RICHARD THE LIONHEART SHIELD

But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence... (1 Peter 3:15)

In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16)

 

Apologetics is the practice of providing a defense or answers to challenges. The word "apologetics" comes from the Greek word used in this passage of 1 Peter: apologia.

We have found the following passages of Scripture to be helpful when defending the faith from well-meaning Christian friends, door-to-door cult missionaries, and even our own self doubts. Here are some basic apologetic passages from Scripture.

If you have a question regarding the faith or have some recommendations regarding verses to include here, please contact us!

 

 


How many gods are there?

"Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.
(Deuteronomy 4:39)

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!(Deuteronomy 6:4)

"I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is no one besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other... (Isaiah 45:5-6)

 

There is only One G-d. Any group that teaches there are multiple gods or goddesses must reject (or attempt to redefine) the Scriptures that state otherwise.

Is the Word of G-d the same as G-d?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(John 1:1)

 

Yes. In a manner like Yeshua is the Word made flesh, Scripture is the Word made print. G-d has condensed and "humbled" himself into this form so that we might comprehend Him. Thanks be to G-d.

Just as we would not worship or revere the flesh of the Messiah so, too, we should not worship the printed pages of Scripture.

Is the Word of G-d truth?

The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting. (Psalm 119:160)

"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (John 17:17)

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
(2 Timothy2:15)

 

G-d's Word is, indeed, truth. It is not truth that the world would accept but it is truth nevertheless.

Is the Word of G-d eternal?

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8)

BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." And this is the word which was preached to you.
(1 Peter 1:25)

 

Yes, G-d's Word is eternal and endures forever.

Does G-d change?

"For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
(Malachi 3:6)

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. (Psalm 33:11)

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
(1 John 4:9)

 

G-d does not change. He is eternal and unchanging.

Does G-d lie?

"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
(Numbers 23:19)

For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:25)

Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior, To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. (Titus 1:1-4)

 

Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,
Tit 1:2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,
Tit 1:3 but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,
Tit 1:4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

G-d does not lie. When G-d declares something to be true in the words of Scripture we can know that it is true. Because of the previous point (Does G-d change?) we know that any truth found in the pages of Scripture is eternally true and unchanging.

Who has seen or heard G-d?

But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!" (Exodus 33:20)

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. (John 1:18)

"And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form." (John 5:37)

 

Nobody has seen or heard G-d the Father at any time.

Who did the Israelites see and hear at Mt. Sinai?

Then God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me."
(Exodus 20:1-3)

Then the LORD spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but you saw no form--only a voice. (Deuteronomy 4:12)

 

The Israelites all heard the voice of G-d speaking the words of the covenant.

Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank. (Exodus 24:9-11)

 

These seventy four men saw G-d and ate and drank in His presence.

Who did they see? They saw the Son in some form prior to His birth to Mary.

How many "begottens" does G-d have?

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
(John 3:16)

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
(1 John 4:9)

 

There is only one begotten of the Father: His Son, the Messiah, the Lord Yeshua. Humanity is not begotten of G-d. We are His creation.

Did G-d declare certain things to be abominations?

You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.
(Leviticus 18:22)

 

G-d declares homosexuality is an abomination.

The graven images of their gods you are to burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, or you will be snared by it, for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 7:25)

 

G-d declares idolatry is an abomination.

These shall you eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, these shall you eat. And all that do not have fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination to you: They shall be even an abomination to you; you shall not eat of their flesh, but you shall have their carcases in abomination. (Leviticus 11:9 KJV)

Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. (Deuteronomy 14:3)

 

G-d declares that eating unclean animals is an abomination.

  • We know that G-d's Word is G-d.
  • We know that G-d's Word is true.
  • We know that G-d's Word does not change because G-d does not change.

 

Given these facts, G-d's declaration of these things as abominations must still be true.

 

With which nation has G-d made His covenants?

For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
(Romans 9:3-5)

 

The covenants belong to Israel... no other nation is party to the covenants of promise.

When do the covenants end?

"It shall be for Aaron and his sons as their portion forever from the sons of Israel, for it is a heave offering; and it shall be a heave offering from the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, even their heave offering to the LORD. (Exodus 29:28)

 

If any portion of a covenant is eternal then that covenant has no end.

"My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall be confirmed to him." (Psalm 89:28)

He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac. (Psalm 105:8-9)

He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever.
(Psalm 111:5)

He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever. (Psalm 111:9-10)

 

There is only one covenant that contains commandments: the covenant at Sinai.

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
(Hebrews 13:20-21)

 

What day of the week is the Sabbath that Scripture calls an "eternal sign"?

'So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.' It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.
(Exodus 31:16-17)

 

The seventh day sabbath is a perpetual, never-ending sign.

How long does the priesthood belong to Aaron and his sons?

"They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they enter the tent of meeting, or when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they do not incur guilt and die. It shall be a statute forever to him and to his descendants after him. (Exodus 28:43)

"It shall be for Aaron and his sons as their portion forever from the sons of Israel, for it is a heave offering; and it shall be a heave offering from the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, even their heave offering to the LORD.
(Exodus 29:28)

'For I have taken the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution from the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as their due forever from the sons of Israel.
(Leviticus 7:34)

'These the LORD had commanded to be given them from the sons of Israel in the day that He anointed them. It is their due forever throughout their generations.'"(Leviticus 7:36)

The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister to Him and to bless in His name forever. (1 Chronicles 23:13)

 

G-d has declared that the priesthood belongs to Aaron and his sons forever. A person who is not a descendant of Aaron that attempts to serve in this priesthood shall be put to death (Numbers 1:51, 3:10, 3:38, 18:7).

 

Although they are not Torah-observant or Messianic in nature, the following sites offer answers to many questions regarding the faith and the defense of it from Scripture.

 

 

Torah Portion

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or view this week's triennial cycle reading.

Today is

Yom Shishi, 19 Adar II, 5784

Friday, March 29, 2024

 

Learn more about this date in history.