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Prepared with a Reason: Christian Apologetics

Christian apologetics provides believers with the intellectual foundation to engage thoughtfully with philosophical challenges to their faith. This series addresses common worldly assumptions through a biblical lens, equipping Christians to thoughtfully engage with philosophical challenges to their faith. The study covers key areas of philosophy including epistemology, ontology, anthropology, axiology, ethics, aesthetics, eschatology, and hedonism.

Overview of the Series

The "Prepared with a Reason" series examines various worldly assumptions and provides biblical responses to these philosophical positions (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 1, 0:42). The goal is to help Christians understand how Scripture addresses fundamental questions about truth, existence, human nature, and values.

Epistemology: The Question of Truth

What Is Truth?

Epistemology deals with fundamental questions: "What is truth?" and "Can we know truth?" (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 1, 2:42). This question echoes through history, as seen when Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" in John 18:38.

Worldly Assumptions About Truth

The series identifies several problematic assumptions prevalent in modern culture:

  1. No Objective Truth Exists: Some claim there is no truth that exists outside of personal feelings or opinions (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 1, 6:02)

  2. All Truth Is Relative: The popular idea that "you have your truth and I have my truth" reflects this assumption (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 1, 7:15)

  3. Truth Is a Social Construct: The belief that if the majority of people believe something, it therefore becomes true (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 1, 9:17)

The Influence of Humanism

These assumptions stem from humanistic worldview, which positions human beings as "the measure of all things" - making humans the arbiters of what is true, false, good, or evil (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5, 1:15).

Ontology: What Exists and Where Did It Come From?

Understanding Ontology

Ontology addresses fundamental questions: "What exists?" and "Where did it come from?" (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 2, 4:06). It is a branch of metaphysics, which examines things outside of natural science - often called the supernatural, including God and heaven (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 2, 4:24).

The Worldly Assumption: No God Exists

One major worldly assumption is that there is no God (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 2, 5:59). The argument claims that the idea of God simply comes from human imagination.

The Logical Problem with This Assumption

If God were merely a product of human imagination, would we have invented the God of Scripture? The answer is no. Every other religion is based on works righteousness - the idea that you must earn your way to God through good deeds (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 2, 6:42). This follows human intuition about earning rewards through effort.

Christianity, however, presents the opposite: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. This goes against human nature and preference, making it unlikely to be a human invention.

Additional Worldly Assumptions in Ontology

The series identifies two more common assumptions:

Matter Has Always Existed: The belief that matter in the universe has always existed and organized itself through the Big Bang (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 2, 17:00).

The Universe Balances Things: The concept of karma - that the universe itself balances good and bad actions (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 2, 18:25). This assumption appears in phrases like "what the universe is trying to tell me" or "trust the universe."

Biblical Responses to Ontological Assumptions

Scripture refutes these assumptions by revealing:

Hedonism: When Pleasure Defines Good and Evil

Definition and Origins

Hedonism is the principle that defines good and evil by pleasure and pain, with the ultimate purpose being to enjoy pleasure and avoid pain (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5, 4:06). This philosophy traces back to the Garden of Eden, where Eve saw the forbidden fruit was "a delight to the eyes" and rationalized that because it was pleasurable, it must be good (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5, 6:59).

The Hedonistic Paradox

Historically, even the Epicureans recognized the fundamental flaw in hedonism - the hedonistic paradox. If you fail to experience pleasure, it leads to frustration and pain. However, if you achieve all the pleasure you seek, you become bored, and boredom is also associated with pain (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5, 10:18). Either way, the pursuit of pleasure ultimately results in pain.

The Danger of Hedonistic Thinking

Hedonism's logical end is tyranny, occurring when maximizing one's own pleasure comes by maximizing the pain of others (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5, 24:29). Only those with the most power can maximize their pleasure at others' expense.

Death: Worldly Assumptions Challenged

Death Is Not God's Will

A common worldly assumption is that death is the will of God (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 2:43). Scripture reveals this to be false. Romans 5:12 teaches that death entered the world through sin, not as part of God's original plan (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 3:22).

God warned Adam and Eve that disobedience would bring death because He did not want death to enter creation (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 4:25). Ezekiel 33:11 clearly states: "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live" (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 5:29).

Death Is Not Our Friend

While Christians may experience mixed feelings about death - knowing their loved ones are with Christ while grieving the separation - Scripture describes death with terms like "bitterness" (1 Samuel 15:32) and "terrors" (Psalm 55:4), and calls it having a "sting" (1 Corinthians 15:56) (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 9:45).

Death is the gateway through which believers pass into Christ's presence, but it was not created as God's purposeful intention for His human creatures - it exists as a consequence of sin (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 15:58).

Christians Don't Become Angels

Another worldly assumption is that Christians become angels at death (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 19:55). Scripture reveals that angels are a separate and unique creation of God (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 20:18). Instead, God gives believers glorified bodies like Christ's resurrection body, as promised in Philippians 3:21 (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 21:05).

Eternity Begins at Belief, Not Death

A final assumption is that eternity begins when we die. John 3:16 and John 3:36 clearly state that believers "have" eternal life - present tense, not future (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 26:26). Eternity begins at the point of belief, making today "one day in all of eternity" for believers (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 26:50).

Biblical Responses

Christ's Example

Jesus was no hedonist. Throughout the Gospels, He spoke of suffering as integral to His mission and to the Christian life:

  • Luke 9:22: "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering"
  • Luke 22:15: "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer"
  • Luke 24:46-47: "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead"

(Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5, 15:29)

Christian Suffering

Christians are not immune to suffering. Scripture teaches that suffering is a privilege granted to believers: "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake" (Philippians 1:29) (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5, 18:02).

The True Source of Purpose and Pleasure

Christians define goodness not by pleasure or pain, but by faithfulness to the Lord and His word, regardless of consequences (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5, 19:44).

Jonathan Edwards exemplified this principle in his personal mission statement, resolving to do whatever would bring the most glory to God, understanding that true pleasure comes from glorifying God rather than avoiding suffering (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5, 20:56).

As Augustine recognized, "You have created us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you" (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5, 26:22). Human restlessness stems from living against our created purpose - to bring glory to God.

Addressing All Worldly Assumptions Through Scripture

Over the course of this series, various topics have been examined: epistemology, ontology, anthropology, axiology, hedonism, and death. In each case, worldly assumptions about finding value, priorities, and doctrine are addressed by Scripture, which is the source to address all worldly assumptions (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 6, 29:25).

Conclusion

The Westminster Catechism captures the Christian perspective well: "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever" (Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5, 28:01). This stands in stark contrast to worldly assumptions that place human feelings, cultural consensus, or personal pleasure as the ultimate arbiters of truth and value.

Through God's forgiveness in Christ, believers are empowered by grace to live for His glory, finding true purpose and satisfaction in fulfilling their created design rather than pursuing the empty promises of worldly philosophy.