Historical Records of Jesus

Dr. Craig S. Keener, professor of New Testament Studies at Ashbury Theological Seminary, wrote an informative article about historical records of Jesus and published it in the religion section of the Huffington Post’s blog. It looks like a great place to start looking for original sources about the historical existence of Jesus, and it’s an outside source in its own right. I can't vouch for all of his theology, but this article is pretty solid.

Happy researching!

Craig S.Keener: Jesus Existed

Stand Out with Memorable Scripture

Some Bible verses come up almost every speech in a round, depending on the category and region. Soon the speeches all start to sound alike (especially in Category IV). Most of us memorized these familiar passages in AWANA or Sunday School, and you know your judges have heard them before. 

Nothing is wrong with these verses; they're just overused. Standing out from the competition is crucial to moving up in the ranks, so why use the same scripture as everyone else? At the same time, you have to support your points with Biblical evidence. 

I invite you to get creative with what Bible passages you cite, and I’ve made a list to get you started. I haven’t included the verse texts because it’s up to you what version you wish to use.

Category IV

Instead of John 3:16 and Romans 6:23, try 1 John 4:9-10.

Instead of Ephesians 2:8-9, try Galatians 2:16, Titus 3:5 (or verses 3-7 in context), or 2 Timothy 1:9-10.

Instead of Romans 5:8, try 1 Peter 3:18.

Also consider Galatians 4:3-5 and Acts 10:38-43.

Category V

Instead of John 14:6, try 1 John 5:11-12 and 20.

Also consider 1 Corinthians 1:30 and Hebrews 2:14 & 17.

Category II

Instead of 2 Timothy 3:16, try Proverbs 30:6.

Also consider Isaiah 45:19 and Numbers 23:19.

Category III

Instead of Romans 3:23, try Romans 5:12, Psalms 14:2-3, or Ecclesiastes 7:20.

Is there another overused verse in your region that you think should be substituted? Found a helpful passage you’d like to share? Post a comment!

5 Launching Pads for Stellar Content

Do you ever feel like you’re having a hard time getting your research off the ground? Here are five starting points for content that’s out of this world.

1. Yourself

If you’re a Christian, you certainly know the gospel, and probably much more if you grew up in church.  

As the light of the world, Christians ought to have internalized enough of our faith to understand and explain it in our own words while conversing with an unbeliever. As professional, credible speakers, we hold to higher standards of academic integrity than we do in everyday conversations, of course. An informal, working knowledge may not be enough, but it’s a great start.

You’re also your own launching pad because you have unique life experiences and stories that no other speaker could contribute. Perhaps you used to believe one of the statements for analysis, and then God corrected your thinking. Maybe learning the meaning of a term was a breakthrough for you in understanding the gospel. It’s your speech, so make it truly yours.

2. Books

Books are fantastic, and since theology doesn’t change, you don’t have to worry about your sources being outdated. Church libraries are the best; you can also borrow books from club members and friends. Wait to buy a book until you know it’s the one you want.

A. Systematic Theologies

Most of these are really thick books, and some can feel dry and dense. Keep reading, though—they tend to be solid and very beneficial. This year I discovered Foundations of the Christian Faith by James Montgomery Boice, and I wish I had had it during my time in NCFCA.

B. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Okay, we know that explaining the meaning and significance of something is way more than just defining it. Still, reading a definition in a speech improves credibility and clarity, and it earns you points for outside sources. Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias are also beneficial in expanding and crystalizing your own knowledge base.

C. Books Specifically for Apologetics

Lucky for us, real-life apologists write books to persuade unbelievers or equip Christians to do so. My favorite is C.S. Lewis’ classic Mere Christianity; two other excellent examples are Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ and Josh McDowell’s Evidence that Demands a Verdict. These cover a variety of topics and are interesting.

D. Books on Specific Topics

Apologists, theologians, pastors, and philosophers have written hundreds of books dealing with subjects relevant to our speech topics. Just make sure you know the author’s positions before you believe or cite him. I like The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W Tozer for Category I and W.A. Criswell’s Why I Preach that the Bible is Literally True for Category II. Ravi Zacharias has several helpful gems dealing with other worldviews.

3. Pastors and Church Leaders

Seriously, what pastor or youth pastor wouldn’t want to talk with a curious student about a specific Bible-related question? Be courteous and schedule a meeting (with a time limit) in advance. Remember to ask where to find more information, since you need outside sources. If you’re really polite, you might score a killer speech AND a community judge!

4. The Internet

No matter how instinctive it is to pull up Google whenever we need information, researching on the internet isn’t your best option. The most important tip is to know what makes the author a trustworthy expert. As in debate, the only excuses for being on Wikipedia are mining it for real sources or checking an author’s bio.

Still, there is a lot of helpful information, if you’re willing to search for it. You can also use the internet to read from non-Christian sources for free. For instance, you may not want to support Richard Dawkins by paying for one of his books, but you can access his website to learn about atheism and naturalism from the perspective of their proponents.

5. Unexpected Places

Everyday life is full of tidbits to incorporate. Listening to a sermon? Take good notes! Having your quiet time? Ask God to teach you as you read, and you’re certain to run into something for competition as you seek God in His Word. Reading the news? Listening to music? Watching a movie? Guess which worldviews are at play. Reading literature? Look for analogies and illustrations.

The great thing about apologetics is that it deals with real-life questions about real-life issues. Ideas are everywhere people are. We know that competitive apol is supposed to help with real apologetics, but can I tell you a secret?

It works the other way, too.

Some of my best speeches used stories of actual people with whom I’ve shared the gospel or talked about spiritual matters. Seriously, go interact with unbelievers and have the courage and compassion to bring up the best news you could ever give them.

With these five launching pads, you’ll be well on your way to speaking with stellar content. Take to the sky, and remember to have a blast along the way. 

A Leap into the Light: What is Faith, Pt. 2

[Continued from Part 1] 

Anything is possible if you believe it, even if it makes no sense! Right?

Wrong. That idea is repeated throughout our culture, but a biblical understanding of faith is different. There are several notable truths about faith, illustrated with an acronym FAITH:

F: Focused on God.

In the Bible, it isn’t enough to just believe in anything. Nor is it enough to “believe” in nothing in particular; “faith” without an object (or faith in faith itself) is just optimism, a useless fuzzy feeling. Effective faith is belief in truth about God: “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6, ESV) I notice that it’s easy to confuse believing that with just believing in. There is no believing in God without believing that—that He exists, a good place to start; that He is faithful; that His promises are true; and so on. Otherwise, you may have positive feelings about the idea of God, but you have no faith.

The simplest description of faith comes from God’s covenant with Abraham: “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6) Having faith meant taking God at His word. This is a good idea only if God is true to His word. Otherwise it would have been deception, not faith. The only reason Abraham’s faith was effective in justifying him was because God was able to justify him, not because Abraham “just believed” hard enough. Faith must have God as its object to be effective.

A: Always Reasonable.

God may call us to believe something hard to accept, but it will always be reasonable—in the sense that it fits with what we already know about Him. For instance, the virgin birth is a miracle that is humanly impossible, but considering that God made a whole man at creation, it was perfectly reasonable for Mary to believe that God could conceive within her the human body of her Lord. Faith is never a leap into the dark; how can that be when God is light? On the contrary, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130) 

In one of the Old Testament’s greatest examples of faith, Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac in obedience to God, even though God had promised to make a nation of his descendants. When I've heard this story taught, the emphasis is usually on the unreasonableness of God’s initial command, and I admit that it would have been hard to obey. However, the Bible teaches that Abraham was logical to obey, in that “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead”. (Hebrews 11:19, NIV1984; emphasis mine) Abraham knew that God would keep His promise, and from the Genesis story, he seemed confident that both he and Isaac would come back alive. (Genesis 22:5) He acted based on what he knew about God, an act of both faith and reason.

My suspicion is that faith is so hard for us because we would rather figure life out on our own. It’s more comfortable (at first) to go with what we think makes sense. The idea of trusting God, Someone Whom we can’t figure out, is scary and means giving up control. Yet consider this: is it more reasonable to go through life making decisions based on our own limited understanding and limited experience, or to leave ourselves in the hands of the God Who knows everything, can do anything He wants to do, and passionately loves us?

So believer, don’t let this world redefine your confidence as an illogical fuzzy feeling. Focus on God and truth about Him, and believe in accordance with that truth. Know that the word of the Lord is true, and everything He does is worthy of your trust (See Psalms 33:4). 

What is faith? is continued in Part Three! 

What's the Word? Divine Revelation, Pt. 1

Theologians who discuss Divine Revelation typically start by distinguishing between General and Special Revelation. This distinction is solid theology, and it can be helpful. However, since these terms aren’t in the Bible, I’d like to spark your imagination to see Divine Revelation in a new way. In this pattern of organization, God has revealed Himself through four types of words:

1. His Spoken Word: Creation. Creation is the result of God’s words: He literally spoke the universe into existence. His act of speaking (a fancier term is “locutionary act”) resulted in what He made revealing both His existence and His character. Although creation is marred by sin, it still shows its Designer’s fingerprints. Creation makes it clear that the Creator is worthy of worship. 

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.  He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:6-9, ESV) 

 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (Psalm19:1-4a) 

 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20) 

 2. His Written Word: Conscience. God has high moral standards, and He hasn’t left humanity in the dark about what those standards are. Although not everyone will agree about what to do in a tricky ethical dilemma, there is a common understanding across cultures that a moral law exists, and there tend to be similar ideas of what the virtues or rules are. This is because God has written His moral law on human hearts; even though consciences can become corrupted, they still testify to God’s existence and moral perfection.

 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them (Romans 2:14-15) 

In the traditional explanation, both creation and conscience would comprise General Revelation. They are insufficient for salvation but nevertheless reveal important truths about God. Part two will discuss two other types of Words by which God reveals Himself. Teleport yourself to Part Two to keep reading!

Who Made God?

I admit, this question I received from a student in my 4^th grade Sunday School class made me smile. Still, it’s a fair question, if not entirely correct.

Atheists love to go after this. The idea of a supernatural being Who has always existed—isn’t that unscientific?

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) wrote Five Ways that the existence of God can be demonstrated. The first three are cosmological (that is, having to do with the nature and origin of the universe), the fourth is more abstract, and the fifth is teleological (having to do with purpose). Read them for yourself! 

1. Motion. Aquinas argues that everything that is in motion needs to be moved by something else. His analogy of fire is a little confusing, but considering that Aquinas died over four centuries before Newton published his Laws of Motion (Principia, 1687), which state that an object at rest will remain at rest until acted upon by an outside force, this is actually pretty brilliant. This means that there must be a First Mover that needs nothing else to move it. This argument borrows heavily from Aristotle.

2. Causation. Next, he argues that everything has a cause, and nothing can cause itself. It doesn’t make sense to have a regressively infinite series of causes, because a series of causes must have a beginning. Therefore, there must be a First Efficient Cause, one which is uncaused. This Cause is God.

3. Contingency. Everything we see is contingent on something else for its existence. So why does something exist instead of nothing? If there used to be nothing, there would still be nothing—unless there is something in the universe that necessarily exists (that is, it is impossible for this thing or person to not exist). The being Who necessarily exists and on Whom everything else is contingent is God.

Taking these three arguments, it seems reasonable to believe that there is a supernatural being who is the First Mover, is the First Efficient Cause, and has always existed. What does atheism offer? Without God, matter and energy would have had to always exist or spontaneously to come uncaused into existence. Matter would have exploded, with nothing causing the explosion.  Plus, there is no explanation for why anything exists at all, because there should be nothing.

See? It’s really naturalism that’s unscientific in explaining the origin of the universe. The theory is implausible given the basics of physics. (Someone who says that the laws of science didn’t always apply has to take that assertion by faith.)

So, who made God? The answer is that nobody made God. He is, by definition, the Unmoved Mover, the First Cause, and The One Who Necessarily Exists. And there’s nothing unscientific about that.

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36) 

Is Faith Opposed to Reason? What is Faith? Pt. 1

You’ve probably heard people refer to “blind faith”, a “leap in the dark”, “hoping against the odds,” or “believing against the evidence.” While it might be nice to romanticize the faith and pit it against factual, calculated reasoning, this idea of faith is inconsistent with scripture and doesn’t work in the real world.

If we accept the silly idea that faith is the opposite of reason, we’ve bought into our opponents’ lies. Modern atheist Richard Dawkins said in a 1994 lecture, “Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence.” (You can read the entire lecture here.) 

But is faith really just an excuse for intellectual laziness?

Atheist Antony Flew debated theists R. M. Hare and Basil Mitchell on the question of the rationality of religious belief in 1948. Read it! He argued that theists make their propositions meaningless when they say things that have no possibility of contrary evidence. For instance, if a Christian receives an answer to prayer, he might see it as evidence for God, but if he does not, he explains it away by saying, “It just wasn’t God’s will.” This is illogical. Either religious claims are propositions for which the possibility of contrary evidence must exist, or they are meaningless clichés that have no truth value. He would agree with Dawkins that faith fails to take evidence into account.

Flew’s fellow Oxford professor R. M. Hare responded by pointing out that everyone has foundational assumptions that he or she holds to explain the world (he called these “bliks”). Bliks are not subject to evidence the way normal propositions are because they are not really explanations. While it is true that atheists take quite a bit by faith, this is an unsatisfying answer.

The second Oxford theist, Basil Mitchell, responded by saying that as long as we have sufficient evidence for something, it is reasonable to take the rest by faith. Although we can’t always know exactly how much evidence is enough, faith is reasonable as long as it takes the evidence into account. Mitchell’s view makes sense in light of scripture. 1 Corinthians 15 says,

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

In other words, the Bible says for itself that there is a situation under which Christianity is no longer reasonable: if Christ has not been raised from the dead. However, God has left us with overwhelming evidence for the truth of the resurrection, and from this fact we can infer the rest of Christianity. Therefore, no matter how much evil we see in the world, faith in Jesus is still the most reasonable path to take.

Hebrews 11 is all about faith. We see in verse one that “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” and in verse six that “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” The rest of the chapter makes it clear that the people listed here were not looking for a pie-in-the-sky easy life. They stuck to their convictions in the middle of extreme suffering because they took God at His word.

Summit Ministries notes in a 2010 article, “The Bible defines faith in a totally different way from the common understanding. Faith is not wishful thinking, blind hope, or surrender of reason. Biblical faith is a decision to believe something about God or Jesus based on evidence, the kind of evidence that would stand up in any court of law.” 

So believer, hold onto your faith. Weigh the evidence and see for yourself that Christianity is reasonable. And when you have made your choice, stand by your convictions no matter what. 

Want more on faith? Read Part Two!