Just as the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle are difficult to put together without the picture on the box top, the many diverse pieces of life make no sense without some kind of unifying big picture. The question is, does anyone have the box top to this puzzle we call life? -Dr. Frank Turek, author of “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist”
This is the beginning of the second year of blog posts at Truth, Faith and Reason. As a high school science teacher, coach and former agnostic I began searching for the truth over ten years ago, looking for that box top. Finding it led to sharing the outcome of my quest on this blog and in the Case for Christianity classes. The truth is out there, as a famous TV show once boasted, if we just take the time to look for it. I think we owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to do just that.
We get so caught up in our daily lives that until we crash into a devastating circumstance we don’t stop to think about how finite our time is here. Ideas have consequences and what we think about God, Jesus and the afterlife has huge implications for our lives. Doesn’t it make sense to spend some quality time investigating what is true? The focus of this website is to provide information and evidence that will help us understand truth.
Truth about life and all that we do is usually grounded on what we think of these five main topics, the answers depend on the existence of God and what one believes about Him:
- Origin: Where did we come from?
- Identity: Who are we?
- Meaning and purpose: Why are we here?
- Morality: How should we live?
- Destiny and eternity: Where are we going?
Classical Christianity holds the best answers as we will see throughout the course of this study.
Some Christians might ask: Why do we need a “case” can’t we just have faith? For some that may be enough but when push comes to shove if we don’t have answers to the tough questions our culture is asking, and especially for our young people, how can we expect to fulfill the Great Commission? (Matthew 28:16-20). I deal with young people on a daily basis and they are inquisitive as you might know. If we are not able to articulate reasonable answers to questions (and we usually need to do this in a one minute narrative because that is the attention span of most of us) then we lose them to a culture that says: “Truth cannot be known, it is only relative.” Or, “The Christian faith cannot be the only way to God, that is so narrow minded and bigoted.” Or even worse, “Science has proven that there is no God and evolution can account for all that we see.” These are all false statements, but how would you respond?
So why is there a need for a case? Because Christianity is true, it is not wishful thinking, it is not just a choice in religion or the way you see God, but it makes truth claims that can be backed up by overwhelming evidence. Why aren’t we sharing that evidence? We are losing the most important battle, OUR NEXT GENERATION! The battle is for the hearts and minds of our young people (and us). The deception is clear and it begins in higher education and trickles down into the public school system and then right into our daily lives.
Click on this word: Statistics to view the post from J. Warner Wallace so that you can read some of the disturbing statistics and trends related to the decline of Christian beliefs in our young people and in our nation. The Bible tells us that in the last days we will see a decline in faithfulness to truth found in God’s Word and a surge in deception and trust of human based philosophy:
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians:
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. Colossians 2:8
The Apostle Paul wrote this warning to the young pastor Timothy:
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 1 Timothy 4:1
The Apostle Paul to Timothy in his last letter before his martyrdom:
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The Apostle Peter wrote this to the early Church facing persecution:
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. 2 Peter 2:1-3a
Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 2 Peter 3:3
The Apostle John wrote this to the Church during extreme persecution and the beginning of Gnosticism:
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17
I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 1 John 2:21-26
Jesus speaking to His disciples:
And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.
For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:4-5; 24
Jesus’ answer when confronted by the Sadducees concerning eternal life:
Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” Matthew 22:29
God spoke through the Prophet Hosea in the Old Testament concerning the Nation of Israel as they were about to fall and it is applicable to us today:
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6
Join us this year as we examine evidence for the Christian faith. Share this information with others who are asking those difficult questions. You will not find this material in a public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research that supports its claim. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads is not allowed in our public school system as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in the door!
Click on these websites for more information on great training programs for our youth (and us): Impact 360; Summit Ministries, and Stand To Reason (STR), a local California ministry that holds the Re-Think Conference every fall (This year it is on September 24-25, 2015 at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa). Take your young people and get trained! Become the one who can give answers to the tough questions ask of Christians by our culture!
Click on this site to see a two-minute presentation by Dr. Turek from Impact 360 on the importance of training up our youth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faDSmofVOzg&feature=youtu.be
Let me know what you think: Please give me feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.
In these posts I am going to continue to present logical reasoning and sound scientific evidence not found in the public school textbooks.
Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
Always be ready to give an answer for the hope that you have in Christ Jesus as Lord. 1 Peter 3:15
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