Do You Have to Have A Scholarly Answer for Your Faith?


I saw a video during my Sunday service about the floods of people that are coming to church for Easter or Christmas, maybe they only come once a year, or are interested in what all the hubbub is about. For those interested, it follows that they might have questions. Now, I have written plenty about scholarly questions to Christian faith, but does this mean that everyone should have these answers? Not necessarily, because many times the questions are not scholarly, but emotional. We should be able to answer these as well. These types of questions will be case by case, so a systematic rulebook of answers cannot be written here.
However, the Bible does give us some guidelines in how to talk to one another. We are called in Colossians to let our speech be seasoned with salt and grace (Colossians 4:6). In 1 Peter 3:15, we are commanded to deliver our answers with gentleness and respect. These are general sweeping statements on how we are to conduct our speech, so let’s apply them to our everyday interactions, especially with non-Christians! Too many times I have seen emotional debates raging on the internet, with hate and vitriol being spewed by both sides. This is not how it is supposed to be. We are called to be salt and light, and to pray for those who persecute us. I’m not saying to lay down and let them win, because indeed we are at spiritual war, but God has given us our rules of engagement.
This is a bit of a shorter post, but something I have been mulling over for a while now. I am talking to myself as much as I am anyone who reads this, because I am fallible and prone to the same keyboard fighting that I am decrying above. I pray that we are all clothed in grace and the Holy Spirit as we talk to people in church, work, restaurants, online, and anywhere else. May God bless you and have a good rest of your day.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First post in 2 years, catching up on life, reflections on fatherhood

          To those of you who are still following me and came back to see this post, thank you for stopping in. It has been 2 years since I last posted anything to this page (little over actually since my animal suffering post was July 10, 2021). I fell off writing because my wife and I were going through one of our biggest challenges we have faced, the supposed impending death and miscarriage of our second child, Austin. I say supposed because God is good and Austin survived long odds to not only make it to term, but he is a happy almost 2 year old now. Our daughter Abby is also doing great, almost 4 now, and she loves her brother fiercely. This particular post won’t necessarily be focusing on an apologetics topic (I hope to tackle the origin and uses of different Bible translations soon), I want to do use this post to tell that story of Austin’s miraculous turn around in the womb, and reflect on what all God has shown me and grown me in during almost 4 ye...
Read more

Obituary for Henry Harding Wofford

 Henry Harding Wofford of Ponder Texas went home to be with the Lord on February 22, 2021. Henry was born on June 3, 1942 to Henry Guy and Lela Mae Wofford. Henry is survived by his wife Janice his son Bill Wofford of Ponder his son and daughter-in-law John and Jennifer Wofford of Krugerville. His 4 grandchildren Joshua and wife Elizabeth of Summerville South Carolina. Jacob Wofford of Irvine California. Kaitlyn Wofford of College Station Texas and Joseph Wofford of Krugerville Texas and 1 great granddaughter Abigail Wofford of Summerville South Carolina. Also a brother Leon Brady of Snyder Texas. Plus many nieces and nephews.  Henry was a member of Prairie Grove Road Baptist Church in Valley View Texas.  Henry had many hobbies and interests from hunting to fishing and rode in many rodeos in his younger days. His favorite hobby was spoiling his grandchildren and making rocking horses and rocking chairs and many other toys.  
Read more

Evidence to Support Creation/Intelligent Design

                During my post concerning education, I made comments over how evolution can be taught in a classroom without affecting the worldview of the students. Thanks to the comment from someone on the article, I got to thinking about the opposite side, creationism/intelligent design. How could one introduce these theories and ideas without imposing a worldview on your students? Now unfortunately I cannot think of a way to introduce these views without introducing some sort of God, but they can be introduced by using the Deistic God, who is an impersonal being that started the universe and then left everything alone within this creation.   A deistic god does not push a specific worldview per say, but it does point toward a supernatural being that cannot be scientifically proven in the classical sense, so some people may already be throwing up their hands and claim multiple problems with teaching...
Read more