A Case for the Bible: The importance of case making using the acronym MAPS-S when practicing Christian Apologetics

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Reasons to Investigate

In session one we took a quiz on Biblical literacy. How well did you do? If you struggled with it, even if you are a “long time” Christian, you are not alone. As we have seen from the statistics Biblical literacy is at an all time low, even among professing Christians. Muslims know their Quran, Mormons know their Book of Mormon, Jehovah Witnesses know their Watchtower Society Bible (New World Translation), so why are Christians not experts on their Bible? There are many Biblical references that teach us to have answers and know our faith, but what about answering excuses from ‘nominal’ Christians?

The top reasons cited in most apologetic literature for why Christians are not Biblically literate:  (Not in a particular order)

  1. The Bible is difficult to read and hard to understand
  2. The Bible is so old, therefore it is not culturally relevant today
  3. The Bible was written by fallible men so it can’t be the inspired Word of God
  4. We can’t know if the Bible we have is correct, it was translated and copied over so many times
  5. We don’t know if the books in the Christian Bible are the right ones, there were so many other books left out
  6. The Bible is no different than any of the other so-called holy books
  7. The Old Testament is not relevant to the New Testament so we don’t need to read or study it

Reminder: These are answers (excuses) from professing Christians!

None of these assertions are true and there are concise evidential answers for each one of them. Since we are two thousand years removed from the last books of the Bible being written it is easy to understand that people might have questions or concerns like these. However, we should never accept, or ignore, these allegations unless we have investigated their answers. Over the next several weeks the goal is to help you gain confidence in your ability to address these concerns and others.

It is true that daily responsibilities and stresses can cause us to set Bible study time aside, especially when everything is going just fine, but when life changing or catastrophic events occur do we know what to do and where to turn? Are we equipped with the confidence that Christianity is true; that the Bible is the Word of God and that comfort can be found there in Jesus? If not we can be catapulted into the shadows of hopelessness and despair just like the rest of the world.

Nabeel Quereshi, Christian Apologist and former Muslim, shared strong words of encouragement and trust in God even though he was going through an unimaginable situation in his young life. His testimony, (especially now since passing on to his eternal home), should inspire us to know that we can get to that place of complete confidence and assurance in the God of the Bible and His Word, if we just make it a priority in our life.

Nabeel never recanted his Christian testimony and we can be confident that today he is with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He did not come to the conclusion that Christianity was true, and Islam false, without serious study. He came to trust that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and historically accurate Word of God. That confidence made it easy for him to proclaim at the very end of his life, “Jesus is the victory!”  If we commit to reading, studying, and praying the Bible we can have that same level of confidence, enabling us to someday make the same declaration that Nabeel did.

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians:

I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:50-58 (NIV)

MAPS-S

Presenting the Evidence—Introduction

When atheists and skeptics attack Christianity we often need to take the role of defense attorney and ask them to put the reliability and truth of the Bible up against a courtroom test. Simon Greenleaf, enlightened atheist, professor and principle founder of Harvard’s prestigious school of Law did just that. After using careful courtroom and investigative methods Greenleaf became a Christian and wrote a classic Christian Apologetics’ book called: “Testimony of the Evangelists, The Gospels Examined by the Rules of Evidence” (1846).

There have been many to follow in Greenleaf’s footsteps and today Christian Apologists are still using “case-making” as a form of pre-evangelism, demolishing misconceptions and flawed philosophies that reign in secular education today. This is done in hopes of breaking down barriers and bringing people everywhere to the saving grace of Jesus so they can begin to see and understand the truth of His Word in the Bible.

To begin, we will look at multiple lines of evidence that support the Bible’s trustworthiness by keeping this theme of investigation. Each week we will go through the evidence in each of the following categories using the acronym MAPS-S:

  1. Manuscripts: Historical literary facts, transmission, canonization, translation, textual criticism, and eyewitness accounts from both Christian and non-Christian sources
  2. Archeology: Physical evidence from geographically confirmed locations and artifacts, and historical records of people, places, and events that corroborate Biblical accounts
  3. Prophecy: Predicted verifiable outcomes of historical events and Messianic prophecy fulfilled in Jesus
  4. Scientific: Biblical authenticity confirmed in areas of medicine, nutrition, cosmology and biochemistry
  5. Saved lives: Personal testimonies over the centuries of drastically changed lives (for the better) because of Biblical Christianity

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  –Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

Going Deeper

Watch this insightful and timely video hosted by Lee Strobel and several other top apologists -with the main speaker, Nabeel Qureshi who gives an in depth testimony in front of a mixed audience of Christians, Muslims and non-believers:

Reflection

  1. Do any of the reasons listed above for not reading or studying the Bible pertain to you or someone you know? If not, is there another reason not listed there?
  2. How can we gain the confidence and trust in the Lord that Nabeel Qureshi had?
  3. PTRs (Praise—Thanksgiving—Repent—Request): Focus—Ask God to help you prioritize the time you spend with Him in prayer and in His Word so that you can gain the confidence Nabeel had!

Bible Study

Each week we do a Bible study to practice our Bible study skills. This week read or re-read 1 Corinthians chapter 16, then answer the following questions:

Note: We are finishing 1 Corinthians this week and we will go right into 2 Corinthians beginning next week.

In chapter 16 Paul gives some final personal instruction to this Church, as he did for the Churches in Galatia. He wants them to help the struggling Church in Jerusalem during a time of hardship and famine. He also talks about his upcoming plans. In addition, he mentions quite a few people and places that are found elsewhere in the New Testament.

  1. Do a search on the people and places from chapter 16. Make a list of where they can be found in other New Testament books (doing this gives us confidence in the historicity of the Bible and the authenticity of the narrative):
  2. Reflection on 1 Corinthians: Now that we have finished 1 Corinthians, what questions, concerns or comments do you have about your study of this book or the author Paul?

Join us next week as we continue our “Case for the Bible” series!

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in!  Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15

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