Introduction

• Ephesians 6:1-4
• I Timothy 3:4-5
• You can’t expect your wife to do your job for you!

Be there.

• Genesis 26:3
• Exodus 33:14-16
• Joshua 1:5 – God would be with him.
• Psalms 38
• Matthew 28:20
• Luke 13:25-29 – Hell is being away from God’s presence.
• Everything we read about what a family needs requires the father to be there.
• Philippians 3:17 – Follow good examples. How can our kids follow our example if we aren’t there?
• Surveys show that if the father is the first to become a Christian in a family, there is a 93% chance that others in the family will follow. If a child or the mother is the first, the probability is significantly lower.

Discipline them in a way that yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

• Hebrews 12:7-11
• Proverbs 13:24 – Sometimes tough discipline is necessary.
• Proverbs 19:18
• Proverbs 23:13-14; 29:15

Exhort and encourage and implore them to follow God’s path.

• I John 3:16
• Matthew 18:21-35
• I Thessalonians 2:5-12

Four fundamental questions

1. Does God exist?
2. Is the God of the Bible the real God?
3. Is the Bible from God?
4. Is the Bible accurate in all it communicates?

Three personal questions

Why do I believe?

• Why do I believe God exists?
• Why do I believe the Bible tells about the true God?
• Why do I believe the Bible is from God?
• Why do I believe the Bible is accurate?

How do I know?

• How do I know God exists?
• How do I know the Bible tells about the true God?
• How do I know the Bible is from God?
• How do I know the Bible is accurate?

How will you respond?

• Believe them
• Doubt them but for no particular reason
• Disagree vehemently by using weak arguments
• Lovingly, firmly, and fearlessly reject what is false and demonstrate for them the truth

Apologetics

• Acts 24:10; 25:8, 16; 26:1-2, 24; II Timothy 4:16
  • Paul in court
• Acts 22:1
  • Paul before the Jewish mob
• II Corinthians 9:3
  • Paul, defending his right to receive wages as a preacher and his decision not to do so from the Corinthians
• Philippians 1:7, 16
  • Paul’s defense and confirmation of the gospel
• I Peter 3:15
  • Always ready to make a defense

Paul’s apologetics in I Corinthians 9

Defense #1: Paul’s “right to eat and drink”

• Argues from consistency - I Corinthians 9:5-6
• Argues from similarity - I Corinthians 9:7
• Argues from authoritative precedent - I Corinthians 9:9-10, 13
• Argues from lesser to greater (~a fortiori) - I Corinthians 9:11
• Argues from moral fairness - I Corinthians 9:12
• Argues with appeal to ultimate authority directly on the question at hand - I Corinthians 9:14

Defense #2: Just because Paul didn’t exercise his “right to eat and drink” did not make him less of an apostle

• External motivation: To cause no hindrance - I Corinthians 9:12
• Purpose: Would not make his boast an empty one - I Corinthians 9:15
• Internal motivation: Preaching voluntarily brought a reward - I Corinthians 9:17
• Personal trustworthiness: A pattern of life to not exercise freedom, for the benefit of others - I Corinthians 9:19-22
• Higher objective: For the sake of the gospel - I Corinthians 9:23
• Charitable outlook: To share in the blessings with those he sacrificed for - I Corinthians 9:23
• Consistent with his foundation for life: Lived with purpose - I Corinthians 9:25-27

What specifically are we defending?

• Could be anything
  • The plan of salvation
  • Work, worship, and organization of churches
  • Biblical views of sexual morality
• For this class, foundational beliefs that all the rest depend on
  • Does God exist?
  • Is the God of the Bible the real God?
  • Is the Bible from God?
  • Is the Bible accurate in all it communicates?

Purpose in apologetics

• I Peter 3:15 – Be ready to make a defense.

Introduction

• Acts 15:3-4 – Paul and Barnabas knew the answer to the question of circumcision of Gentiles already because of what God had revealed.
• Acts 15:5 – They were not deciding what the Gentiles should do. They were figuring out what God had already said.

Background

• Acts 10
  • Acts 10:10-16 – Vision of unclean animals; “kill and eat”
  • Acts 10:19-20 – Holy Spirit tells Peter to go with these men.
  • Acts 10:22 – Peter learns an angel had told Cornelius to send for him and hear his message.
  • Acts 10:28 – Peter infers: “God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.”
  • Acts 10:45 – “the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out on the Gentiles”
• Acts 11
  • Acts 11:1-4

Exhibit A: Peter – Cornelius (Acts 15:7-11)

• No mention of the Law of Moses.
• Peter is pointing back to what God has already revealed.

Exhibit B: Paul and Barnabas – preaching trip (Acts 15:12)

• Acts 13:45-47

Exhibit C: James – Amos’ prophecy (Acts 15:13-19)

• Amos 9:11-12 – “… all the Gentiles who are called by my name …”

Conclusion

• Acts 15:19
• God has included Gentiles without the requirements of the Old Covenant (such as circumcision).
• What happened:
  • They gathered relevant information (commands, examples, inferences, and statements) and acknowledged God’s will.
  • This is what we should do, too!
• What did NOT happen:
  • Majority rule
  • Opinion rule
  • Expert rule
  • Tradition rule
  • Etc.
• I Corinthians 14:37-38

Introduction

• Nehemiah 8:1-8

What is the Bible?

• A collection of 66 books. It wasn’t called the Bible until some time in the Middle Ages (Bible comes from a Latin word that simply means “books”).
• Written over 1500 years by 40 different authors.
• The Bible is inspired by God
  • II Timothy 3:16
  • II Peter 1:20-21
• Different styles and genres
• Two major parts:
  • Old Testament, 39 books (Genesis – Malachi)
  • New Testament 27 books (Matthew – Revelation)

How do I find my way around?

• Acts 17:11
• Parts of a Bible reference
  • Book, chapter, verse
  • Chapters and verses were not added until the 1200s and 1500s. They were added by man, not by God.
  • Five books have only one chapter: Obadiah, Philemon, II John, III John, and Jude

Which translation is best?

• Old Testament: written in Hebrew with some Aramaic
• New Testament: written in Greek
• II John 1:12
• Different translations use different philosophies.
  • Word-for-word vs. thought-for-thought
• Romans 13:4
• Recommended translations:
  • New American Standard, 1995 (NASB95)
  • English Standard Version (ESV)
  • New King James Version (NKJV)
  • King James Version (KJV)

What type of Bible should I use?

• Arrangement of the text
  • Verse-by-verse
  • Paragraph
  • Journaling / wide-margin
  • Daily reading Bible
  • Parallel Bible
• Extra material added
  • Maps
  • Concordance
  • Reference Bible
  • Devotional Bible
  • Children’s Bible
• Features
  • Red letter
  • Large print
  • Cover
  • Paper
  • Foreword / preface
  • Italics
  • Small caps
• Try a digital Bible
  • YouVersion
  • Olive Tree
  • E-Sword

Homework

• Try out two free Bible apps.
• Study Philippians 4:13. What does it mean?

How to know if you are in a healthy relationship

• Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/all-about-healthy-relationship-4774802

Top 10 aspects of a healthy relationship

• Source: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/relations/top-10-characteristics-of-healthy-relationships/

1. Respect
2. Intimacy
3. Trust
4. Effective communication
5. Friendship
6. Connection
7. Commitment
8. Healthy conflict
9. Flexibility
10. Enjoyment

12 elements of healthy relationships

• Source: https://wellbeing.jhu.edu/blog/2020/09/15/12-elements-of-healthy-relationships/

1. Communication
2. Boundaries
3. Consent
4. Trust
5. Honesty
6. Independence
7. Equality
8. Support
9. Responsibility
10. Healthy conflict
11. Safety
12. Fun

The relationship spectrum

• Source: https://www.loveisrespect.org/everyone-deserves-a-healthy-relationship/relationship-spectrum/
• Healthy
• Unhealthy
• Abusive

Healthy relationships wheel

• Source: https://dphhs.mt.gov/ecfsd/adolescenthealth/HealthyRelationships

How healthy is my relationship?

• Source: https://www.hannanhigh.org/uploaded/PDF_Documents/Guidance_Counseling/How_Healthy_Is_My_Relationship_Quiz.pdf

Dating

• If the person you are dating is trying to force a change on your beliefs, that is by definition (even man’s definitions!) an unhealthy relationship.