A Case for Faith vs. Doubt. Charles Templeton vs. Billy Graham—Why the difference? In this week’s class we take a look at two very different outcomes for two people who’s faith journey included doubts along the way. The way they handled this doubt, especially when dealing with the problem of evil, gives us some hope when we look closely at where they went wrong, and where they did it right.

All class sessions include a time for prayer and reflection, an “apologetics” presentation, and a Bible study section. You will find the presentation notes, Bible study survey format and homework below. Example answers to the Bible study survey will also be posted for your review, and to use as a future leader’s guide.

Watch this week’s presentation on this topic:

Presentation Notes

A Case for Christianity

Session Three: The Problem of Evil, part 3

Faith vs. Doubt

REVIEW AND DISCUSS

Prayer cards: Take a minute and write your name on the index card provided, and add any special prayer request you might have. Exchange cards at the end of the class this evening.

At your table groups, do the following:

1.  What are the categories for the 39 books of the Old Testament, and the books within each?

2.  What is the Apologetics Roadmap (the 10 most asked questions – can be found in session three notes)?

3.  Recite the Memory Verse(s):

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  Ephesians 6:11-12 (NASB)

Armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18):

1.  Belt of truth

2.  Breastplate of righteousness

3.  Feet fitted with the gospel of peace

4.  Shield of faith

5.  Helmet of salvation

6.  Sword of the Spirit = the Word of God

7.  Pray in the Spirit on all occasions

A Case for Faith vs. Doubt
Charles Templeton vs. Billy Graham—Why the difference?

To watch “A Case for Faith” featuring Charles Templeton vs. Billy Graham, click the link to YouTube

One man walked away from God and His faith because of his questions and doubts; One man gave his questions and doubts to God, and walked in faith with God til his dying day.

 Where Charles Templeton went wrong

• His prayer life was questionable and he struggled with his doubts, he never said he prayed over his doubts, nor did he give them to God
• He went to Princeton for help, but at a liberal leaning seminary he only had his doubts reinforced
• He did not make God’s Word, the Bible, his first priority and the ultimate authority
• He did not allow for Jesus’ sacrifice to be personal for him
• He did not persevere through his trials, trusting outcomes to God
• He gave up and walked away from God—God did not leave him, he left God

Where Billy Graham got it right

• He was honest with God about his doubts
• He put prayer first
• He put God’s Word, the Bible, as the ultimate authority in his life
• He put Jesus’ life example and teachings as ultimate truth
• He put Jesus’ sacrifice as sufficiency for the needed grace in his life
• He persevered with God through trials, relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit and Bible
• He never gave up and walked away, he trusted God’s purpose for his life

Billy Graham, Templeton’s good friend, became the greatest evangelist of the twentieth Century! When Billy Graham suffered through times of doubt, and he did, he went out to a quiet place, opened his Bible and asked God to help him. Through prayer and the study of God’s Word Billy Graham became a role model for millions and, though he is now with his Lord and Savior in his eternal home, his legacy will forever continue on.

The result: A legacy that lives on through his family who you can find in Christian service all over the world, and through those who have listened to his preaching over the last century. He has been a warrior for the Kingdom of God and an instrument for the salvation of so many. His faithfulness and commitment to God has been awe-inspiring.

There are three specific examples in the New Testament where individuals had doubts

• John the Baptist (Matthew 11:2-6)
• The man whose son was demon possessed (Mark 9:20-27)
• Jesus’ own disciple Thomas (John 20:24-31)

Jesus never made them feel bad or foolish, He always answered their questions, and gave evidence for what He said!

To Whom Shall We Go?

“Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.””

John 6:68-69 (NLT)

How Do We Live as Christians in A World of Evil and Suffering?

• Become proficient prayer warriors
• Commit to increasing in our knowledge of Scripture and how to use it in battle
• Commit to training in the defense of the faith
• Develop passion for recruiting teammates that will help us prepare, and who will stand alongside us

Get in the game! Know what you believe and why, then share it with others!!!

What is God going to do to solve the Problem of Evil and suffering?

• Genesis 3:15: God promised a rescue plan immediately after the Fall
• John 3:16; 19:30: God’s Son fulfilled that rescue plan on the cross to cover our sins and then paid the price due
• Matthew 28:18-20: The Great Commission is our ongoing role during this period of grace until the return of Jesus
• John 14-16: Jesus prepares a place for us in His eternal home and gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us during our remaining earthly life
• Revelation 19-22: Jesus will return to set up His Kingdom and bring a final conclusion to Satan and his followers (just as it was supposed to be from the beginning)

WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO NEVER GET A CHANCE TO HEAR ABOUT JESUS? IS THAT EVIL?

1. Natural revelation can bring a person to seek God who may have no other means of evidence (Romans 1:18-20)
2. God is omniscient—so He knows who would come to Him given a chance—He would never let a true seeker miss an opportunity to know Him—God is also sovereign and is in perfect control of His Creation and in His decisions
3. True seekers can have visions and dreams (Ps. 9:10, 53:2 Lam. 3:25, Mt. 7:7-8, Jn. 4:23, 5:44 to name a few)—Read Nabeel Qureshi’s book: “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus” for a real life example of this and so much more
4. Old Testament believers put their faith and trust in God’s Covenant Promise of a Savior (Jesus), and therefore received God’s Promise of salvation

A prayer for those in distress…

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” 

Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB)

Going Deeper – Resources

1. “Why Does God Allow Evil,” (book and various YouTube presentations on this subject) by Dr. Clay Jones, Biola University Professor
2. “The Problem of Pain,” by C.S. Lewis
3. “The Problem of Evil,” by Greg Koukl, str.org (series of 18 short videos 3 minutes or less)
4. “If God, Why Evil,” by Sean McDowell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH8hJ8V4sTY
5. “How Eternity Changes the Problem of Evil,” by J. Warner Wallace (short clip) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj2HujbTu8E Other articles and videos on this topic can be found at Wallace’s website: www.coldcasechristianity.com

“A Bible that’s falling apart, usually belongs to someone who isn’t!” 

BIBLE STUDY

Bible Study Survey Format

Old Testament

Category:         Torah               

Book:               Deuteronomy         

1. Author: Who wrote the book and when? (Include anything you can find about the author and when it was written)

2. Audience: Who was it written to? (Include anything you can find about the people, the culture or societal norms, of that time period)

3. Purpose: Why was it written? (Include anything you can find about their circumstances and what was, or had been, going on)

4. Content: What is in each chapter?Basic:  Write out chapter by chapter titles.Going Deeper: Add a short summary under your titles, 3-5 sentencesAdvanced: Look for these things to put in your summary notes:a.  Is there anything in this chapter that relates to one of the Covenants (Adamic, Abrahamic or Mosaic)? b.  Where’s Jesus? Is there anything in this chapter that foreshadows/pictures Jesus? c.  The Shelf: Note any questions or a’has you have about the chapter.

LET’S PRACTICE!

Review and Discuss your homework from this past week:

Discuss your study in the book of Deuteronomy by using the Bible study survey format above for author – audience – purpose, then discuss chapters 6-15, based on what level you worked from: This would continue #4 – Content from the Bible survey format…

• Basic: Write a title for each chapter (could include more than one depending on topics in that chapter).
• Going Deeper: Take notes to summarize the chapter (no more than three to five sentences). However, you can add to your summaries if you glean something important from your study partners.
• Advanced: Look for these things to put in your summary notes:

a. Is there anything in the chapter that relates to one of the Covenants (Adamic, Abrahamic or Mosaic)?

b. Where’s Jesus? Is there anything in the chapter that foreshadows/pictures Jesus?

c. The Shelf: Note any questions or a’has you have about the chapter.

The following are example answers you can use to add to your own work, or use as a leader’s guide:

Chapter 6:  Love the LORD your God; Obey God and Prosper

We note a warning here from Moses to this new generation that they were to obey the commandments, statutes and judgments of the LORD. They were to teach these things to the next generation and is noted as important in verses 7-8, 20-25.

Note: It is in this chapter we get what is known at the “Shema” in verses 4-6 which Jesus repeats in the New Testament in what we know as the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39).

C = This chapter speaks to part of the Mosaic Covenant which is seen throughout this book; we can especially note the protection clause (vs the loss of it) in the imploring of Moses for them to be obedient versus disobedience. We also see an emphasis on the “land promise” of the Abrahamic Covenant in verses 10-11.

Chapter 7:  Warnings; Promises of God; Driving Out the Nations

In this chapter God, through Moses, gives a list of things that they should do, and not do, as God clears the way for them to enter and possess the Promised Land, especially concerning the other nations that were currently there. They were to tear down all the pagan ways of worship and were told to especially not intermarry with them. God promises to protect and love them, along with giving consequences for disobedience (just like a good parent). The second half of this chapter shows God’s willingness to bless them, His lovingkindness to them and keeping His Covenant with them, if only they would follow His will for them through His commandments and instructions for entering and then living in the Promised Land.

C = We see both the Abrahamic Covenant with the promise of land and blessing, and Mosaic Covenant with the clause of protection for obedience versus loss of that protection for disobedience.

JF = Verses 7-8 show us a God that loves us, and Jesus makes that real for us in the New Testament, no other deity in any faith shows personal love like this.

Chapter 8: God’s Gracious Dealings; Do Not Forget The LORD

In this chapter God, through Moses, reviews how He has protected them, and how He brought them out of slavery in Egypt. He even reminds them, in verse 4, that “their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell in those forty years of wandering.”

Note: There is a prophecy here (through a warning) in verses 11-14,17 as this is exactly what happens in just one generation after the conquest of the Promised Land (See the book of Judges).

C = The land promise of the Abrahamic Covenant is emphasized here.

JF = Note that verse three is the Word of God that Jesus used specifically against Satan in the wilderness temptation: “man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.”

Chapter 9: Israel Provoked God; Reminder of the Golden Calf

In the chapter God, through Moses, reviews the reason for the forty years of wilderness wanderings because of that generation’s lack of faith in God and His promise. They provoked God’s wrath against them, and there is warning here for them to not do that in the future (but they will). Moses specifically reviews the time at Mt. Sinai where they worshipped the golden calf, and when they refused to go into the Promised Land for lack of faith in the LORD’s promise. This was also a time when Moses interceded for the people with God, and this new generation needed to know this history.

Note: The key to their future troubles is in verse 4 and 5, and it has to do with pride. God warns them about it, yet we see, starting in the book of Judges, that it happens.

C = The Abrahamic Covenant concerning the Promised Land is emphasized here.

JF = We again see the picture of Jesus in the action of Moses who interceded for the people

Chapter 10: The Tablets Rewritten; Fear of the LORD

This chapter focuses on the history of the time after Moses threw the first tablets of the Law, and then God rewrote what was on the original ones. This chapter also reviews the setting apart and role for the tribe of Levi as priests. We also get a characterization of God in verses 17-19 as the reason why these people (and us) should worship, praise, thank and obey the LORD.

Note: We read that God Himself specifically wrote on these tablets, the Ten Commandments (v. 2, 4).

C = In the last verse we see a fulfillment of part of the promise to Abraham for a great nation “as numerous as the stars” and, this nation is still with us today.

Chapter 11: Reward of Obedience; Love and Obey the LORD

This chapter reviews some of the history for this new generation, in what God did in bringing them out of Egypt, and therefore the importance of keeping His commandments. God focuses strongly on the choice they have for a blessing versus a curse in verses 26-28, and as we know from history, they chose the way of the curse in just a generation and beyond through their history.

Note: The Shema of chapter 6 is repeated here in verses 18-19 (and Jesus emphasizes it in the Great Commandment in Matthew 22).

C = The obedience vs. disobedience clause of the Mosaic Covenant is emphasized here.

JF = Jesus will be the ultimate fulfillment of the blessing of God through the Nation of Israel.

Chapter 12: Laws for Proper Worship; Law of the Sanctuary

Here we find a review of the “statutes and judgments” that they were to carefully observe in the Promised Land. They were to utterly destroy anything that was related to Pagan worship. This chapter includes the command of worshipping, sacrificing and tithing at the proper place that would be appointed by the LORD.

Note: There is a warning in verse 8 about “doing whatever is right in his own eyes” and this is exactly what read about them doing in the book of Judges, and we also see over and over again the warning not to partake with any of these other nations, yet they will.

JF = There is an emphasis on not eating the blood, but to pour it on the ground (v. 16, 23, 27). This foreshadows the importance of Jesus’ sacrifice and pouring out His blood for our transgressions. We also get a picture of the importance of the place of worship – true worship today is with the Spirit of God that indwells believers because of Jesus.

Chapter 13: Shun Idolatry

In this chapter we read about God’s warning for false prophets, even if they can perform signs and wonders, they should not be believed if they are leading the people toward idols and away from God (God says He is testing them). They are told to put that person to death, or anyone who leads the people away from God, because they counsel rebellion against the LORD.

Note: The warnings abound concerning idolatry, yet this is what they will do in the near future.

C = Again, blessings for obedience, discipline for disobedience – Mosaic Covenant

Chapter 14: Clean and Unclean Animals; Tithes

In this chapter we find a list of clean and unclean animals that the Israelites were to observe in their dietary consumption. There are also laws for tithing of the food that they yield in the Land.

Note: It is interesting that God in His omniscience takes into account the fact that a person may be so far away from where He designates worship (the Temple as we learn about later) that they will be allowed to bring money gained from the sale of their food products and bring it to the place of worship and purchase whatever is needed at that time. We know in history that many of the Israelites will settle far from the Tabernacle and later Temple Solomon eventually constructs.

Chapter 15: The Sabbatic Year; Canceling Debts; Freeing Servants; Firstborn Animals

This chapter focuses on what should happen at the end of every seven years: There should be granted a remission of debt and any kinsman servant shall be freed. If they follow the LORD’s commands there would not be any poor in the Land, but if there were, then they were to extend generously toward them to help them. They were also to consecrate to the LORD all the firstborn males that are born of their herds and flocks, noting that if it has any serious defect, it should not be sacrificed to the LORD.

C = These rules are part of the Mosaic Law.

JF = The Sabbatic year is a picture of the freedom Jesus permanently provides, freeing us from slavery and the debt our sin incurs. We also see a picture of Jesus in the regulations given about the animal sacrifice, as Jesus is called the firstborn of God, perfect in all ways.

From the Jesus’ Bible: Theologians refer to this transaction as the “great exchange” meaning what was due to humankind – because of our sin – was transferred to Jesus, and what was due to Him – because of His perfection – was transferred to believers. He took the wrath of God on our behalf and transferred to us the blessing of the Father which we had absolutely no right to claim.”

HOMEWORK:

THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY

Read Deuteronomy chapters 16– 26 and do the following: This would continue number 4 – Content from the Bible survey format…

• Basic: Write a title for each chapter (could include more than one depending on topics in that chapter).
• Going Deeper: Take notes to summarize the chapter (no more than three to five sentences). However, you can add to your summaries if you glean something important from your study partners.
• Advanced: Look for these things to put in your summary notes:

a.Is there anything in the chapter that relates to one of the Covenants (Adamic, Abrahamic or Mosaic)?

b.Where’s Jesus? Is there anything in the chapter that foreshadows/pictures Jesus?

c.The Shelf: Note any questions or a-ha’s you have about the chapter.