Pillars of Faith DVD Series Completed by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=2688

Pillars of Faith DVD Series Completed

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Some time ago, we at Apologetics Press committed ourselves to producing more DVD resources for both adults and children, due to the fact that many Americans have upgraded to these ever-improving forms of electronic media. Accordingly, we began work on the development of the Pillars of Faith series for adults. The first two offerings in the series were released last year. The first pillar, Truth Be Told, sub-titled “A Seminar Exposing the Myth of Evolution,” contains six live presentations of the cutting-edge information that Kyle Butt and Eric Lyons provide in the seminars that they conduct around the country. Designed to examine the Creation/Evolution controversy in light of reason and revelation, these sessions present evidence that refutes evolution, defends Creation, and explains how dinosaurs fit into the biblical framework.

The second pillar was modeled after A.P.’s outstanding book, Behold! The Lamb of God, which presents a well-documented, persuasive case for the historicity, deity, and uniqueness of Jesus Christ. This disc contains a total of six sessions of approximately 38 minutes each, with the following lesson titles: “The Historicity of Jesus,” “The Uniqueness of Christ,” “The Predicted Messiah,” “The Resurrection of Christ,” “Answering Christ’s Critics,” and “Was Jesus Really God?”

The third and final pillar has now been completed and is titled: “Is the Bible From God?” sub-titled “A Seminar that Examines the Inspiration and Reliability of the Bible.” The six lessons are titled: “The Bible and Science,” “The Bible and Prophecy,” “The Bible and Archaeology,” “Is the Bible Reliable?” “Scripture Cannot be Broken,” and “Hearing God in the 21^st Century.” This DVD is sorely needed in a culture that has expanded its assault on the inspiration and authority of God’s Word. The people of our country and the world desperately need to face the proof for the divine authenticity of the Bible.

The Pillars of Faith series are evangelistic tools that serve as an excellent means to reach friends, neighbors, and co-workers with truth that will affect their eternal destiny. These DVDs are extremely inexpensive when purchased in bulk quantities (see the center spread for pricing). Please secure your copies, view these presentations, and share them with the people in your life.

Also, please be advised that Apologetics Press recently set up an A.P. group page on the social-networking Web site Facebook.com. If you are a member of Facebook, we would like to invite you to join the group. A.P. group members are often the first to learn of A.P. news, including speaking engagements, book releases, and more. On our group page, you also can post comments and questions, stay in touch with A.P. staff, and meet hundreds of individuals interested in defending New Testament Christianity. We believe Facebook can be an excellent tool to enhance evangelistic efforts.

From Mark Copeland... "CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS" Our Dependence Upon The New Testament

                         "CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS"

                  Our Dependence Upon The New Testament

INTRODUCTION

1. We have seen the evidence from UNBIASED SOURCES that establishes
   Jesus of Nazareth...
   a. As a person of history
   b. Who lived and died in the First Century A.D.

2. But we also pointed out that such sources tell us nothing about..
   a. Who He was
   b. What He did 

   ...to earn such a reputation that,centuries later,his teachings and life still has so much influence in 

      our society

3. For the Christian, the only record which describes in any detail the
   life and death of Jesus is the NEW TESTAMENT
   a. But as a HISTORICAL DOCUMENT, is it reliable?
   b. Can we trust it to be accurate in relating facts of history concerning Jesus, His life, death and 

      resurrection?
   c. Can we even have confidence that what we have today in the form
      of the New Testament is an accurate copy of that penned by the original authors?

4. These are some of the questions we shall attempt to answer as we
   begin to examine "THE HISTORICAL RELIABILITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT"

[But first, for CHRISTIANS to appreciate the importance of this
subject, it may help to demonstrate how dependent our faith is on the
reliability of the New Testament as a historical document...]

I. WHY DO WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD?

   A. THE "ANSWERS" WE MOST LIKELY WOULD GIVE ARE...
      1. "Because of the miracles He did"
      2. "Because He fulfilled hundreds of the Messianic prophecies found in the Old Testament"
      3. "Because He rose from the dead"

   B. BUT WHERE DOES ONE LEARN ABOUT THESE THINGS?
      1. Where do we read about His miracles?  THE NEW TESTAMENT!
      2. Who says that He fulfilled the Messianic prophecies?  THE AUTHORS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT!
      3. What evidence is there for the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
         AGAIN, IT IS PRIMARILY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT!

II. WHAT IF IT WERE SHOWN CONCERNING THE NEW TESTAMENT...

   A. THAT IT WAS WRITTEN OVER 100 YEARS AFTER THE EVENTS SUPPOSEDLY HAPPENED?
      1. Then the New Testament was not written by eyewitnesses, nor by
         those whose names are connected with it (Paul, Peter, etc.)!
      2. It was the general consensus of many scholars in the last
         century that the New Testament was in fact composed during the
         Second Century A.D., not the First
      3. If such is true, then the New Testament is a FORGERY!

   B. THAT IT IS FILLED WITH ERRORS IN REFERENCE TO GEOGRAPHY, PEOPLE, AND EVENTS?
      1. Then how could we trust the authors of the New Testament to be
         accurate in describing supernatural events, when they were
         careless with describing the natural ones?
      2. This would make the New Testament an UNRELIABLE RECORD!

   C. THAT THE MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE IS VERY SCARCE, AND A THOUSAND YEARS
      REMOVED FROM THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS?
      1. Then we would have no way of testing the accuracy of the
         copyists, who for hundreds of years preserved the New Testament
         only by making copies by hand
      2. Then our faith in Jesus would be based upon shallow ground,
         upon a document which is historically questionable!

III. OUR FAITH IN JESUS IS DEPENDENT ON THE NEW TESTAMENT BEING
     RELIABLE AS A HISTORICAL DOCUMENT!

   A. "BLIND FAITH" MAY SEEM ADEQUATE FOR SOME...
      1. For children who believe whatever their parents say
      2. For people who are never placed in an environment where their
         faith is challenged (like state universities)
      3. For people who are not trying to convince others to trust in
         Jesus for their salvation

   B. BUT IF WE DESIRE TO HAVE A "STRONG FAITH" FOR OURSELVES AND
      OTHERS...
      1. Then we need to understand our dependency upon the New Testament
      2. We need to know how to demonstrate the evidence which supports
         it as a reliable, historical document!

CONCLUSION

1. Hopefully, we now appreciate the need to carefully examine the
   evidence for the historical reliability of the New Testament

2. In doing so, we shall apply the same kind of tests applied to any
   ancient document to determine its reliability!

3. The next study will examine what is the "ACID TEST" for any ancient
   document claiming to be a historical record of certain events...

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary... A message from the mist

I choose this picture because it "fit" what happened to me this morning. It was (and still is) quite foggy this morning, and as we did our usual dog walk, I asked myself what could possibly be good about "today". And as I walked, I just kept thinking about "today" from the Scriptures and how it would apply to me, right now!!!  Somehow, I couldn't help but think that a good title for today's blog post would be "A message from the mist" and like "today", the thought just kept returning to me. Then I met my next door neighbor, who had been nice enough to comment on yesterday's post that featured a saying from "Mother Teresa". When he had wondered how to obtain a picture suitable for framing, I told him to find a program to modify it and left it at that. I didn't realize my insensitivity until today, when I met him. During the course of our conversation I recalled Isaiah 6 and realized right then and there I needed to help- so I volunteered to make something suitable for framing. I did, both he and his wife loved it and that is that.  Below are the Scriptures I thought about...  

Hebrews, Chapter 3 (WEB)

 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Isaiah, Chapter 6 (WEB)

 1 In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple.  2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each one had six wings. With two he covered his face. With two he covered his feet. With two he flew.  3 One called to another, and said, 

“Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of Armies!

The whole earth is full of his glory!”

  4  The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.  5 Then I said, “Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of Armies!” 

  6  Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar.  7 He touched my mouth with it, and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven.” 

  8  I heard the Lord’s voice, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” 

Then I said, “Here I am. Send me!” 

In all this I didn't realize that the "Message from the midst" was for me, not others. Help when you can, do the best when you can and do it now- not later, you may never get another chance!!!  Today, may your "mist" clear and the LORD give you direction. I pray that you will listen!!!