Point: When we evangelize it is important to make the point that the listener have sinned against a Holy God. Even during an apologetic dialogue, a Christian apologist must not forget this; instead he or she must press the point that one who goes against God is rebelling against Him and is trying to run away from God with the very resources that God has given to help man; this sin is even more grievous in light of God’s goodness, help and mercy towards unbelievers (what in theology we call God’s common grace). How can we further drive this point home?
Picture: On the news a few days ago there was this headline: “Man steals L.A. Fire Department ambulance sent to help him” with this story:
A man being treated by paramedics stole a Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance and led police on a chase that ended in a traffic collision, sending two women to the hospital Sunday night.
Paramedics responded to a medical call in the 200 block of North San Pedro street in downtown L.A. about 6:30 p.m., and then the man drove off in the ambulance, according to the LAFD’s Katherine Main.
The paramedics were not in the ambulance at the time, Main said.
A fire engine also responding to the original call reported the stolen ambulance, Los Angeles police said.
Officers then began a pursuit that ended when the ambulance crashed into a vehicle at the intersection of Beverly Boulevard and Union Avenue about 7:15, according to Sgt. Gia Rueda of the LAPD.
Two women in the car were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, Rueda said.
The suspect, whose name was not released, was taken into custody at the Rampart Station.
Here is a story of the suspect taking advantage of what was meant to be help for the suspect. Then there is the added irony of the man getting an accident after the chase–only to have the paramedics again help him and put him in another ambulence. That’s like man’s sinful attempt to run away from Him by hijacking God’s resources as a means of running away from Him–but we inevitably crash and even then with our self-destructiveness we can’t fully avoid God.
POSSIBLE SCENARIO FOR EMPLOYING THIS ILLUSTRATION DURING APOLOGETIC EVANGELISM
<Much apologetic dialogue takes place; now discussion is winding down>
CHRISTIAN: We have touched on a lot of philosophy and worldview issues. I don’t want you to miss my thesis that you are in sin and that your sin is even evident in our intellectual discussion because you are trying to use intellectual resources that God has provided to help us as His creatures to be resources for you to try to escape God.
OPPONENT: What do you mean? You are putting moralistic tones to this intellectually stimulating discussion.
CHRISTIAN: Let me explain perhaps by ways of a story of how I see it within my worldview. Have you heard of this story: <Insert New story>.
OPPONENT: Wow!
CHRISTIAN: Here’s the image of the actual guy after the accident. Do you see any irony in the picture?
OPPONENT: Yes! The paramedics that he wronged are now the ones he have to rely on to help him after the attempted getaway.
CHRISTIAN: Exactly! I love this picture because despite his attempt to get away from the paramedics, he ends up facing the paramedics anyways–and still needed their help and he’s back to square one. In the same way, when someone tries to use God’s resources that was meant to help us such as the laws of logic, morality, etc., as a means of trying to run away from God, we end up colliding with God’s reality and yet we still rely on Him afterwards despite our rebellion. This man is more like us than we realize!
The Domain for Truth 