APOLOGETICS training by Dr. G. Bahnsen - IV. Defending the Faith

Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen - Basic Training for Defending the Faith.
IV. Defending the Faith

http://www.youtube.com/user/gregbahnsen#p/c/7890E27BD276631E/0/mkPv6Zr1AVI

What do we do when 2 worldviews come into opposition??

(Proverbs 26:4-5)

One more point on the impossibility of neutrality:

• Addressing epistemology (theory of knowledge),
• One cannot choose a theory of knowledge without, in some measure, pre-supposing already something about the nature of reality; One first chooses a reality a worldview, where there is an epistemology any metaphysical outlook, that in some way coordinate with each other
• If you don't know something about the reality to begin with, you cannot devise a method that divides the true conclusions from the bad conclusions; you cannot even devise an epistemology; everyone begins with a view of reality.
• Thus, the impossibility of philosophical methodism.

What do we do when 2 worldviews come into opposition??

• Every system of thought has a self-testing authority for itself: every system of knowledge has a basic standard & in order to verify the standard, it either uses itself to verify the standard or appeal to something outside of the standard to verify the standard.
• An ultimate authority must authorize itself.
• Everyone has an ultimate authority.
• We ask: Which worldview makes human experience intelligible (meaningful, sense)?
• Proverbs 26:4-5 -- Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him. Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes.
• Thus, 2 things to do:
• Show there are different philosophies of life that are in collision
• Show one makes sense and the other doesn't.
• Our argument: if you don't follow the Christian worldview, you can't make sense of anything.
• 1 Corinthians 1:20 -- Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

**Your ability to drive home this argument is not dependent upon subjective persuasion of your opponent.

God doesn't call you to change people's hearts; you don't have the power to change the hearts of the spiritually dead; only God can. 

Only the Holy Spirit can empower the effective witness. But it can only empower our witness, not silence. 

And so we want to witness in the most effective way and a way that is most glorifying to God.

We cannot persuade them, but our job is to be faithful in what we say and shut their mouths (because their worldview does not make sense).

The proof of the Christian worldview is that without it you couldn't prove anything.

The unbeliever is not a system of thought, and they are not going to live up to what they say about reality, knowledge, and ethics.

• What you want to get across it that they have deceived themselves about reality, knowledge and ethics.
• That they know God in their heart of hearts, yet they deny him.
• Pray vigilantly that the Holy Spirit is working in the unbeliever.