The Sword of the Spirit

Isaiah 49:2 And He has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden me, and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver He has hidden me.

Science and the Bible

The first three verses of Genesis accurately express all known aspects of the creation (Genesis 1:1-3). Science expresses the universe in terms of: time, space, matter, and energy. In Genesis chapter one we read: “In the beginning (time) God created the heavens (space) and the earth (matter)…Then God said, “Let there be light (energy).” No other creation account agrees with the observable evidence.

The Earth floats Freely in Space

The earth free-floats in space (Job 26:7), affected only by gravity. While other sources declared the earth sat on the back of an elephant or turtle, or was held up by Atlas, the Bible alone states what we now know to be true – “He hangs the earth on nothing.”

The Earth Rotates about its Axes

Scripture assumes a revolving (spherical) earth (Luke 17:34-36). Jesus said that at His return some would be asleep at night while others would be working at day time activities in the field. This is a clear indication of a revolving earth, with day and night occurring simultaneously.

The order of creation

The order of creation agrees with true science (Genesis 1). Plants require sunlight, water, and minerals in order to survive. In the first chapter of Genesis we read that God created light first (v.3), then water (v. 6), then soil (v. 9), and then He created plant life (v. 11).

The order of creation

The order of creation agrees with true science (Genesis 1). Plants require sunlight, water, and minerals in order to survive. In the first chapter of Genesis we read that God created light first (v.3), then water (v. 6), then soil (v. 9), and then He created plant life (v. 11).

The Perfect Dimensions of the ArkThe Bible specifies the perfect dimensions for a stable water vessel (Genesis 6:15). Ship builders today are well aware that the ideal dimension for ship stability is a length six times that of the width. Keep in mind, God told Noah the ideal dimensions for the ark 4,500 years ago.

The Perfect Dimensions of the Ark

Noah’s Ark was the focus of a major 1993 scientific study headed by Dr. Seon Hong at the world-class ship research center KRISO, based in Daejeon, South Korea

The Flooding of ark Ark to be denied

The fact that God once flooded the earth (the Noahic Flood) would be denied (2 Peter 3:5-6). There is a mass of fossil evidence to prove this fact, yet it is flatly ignored by most of the scientific world because it was God’s judgment on man’s wickedness.

Oceans Contain Springs

Oceans contain springs (Job 38:16). The ocean is very deep. Almost all the ocean floor is in total darkness and the pressure there is enormous. It would have been impossible for Job to have explored the "springs of the sea." Until recently, it was thought that oceans were fed only by rivers and rain. Yet in the 1970s, with the help of deep diving research submarines that were constructed to withstand 6,000 pounds-per-square-inch pressure, oceanographers discovered springs on the ocean floors!

Life begins at Fertilization

Life begins at fertilization (Jeremiah 1:5). God declares that He knew us before we were born. The biblical penalty for murdering an unborn child was death (Exodus 21:22-23). Today, it is an irrefutable biological fact that the fertilized egg is truly an entire human being. Nothing will be added to the first cell except nutrition and oxygen.

Mankind began from one blood

God has created all mankind from one blood (Acts 17:26; Genesis 5). Today researchers have discovered that we have all descended from one gene pool. For example, a 1995 study of a section of Y chromosomes from 38 men from different ethnic groups around the world was consistent with the biblical teaching that we all come from one man (Adam)

Black holes and Dark Matter

Black holes and dark matter anticipated (Matthew 25:30; Jude 1:13; Isaiah 50:3). Cosmologists now speculate that over 98% of the known universe is comprised of dark matter, with dark energy and black holes. A black hole’s gravitational field is so strong that nothing, not even light, escapes. Beyond the expanding universe there is no measured radiation and therefore only outer darkness exists. These theories paint a seemingly accurate description of what the Bible calls “outer darkness” or “the blackness of darkness forever.”

2nd Law of Thermodynamics

In the universe matter tends to a state of greater disorder (Entropy) with time. (Psalm 102:25-26)“Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed”

The Orbit of the Sun

Scientists have long believed that the earth revolved around the sun, which was stationary. This caused them to scoff at the following verses which, they said, taught the opposite…"In them has He set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race. His [the sun's] going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof." [Psalm 19:4-6]However it was later discovered that the sun is in fact moving through space at approximately 600,000 miles per hour. It is traveling through the heavens and has a "circuit", just as the Bible says. It is estimated that its circuit is so large, it would take 200 million years to complete one orbit.

The Universe is Expanding

The universe is expanding (Job 9:8; Isaiah 42:5; Jeremiah 51:15; Zechariah 12:1)

Repeatedly God declares that He stretches out the heavens.Job: Which alone spreadeth out the heavens …Isa: Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; ..Jer: … and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding

The Universe is Expanding (Cont.)

During the early 20th century, most scientists (including Einstein) believed the universe was static. Others believed it should have collapsed due to gravity. Then in 1929, astronomer Edwin Hubble showed that distant galaxies were receding from the earth, and the further away they were, the faster they were moving. This discovery revolutionized the field of astronomy. Eisntein admitted his mistake, and today most astronomers agree with what the Creator told us millennia ago – the universe is expanding!

The peaking of Prothrombin

Circumcision on the eighth day is ideal (Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3; Luke 1:59). Medical science has discovered that the blood clotting chemical prothrombin peaks in a newborn on the eighth day. This is therefore the safest day to circumcise a baby. How did Moses know?!

The Sword of the Spirit

DefensivePhil. 1:7, “ … inasmuch as both in my chains and in the

defense and confirmation of the gospel, … “1 Pet. 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and

always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear”

Offensive2 Cor. 10:5, “Casting down arguments and every high thing

that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and

being ready … “

The Apostle Paul:Acts 26:2, “I make my defense …”Phil. 1:7, “defending the gospel”

The Apostle Peter:1 Pet. 3:15, “ready to give an answer”

Some Early Christian Apologists

The Means of Apologetics

Acts 17:2-4, “Then Paul, as his custom was, … reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.’”

“And some of them were persuaded; …”Acts 17:11, “… they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

Be a Berean, search the Scriptures dailyLook for evidence of the Truth

The Means of Apologetics• Acts 17:17, “Therefore he [Paul] reasoned in the

synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshippers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there.” – Paul answered the questions of believers & skeptics alike

• Acts 17:23, “… Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: …”– The Athenians believed in an “unknown God”– Paul introduced them to the Creator God who could be

known

Discerning The Truth• Deut. 18:21-22, “… How shall we know the

word which the Lord has not spoken? – when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; …”– A true prophet’s prophecies come to pass

• 1 Th. 5:21-22, “Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”– Examine what is preached carefully– Discern the good from the evil

Knowing The Truth• 2 Tim. 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself

approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”– Impart God’s Word accurately and clearly

• Rom. 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”– We can use mind to reason

Sources of BeliefTrue Belief False Belief

The Truth

Our Mandate• 1 Pet. 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in

your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”

• As believers we need to:– Be ready to give an answer to questions about

our faith– Be able to explain what we believe and why we

believe this– Answer those who ask for an explanation

Do not Defend the Gospel• This context implies do not defend the Gospel

for the sake of winning an argument

• Do not infer the word

• Make proper references

• Always be honest say “I do not know, but I will find out and bring the answer to you”

• Do not be tempted to argue about contradicting statements from the scriptures