Is Christianity Evidence-Based? – Revisited

Many posts on this blog plus many other Christian Apologetic blogs and websites produce documentation that illustrates how Christianity is based on evidence that can be examined and weighed in comparison with other religions and other beliefs such as atheism.

Christian apologetics (Greek: ἀπολογία, “verbal defence, speech in defence”) is a field of Christian theology that aims to present historical, reasoned, and evidential bases for Christianity, defending it against objections.

Some of the major types of Christian Apologetics include historical and legal evidentialist apologetics, presuppositional apologetics, philosophical apologetics, prophetic apologetics, doctrinal apologetics, biblical apologetics, moral apologetics, and scientific apologetics. Within these types of apologetics such as philosophical apologetics for example, there are several categories, some of which are the Cosmological argument, the Teleological argument, the Ontological argument, the Moral Argument, the Transcendental Argument and the Presuppositional Arguments.

Considering that what I have shown is NOT a complete breakdown of all the types and categories that exist, one can easily see how the common person who wishes to investigate the truths of Christianity could easily become dismayed or overwhelmed.

I often think of the early settlers who were establishing farm lands within our country, how they might sit by a table at night, with illumination provided by a candle or oil lamp, reading their Bible. How simple things might have appeared to be then. But times change and in our modern society where we have the advantage of almost instant access to virtually unlimited information, there is a requirement or need to be able to articulate our faith to others, when we are asked or when the opportunity presents itself, in a manner that provides the evidence in a logical and forthright manner.

All Christians have a responsibility to study God’s Word

All Christians have a responsibility to study God’s Word and to become conversant with the basic evidence that supports our faith in the Bible and the good news of the Gospel.

2 Timothy 2:15 NIV “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

1 Peter 3:15 NIV “But in your hearts revere 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. But do this with gentleness and respect,”

All Christians have a responsibility to be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

I remember seeing a bumper sticker on a car a few years ago that stated: “Feel distant from God? Who moved?” There’s a lot of truth in that statement. You cannot maintain a relationship with our Lord without spending time in His Word. Our bodies need physical nourishment and our spirits need spiritual nourishment. Our minds need to be transformed and this only happens when we feed on God’s Word and draw close to His presence.

Romans 12:2 NIV “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

We do have a responsibility to our God, to ourselves, to our immediate and extended families, to our neighbours and to those with whom we may contact on a day to day basis, to know God’s Word and to be ready to respond.

We don’t need to be a scholar, we don’t need to have a PhD, we just need to be willing to set aside sometime, each day, or every second day, or twice a week or whatever is manageable within your particular circumstances, to draw closer to God by studying His Word. And I would also add, a prayer never hurts. Just be real to God and He will be real to you, speak from your heart, that’s really all He asks.

Hosea 4:6 NIV “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge …..”

Imagine if you will, a marriage between a man and a woman, where you only got together for an hour or so each week. After that, each went on their own ways. But week after week they would meet for that hour or so. What kind of marriage do you think that would produce? How close would those two people become? What would they really learn about each other” Yet countless Christians go to Church each week and then go on their separate ways, only returning for that hour or so of fellowship and worship. That is their only source of togetherness with our Lord. Get the connection?

Remember the long list of Christian Apologetic types and categories I gave you at the beginning of this post? You don’t need to worry about any of that. 

Teri Dugan who maintains a website at truthfaithandreason.com has a series called “Basic Training“. She is an excellent teacher. Teri has what you need covered. For your convenience you can click here to go direct to her linked series entitled “Defending Your Faith 101” (which just happens to be located on my web site) that has the series in order with a short intro on each session or you can access her series directly from Teri. 

If you’re a new Christian, follow and take her training, if you’re a Christian that has never really gotten into God’s Word, follow and take her training. If you are an older Christian that has moved away from studying God’s Word, follow and take her training. If you’re not a Christian but want to earnestly understand what Christianity is all about, follow and take her training.

The whole point of becoming conversant with the evidence for Christianity and God’s Word is to enter into a living relationship with God our Heavenly Father, made possible by and through the atonement of Jesus Christ for us on the cross.

Revelation 3:20 NIV “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

God has no grandchildren, you don’t inherit a relationship with Jesus, it needs to be between Him and you. It’s personal. That’s the way it was meant to be.

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!