Christianity’s Greatest Misconceptions & Indisputable Facts DLHicks 3-8-20 I Pet. 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense- answer to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
Phil. 1:17 Paul said, “Knowing that I am appointed for the “defense” of the Gospel. Introduction: Apologetics – To give a defense of what one believes to be true. Not an apology. John Stott said, “We cannot pander to a man’s intellectual arrogance, but we must cater to his intellectual integrity.” The manner in which the word “defense” is used in I Peter 3:15 denotes the kind of defense one would make to a legal inquiry asking, “Why are you a Christian?” “Apologia”- the basic English translation is “apology” which was used predominantly in early times, but it did not convey the idea of excuse or making amends for some injury done. “Apologia”- translated by the English word “defense” is used eight times in the New Testament. The six other places where the word defense is used other than the ones listed above would be Acts 22:1. Paul says, “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” Acts 25:16 Paul said, “The custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accuser face to face, and have an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.” I Cor. 9:3 Paul said, “My defense to those who examine me is this . . .” II Cor. 7:11 “What diligence is produced in you. What clearing of yourselves (defense)?” Phil. 1:7 “As both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel . . .” II Tim. 4:16 Paul said, “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. . .”
Misconception No. 1: Loving Christians should accept other religious views. It may go like this . . . “You Christians seem to think that your way is the only way and that all other views are wrong. How intolerant can you be? Why can’t you accept other people and what they believe as also true?” These criticisms reflect the views of the new definition of the word “tolerance”. According to Thomas A. Helmbock, VP of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, states that “every individual’s belief, lifestyle, and perception of truth-claims are equal and all truth is relative.” This misconception assumes that Truth is inclusive, that it gathers under its wings claims that oppose each other. The fact is that Truth is exclusive at least to some degree for it must exclude as false that which is not true. For example, Washington DC is the Capital of the United States. No other city on the planet can lay legitimate claim to being the Capital City of the United States. Simply because just one City is the United States Capital does not mean that the people who affirm this truth are therefore intolerant. Accepting this exclusive truth-claim about Washington DC does not make him or her tolerant or intolerant. It simply makes him or her correct about what the Capital of the United States is. The same is true about Christianity. If the claims of the Christian faith are true, and many people accept them as true, these people are no more intolerant for their belief than those people who accept Washington DC as the United States Capital. They are either correct or mistaken about how God has revealed Himself in the World. If they are right, then there is really no other way to God but through Christ. The question of tolerance or intolerance isn’t the issue. The real issue is the question of “Truth”. Not tolerance or intolerance.
Misconception #2: People say, “I can’t accept Christ because I have intellectual problems with Christianity.” The rejection of Christ is often not so much of the “Mind” but of the “Will”. Not so much “I can’t” but “I won’t”. Many intellectual excuses, only some with real intellectual problems.
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