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Testing Truth Claims By Massimo Lorenzini Defending the Faith or “apologetics” is giving a reasonable defense for the Christian faith. It means to give intellectual justification for the truth claims of Christianity. Apologetics is Biblical
Acts 17:2-4, 2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. 1 Pet 3:15, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your
hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to
give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. The current big issues in apologetics:
An important feature of apologetics is going on the offensive rather than just taking a defensive posture. Non-Christians love to question your Christian faith, but give little or no thought to how they justify their own beliefs. It’s true that as Christians we must give an answer for why we believe as we do, but so does everyone else. You can dismantle the non-believer’s viewpoint by asking probing questions. You should challenge him to defend what he believes about the nature of things, right and wrong, the person of Jesus, etc. Ask questions like: “How do you know that?” “Why do you believe that?” “Why should I trust your source of information?” Put the burden of proof on him when he makes confident assertions and truth claims. A Scenario
Imagine you’re at a workplace “holiday” party and you are talking with some co-workers when someone says, “I don’t know why those Christians are making such a fuss over being able to say ‘Merry Christmas.’ I mean, this is the 21st Century, they just need to realize that we live in a pluralistic society where all beliefs must be tolerated. It’s not like there’s any ‘one, true religion’ anyway. I think that what you believe is your own personal business and if it makes you happy that’s all that counts. Nobody should be able to push their religion on others as if it’s the only ‘true’ religion. When people do that it, it only leads to conflict and pain.” How would you respond in such a situation? A Proposed Tactic
I suggest you don’t need to have a great comeback every time some says something contrary to your faith. Rather, calmly think about what the person is saying and ask questions about the basis for such claims and think through the implications of such claims with the person. Non-Christian: I think all religions are basically the same. Christian: Really? Do you really believe that the religion of Billy Graham is the same as the Heaven’s Gate cult who committed suicide to be transported to a UFO in the tail of the Hale Bop comet? Or, you really believe that the religion of Mother Teresa is the same as the religion of the airline hi-jackers who crashed into the World Trader Center towers? Here’s another example: Non-Christian: I don’t believe in God because there’s so much evil in the world. Christian: Really? So you believe in the existence of evil? Non-Christian: Sure. It happens all the time. Christian: Well, how do you know what evil is if there’s no God to tell you what good is? Non-Christian: Goodness is respecting others and whatever makes people happy. Christian: What do you base that belief on? These kinds of questions help facilitate dialogue and thinking, which is something that is all too rare among postmodern relativists. Throughout the conversation you can begin inserting statements about what you believe and why, relying heavily on God’s Word for your beliefs. This context provides much fertile ground for the Holy Spirit to do His work of convicting and enlightening. We Can Test Religious and Worldview Truth Claims Diversity and
inclusiveness seem like such good things. It goes against the flow to proclaim
the narrow and exclusive nature of Christianity. We regularly hear
people say things like:
The problem with this
understanding is that different religions have contradictory truth claims.
Examples: One God, many gods, everything is God, no God. On what basis do we choose a religion? Preference? Or truth? Do we approach religion like ice cream or medicine? When you choose a
religion you want the true religion. Christianity is the only religion that has a branch of theology called
apologetics. It is based on the revelation of God in history. It is based on
facts, not just opinions and advice. The truth is on your side as a Christian.
You can have confidence. There are 6 epistemological tests that we can apply to Christianity and
any other truth claim. (I.) Coherence (II.) Correspondence (closely related to correspondence are the tests
of explanatory power, practical value, and logical consequences) (A) Explanatory Power (B) Practical Value (C) Logical Consequences (III.) Authority[1] I. Coherence A. It fits together in a unified whole. Internally consistent (with itself and all other true propositions). Known by reflection and logic. It is logically and rationally consistent. It is clear, makes sense, holds together. It doesn=t self-destruct. Examples: AI met a woman who was 10 years younger than her son.@ AYour sister had a baby this morning. I haven=t heard whether it=s a boy or a girl, so I don=t know whether you=re an aunt or an uncle.@ ADon=t look at me with that tone of voice.@ AThis is the greatest planet on earth.@ The test of coherence uses the laws of logic to determine truth, like the law of non-contradiction. AA
cannot be non-A at the same time and in the same way.@ God cannot exist and not exist at the same time. You cannot be white and not white at the same time. A...in the same way@ – A man can be large and not large at the same time if the word large in this sentence is used in two different senses (i.e. Alarge@ physically and not Alarge@ mentally: He=s a physical giant but a mental midget. B. It also expresses itself consistently. For example, only theism offers any basis for rationality itself. Naturalism says that man=s rational and mental processes are derived solely from natural processes and random genetic changes. Our minds and personalities developed through biological and environmental circumstances only. We have been Aforced@ to have the ideas we have based on complex genetic, chemical, and environmental factors. If this is true, then why should we trust any of those ideas to be correct? When people have differing and conflicting ideas, on what basis can we say one is true and another false? Why would the circumstances that led to my views be any more correct than another? A naturalist cannot even justify the validity of rational argument. Naturalism cannot pass the test of coherence. According to Christianity, rationality exists because there is a personal, all-encompassing rational Being who was existing before physical matter/energy or space/time reality ever existed. Christian theism further affirms that the universe was created by this personal, all-inclusive, rational Being. Human minds, moreover, have been created and produced by this same rational Being who made us in His personal image, thus able to think and therefore able to understand the world which He has made. According to theism, reason is prior to nature and transcends it. Reason orders nature and thus is a valid tool for understanding nature. Thus, biblical Christianity passes the test of coherence. It is internally consistent. It makes sense. C. Other violations of coherence: 1. Religious stew (all religions lead to God) a. Many religious ideas are competing, not complementary. (1). Religions have contradictory claims, therefore all religions can=t be true. (2). God can=t be personal and impersonal at the same time. (3). When you die you can=t go to heaven or hell and be reincarnated and cease to exist at the same time. Some or all views must be wrong. b. Religions may be superficially the same but fundamentally different. (1). It=s like saying that aspirin and arsenic are basically the same because they both come in tablet form. It=s the differences that are critical. c. The religious stew view must be false, according to this test. 2. Hinduism teaches that our individual identities are part of a large divine illusion (Maya). a. It=s incoherent that we could know such a thing. (1). The statement that everything is an illusion must also be an illusion. So how do we know the illusion is real? And if the illusion is real, how is it an illusion? II. Correspondence A. Externally
consistent; corresponds with reality and with our experience of it. Known by
observation; uses empiricism. It can be tested because its claims are based on reality. Its claims are falsifiable. 1 Cor 15:16-19 Paul said that if the resurrection was not a historically true fact then our faith is worthless. This is unlike a claim such as in Hinduism that says that all of reality is maya—an illusion. Such a claim is not historically falsifiable. No religion or worldview can be established as true if it does not have adequate empirical evidence. If one must deny true facts in order to defend the view, or if he must affirm the unaffirmable, then he is not dealing with the true view. B. An example of a violation of correspondence: 1. Atheism a. Everything comes from nothing b. Life comes from non-life c. Order comes from chaos d. Rigid laws of physics come from chance e. Immaterial consciousness comes from material matter C. Things we know to be true about the world: 1. The material world exists, it is orderly, and can be experienced and measured with reasonable accuracy. a. Any view that denies the existence of the material world is false, e.g. Hinduism, Christian Science, etc. 2. Right and wrong are objectively true concepts. a. This observation invites other questions (1). In what worldview do moral absolutes make sense? (2). Why do morals only seem to apply to human beings? (a). It seems senseless to apply moral language to animals (Abad lion!@). (b). But everyone uses moral language about humans. (3). Why is guilt a universal emotion? b. This immediately disqualifies certain views: (1). Hinduism can=t be true because it holds that ultimately there is no real distinction between good and evil. (2). Atheism and Naturalism can offer no account for man=s moral nature. (3). Postmodernism holds that morals are social constructs. c. Any view that does not incorporate a notion of morality and guilt is false. An accurate view must answer: (1). What makes sense of the concept? (2). Where did evil come from? (3). Where did good come from? (4). Why does it apply to humans and not animals? (5). How does our view help us to deal with the impact of evil in our lives? 3. We are not our bodies. a. Our bodies are not us. If I lost my legs, I=m not just half of me. (1). We endure through time though our bodies change. b. Any view which teaches that man is strictly physical is false. 4. Humans are qualitatively different than animals. a. Man has transcendent value. That=s why we gas termites, but not people. b. Man is a confusing mix of grand nobility and grotesque cruelty (Oscar Schindler from the movie Schindler’s List for example). c. Any view that contradicts the nobility and cruelty of man is false. 5. We know that non-physical things exist, even though we can=t access them with our senses (love, ideas, meanings, morality, value, etc.). a. Any view that denies these non-physical things must be false. D. Christianity corresponds to the real world. 1. An orderly, material world exists—God created a material world of form and order that we can discover and know. 2. Right and wrong are objectively true concepts. a. Christianity explains morality in terms of a moral lawgiver. (1). God exists as a moral being who sets the objective moral standard, demands ethical behavior and judges sin (Rom. 1:18-19). (2). Man has true moral guilt (Rom. 1:20). We feel guilty because we are guilty. That=s why we all have a bad self-image. (3). The problem of guilt is solved not through denial but through forgiveness. b. Morals apply to human beings and not animals because man is made in the image of God and animals are not. c. Evil is an intruder, an uninvited guest that God will eventually destroy after He has used it for His purposes. 3. God created every human with a rational soul made in His image. Therefore, we are not our bodies. 4. God is the source of non-physical entities like emotions (love), ideas, meanings, numbers, the laws of logic, etc. 5. Because man is made in God=s image: a. Humans are qualitatively different than animals b. Man has transcendent value. c. Man demonstrates nobility and dignity. 6. Because man is fallen, his original glory twisted, he is capable of desperate acts of cruelty. 7. Because God is loving, He provided a way of redemption. E. If our view of God and the world corresponds to
reality, that is evidence of its truthfulness. 1. Why do I believe Christianity is true? Because it corresponds to the world the way we find it and the way we’d were meant to live in it. It is consistent with the way we experience and perceive the world. Every other religion or worldview violates this. a. Christianity answers the big questions...Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? It is livable. (1). Explanatory Power. It explains what it claims to explain. Other views simply do not provide an adequate explanation of the world as we experience it. Christianity does truly satisfy our curiosity and desire to understand reality. (2). Practical Value. It is practically relevant. Water will quench thirst and a true worldview will meet man=s deepest needs. Only truth will ultimately satisfy. Only Christianity has the answers to man=s needs. It is practical. It makes a positive difference. (3). Logical Consequences. The logical and practical consequences of Christianity do not lead to absurdity or unlivable outcomes. The consequences of all other worldview, when carefully applied consistently, simply lead to an unbearable outcome. For example, communism created an “evil empire” out of the Soviet Union. It was obviously founded on wrong ideas about man, economics, and government. 2. Any view that doesn’t fit the real world (i.e. lacks correspondence) is false. It must either be modified or abandoned. “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because I see everything else.” –C. S. Lewis. III. Authority A. Some views pass the tests of coherence and correspondence and some share a similar world view (Judaism, Islam). How do we choose between these religions or world views? By examining the reliability of their authority. B. The issue of authority. 1. Describe my mother. This shows two things: a. Some descriptions are wrong. b. Some people are in a better position to give an accurate answer. 2. Virtually everything we now and every decision we make is made by trusting some authority. a. Everything we know of history before our time, geography, science, and things out of reach of our direct senses we take on authority. b. All future plans reflect our trust in authority: fly on a plane, mail a letter, taking medicine, etc. c. We have to take things on authority before we can even learn them from experience (driving a car, using an elevator, snowboarding, etc). 3. Our vital question should be: Is our authority reliable? Why should I believe it? Can it be trusted? Why do I believe Christianity is true? Because Jesus said it is... C. Jesus as authority. The identity of Jesus is the central issue to Christianity. He is absolutely unique. 1. The Christian faith is founded on a person, not a teaching or a cause or a concept (as in other religions, world views, and movements). 2. Jesus drew attention to Himself (AWho do you say I am@ Matt 16:15), not His teaching. 3. The decision you make about His identity (not His teaching) will determine where you will spend eternity (AUnless you believe that I am he, you shall die in your sins@ John 8:24). 4. An historical, flesh and blood Jesus, who lived and died and rose from the dead is the necessary foundation of Christianity. 5. Jesus was executed not for what He taught or did but for who He said He was. (AAgain the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?@ "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." John 10:31-33). D. What Jesus said about Himself. 1. Jesus either directly or indirectly made many profound claims for Himself: The Son of God, the Son of Man, giver of eternal life, one with the Father, the one who forgives sin, the bread of life, the good shepherd, the true vine, the great AI AM@, the giver of living water, the light of the world, the future Judge of the world, the lamb of God, the baptizer in the Holy Spirit, the door of salvation, the Savior, the Messiah, the healer. 2. His greatest claim: He was God in the flesh and the only way to salvation. a. AI am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me@ (John 14:6). b. There are many ways the Scriptures argue this: (1). Jesus is the source of salvation for the world: ASalvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved@ (Acts 4:12). (2). He=s the Father=s choice: Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent" (John 6:28-29). (3). If you reject Jesus, you reject the Father: AHe who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him@ (John 5:23b). (4). Rejection of Jesus results in God=s wrath, but belief in Jesus rescues from wrath: AWhoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him@ (John 3:36). (5). Jesus is the one who provide forgiveness from sin: AI told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins@ (John 8:24). (6). He will be man=s final judge: AFor as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man@ (John 5:26-27). (7). Many imposters will claim to provide salvation: AFor false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect‑‑if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time@ (Matt 24:24-25). (8). There are no other mediators: “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5). (9). There are no other alternatives for salvation: “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Gal 2:21). (10). Apart from Christ man stands condemned: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but
whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not
believed in the name of God's unique Son (John 3:18). (11). Therefore, all nations need this gospel: AHe told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem@ (Luke 24:46-47). 3. What if I made these claims about myself? a. When Jesus made these claims people responded in awe: On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet." Others said, "He is the Christ." Still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee? Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?" Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him in?" "No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared. (John 7:40-46). E. Was Jesus right? 1. Most people would concede that Jesus was at very least a great moral teacher, even a prophet. 2. One might say Jesus was wrong and knew it; He was a liar. a. Jesus showed impeccable character and integrity. Even His enemies could find no fault in Him. b. A liar who gives the greatest moral teaching the world has ever known? c. A fool who died for His claim to be Savior and God? 3. One might say Jesus was wrong and didn=t know it; He was mentally ill, crazy. a. Jesus was a model of mental balance. b. If Jesus was crazy, where does that leave you and me? 4. Liar, Lunatic, or Lord? Excerpt from "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." D. Jesus had unimpeachable credibility. 1.
If Jesus spoke the truth, then whoever contradicts Him is wrong, automatically
(the coherence test). 2. Clearly, religious stew is false. a. All religions simply are not the same. (1). Jesus taught one God that is triune. (2). Islam teaches there is only one God, but he can=t have a son. (3). Confucius taught polytheism. (4). Krishna taught a mixture of polytheism and pantheism. (5). Zoroastrianism teaches God is a duality of good and evil (the AForce@ of Star Wars). (6). Buddha said the issue of God was irrelevant. b. Being religious is not commendable. Believing in G-O-D doesn=t solve anything. (1). It doesn=t matter if you worship God your own way. (2). It only matters if you worship God His way. E. Jesus is
absolutely unique in history. There is nobody even remotely like Him. Allegiance to Jesus is the ultimate issue.
He possesses all authority in Heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18). 1. Jesus has been given a name above every name (Phil 2:9) and in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). 2. The person and work of Jesus
should constitute the main focus of our apologetic. 3. From Joseph Parker (1830-1902): 4. Excerpts from "One Solitary Life" (author
unknown): 5. From Charles Spurgeon in The Treasury of the New Testament: "The religion of our Lord Jesus Christ contains in it nothing so wonderful as Himself. It is a mass of marvels, but He is the miracle of it; the wonder of wonders is “the Wonderful” Himself. If proof be asked of the truth which He proclaimed, we point men to Jesus Christ Himself. His character is unique. We defy unbelievers to imagine another like Him. He is God and yet man, and we challenge them to compose a narrative in which the two apparently incongruous characters shall be so harmoniously blended-in which the human and divine shall be so marvelously apparent, without the one overshading the other. "They question the authenticity of the four Gospels; will they try to write a fifth? Will they even attempt to add a few incidents to the life which shall be worthy of the sacred biography, and congruous with those facts which are already described? If it be all a forgery, will they be so good as to show us how it is done? Will they find a novelist who will write another biography of a man of any century they choose, of any nationality, or of any degree of experience, or any rank or station, and let us see if they can describe in that imaginary life a devotion, a self-sacrifice, a truthfulness, a completeness of character at all comparable to that of Jesus Christ Himself? Can they invent another perfect character even if the divine element be left out? They must of necessity fail, for there is none like unto Jesus Himself." 6. From
Dr. Shadrach Meshach Lockridge in That’s My King:
The Bible says my king is a seven-way king. He's the king of the Jews;
that's a racial king. He's the king of Israel; that's a national king. He's the
king of righteousness. He's the king of the ages. He's the king of heaven. He's
the king of glory. He's the king of kings. He's the Lord of lords. That's my
king. Well, I wonder, do you know Him? [1] The tests of coherence, correspondence, and authority as well as some of the explanatory material under these tests are adapted from Greg Koukl’s lecture notes “Any Old God Won’t Do.” The tests of explanatory power and practical value come from L. Russ Bush A Handbook for Christian Philosophy (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1991), pp. 88-89. The test of logical consequences is my own, but I have no doubt that this exists elsewhere under other names.
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