, torture, and death would not motivate anyone to make up a story.”

6. Recall that all of the New Testament writers were Jews (except for Luke) – The conclusion is that these New Testament writers had to have witnessed some very strong evidence to turn away from those ancient beliefs and practices that had defined who they were for nearly the last 2000 years.



• New Testament document consist of 27 documents in 27 different scrolls

• Nine different writers• Written over a 20 to 50 year period

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• As last count, there were about 5,700 hand written Greek manuscripts of the New Testament (despite the efforts of the Roman Emperor Diocletian from 303 to 311 AD).

• The most reliable body of literature of antiquity

98.33% Accurate according to Textual Biblical scholars


What is Apocrypha?


1. Not part of the canon – rejected as part of the canon (the standard bible) 2. Dubious authenticity, inaccurate, lack Scripture’s divine character 3. Individual books of the Apocrypha:

• I Esdras (150 BC)• 11 Esdras (A.D 100) – Martin Luther said to have thrown into the Elbe River• Tobit (2nd Century B.C)

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• Tobit (2nd Century B.C)• Judith (middle of 2nd Century B.C) – Defeat of the Assyrian Army – Yeeks!• Additions to Esther (about 100 BC)• Eccelesiasticus (about 180 B.C). Still widely used in Anglican circles. Quoted several times by John Wesley

• Baruch (about A.D. 100)• 13th chapter of the book of Daniel – The trial of Susanna• 14th chapter of the book of Daniel• The Song of the Three Hebrew Children• Prayer of Manasseh (2nd century B.C)• I Maccabees and II Maccabees (1st century B.C.)


What is Apocrypha?


1. Not canonical – rejected as part of the canon (the standard bible) 2. Dubious authenticity, inaccurate, lack Scripture’s divine character 3. New Testament Apocrypha:

• Epistle of Pseudo-Barnabas (A.D. 70-79)• Epistle of Corinthians (A.D. 96)• Ancient Homily (2nd Epistle of Clement) (A.D. 120-140)

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• Ancient Homily (2nd Epistle of Clement) (A.D. 120-140)• Shepherd of Hermas (A.D. 115-140)• Didache, Teaching of the Twelve (A.D. 100-120)• Apocalypse of Peter (A.D. 150)• The Acts of Pual and Thecla (A.D. 170)• Plus many many more


Question: Why do we demand truth in everything but morality and religion?

You do not have enough faith to be an Atheist by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek.

1. Although we do not want to admit it, our rejection is often on the volitional (a process of choice) rather than intellectual grounds.

2. We just do not want to be accountable to doctrine. 3. We blindly accept the claim that truth is relative

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4. Perhaps St. Augustine (354 to 430 AD) was right when said that we love truth when it enlightens us, but we hate it when it convicts us.

5. Perhaps we can not handle the truth


Top Ten reasons that support that the New Testament writers relentlessly stuck to the truth:

1. Numerous embarrassing details about themselves – The Principle of Embarrassment – the tendency of authors to leave out the stuff that makes them look bad.

2. Numerous embarrassing details and difficult saying of Jesus3. Included demanding sayings of Jesus4. Carefully distinguish Jesus words from their own

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5. Include events about the Resurrection that they would not have invented.6. Included at least 30 historically confirmed public figures 7. Include divergent details – a common fact among eye witnesses. 8. Challenge their readers to check verifiable facts, even facts about miracles9. Describe miracles like other historical events with simple unembellished accounts.

10.Abandoned their long held scared beliefs and practices, adopted new ones, and did not deny their testimony under persecution or threat of death.


Despite all of the evidence, why to people still reject God?

From Evidence that demands a verdict by Josh McDowell :

1. “I have met people with intellectual excuses, but few with intellectual problems.” 2. “I have found that more people reject Christ for one or more of the following reasons: • Ignorance: See Romans 1:18-23 21 – “For although they knew God, they

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neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools”. Also see Mathew 22:29.

• Pride: See John 3:40-44: 44 “How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God”

• Morality: John 3:19,20: “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”


Despite all of the evidence, why to people still reject God?

Wisdom from Pascal and Aldous Huxley (Brave New World) :

1. Pascal: The evidence of God’s existence and His gift is more than compelling, but those who insist the they have no need for Him, will always find ways to discount the offer.”

2. Aldous Huxley: “I had motives for not wanting the world to have meaning;

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consequently assumed that it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption. The philosopher who finds no meaning in the world is not concerned that there is a problem in pure metaphysics, he is also concerned to prove that there is no valid reason why he personally should not do as he wants to do, or why his friends should not seize political power and govern in the way that they find most advantageous to themselves . . . For myself, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of liberation - sexual and political.”


intellectual arrogance = I want to be own God

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You do not have enough faith to be an Atheist by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek.

“In other words, God has provided enough evidence in this life to convince anyone willing to believe, yet has also left some ambiguity so as not compel the unwilling. In this way, God give us the opportunity either to love him or reject him without violating our freedom. In fact the purpose of this life is to make the choice freely and without coercion. For love by definition, must be freely given. It can not be coerced.”

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not be coerced.”

See C.S. Lewis in the Screw Tape Letters;

“the Irresistible and the indisputable are the two weapons which the very nature of God’s scheme forbids him to use. Merely to override a human will (as His felt presence in any but the faintest and most mitigated degree would certainly do) would be for Him useless. He (God) can not ravish. He can only woo.

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The Heavens Declare - 1peter315notes.comThe Heavens Declare . . . “God has provided enough evidence in this life to convince anyone willing to believe, yet has has also left enough