Lectures on Defense of the Christian Faith (Apologetics) by Wes Bredenhof

This course was presented by Rev W Bredenhof on how to defend the Christian faith from a distinctly Presuppositional perspective.  It is seven parts and was taught in fall of 2021 at the Free Reformed Church of Southern River in Western Australia.

This is the course description:

This course aims to introduce you to the basics of knowing and doing Reformed apologetics.  We’ll first review the biblical foundations and then spend most of our time looking at applications.  This course will give you personal confidence in the objective truth of the Christian faith, as well as emboldening you for sharing the gospel in everyday life.

You can also download a file with the syllabus and all the handouts here.

The topics include:

• The Problem of Evil
• The Resurrection of Jesus
• Contradictions in the Bible
• The Challenge of Science
• LGBTQ-Affirming Christianity
• Atheism

Here’s the series on video:

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This Sunday at Church: Pray for Ukraine

For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Pray for Ukraine.

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With the news I’ve thought back to my time with Ukrainian and Russian Soldiers

 

Note: This is not meant to be a political post but about the humanity of men who are on two different sides.  I think its important to remember the humanity of the other side.

The last three nights I have been up following the war in Ukraine.  Largely looking for raw information from various social media.  Trying to discerning too with all that’s out there. And of course as a believer I have been praying too.  More on that in tomorrow’s post.

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Bible Contradiction? How many of Bethlehem and Netophah’s offspring returned from Babylon?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: How many of Bethlehem and Netophah’s offspring returned from Babylon?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

179

“the men of Bethlehem, 123; 22 the men of Netophah, 56;” (Ezra 2:21-22)

188

“the sons of Bezai, 324;” (Nehemiah 7:26)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

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Resisting the Temptation to Compromise: Lesson from Exodus 8

Saw this from Exodus 8:24-28:

Then the Lord did so. And ^[v]thick swarms of flies entered the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants, and the land was laid waste because of the swarms of flies in all the land of Egypt.

²⁵ Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” ²⁶ But Moses said, “It is not permissible for us to do so, because we will sacrifice to the Lord our God ^[w]that which is an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice ^[x]that which is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? ²⁷ We must go a three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God, just as He ^[y]commands us.” ²⁸ Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, so that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Plead for me.” 

I thought there’s a good lesson for us all.

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Exposition of Nahum Part 7: The Heinous Sins of Nineveh

Last installment: Part 6: The Shepherd Versus the Lion

Nahum 3:1-7

Establish the need: The world is filled with stories of dark heavy sins.  Be warned, this passage we will look at involves some dark and heavy sins.  And from this we know that God condemns them and He is one day going to have a day of reckoning for those who commit vile sins.

Woe to the bloody city, completely full of lies and pillage; Her prey does not leave. 2 The sound of the whip, The sound of the roar of the wheel, Galloping horses And bounding chariots! 3 Horsemen charging, Swords flashing, spears gleaming, Many killed, a mass of corpses, And there is no end to the dead bodies— They stumble over the dead bodies! 4 All because of the many sexual acts of the prostitute, The charming one, the mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations by her sexual acts, And families by her sorceries. 5 “Behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord of armies; “And I will lift up your skirts over your face, And show the nations your nakedness, And the kingdoms your shame. 6 I will throw filth on you And declare you worthless, And set you up as a spectacle. 7 And it will come about that all who see you Will shrink from you and say, ‘Nineveh is devastated! Who will have sympathy for her?’ Where shall I seek comforters for you?”

 

Purpose: We need to know three condemnation God bring against Nineveh and its result so that we desire to see God’s deliverance and also destruction of the wicked.

• Be warned God condemn Nineveh’s violation of the second table of the Ten Commandments (v.1)
• Be warned God condemn Nineveh’s militarism (v.2-3)
• Be warned God condemn Nineveh’s human trafficking (v.4)
• We need to know God punishment of Nineveh and its outcome (v.5-7)

 

Context

• Nahum 3 has five sections: A woe oracle in verses 1-7, three taunts and a dirge for the Assyrian king (Timmer, 147).
• For this woe, there’s about equal amount of words dedicated to condemnation as to the description of God’s punishment (Timmer, 147).

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Presuppositional Apologetics’ Round Up: Third Week of February 2022

Here are the links related to Presuppositional apologetics gathered between February 15th-21st, 2022.

1.) Cave to the Cross’ Evil’s Purpose In God’s Story – Ep.164 – What About Evil? – The One True Story – Part 1

2.) Bible Contradiction? When did Absalom rebel against David?

3.) Scientific discoveries could not have been made unless the universe is what the Christian says it is

4.) Detective Work on a Vile Attack 

5.)  Overcoming Metaphysical Bias: Part 7 of Pushing the Antithesis

6.) Watch “Reading the Bible and losing your faith” on YouTube

7.) Not enough evidence, God!  Not enough evidence!

8.) Apologetics Sermon Illustration #71: Without God’s Word in Apologetics is like being in a military combat role without guns

9.) How to Completely Refute Atheism by Jeff Durbin

10.) Would you mind not talking about your holy book please?

11.) A History of Western Philosophy and Theology – John Frame

12.) The Surprisingly Bad Take on Presuppositional Apologetics

Missed the last round up?  Check out the re-blogged post from a friend OR that of Another REBLOG HERE

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The Surprisingly Bad Take on Presuppositional Apologetics

If you read this blog you know that I subscribe to Presuppositional Apologetics.  I won’t be rehearsing what Presuppositional Apologetics is but check out here for a compact definition and here for a lists of many lectures and of those many messages check out Apologetics: What Would Jesus Do? 4 Messages as my personal recommended series.

There’s a video titled “The Surprisingly Short History of Presuppositional Apologetics” on Youtube that attacks Presuppositional Apologetics by someone that I consider theologically unstable (this is having observed him with his various theological shifts over the years).  I’ve ministered to someone that was his fan boi before and it seems the young man being interviewed in the video somehow produces a younger follower that is even more confused than he is.  I think there’s some young guys that want to be apologists that might be a better equipped for future apologetics ministry if they grow in the Bible and pursue spiritual maturity and being more spiritually well-rounded by discipleship by sound men.

Here’s the video:

Here’s my thoughts:

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This Sunday at Church: Pray for Church Members to Share the Gospel

For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Pray for Church Members to Share the Gospel.

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Apologetics Sermon Illustration #71: Without God’s Word in Apologetics is like being in a military combat role without guns

GO TO PART 70

Point: An important aspect of Presuppositional Apologetics is that God’s Word continue to be authoritative even when one engage with witnessing and defending the Scripture.  This is often ridiculed by nonbelievers and even some believers who reject Presuppositional apologetics.  Can we give an analogy to help the listeners consider why Presuppositionalist do not wish to give up the Bible?

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Review: Reprobation and God’s Sovereignty

Peter Sammons. Reprobation and God’s Sovereignty: Recovering A Biblical Doctrine.  Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, January 25, 2022. 296 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

How much do you know and understand the doctrine of reprobation both biblically and how it developed in historical theology through the history of the church?  In his first published book author Peter Sammons explore the historical dimension of this doctrine in church history but here in this book the author Peter Sammons work on biblically recovering this doctrine that is often misunderstood and slandered.  It has been my observation that there are many books that have been written on predestination and election of those who are saved and not as many discussion about reprobation of the lost even though one hear reprobation gets brought up as an objection against Calvinism/Reformed Theology.  It is in light of this consideration that I appreciate author Peter Sammons tackling this subject with care and nuances concerning human will, God’s sovereignty, causation, agency, God’s goodness, etc, and do so with the intent and desire to be biblical.  This subject as it is discussed online and in person seem to generally generate a lot more heat than light and Sammons’ writing isn’t emotionally driven which I appreciate.  I recognize that not everyone reading my review are necessarily Reformed in their theology but I think Sammons has given us a book that one must interact with if one want to consider an academic presentation of this doctrine from a Reformed proponent.  Even for those who consider themselves Reformed already this book is worth getting since so little is often discussed about this doctrine that this book is worthwhile to ensure one understand this accurately and also to be nuanced.

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Bible Contradiction? When did Absalom rebel against David?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: When did Absalom rebel against David?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

After forty years

“Now it came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to the Lord, in Hebron. 8 For your servant made a vow while I was living in Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’” 9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron. 10 But Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’” (2 Samuel 15:7-10)

Less than forty years since David only ruled for a total of forty years.

“David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.” (2 Samuel 5:4)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

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Exposition of Nahum Part 6: The Shepherd Versus the Lion

Last installment: Part 5: Nineveh’s Inevitable Fall

Nahum 2:11-13

Establish the need: In light of God’s enemies being described as lions, who will you turn to when God’s enemies are active?  Is there a Shepherd that can take on these lions?

11 Where is the den of the lions And the feeding place of the young lions, Where the lion, lioness, and lion’s cub went With nothing to disturb them? 12 The lion tore enough for his cubs, Killed enough prey for his lionesses, And filled his lairs with prey And his dens with torn flesh. 13 “Behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord of armies. “I will burn up her chariots in smoke, and a sword will devour your young lions; I will eliminate your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.”

Purpose: We need to know three focus of God’s prophecy concerning Nineveh’s fall so that we desire to see God’s deliverance and also destruction of the wicked.

• We need to know the elimination of Assyria is astounding news (v.11)
• We need to know the oppression of Assyria is fierce (v.12)
• We need to know the causation of Assyria’s fall is the Lord (v.13)

 

Review: Last week we saw three focus of God’s prophecy concerning Nineveh’s fall so that we desire to see God’s deliverance and also destruction of the wicked.

• We need to know it is ironic to prepare for God’s attack (v.1)
• We need to know the description of Nineveh: Before and after Fall (v.3-10)
• We need to know the blessing for Judah with Nineveh’s Fall (v.2)

 

Context

While other portions of the book so far seems to be more direct prophecies here we see symbolic prophecies using the imagery/motif of lions.

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Mid-February 2022 Presuppositional Apologetics’ Links

Here are the links related to Presuppositional apologetics gathered between February 8th-14th, 2022.

1.) Cave to the Cross’ Apologetics Show: The Structure Of God’s Story – Ep.163 – What About Evil? – Everyone Loves A Good Ending – Part 2

2.) Bible Contradiction? Did Joshua remove the twelve stones from the Jordan River?

3.) The Origin of Energy Problem

4.) The Altruism Exchange – Part 4

5.) A Commentary Review of Van Til’s The Defense of the Faith: Chapter 2

6.) Doubting Requires God

7.) Quick thought on presuppositional apologetics

8.) Lectures on Presuppositional Apologetics by Frank Butler

Missed the last round up?  Check out the re-blogged post from a friend OR that of Another REBLOG HERE 

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Husband Love your Wife Part 1

Ephesians 5:25-27

Establish the need:  Husband how are you loving your life?

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

Purpose: Today we will see the command to husbands to love their wives and also the three motivations to obey God in this area even when it is not easy.

• Command: Love your wife (v.25a)
• Motivation: Christ’s sacrifice for the church (v.25b)
• Motivation: Christ’s sanctifying the church (v.26)
• Motivation: Christ’s spectacular goal and patience for the church (v.27)

Context

• Macro-Comment for verse 25-32: For this section on husband there are 116 Greek words (Hoehner, 746).
• This is a lot of words compared to the section on wives in verses 22-24 which uses 41 words (Hoehner, 746). Thus there is more focus on the husband, the leader, to be biblical.
• This is also a lot of words compared to other section in the New Testament talking about husbands such as Colossians 3:19 with 10 words and 1 Peter 3:7 with 25 words (Hoehner, 746).
• This section is on the measure of the husband’s love (Hoehner, 746).

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