How To Answer A Skeptic

Global funding Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, Byron Tyler. Ball, the CEO of love refining Jerry today. Adrian Rogers addresses how to answer a skeptic, you know, Christians are instructed to keep the faith, but also give it away and we must be ready to give an account for what makes us different. That's something that sometimes gets challenged by skeptics that I would say not a debate not a rebuttal right but just tell people what God is done in our life. Nobody can argue what God is done in our life, that's at the simple plan.

I think he spells out perfectly in the sermon will agent Rogers does say whether person believes in the Bible is the word of God, or whether he doesn't the word of God still has power.

Even with an unbeliever. I love that I absolutely and many times your faith will be called along the way as much. It is is called will something else. I always remember Adrian Rogers seen when addressing skeptics remember that you're not trying to win an argument. We don't need to be defensive in the sense that we are intimidated or that where ugly or even argumentative.

Nobody is argued into the kingdom of God. God called us to be witnesses, not lawyers. Lawyer argues a case witness tells what is seen and heard. And yet, on the other hand, if we are his witnesses. We need to be informed witnesses. We need to be accurate. Witnesses we need to be bold witnesses and the verbal witnesses so Christians need to be informed about their faith and what they believe and why they believe it and most of all what Jesus Christ has done for them personally and recently you know there's no saying this is a preach the gospel and when necessary use words just sleep but you know but we we need to use work. Sometimes we need to build relationships. We need to earn the right to tell people what God is done and don't forget to use your testimony.

We are witnesses of his existence of our member Dr. Vance have.

No one said a Christian with a glowing testimony is worth a library full of argumentation in a man. We may be the only Jesus that somebody sees and that's a big responsibility carries our joy is always to hear from our listeners, and here's one who says heart online different family and your ministry if felt thankful for testimony.

We receive those testimonies all the time it's it's wonderful when we hear the fruit we see the fruit of the ministry and I think that's what were always trying to point people to LWF.org because everything is there at their fingertips and they can be a part of this ministry 24 seven. What I love about that story.

Carrie is here is a mom telling her daughter and that's the best way to get the word out is to have someone tell others about love refining page 50 friends telling 50 friends about love or thought well put today's message how to answer a skeptic. Here's Adrian Rogers. If you go to the modern university and send this city or any other city. You're going to be faced with an hostility toward your faith if you go to a university philosophy class by large, your faith is going to be ridiculed well how do you respond to this skepticism. In this day and age in which we live.

Thank God the Bible tells us first Peter chapter 3 verse 10 for he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile, let him eschew evil and do good. Let them seek peace and ensuing for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open under their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them to do evil, and who is he that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good, but damned if you suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye, and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled. Here's our key verse, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Having a good conscience that, whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers, they may be a shame that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. What is better if the will of God. So be that you suffer for welldoing man for evildoing now verse 15 says you are to be ready to give an answer to everyone that ask you of the hope that sinew are you ready you know how to respond to skeptic. Do you want to give you four basic ideas propositions today.

I pray God the Holy Spirit will just emblazoned in your heart and in your mind for things I want to remember as you respond to this skeptical agent.

People want to know what makes you tick, what makes you different.

What is the reason for the hope that you had in you. In verse 15 okay number one forgo the folly of fools. Now some skeptics fools.

Not all skeptics are fools, but some skeptics are fools. Now when I say a fool I don't mean a person who is mentally deficient. When the Bible uses the word food. It doesn't mean someone who is mentally deficient. It means someone who is morally depraved. For example, the Bible says the fool has said in his heart there is no God.

Now, my dear friend when you come to a fool and he shows himself to be a fool. Don't argue with give him the mind of God. Tell him what God says and go your way. Now the Bible makes it very clear in Proverbs chapter 26 in verse four the Bible says answer.

Not all flu, according to his folly. Don't get in a debate with a fool that you may witness to them, but you just don't answer and answer him means to get into an argument with him. You witnessed anything that moved, but the Bible makes it very clear answer, not a fool according to his folly. And here's the reason, less thou also be like to him.

You'd be surprised how many people I have a challenge me to the base. I don't get in debates like that of a person wants to know the person was to be reasonable reason with person but I have a philosophy that you never argue with a fool because someone standing around not able to tell who's who that's exactly right. That's what the Scripture says answer, not a fool according to his folly, less thou also be like him.

Now the Bible speaks of these kind in chapter 3 and verse 16 having a good conscience, whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers, they may be a shame that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

God says that you are not going to be able to do much with these kind of people just forgo the folly of fool number two.

Learn the limits of logic. Logic can carry you only so far.

Another is nothing wrong with logic. You can be logical are Bible tells us that we are to reason. Isaiah 1 in verse 18 God invites us, now, let us reason together, saith the Lord. So logic is a valuable tool but learned the limits of logic. When you deal with a skeptic. For example, logic can only take you so far we've used this illustration.

Suppose you want to go to Europe you get in your automobile and you drive to New York City and you drive to the ocean.

New York harbor there is no bridge that crosses that great Atlantic you park your automobile. There and you get on an airplane and you go the rest of the way on an airplane. Now the automobile is good, but it can only take you so far and then their friend. You have to take some of the conveyance logic is like that logic is good logic is wonderful, but it will only take you so far, and when you come to a chasm that is so wide that logic can lead in faith must fly but there's nothing wrong with logic and some logical reasons that we ought to get the people and so what are some reasons for believing in the God we believe in. Well, for example, creation. I mean, creation is a good reason margin Romans chapter 1 verses 19 and 20 Bible says that which may be known of God is manifest in them.

For God hath showed it on to him. God is not trying to hide himself God has shown it to them for the invisible things of him that is that God, the invisible great unseen creator or the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly saying, being understood by the things that are made everything that is made has the stamp on it made by God.

Now, dear friend. This is logical that out of nothing, nothing comes if we have a creation, we must have a create whole now a Robert gastro of the founder and director of masses Goddard Institute of space studies. That is a man that is really high up.

He said this a sound explanation may exist for the explosive birth of our universe, but if it does.

Science cannot find what the explanation is the scientist pursuit of the past and in the moment of creation, the scientist you have to feel sorry for him. He only studies why he never knows why he never knows what if you walk into the kitchen I walk in my kitchen and the water is boiling and somebody says why is the water boiling. I say well the the electric elements in our stove or transferring heat to the bottom of the cattle which is a good conductor and it's agitating the molecules of water that are causing them to expand and dance around and eventually turning that liquid into gas or steam which is forcing its way by expansion out through the nozzle of that cattle and making a whistling sound and US Joyce was a kettle boiling. She said I making you some tea.

The scientist may explain why, but he never knows why he says this is all happening. God is the why my dear friend, God is the why and the scientist can explain how he can explain why he only knows why the argument for God just simply comes out of creation and then the argument for God comes out of design. Not only do we have a creation, but what an infinitely complex creation. We have and when you have design logic says that a design means a designer. If you, dear friend. See a painting, a beautiful painting you would believe in an artist when you see a creation that this creation has designed you see, you believe in a designer and the more complex the design, the greater the desire for example, if you see a dam built by beavers.

That's a kind of a simple dam, but if you see Hoover dam. Some of us have seen Hoover dam, you'd say that a Hoover dam was designed by some one more complex than a beaver, and the more complex the design the more complex the design of the greater the designer we see that the God is a great God because he is made it all, all my dear friend. What I'm trying to say to you is that when we present our case. Whether you being a college philosophy class or anywhere else you'll have to sit in the back room sucking your thumb will have to be intimidated. Don't be terrified by your adversaries be bold creation says there is a God design says there is a God, and the very moral law, the universe says there is a God. That's all well and good but different logic has its limits McKay something. If anybody comes up you and says prove there is a God. Don't ever try because you can't prove there is no go. There is a God. Are you can prove there is no somebody says to me prove there is a God. I just simply say I can't, and then I just turned back then I say prove there is no God.

And if these honesty is that he can and he says well you just a credulous person because you believe there's a God, that's right, I'm a believer and you're a believer to. I believe there is a God you believe there is no go see I have faith that there is you have faith that there is it's it's you see, listen, what we believe is reasonable, but it goes beyond reason. Now, dear friend, forgo the folly of fools and learn the limits of logic. Just learn the limits of lot what we believe is rooted in logic. But it goes beyond logic.

What we believe is not unreasonable, but it is super reasonable nightmares 1/3 thing is you respond to a skeptic. Remember the resource of Revelation. Remember the resource of Revelation. If you do know God climbed to know God.

God is going to have to reveal himself to the finite can never understand the infinite unless the infinite explains himself and reveals himself to the finite now you are in first Peter just turned to second Peter here chapter 1 for a moment and see what Peter has to say about Revelation. Look, if you will in in the second Peter chapter 1 in verse 19, Peter says he's talking about an experience he had with Jesus on the mountaintop, when Jesus was transfigured and then he says in first Peter chapter 1 verse 19 we have also a more sure word of prophecy, nice talking here about God's revealed truth. What we would call the Bible a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your heart. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost are three things I will say about the word of God out of that passage.

First of all, the inspiration of the word of God. Look in verses 20 and 21 knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. Know what is that word private me was used to hundred and 14 times in the Bible and it means of its own its own right now look at it is not of any private interpretation. What is the word interpretation, meaning comes from a Greek word which means to on tire unfold or lose. That is what Peter is saying is this, that no Scripture is its own unfolding. That is, it's not like any other book is not like any other book.

How did the scripture come about, well look in verse 21 for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, that is, is not of its own unfolding, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Now the word moved by the Holy Ghost is. It is a term from the sea that when the wind would blow upon the sales of the ship. That ship would be moved along and what Simon Peter saying is that the writers of the Scriptures had the sales up and the Holy Spirit of God, just born them along the long and this is what we call the inspiration of the Scriptures. Now is not enough that we have the inspiration but also we have to have illumination because even if the Scriptures are perfect and they are. We have to be able to understand them, and God knows that. So look you will in verse 19 of the same passage and is such a blessing, for we have a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines with in a dark place, until the day dawn in the day star arise in our about this Scripture that is inspired inspiration of the Scripture also illumines that it shines into our hearts. It gives light now look at the word dark here. You see it in verse 19 he shyness in a dark place, it doesn't mean dark like the kind of dark where you turn out the lights, but it has the meaning of being squalid or murky are dirty are filthy is shines into a squalid, murky, dirty, filthy area all right now look if you have the idea here it says until the day dawn. Do you see that and the day star arise in your heart is not talking about the second coming of Jesus here. He's talking about the sunrise of the soul that dark, squalid, murky, filthy places your heart and the word of God inspired shines in your heart into that dark place and reveals the Lord Jesus. You see, what happens is the Holy Spirit takes the curtain of your skepticism, and he pulls it aside and pinned it with a star of hope and floods your heart with gospel line. He did that for me and he did that for you. You have the inspiration of the word of God. My dear friend, you have the illumination of the word of God and you have the confirmation of the word of God.

Look, if you will, in verse 19 of the same chapter it says we have a more sure word of prophecy more sure than one was Simon Peter just told about wanting seen on the Mount of Transfiguration and Peter then says I got something more sure than what I saw and what I heard. It is the word of God. It is the word of God. The confirming power of the word of God friend you don't believe because you see miracles you don't believe because you had experiences you don't believe because someone is proved anything to you, God has revealed himself in this book and you need to tell a skeptic that that the Bible is the word of God. It is the inspiration of the word of God. The illumination of the word of God and the confirmation of the word of God. I'm trying to say different. Whether a person believes the Bible is the word of God aware that he done the word of God still has power. Even with an unbeliever. It's a two bladed sword.

If it doesn't cut them in salvation and the cutting and judgment. Be careful how you grab that blessed blade.

It is the word of God is a saver of life and the life. It is a saver of death on today. So what I said listen, forgo the folly of food. Learn the limits of logic. But remember resource of revelation. Remember, dear friend when you're dealing with somebody that God has given you word it is. It is powerful. It is sharper than any two magic sword even if he says he not leave the Bible. The Bible still has incredible power. Now here's the last thing I want to say fortify the force of faith fortify the force of faith. Notice again is in our original text.

Where were we talking about that in the first Peter three verse 15 the Bible says sanctify the Lord God in your heart and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask if your reason. Now what's this next phrase of the whole that is in you. I've told you before, I want to tell you again to quote Dr. Vance happen are Christian with a glowing testimony is worth a library full of arguments. The whole that is in you fortify your faith.

You see Joyce for Thanksgiving dinner made it an incredible pumpkin pie honey, have a real pumpkin.

She didn't get out of the can. I mean, she made it out of the pumpkin. I didn't know people did that anymore. Took a pumpkin and made a pie tastes good. I had and I had a second piece is one more piece I got my math I listen suppose after I've eaten at the supply. Somebody comes to me in and they say I don't believe in pumpkin much less. I don't believe in pumpkin pie and I don't believe in cooks and ovens. All of the rest of all this time I meeting pie and a friend I have enjoyed it and you tell me there is no such thing as pumpkin pie friend.

I got the witness and myself and I write the Bible says taste and see that the Lord is good taste and see less and less, and friend. Do you answer a skeptic forgo the folly of food. Learn the limits of logic rely on the resource by revelation but by the force of pay like Jesus be real to you, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts be ready always to give an answer of the whole that is in you do it with meekness and fear. Don't be a smart your faith will be as much call as it will become moldy friend. We need to hold our heads up high in this day in which we live today. If you have questions about who Jesus is what he means to you how to receive the forgiveness he's freely offering you go to our discovery, Jesus page@lwf.org/radio to find resources and materials that will answer questions you may have about placing your faith in Christ again go to LWF.org/radio and click Discover Jesus you prepared to give an answer for the hope it's within you and Jesus is real to us and is sanctified in our we can answer skeptics me the thanks for studying God's word with us today. John is next for more profound truth simply state right online worth