INTRODUCTION TO APOLOGETICS: Explains what is Apologetics and why is it necessary
INTRODUCTION TO APOLOGETICS
What is Apologetics? : The word Apologetics comes from the Gk word " Apologia" meaning defense, or "give an answer" . It is a formal defense of a position or action.
Christian apologetics is the, assertion and defense of the Christian faith to outsiders .
Scriptures that ask to do apologetics:
Scriptures showing examples: Phil. 1:7, 1:17, Acts 6:9, 15:5-12, 17:17-24 1Cor 15:12-58 Matt. 22:41-46, John 14:8-12,
2Chr 13:4-12. Job 38,39,40
Apologetics motif can be found in all the books of the Bible.
Nature of Apologetics:
Apologetics is like war as described in 2Cor.10:3-5 . IT requires readiness, It is done in earnest with humility " fear and trembling " 1pe.3:15 .
It is not an instrument for strife nor for boastings of the pride of higher learning, nor belittling another person.
It is intellectual, meaning intellect plus wisdom.
Apologetics as war:
The war is a battle of ideas . Ideas have consequences . The serpents idea Gen 3:4,which was devised to undermine God's idea Gen 2:16-17 corrupted the human race when it was believed and followed by Adam and Eve. Gen 3:1-19.
In 2Cor 10:3-5 we are told war against false ideas and in Jude 3, to contend for our faith .
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NLT
[3] We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. [4] We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. [5] We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. …
TYPES OF APOLOGETICS:
Types of apologetics come in categories.
Two general domains are :
(1) Positive (Offensive) Apologetics . This is the assertion and explanation of the Christian faith. The Christian worldview is presented as a claim or hypothesis to the unbeliever and a rational basis of that worldview is presented. (Example see how Paul defends the resurrection in 1Cor 15:1-20 and the Lord defends who He is or His deity by giving rational basis for such assertions.( Jn 14:11)
The Christian also gives answers to the inquiring mind concerning the faith. 1Pe 3:15
(2) Negative ( defensive) Apologetics. ).
(a) Here the Christian responds in defense to the attacks or negative claims against the Christian worldview.
(b) Negative apologetics also means tearing down of false reasonings that contradict the Christian faith. This, sometimes could be polemic in language. Ps 14, Lk 11:45-54
Under the above categories are other two :
1. Classical Apologetics ( Evidential ) vs. 2. Presuppositional Apologetics:
Of these two seemingly opposed methods, many Apologists have made a sport of intellectual competition to no avail. They ignore the fact that a person is not exclusively bound to one method but has the liberty to use which method suits which settings. Both sides can use evidence at some point. The key wisdom is adaptability- knowing how to approach the issue.
(...that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary...”Is 50:4)
“...I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some...” 1Cor 9: 19-22
(1). Classical Apologetics:
In the method of Classical Apologetics the apologist makes it as a first step to prove the existence of God. He does so by starting with a common ground with the opponent such as a universal truth -axioms, or a priori, nature, Logic, Mathematics etc. In this sense classical apologetics is by definition axiopistic-(self evident truth). For instance: one may reason ; does my opponent agree with me that we both exist because we are both thinking? If yes then where does thinking or reasoning come from.? Where do numbers come from? Etc .
He proceeds to prove the existence of God with more rational or empirical evidence and to persuade the opponent of the viability of the Christian Faith.
Classical Apologetics is particularly very interesting and beneficial in intellectual training because of its good use of philosophy. It uses systems such as the Ontological argument, Teleological argument, Cosmological argument and many more.
(1a) Evidential Apologetics:
Evidential apologetics is almost like classical apologetics. It uses evidence to defend the Christian truth but unlike classical apologetics, it does not make it as a rule to first proof the existence of God before proceeding.
(3) Presuppositional Apologetics.
The apologist here posits some presuppositions as a condition for all knowledge and meaningfulness . ( a presupposition is an idea or a premise upon which an argument based but that premise is not necessarily proven as truth or viable.) It is assumed that it is true by the speaker.
A debate can be dragged on for years or end in false conclusions if there are undetected false presuppositions. Professional debaters and all rational people could save themselves the headache of long arguments by examining their own presuppositions and that of their opponents before their conclusions. Many presuppositions could be false assumptions)
This however does not diminish the importance of presuppositions.
We all need to use it at some times. We all use it many times even when we are not aware of it ; whether we be scientists or religionists.
The presuppositional apologist demands that his opponent accepts:
(a) That the triune God has revealed Himself in scripture.
(b) That the Christian faith is the only true religion and all the others have internal contradictions.
A concern here is that a religion can prove coherence within its own worldview but not pass moral and epistemic adjudications and correspondence to reality.
Dr Ravi Zacharias and others offer a criteria for testing all religions for truth.
All religions must be examined in their; ORIGIN, MEANING, MORALITY AND DESTINY
and all four areas must be tested for COHERENCE, CORRESPONDENCE TO TRUTH- (epistemic and logical satisfaction), AND EXPERIENTIAL RELEVANCE- ( its livability or practicality in real life)
Presuppositionalists claim that the Christian faith is self authenticating ( autopistic).
Example 1 God could swear to non greater but by Himself. Heb 6:13-16, Is 45:23, Jer 22:5.
Example 2 The Bible has its internal and historical self authentication; Eg. In prophetic fulfillments, over 300 prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus .
Example3. The historical development and coherence of the Bible of its 66 books, by 40 authors of diverse origin, time and vocations, written in a period of about 1600 years prove a supernatural single intelligent source.
(C) The Christian worldview is the only rational explanation for existence and meaningfulness of life. Due to the noetic effect of sin as theoretically defined by Augustine in the Original Sin and its resulting depravity of man, one cannot properly understand scripture for all its worth without divine assistance . One therefore must first believe (be regenerated ) in order to understand.
SUB CATEGORIES OF PRESUPPOSITIONAL APOLOGETICS:
Within this system can be found 3 slightly diverse approaches.
A. Transcendental or Revelational Presuppositionalism:
This group posits that one must begin with the belief that the Triune God has revealed Himself in scripture
B. Rational Presuppositionalism :
This theory goes further than the Revelational Presuppositionalism. It gives a rational defense of those claims: It proves the rationality of a triune God and the fact that He has revealed Himself to us . It exposes contradictions in the other world views true a test criteria as explained previously above.
C. Systematic Consistency Presuppositionalism:
In this system, the apologist puts an entire system through a test for truth, Coherence rationality and liveability.
OTHER BRANCHES OF APOLOGETICS
(4) PHILOSOPHICAL APOLOGETICS:
Philosophical Apologetics is by relevance the adjudication of the conflict between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. Col 2:8, 1Cor 1: 19-24 Deut 4:5-6. It seeks by reason to persuade the opponent of the superiority of the Christian Worldview above all others.
To understand what is philosophical Apologetics is, it will be easier to first understand the meaning of the word philosophy both in its (a) etymological form and its (b) function as a discipline.
1. Definition by Etymology- (a) Philo (Gk) - Love , sophia (Gk) -wisdom.
The implication of this is about wisdom of ideas, a belief system or one’s wisdom, knowledge and understanding of life and living by it. Deut 4:5-6
2. Definition as a discipline:
Critical analysis of fundamental concepts of human inquiry and the normative discussion of how human thought and action ought to function as well as description of the nature of reality. -(from Introduction to philosophy -A Christian perspective -pg 17. Norman Geisler and Paul Feinberg)
[this involves Logic, Metaphysics (Ontology) and Epistemology which are the tools needed for wisdom to live.]
In this somewhat full definition the philosopher muses about the whatness of something or reality, and questions like, why are we here ?, where are we going and how are we supposed to live? These questions are answered sufficiently by the Christian Faith or worldview but it stands at war with counter world views (Remember the Garden Gen 3:1-5 where Eve was suddenly confronted and pressured to chose between two ideas or worldviews between God and Satan
Moses presented God’s philosophy or you may call it instructions, idea, or worldview to Israel as was commanded by God that they should live that way, and not like the pagan nations .
Let’s read it:
(Deuteronomy 4:5-6 (KJV) 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation [is] a wise and understanding people.)
Philosophical Apologetics is of extreme importance because it boils down to the way of life that one choses.
It is said that everybody is an exponent of dead philosopher.
In some Hellenistic cultures, it was the conventional wisdom or tradition for a youth or young adult to abandon whatever he is doing to follow a philosopher, a sage or a wise teacher for some time to learn wisdom.
When Peter, James and John left fishing to follow Jesus, that was their goal. Soon after His death they went back about their former business. But thanks to the radical awakening effect of the Resurrection. Jesus was their Rabbi, He is God’s wisdom (Philosophy ) 1Cor1:24, Col 2:3. Philosophy is a way of life. We follow Jesus to learn and live by His philosophy. Col 2:8b
In Acts 17:18 the Epicureans were the followers of Epicurus and the Stoicks, the followers of Zeno.
The church Fathers taught Christianity as a philosophy and other words as a way of life. The mention of philosophy does not necessarily preclude spiritual components. Remember that the Bible is not against philosophy. It is against philosophy which contradicts God’s truth and on the other hand commends philosophy which is after Christ. Col 2:8
Today your pastor might have preached to you that Christianity is not a religion but a way of life.
Christianity is undeniably a religion nevertheless it is a way of life also. A way of life does not negate the fact that it is a religion, neither does it negate the idea that it is a relationship. The point I am trying to make is that Christianity is a philosophy.
The task of Philosophical Apologetics is to defend the Christian philosophy against other philosophies of the world and prove that it is better.
The implication of the word philosophy encompasses the three Key words repeatedly stressed of their importance by the Bible - KNOWLEDGE WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING.
Moses bore witness of the superiority of God’s wisdom (philosophy ) for Israel over that of the other nations by referring to it as God’s STATUTES and JUDGEMENTS as their wisdom and understanding.
Deuteronomy 4:5-8 (KJV) 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? 8 And what nation [is there so] great, that hath statutes and judgments [so] righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
The church Fathers saw Christianity as a better philosophy than the secular ones. Fathers such as Justin Martyr, Pantaenus, Agustine not only left their secular philosophy for Christianity but turn around to be Apologists contra those philosophies such as Gnosticism, Stoicism, Manichaeism , Neo-Platonism.
As mentioned earlier Philosophical Apologetics is by relevance the adjudication of the conflict between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. Col 2:8, 1Cor 1: 19-24 Deut 4:5-6. It seeks by reason to persuade the opponent of the superiority of the Christian Worldview above all others.
The apologist will try to proof the existence of God with philosophical arguments such as the Ontological, Cosmological, Teleological etc just like classical apologetics. However he goes further to deal with or challenge some fundamental concepts.
The abortion debate is essentially a philosophical debate: it involves the personhood argument, and by extension the right to choose, the right to life, the moral justification of mother’s privacy privileges, versus the justification of the natural autonomy of the unborn agent.
Jesus challenged the fundamental concepts of His time on earth because those concepts though fundamental to their beliefs were still wrong, so He questioned and or corrected them. Eg What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul (Mk 8:36 ). Not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person but what comes out of him, (Matt 15:1).
Love your enemies and do good to those who spitefully use you. ( Matt 5:44) If ..David calls him Lord how is he his son? (22:42-45).
Augustine challenged the conventional belief and teachings of the Greek and Roman philosophy with his Christian dogma that man is morally corrupted and essentially depraved and that the state cannot make him good by coercive methods as believed by the generation of that era.
These in short are biblical world views that must be philosophically defended in contrast with the secular world views.
Philosophical apologetics is also metaphysical. Critical definitions, analysis of nature and origin of terms and concepts are necessary. Such as the concept of the Trinity, Original Sin, the essence of the Eucharist, the ontology of Christ - the hypostatic union, Logos, etc.
It also answers speculative questions such as who are we? why are we here?, where are we going?, what is death and what is beyond it? why is there evil if God is omnipotent, good and loving? etc.
The church fathers saw the need of philosophy in their apologetics to carve out by definition and distinguish Christianity from almost similar philosophies such as Neo Platonism, Manichaeism, Hermetism, Gnoticism, Stoicism, Epicureanism at their time.
In our current era one of the top philosophical conflicts is the war against Christian anthropology. The Christian worldview about the nature of man. Is the baby in the womb a person? Can same sex naturally marry? Can men have babies as claimed by college professor Lamont? Do we have only two genders? Does man have spirit soul and body and continuity after death? Does the original sin have a universal noetic effect on humanity.
Man’s philosophy today is not after Christ but after the traditions and rudiments of this world (Col 2:8). It poses the greatest apologetic challenges of our time. What the world is demanding will require the abandonment of the core beliefs of Christianity.
Postmodernism denies objective truth. Political philosophies such as Socialism, Progressives, ( American liberalism) are opposed to Christianity.
Here is a disturbing but true commentary from J P Moreland’s book ‘WE CANNOT BE SILENT’
Theo Hobson’s observation that the moral revolution we now face presents the Christian church with what he sees as a nearly insurmountable challenge because the current situation in the culture appears to call for the virtual abandonment of everything Christians have known from the Bible and everything the Christian church has taught for two thousand years. Understanding the challenge before us is a necessary first step, but the Christian church is called not only to understand the challenge but to respond to it in faithfulness.
As Flannery O’Connor rightly warned, our responsibility is to “push as hard as the age that pushes against you.”
5. CULTURAL APOLOGETICS:
This system analysis the end or goal of secular cultural fads, and systems. It challenges their presuppositions, moral points of references, absolutes and justification of virtues to proof that all of the above are either impossible or meaningless without God.
Example: What is the goal of music? Whether it is to communicate message, or a mood, how does that come about?
5. POLITICAL APOLOGETICS:
This section will show how the Bible and Christianity relate to Politics and whether Christians should get involved in politics.
I often hear some say Christians shouldn’t get involved in politics.
I sigh at the inexplicable dissonance of many well meaning Christians that desire for prayer and bible to return to schools yet avow themselves never to be involved in politics, as if that was a virtue of holiness. These Christians might nevertheless vote but often vote for political candidates that hold policies that are diametrically opposed to their beliefs. They want prayer or Bible in school, they want the reverence of the nuclear family, respect for life, and the fear of God in their children but will vote against the candidates that hold these same values and turn around and blame them government for miseducating our children.
What happened to
JESUS AND POLITICS:
JESUS HAS THREE OFFICES: PROPHET (Deut 18:15-18, Acts 7:37, Matt 21:11, Lk 4:24 PREIST 7:23-25 Heb 9:11 KING Jn 18:37 Rev 17:14
His Prophetic ministry is the ministration of the word. Foretelling and Forthtelling.
When we as His ambassadors, preach or teach the scriptures or foretell by revelation, it is Christ working His prophetic ministry through us.
His Priesthood ministry is His ultimate sacrifice as the lamb of God for the atonement or propitiation for our sins also called the ministry of reconciliation.
When we as Christians lead a sinner to Christ, or accept their offerings to God, or intercede for them , it is Christ working His priesthood ministry through us.
His Kingship ministry is a political office as the ultimate political King of the world. Though we proclaim Him as our soon coming King, He has been nevertheless active in influencing the political governments of all the nations on earth since creation. In spite of evil political rulers and all the bad things going on in politics of the world, Christ is in control. He removes kings and set up kings. He rebukes nations and determines outcome of wars .
The political History of the world is controlled by His ultimate agenda. He has a set time by divine counsel when He will end sin (Ps 110:1-2, Ps 24, Lk 21:24, Dan 9:24)
He will then take over total rulership as King of Kings. Dan 2:44-45, Rev 11:15 .
One may ask; does God condone bad political leaders and bad laws? God is grieved of bad leaders and their laws but allows them to operate in the same way as He allows false prophets, false teachers and false pastors to function . He will Judge all at the appointed time.
Meanwhile He intervenes here and there according to His own counsel.Examples: Exo 3:1-10, Josh 5:13-15, 1Ki 19:15,
Just as we are expected to participate in Christ’s prophetic and priesthood ministry, we are expected to participate in His Political ministry. The Lord expects us to influence governments to make righteous laws. Righteousness exalts a nation. We are expected to chose the right leaders and judges that stand for righteous laws. It is the laws or policies made by the kings and in modern languages political leaders that made Israel and Judah sin.
1 Kings 16:25-26 (KJV) 25 But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him. 26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
Isaiah 9:16 (KJV)
For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them [are] destroyed.
2 Chronicles 33:9 (KJV) So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, [and] to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
Judgement will be passed against Christians who do nothing to influence their nation when it was within their reach to do something. Christians can be active in politics effectively by voting wisely according to the principles of scripture and not for race, color, charisma, party, tradition, favor etc.
In Ezekiel 9 the whole chapter is a scenario where God Judges the people who were passive about the evils going on in the city. On the other hand those who were actively involved and were grieved by the evils going on in the city were spared.
Christians are ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and are obligated to push or promote the laws that are compatible to the Kingdom upon the host nation. Rev 11:15. It is the same way the heathens or pagans are pushing for theirs.
If if Christians don’t get involved in politics as some have suggested and taught, it will be tantamount to surrendering the nation to Satan. If we the children of light let the blind choose our leaders, laws and paths then what is the purpose of our light? ....to hide it under a table?
QUOTES
“IN THE END WE WILL REMEMBER NOT THE WORDS OF OUR ENEMIES BUT THE SILENCE OF OUR FRIENDS ....MLK Jr.
“AND THEY OVERCAME HIM BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND BY THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY AND THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO DEATH”. Rev 12:11
JESUS WAS BORN FOR A POLITICAL OFFICE:
The prophetic foretold it:
Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
“...FOR THIS CAUSE I WAS BORN”
John 18:37 (NKJV) Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
ALL WOLRD LEADERS ARE SUBSERVIENT TO HIM
Revelation 1:5 (KJV) And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
THE ULTIMATE POLITICAL RULER
Revelation 17:14 (KJV) These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Revelation 11:15 (KJV) And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Daniel 2:44-45 (KJV) 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
SATAN ANTICIPATED THIS END:
Luke 4:5-8 (KJV) 5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
1 Corinthians 15:28 (KJV)
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Readers of the Bible must be reminded that the terms : King, Kingdom, Province, Prince, Judges, Rulers, Governors, leaders, Counsellors, are all political terms used in the Bible .
When Nebuchadnezzar called to celebrate his statue he summoned all that rule for him in politics.
Daniel 3:2 (KJV) Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
JESUS PERSECUTED BY A POLITICAL RIVAL- HEROD
Matthew 2:13 (KJV) And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
CONDEMNED TO DEATH BY JEWISH POLITICAL POWER AND SENTENCED AND EXECUTED BY POLITICAL POWER
The Sanhedrin sanctions Jesus death. Matt 26:15. The Sanhedrin was a the highest religio political council akin to the Supreme Court of today.
Jesus brought before political Roman Procurator Pilate and crucified by Roman government under the pressures of the Jews Jn 18, Jn 19.
WE DIDIN’T START THE WAR:
Politics did not begin on earth. It began in Heaven. (Is 14:12-15). (Ez 28:14-19) (Rev 12:3-12)
The world cannot exist without government. The art and science of government which means all the dynamic , positive or negative that pertain to ruling is what is called politics.
God then is the ultimate politician. Subversive thoughts of Treason against God’s rule was found in Lucifer. This was not only religious ambition as in the sense of worship but also political in the sense of a coup to take over government. He was eventually cast out. Satan continued his ambition on earth. He succeeded in taking over the rule over the earth from man. He then lobbied against God the Father in an attempt to win Christ to his side (Lk4:5-7).
THE GREATEST WAR FOUGHT IN HEAVEN AND WILL BE FOUGHT ON EARTH ARE POLITICAL WARS.
It is all about who governs what; that caused Satan to be cast out of Heaven. Isaiah 14:12-19. The war that was fought in Heaven was then a political war. I believe it is the greatest war ever fought so far and the future one will be on earth. It involves both the physical and the spiritual.
Politics has more spiritual dimensions to it than physical. There is a hierarchy of spiritual rulers, thrones, dominions, powers, and principalities exercising rule over nations and provinces. These are actively involved in the politics of every nation. Examples are, Prince of Persia, Prince of Greece, King of Tyrus, Prince of the power of the air.
The invisible entities are not so much about the individual person. They are about who governs particular regions.
Michael is the chief Prince that watches over Israel on God’s side but the Prince of Persia and the Prince of Greece are watching and influencing over their respective nations for Satan.
Dan 10:13-20
The Prince of Persia was angry with Daniel and sought to block his prayer because Daniel was seeking the liberation of Israel from under the Persian Empire.
Gabriel also informed Daniel that after he has gone the Prince of Grecia would come. This is referenced in Dan 2:39b and was fulfilled in the reign of Alexander the Great when he overthrew the Medo-Persian Empire and established the Greek Empire which took the baton of rulership over Israel from Persia.
The Bible says Satan, the Prince of the power of the air stood against Israel: 1Chr 21:1.
This prince sought the destruction of Israel because it is God’s special nation.
These princes seek the alliance or subservience of the human kings, Presidents , prime ministers to influence them to establish laws and practices of the kingdom of darkness.
Kings like Jeroboam, Omri, Ahab, and all the kings of Israel were their favorite.
On the other side were kings like David, Josiah, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah and a few others who were on God’s side.
1.THE BIBLE AND POLITICS
This might sound too radical in the minds of many but there should be no reason for that.
The Bible has more than one attributes. The most obvious is that it is the sacred book for salvation. When we analyze deeper we find that it is also book for Counselling, Economics, History, Philosophy and Politics.
Because the Bible is commonly known for its theme of salvation , many are not aware, of its political motif which stands out above all.
The central message of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is about Jesus.(Ps 40:7, Heb 10:7). It is about what Kingdom and which King rules the world in the end; and who are admitted into or rejected from that Kingdom. Jesus is that King and He started His ministry by this message “REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND. Matt 4:7. It is the same message he instructed His disciples to say. Matt 10:7 The forerunner introduced his ministry in the same way. Matt 3:2
THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE ARE INUNDATED WITH POLITICS.
GENESIS: Man is given dominion over the earth. Gen 1:26-27 . At that point the world was not populated by man. They were asked to replenish it and subdue it, however by the Fall Gen 3:6 they had switched allegiance from God to Satan and had relinquished their power to rule over themselves and the world to Satan through his political intrigue and treason. Gen 3:1-8, Lk 4:6
This event set the foundation for satanic rule over man and the nations during the Dispensation of Human Government (Gen chapters 8 through 11} .
The Tower of Babel was a political edifice. It was also a proud horn against God’s rule.
God raised a nation out of Abraham and subjugated them under the political rule of Egypt.
EXODUS:
POLITICAL SECESSION: A political nation -Israel is moved out to be independent and serve their God
Chapters 1 through 12. In that period Israel’s struggle for independence was political and God used miracles to bend the mind of Pharaoh for their release. Jehovah fought political battle with signs and wonders and to reveal Himself as the Lord of the universe. Gen 10:1-2
Political laws:
The Laws given to Israel were ceremonial and moral laws . They can also be classified as priestly laws and general laws to the nation. The Ten Commandments and other general laws were not exclusively religious but also political, in that they are laws that govern the people as a nation.
National constitutional laws in England and America were based on principles of the Ten Commandments and other laws of the Bible. Moses boasted of its superiority as a philosophy in Deut 4: 6-8. The Bible refers to these in diverse terms such as statutes, judgments, commandments, laws, precepts. Ref Deut 4 : 5-8. Ps 119.
Deuteronomy 4:5-8 (KJV) 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all [things that] we call upon him for ? 8 And what nation [is there so] great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
In this setting God is the Judge (Supreme Court), law giver ( congress) and the King (President). Is 33:22.
The political philosophy or constitution is found in what Moses describes as STATUTES AND JUDGEMENTS which is their WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING to live by in a wise preference to that of the heathen nations.
God The Ultimate Political Ruler.
Isaiah 33:22 (KJV) For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.
Space, time and the format this lesson will not allow for exhaustive details on the political inclinations of every book of the Bible. Here are a few of the most obvious books .
Numbers, Deuteronomy, Judges, Joshua, Esther, Psalms, Nehemiah, Ezra, 1Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles , 2 Chronicles, Jeremiah , Isaiah , Ezekiel, Daniel a Revelation,
The prophets were not solely concerned about Israel as a nation but also have prophetic political messages for other nations and empires such as Edom, Egypt, Syria, Libya, Turkey, Babylon, Persia , Greece etc.
Elijah was sent to anoint Azahel as King of Syria, 1Ki 19-13-15. Isaiah prophesied about Cyrus of Persia to issue a decree for the building the Temple in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 45).
God rewarded or punished neighboring nations on their politics with Israel.
THE CHURCH AND POLITICS
IF YOU TAKE THE CHURCH COMPLETELY OUT OF POLITICS YOU HAVE SURRENDERED ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD AND THEIR CULTURE EVEN THE CHURCH ITSELF TO THE CONTROL OF SATAN.
The church was sent to preach the kingdom of God to the world. Jesus said: “And as ye go, preach, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matt 10:7
The word ‘kingdom’ is a political word. It implies government over a people, a territory or a realm whether spatial or spiritual. It implies a governor and whatever title it entails: king, president , prime minister, head of state, Prince, Judge, etc.
Government or Kingship over a people with all the complexities involved is what is called politics. Complexities include such activities as ; removing kings and setting up kings (Dan 2:21), making laws to rule over a nation’ (Exo 20), Influencing laws or government policies (1Ki 12:3-4). Prophetic decrees or determinations of a nation’s leadership, economic, war or security outcome, (Num 22, 1Ki 11 :29-38, Is 45:1-4) Spiritual princes, powers, principalities, dominions, Kings etc exercising influences on nations and regions ( Dan 10, Num 22:24-35),
Subversion or uprising against a government ( 2Ki 21:23, 2Sam15:1-10)
If you preach to promote or establish a foreign kingdom within another kingdom in an effort to convert people, you are doing politics.
Jesus said “my Kingdom (referring to the Kingdom of Heaven ) is not of this world”; it is from heaven. (Dan 2: 44) meaning it is not from this world. It is actually a political campaign to win supporters from the earthly host political parties which are the kingdoms of darkness of this world. We are sent to win souls from these kingdoms of this world (darkness) into the kingdom of heaven (light) . Our political party is the Kingdom of Heaven and we are competing with the kingdom of darkness for the souls of men from the strongholds of Satan who has already defeated Adam and taken over this world. We campaign and register members through the New Birth Jn 3:3. from the kingdoms of this world into the Kingdom of God. Rev 11:15.
All these acts are naturally and spiritually political. Politics is war because there is always an opponent that wants to take over the rule or government from another.
When you defeat a king it is a political victory. You can take over his territory and rule over his nation and people. The means to defeat and take over could be by persuasion of followers, subjects or incite rebellion, treason etc. Jesus talks about to bind the strongman and take over the household, city or nation. Mk 3:27.
All these are political strategies because in the end one King or master must reign. You cannot serve two masters Matt 6:24.
The church in her obedience to this process is seen as an adversary by the nations and kingdoms of this world, hence the hostility and persecution against the church. Right from it’s birth the church has been blamed and persecuted by political emperors and regimes.
Nero 45-56 AD, Domitian 81-96 AD, Trajan 98-117 AD, Marcus Aurelius 165-168 AD, Septimus Severus 193-211 AD, Decius 249-251AD, Valerian 253-260 AD, Diocletian 284-305, up to socialist and communist regimes of 20th and 21st Centuries.
The church has nevertheless being aided by the arm of God through political powers.
Cyrus— Building of the Temple in Jerusalem
Ptolemy- The Septuagint
Constantine - Edict Of Milan 313 AD . Religious Freedom
Theodosius I. Edict Of Thessaloniki Feb 27/380 AD
King Aethelbert of Kent.- First English King to convert to Christianity. This led to conversion of many of his subjects.
King James IV &I — The King James Bible.
“After Constantine, Emperors either tolerated or embraced Christianity, which continued to grow in popularity, until in 380 AD Emperor Theodosius I made it the official state religion of the Roman Empire.
Theodosius’ Edict of Thessalonica was designed as the final word on controversies within the early church. He – along with his joint rulers Gratian, and Valentinian II – set in stone the idea of an equal Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” ... From the History Hit website
https://www.historyhit.com/the-growth-of-christianity-in-the-roman-empire/
WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULD SERIOUSLY ENGAGE IN APOLOGETICS
You may win every battle, but if you lose the war of ideas, you will have lost the war. You may lose every battle, but if you win the war of ideas, you will have won the war. My deepest fear--and your greatest problem--is that you may not be winning the war of ideas."
The university is a clear-cut fulcrum with which to move the world. More potently than by any other means, change the university and you change the world.....CHARLES MALIK ..Wikipedia
Today the Christian is confronted not only by many religions such as Islam,New Age, and Hinduism but also by secular Movements and philosophies; Atheism Agnosticism, Modernism, Postmodernism, Liberalism, Secular Humanism which have pervaded the Academia, Politics, Hollywood and the Tech Giants .
Christian worldview is censored in schools, colleges, universities and other public places deliberately and strategically .
A look at the few comments below may give you the heads up:
1: John Dunphy a secular humanist : "I am convinced that the battle for humankind's future must be waged and won in the public school classroom by teachers who correctly perceive their role as the proselytizers of a new faith: a religion of humanity that recognizes the spark of what theologians call divinity in every human being. There teachers must embody the same selfless dedication of the most rabid fundamentalist preacher, for they will be ministers of another sort, utilizing a classroom instead of a pulpit to convey humanist values in whatever subject they teach, regardless of the educational level -- preschool, daycare, or large state university. The classroom must and will become an arena of conflict between the old and the new -- the rotting corpse of Christianity, together with all its adjacent evils and misery, and the new faith of humanism, resplendent in its promise of a world in which the never-realized Christian ideal of 'love thy neighbor' will finally be achieved
- John J. Dunphy: Humanist author: Source: "A Religion For A New Age," The Humanist magazine, January-February 1983 [Volume 43, Number 1]
“. . . we try to arrange things so that students who enter as bigoted, homophobic, religious fundamentalists will leave college with views more like our own ... we do our best to convince these students of the benefits of secularization. We assign first-person accounts of growing up homosexual to our homophobic students for the same reasons that German schoolteachers in the postwar period assigned The Diary of Anne Frank... You have to be educated in order to be ... a participant in our conversation ... So we are going to go right on trying to discredit you in the eyes of your children, trying to strip your fundamentalist religious community of dignity, trying to make your views seem silly rather than discussable. We are not so inclusivist as to tolerate intolerance such as yours ... I think those students are lucky to find themselves under the benevolent Herrschaft [domination] of people like me, and to have escaped the grip of their frightening, vicious, dangerous parents ...” -
Richard Rorty, former philosophy professor at Princeton University – ‘Universality and Truth,’ in Robert B. Brandom (ed.), Rorty and his Critics, pp.
21-22. “…some children are raised in such an ideological prison that they willingly become their own jailers…forbidding themselves any contact with the liberating ideas that might well change their mind.” – Danny Dennet, Breaking the Spell, pp. 324, 326.
“The contents and prospects of religion remain thoroughly problematic—and fascinating. Even within a world dominated by self-created technology, humans still will not easily accept that constructs of sense reaching out for the non obvious are nothing but self- created projections, and that no other signs from the universe around are there to be perceived except for the irregularities resounding from the first big bang.” –Walter Burkert, Creation of the Sacred, p 179.
“For the foreseeable future, [conservative parents] will continue to drop off their children at the dorms. After a teary-eyed hug, mom and dad will drive their SUV’s off toward the nearest gas station, leaving their beloved progeny behind. And then they all are mine.” - Bill Savage, Lecturer at Northwestern University (article "Lessons Learned.").
ENGAGING THE CULTURAL WAR:
Many Christians are either unaware of the cultural war or do not know how to confront it.
In the proliferation of education and information this age requires rational answers. We need to demonstrate to the inquiring mind that the Christian faith is not a blind faith but a rational one.
Unfortunately anti intellectualism has become a problem in the Christian Community.
God gave us the brain to think and to reason. God said come let us reason. Jesus used logic in many ways to defend or assert the truth.
To relegate intellectuality to carnality or a thing for the secular is to abdicate the rule, cultural, and spiritual direction of the nation to a pagan academia which produce future scholars, politicians , judges, lawyers and businessmen that rule the nation with pagan worldview,
If we do not stand to engage the opposition we will be responsible of raising a generation who will not know the true God.
