Welcome to my new Christian Apologetic Blog Series. Christian apologetics is the reasoned defense of the Christian faith against objections, and includes the setting forth of positive grounds for Christianity. In the Bible we are clearly commanded as Christians to: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). I will be presenting questions that you may be asked and gathering answers by using Apologetic resources from leading Apologists.

Why Does God’s Creation Include Death and Suffering?

Some may suggest that if God really loved us, He would put us in a perfect place where nothing painful can touch us. However, He already did that once, and Adam rebelled. Given the same opportunity, each one of us would do the same thing. God demonstrated His love by dying for the world and rising again. All who receive the free gift of eternal life will spend eternity with Him.

As children of Adam, we all inherit Adam’s sin nature. We have all, at some point, disobeyed a command from the Creator, so we all deserve to die and suffer eternal punishment in hell. We must understand that not one of us is innocent before God. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Not one of us is worthy to stand before the Creator of the universe because we would each bring a sinful, rebellious nature into His presence.

The sad things (e.g., the death of a loved one, tsunamis that kill thousands, hurricanes that leave many dead or homeless, etc.) that happen around us and to us are reminders that sin has consequences and that the world needs a Savior. God took pleasure in all of His creation (Revelation 4:11), but He loved people most of all. He uses the deterioration of the created universe to show us the consequences of our sin. If we did not experience the consequences of our rebellion against the Creator, we would never understand that we need salvation from our sin, and we would never receive His offer of mercy for our sin. Most people easily recognize that there is a problem in the world. We need to realize that there is One who has overcome this problem of death and suffering—Jesus Christ. God loves His children and does not want them to spend eternity in hell. Our merciful Creator has provided a way to be reconciled to Him and to escape the terrible eternal punishment for our sin. This way of escape is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, who is God, came to earth as a man, lived a sinless life, and then died to pay the penalty for sin. Compared to eternity, the time we spend here in a cursed world is insignificant. God will complete His demonstration of love by placing those who receive His salvation in a perfect place forever.

The Bible describes death as the last enemy that will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). Revelation 21:4 says that “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Those who have received salvation look forward to the time when the Lord will revoke the Curse and restore the universe to a perfect state like the one it had before man sinned (Revelation 22:3). The Lord not only loves His children enough to die for their sin, He also promises to fix the ruined world by creating a new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:1). And just as the first Adam brought death into the world, Christ, as the “last Adam,” brings renewed life into the world.

“The Shack,” by William Paul Young, is a feel-good novel about faith that millions of people love. And its warm and fuzzy depiction of God is cherished by millions of Evangelical Christians. Is there anything WRONG with “The Shack”? Below, you will find one authors take on it’s potentially damaging message. In the end, we want to know what YOU think… Be among the first few to respond to this blog, and win a FREE CD!…
“This mass adoration has helped seemingly cement William Paul Young’s “The Shack” to the stratosphere of numerous best-seller lists — where it’s remained for more than 100 weeks—a claim no other book can make. Yet it is infused with counterfeit Christianity, says author James De Young in his new book, “Burning Down ‘The Shack’: How the ‘Christian’ Bestseller is Deceiving Millions,” and its depiction of God as an African woman who suffered Christ’s crucifixion—and the book’s exclusion of any existence of Satan and hell—represent just some of its many dangerous deceptions. And if such deceptions, which upend biblical teachings on sin, redemption, salvation and damnation, go unchallenged, says DeYoung, this “feel-good novel” could prove terribly divisive and destructive to millions of Christians.

“Paul Young offers a warped portrayal of the Trinity, denies the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ, diminishes the realities of sin without redemption and shrugs off damnation,” said Joseph Farah, publisher and CEO of WND Books. “Christian leaders can no longer countenance this cancerous manipulation. I’m heartened that Jim De Young is exposing and opposing it.”  In Burning Down ‘The Shack’, De Young delivers a chapter-by-chapter evaluation of more than 15 heresies whithin “The Shack.”

Read More Here… http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=156873

Be one of the first to weigh in with your thoughts and win a FREE CD!

Another prominent Christian music artist has “come out of the closet.” In interviews this week with Reuters, Christianity Today, and a prominent homosexual publication, Dove Award-winning and Grammy-nominated musician Jennifer Knapp made public that she is a lesbian who has been in a relationship with a woman for eight years.

And she told Christianity Today that she is not a “pro-gay activist” but “just a normal human being who’s dealing with normal everyday life scenarios. As a Christian, I’m doing that as best as I can.” Knapp is not the first high-profile Christian artist to admit to the homosexual lifestyle. Less than two years ago Ray Boltz made a similar public announcement after divorcing his wife of 33 years.

Can a Person Be A Christian and Live A Homosexual Lifestyle? Be among the first few to post a response, backed by scripture, and you will GET A FREE CD.

Throughout the Bible, God forbids many specific actions; but is there any scripture that explicitly censures gambling? Many people cast lots in scripture; is it ok for us to gamble? Be one of the first few to respond to this post, by April 19^th, and you will WIN A FREE CD!

The UN-Constitutional Senate health care bill which Democrats have rammed through, despite heavy opposition, includes a “citizen abortion tax.”

According to the Constitution itself… “Every Bill which shall have
passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it
becomes a Law, be presented to the President of the United States.”

There are some radical questions flying around as to whether Christians should pay taxes that will go towards government funded abortion. Jesus said to “render everything to Caesar that which is Caesars.” Doesn’t everything belong to God? Scripture also says we are supposed to “obey God before man,” if we are asked to break one of God’s laws. Is there a point where Christians, and or American citizens should disobey civil authority?  Be among the first few to respond to this blog, and WIN A FREE CD!

Many professed Christians accept evolution as scientifically accurate. In fact I’ve heard that many of the scientists who study evolution label themselves as Christians. Yet some Christians insist that belief in evolution undermines the Christian faith. Does belief in evolution undermine the Christian faith? What in Christianity is contradicted by evolution? From an evolution standpoint; if sin “evolved” into our ancestors through the natural development which God set into motion, why would God hold us accountable? If a naturalistic development of sin occurred, are we “naturally” sinners, simply what our creator caused us to evolve into being? Please post your thoughts and feel free to quote any scripture you feel validates your position.

Post your reply by Monday evening, March 15^th, and WIN A FREE CD!

Does it really matter whether we believe it took six days or six million years? God could have created everything in no time, or taken His time. Why, then, would He take as long as six days, or even thousands of years? Some say the answer is given in Exodus 20:11, where it appears that God tells us that He deliberately took six days and rested for one as a pattern for the seven-day week. The Hebrew word for day in Genesis chapter 1 is the word “yom”. Respected Hebrew dictionaries, like the Brown, Driver, Briggs lexicon, give a number of meanings for the word “yom” depending upon context. In Genesis chapter 1, for each of the six days of creation, the Hebrew word “yom” is used with a number and the phrase, ‘evening and morning’. Does this prove six literal days? What about 2 Peter 3:8, where it says… with the Lord a day is like a thousand years?  Be one of the first few to reply with your thoughts, and WIN A FREE CD!

movieguide.org (http://www.movieguide.org/box-office/4/10075/avatar) is a Christian movie review website. In a recent review of the movie AVATAR, the Movie Guide review contains some of the following excerpts: AVATAR contains… “New Age pagan…overt New Age Gaia/Goddess worship and tree worship… occult content of hearing spirits of dead ancestors; 26 obscenities and 10 profanities, which includes taking God’s name in vain several times; very strong bloody violence… smoking, implied drug references… and anti-human, anti military, reverse racist ideology.”

Even if the Movie Guide review is accurate, we all know that the movie, rated PG-13, is fictional; made purely for entertainment, right? As Christians, we know what is scripturally right from wrong. Can we just overlook the profanity, obscenities, pagan worship and violent killing scenes as part of the way the movie attempts to add “real world” dialogue and thinking to make the movie more “realistic”? Many people use profanity as part of their everyday speech. How many times is using God’s name in vain too much? The movie is only make-believe, so if we conclude that it is a “bad” movie or unfit for our “Christian” senses; are we being too “judgmental” or too critical? Secular reviews say it’s a great movie for the whole family. As a Christian, would you recommend the movie Avatar? Is there any scripture that will back up your position for or against the movie?

Be among the first couple to POST AND WIN A FREE CD!

Toys R Us is selling Ouija boards, promoting them as acceptable for children as young as eight years old. The new “pink” edition of the Ouija board is listed for girls eight-years-old and up while the regular version is designated for all children eight and up. Some Christians say it’s just a toy, others say it’s an open door to the demonic. If a game or toy is not used with evil intent, does it really matter what toys or games our kids play? Is there any Scripture that would advise a Christian whether or not playing with a Ouija board is acceptable? The first few responses, backed with Scripture, will WIN A FREE CD!