Taking God’s Word on Offense: Inerrancy, Apologetics, and the Proof of Gospel Preaching

October 21, 2021October 21, 2021 / davidsschrock / 3 Comments

aaron-burden-TNlHf4m4gpI-unsplash It’s been said that the best offense is a good defense. However, it is also true that if your defense spends too much time on the field, they will eventually fatigue and fold. For that reason, it is equally true that the best defense is a good offense.

And when it comes to apologetics, the art and science of defending the faith, it is important to do more than play defense, but also to go on the offensive. With firm confidence that God’s Word is unbreakable (John 10:35), firmly fixed in the heavens (Ps. 119:89), unfailing in accomplishing God’s will (Isa. 55:11), and always proving itself true (Ps. 18:30; Prov. 30:5), there is no reason to merely defend God’s Word. Instead, we should positively proclaim the Scriptures as the living and active word of God.

Articulating this point forcefully with respect to biblical inerrancy, the late Philip Edgcumbe Hughes (1915–90) reminds us that Christians should do more than defend the faith, we must also proclaim the faith positively. Here’s what he says, Continue reading →

Talking Like Jesus: Six Ways to Hold Out Truth in a Hostile World

October 28, 2016October 28, 2016 / davidsschrock

VLUU L200 / Samsung L200 In our day public speech about Jesus is becoming more and more costly. For instance, the state of Georgia has requested the sermons of Dr. Eric Walsh, a lay pastor and public health expert, who was fired from the Department of Public Health over (it seems) his religious beliefs. What is going on?

On the one hand, we are watching a sea change in our country. The religious liberty conferred on us by our founding fathers and established in the Bill of Rights is being taken away. On the other hand, we are witnessing in our country what Jesus said would happen to his followers: we are hated by the world, because the world hates him.

In other words, American Christians are experiencing, for the first time in generations, what other disciples have experienced for centuries—verbal and even violent opposition to the truth of God’s Word. Such enemy fire makes speaking up for Christ difficult, if not dangerous. Yet, such resistance may also be the very means by which Christians can show what it means to follow Christ—bearing witness to Christ through our own afflictions. But to bear faithful witness, we need our minds to be renewed by God’s Word.

Learning from Jesus

The Gospel of John shows Jesus in constant conversation with the Pharisees whose anger towards him ultimately nailed him to a cross. As John records, they questioned him, debated him, and sought to arrest him long before they succeeded in ending his earthly ministry. Still, as the beloved disciple records, Jesus constantly responded with wisdom, grace, and truth. While John’s goal in presenting these dialogues is to testify that Jesus is the Christ whom we should trust and obey (John 20:31), his recordings also show us how Jesus spoke to those who accused and opposed us. If we are going to continue to bear witness for Christ amidst enemy fire, we must learn what such speech looks like.

If silence is not an option for a follower of Christ, and it is not (see Matthew 10:32–33; Acts 1:8), how can we learn to wear our cross and speak on his behalf with boldness and wisdom? If the gospel is our message, what is the manner in which we proclaim it? How does Scripture teach us and Jesus model for us such engagement with the world?

Those are questions we should be asking, and one place we find an answer is in John 7. Continue reading →

The Briefing: Albert Mohler’s New Podcast

September 13, 2010September 13, 2010 / davidsschrock

“In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:15).

Part of the Christian’s responsibility is to give a defense of the gospel to anyone who asks. This is the task of evangelism–proclaiming the good news of the hope we have in Christ–and the task of Christian apologetics–making a defense of the faith in a world of competing worldviews.

The challenge for most hurried Christians is finding ways to keep up to date on current events that threaten Christianity. Likewise, finding biblical answers to the problems posed by these attacks can be daunting. How should we cultivate our Christian worldview in a world that aims to erode our faith and that denies Truth?

Enter Albert Mohler. Dr. Mohler is the president of Southern Seminary who has spent more than 20 years defending the faith in public forums. Recently, his nationally syndicated radio program came to an end, but in its place he has begun producing a daily podcast that looks to be incredibly helpful for thinking Christians and those involved in Christianity ministry. It is called The Briefing, and it is a 10 minute program devoted to helping Christians think biblically about current events.

In the last week, I have benefitted immensely from its contents. I encourage you to check it out. Subscribe to it on iTunes or just stop by Mohler’s website to find illuminating commentary on all the things you will find pressing against Christianity in the news.

Soli Deo Gloria, dss