Apologetics | A Rock Between The Eyes

Pentecost

Posted on May 15, 2018 by scottcatchot

Pentecost Sunday is a remembrance and celebration of when God poured out His Holy Spirit upon the early church. When He did this, he was fulfilling what John the Baptist foretold when he said there would come later one who baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11).

This was also a fulfillment of the promise Jesus made to His disciples regarding Him sending a comforter, the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).

But neither of those are the reason it is called Pentecost. For this reason we need to look back at the foundation of the Christian belief, Judaism. Jesus and the disciples were Jewish. They observed and celebrated the Jewish Feasts. There are seven feasts celebrated, but three main feasts. The three main feasts are: Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Weeks or Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles, Tents, or Booths).

Celebrating the Feast of Pentecost is why the Apostles and other disciples of Jesus were gathered together in the upper room. The word Pentecost comes from Greek Πεντηκοστή (Pentēkostē) meaning “fiftieth” (50th). It is called this because this feast takes place 50 days following Pesach (Passover).

Biblically speaking this feast is tied to the grain harvest, specifically wheat. This harvest lasted seven weeks and was considered a time of joy (see Exodus 34:22, Deut. 16: 9-11, Isa. 9: 2 Jer. 5:24). It was the first day that the people could bring the first fruits as an offering to the Lord.

Later in time it would become associated with the giving of the Torah, or Law, to Israel at Mt. Sinai, following their salvation from Egypt. This is largely because of its association with Pesach (Passover) and the obvious ties to the Exodus through Moses and the subsequent giving of the Torah to the Israelites.

In the New Testament, Pentecost is looked at as the birth of the church. It was this event that Jesus referred to when He told the disciples, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4, HCSB).

The 1^st chapter of Acts tells us there were 120 gathered together. Luke then describes in chapter two the Holy Spirit falling upon them with what looked like tongues of fire. It says they were all baptized with the Holy Spirit and spoke in other languages or tongues. Peter later testifies in front of the crowd that this gift of the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of Joel 2:38-32.

“this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.I will even pour out My Spirit on My male and female slaves in those days, and they will prophesy.I will display wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below: blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and remarkable Day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:16-21)

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs

The gift of the Holy Spirit is the catalyst that changed the disciples forever. The truth of the resurrection was burned into their hearts and the group of men who scattered during the arrest and crucifixion, the men who denied with cussing that they even knew Jesus, went on to each give their lives, literally, to see the world turned upside down. Check out the above link for how each disciple gave their life as well as other Christians.

This was the birth of the church, we were to grow and prosper since that time. In many ways we have, in others we have grown stagnant. We need a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit in order to truly live out the final instructions of Jesus to His church. It is a because of having access to the Holy Spirit that we will be able to do the things Jesus did, and even more, as according to what Jesus said in John 14.

This is why we celebrate the gift that is the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday. May it be more than a side comment or even a potluck dinner to commemorate it. Let it be a push to seek for more of the Holy Spirit and fire operating in our life so that we can make a difference in the world.

The Five “One Things”

Posted on April 24, 2018 by scottcatchot

The Five “One Things”.

ONE is particular, specific, and separate.

It stands alone. Regarding numbers it is the principle primary number. It emphasizes significance, an unmistakable quality, and total autonomy.

In this crazy passed world, with its ups and downs and multiple things competing for our attention, it is important to pause and consider what is important. Evaluate priorities.

When I performed a keyword search on the Bible Gateway website, I found the phrase “One Thing” was used 11 to 18 different times in Scripture depending on the English translation.

There are 5 that kept popping up regardless of the translation that really stood out to me that will be the focus of this lesson, The 5 “One Things”

Psalm 27:4

“I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire:
to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking Him in His temple.”

King David is often called a “man after God’s own heart.” He chased and pursued intimacy with the Father, sought His heart and desired to be made in God’s image over everything else he could want or desire. When He was confronted with his sin and mistakes, unlike Saul who wanted to be honored in front of the people, David was concerned with not losing the presence of God. Something interesting to point out, when David wrote this, the Temple had not been built yet. It seems David had a glimpse of the Temple not made by human hands where he could dwell with God forever. This is the one thing he sought.

Mark 10:21

²¹Then, looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

The Rich young ruler only lacked one thing. He could not part with his possessions and wealth. There are many reasons this could be, maybe he lacked faith for God’s provision. Maybe it was the fear of losing everything, losing the status his position and wealth brought him. He may have considered, “what might everyone else think?”

Whatever the reason was, he did not give everything to Jesus. One thing He lacked was total submission of every area of his life being given over to Christ.

Luke 10:42

⁴²but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Mary and Martha are two sisters that were close to Jesus. During a particular gathering at their home, Martha was very busy tending to the things to insure the evening went well as a good host would. However when she complained about her sister, an interesting point was made by Jesus. The one thing that is necessary is being with Jesus. Seek First the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you. Jesus is the physical representation of God’s Kingdom. So Seeking Jesus is the one thin that is necessary. There is no other way to the Father, except through Him. I have often heard it said, the greatest enemy to great, is good. Martha was doing good things, but Mary had chosen that which was better.

Are you Mary or Martha? Click to find out.

John 9:25

²⁵He answered, “Whether or not He’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!”

We see the story of a man that was born blind. The religious leaders are stuck on being offended by Jesus healing on the Sabbath and not on the miracle. As they question the man, he doesn’t try to convince them of anything or have a well prepared apologetics response. It is O.K. to tell people I don’t know. He tells them what he knows. I was blind, and now I see. To all the questions He had one focus. Revelation 12 tells us that they [the saints] overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. There is no greater apologetics or reply that we can give to anyone besides the truth, especially when that truth is the power of God working in our life. We should focus on what God has done in our lives.

Philippians 3:13

¹³Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, ¹⁴I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

Paul did not let his past determine his future. He had a goal and he went after it with a singular purpose. Nothing was going to keep him from his goal.

These five verses showed 5 different people, from 5 different backgrounds, but at the heart of each story is one thing we need to grasp.

Through David we see that knowing God is at the heart of prayer.
Through the Rich Young Ruler we see that knowing God is at the heart of total surrender.
Through Martha we see that knowing God is at the heart of service.
Through the Blind man we see that knowing God is at the heart of witness.
Through Paul we see knowing that God is at the heart of ambition.

The One Thing we need is a singular focus on Jesus in every aspect of our lives. Not just on Sundays, not just around our church friends, but everyday, everywhere we may be.

Lost Art of Listening. A book review of chapters 4, 5 ,& 6

Posted on October 16, 2017October 9, 2017 by scottcatchot

Merriam-Webster defines listening as : to pay attention to sound; to hear something with thoughtful attention; to be alert to catch an expected sound. It is doubtful that anyone does not understand what listening means, and yet there is such a struggle to accomplish this task correctly. Michael Nichols book, The Lost Art of Listening, is sectioned out into four parts. The second part is titled, “ The Real Reasons People Don’t Listen.” Through chapters four, five, and six, Nichols takes a look at barriers to people’s ability to listen.

Chapter four, “When Is It My Turn?”, takes a look at what Nichols calls “the heart of listening” (Nichols, 2009, p.73). This chapter examines the battle everyone faces with ignoring their own needs and focusing on the needs of the speaker. This is not a passive style of listening, but truly finding empathy for the speaker. “The act of listening requires a submersion of the self and immersion in the other” (Nichols, 2009, p. 75). This is not easily done as it requires the listener to set aside their agenda, what they are hoping to accomplish, in order to fully hear what the speaker is saying. So there is a difference between having true interest and faking it. Nichols calls listening a burden. It is setting aside, for the moment, everything and giving your full, undivided, attention to the other. Holding your tongue, not thinking about what you will say next, and just listening. As Nichols puts it, “genuine listening means suspending memory, desire, and judgment-and, for a few moments at least, existing for the other person” (Nichols, 2009, p. 77).

The interesting thing is from all of that you would think a totally selfless person would be a great listener, not according to Nichols. No one is perfect, the Bible is clear in the fact that we all fall short. This very reason comes into play due to the difficulty in sustaining selfless listening all the time and care is not taken, we can fool ourselves into thinking we are better listeners. Seeking to show empathy and connection with phrases such as ,” That reminds me of the time…”; “Oh how awful…”; or “well if I were you…” As well meaning as these seem, they are sending messages that say I can top that, that you pity the speaker, or just giving unwanted advice. The truth is, no one can be selfless all the time, and constantly putting their own needs aside. That isn’t healthy either and it can lead to a break down in communication due to our own hierarchy of needs not being met.

Nichols acknowledges this, “ a good listener may need to set aside his or her own needs to tune in to the other person’s but completely selfless people don’t make good listeners. You have to get listened to yourself to free you up to be receptive “ (Nichols, 2009, p. 81).

Nichols closes out the chapter by asking the question, “Do women listen differently than men?” The author points out the difference in his assertion regarding setting self aside to the ideas promoted by Deborah Tannen. Tannen gives a broad generalization for both sexes stating that “women engage in ‘rapport-talk’ while men specialize in ‘report-talk’” (Nichols, 2009, p. 91). Nichols does not seem to agree that the clash of due to gender differences is always inevitable and emphasizes the importance of listening with out bias. He states being listened to through others bias, and anxiety just leads the listener to feelings of loneliness, not being understood, and leads to alienation. “Those listeners who are more or less always in an unresponsive state find themselves shunned, often with no idea why. They never connect because they never cross the space between themselves and other’s” (Nichols, 2009, p. 93).

I found this an interesting look at differing views. Years ago I read You Just Don’t Understand : Women and Men in Conversation by Deborah Tannen and so am familiar with her ideas on genderlects. It was refreshing to hear someone else not buy completely into the gender stereotypes. I do understand there are obvious differences between men and women, and praise God for them. However I do not buy that certain things are a certain way in regards to our communication styles and personalities just because of our gender. I fear this mentality is at the heart of what we see going on with gender confusion because people relate more to one gender than the other therefore God made a mistake and they are in the wrong type body. I find how I approach communication depends on who it is with and my own past experiences. My wife, she thinks and does certain things more along the lines of what people might think a man would do. She certainly gets along with men much better and struggles to maintain friendships with women. I find myself moving with a more Rapport style communication with my wife. Constantly wanting to connect with her and wondering if everything is okay between us and working to keep it that way. This is a holdover from my previous divorce where I was blind sided that anything was even wrong and just came home to an empty house one day. I do not want to be oblivious and so strive to not make that same mistake. The reality is, I take the pendulum too far the other way and so make all new mistakes allowing my expectations to cloud our communications this is not the desired outcome since communication is about building relationships and connections. So listening is hearing what the other is saying, not what you want or expect to hear.

“You Hear Only What You Want To Hear,” is the title of chapter 5, and makes a nice transition following the ideas of the previous chapter. Nichols focuses on how the listener’s attitudes and biases can distort what is actually being heard. People’s expectations make us hypersensitive. “The past is alive in memory- and it runs our lives more than we know” (Nichols, 2009, p. 101). The way our families interacted teaches things such as how to overreact, to be distant. The way our past relationships, even in childhood, have played out trains us into certain patterns that can be transferred to other relationships and cause us to respond in ways that is not even appropriate to the given situation (Nichols, 2009). This leads him to saying “our parents may be the most important unfinished business in our lives” (Nichols, 2009, p. 104). Our relationships can revert us back to adolescence or childhood when a wife is perceived as nagging and reminds the husband of the belittling and feelings of not measuring up he endured as a child. Nichols states we have sub personalities that create battling inner voices. It is important to remember that “calm fosters unity; conflict fractures it” (Nichols, 2009, p. 105). It is useful to remember we all have these warring voices and to realize when a person reacts in away that does not make sense to the situation, it may be that they are reacting to the warring voices that have developed due to various experiences.

This is an important idea not only for relationships, but also especially in counseling. So many times what we may first see and experience with a client, whatever the problem is they have come to discuss, it may actually be the symptom and not the true heart of the issue. It will be important to notice and investigate what might be the reason behind certain outburst or feelings regarding situations in order to find the true culprit causing the problem so it can be dealt with and hopefully a workable solution applied. This is exactly the focus of the next chapter.

News Flash: Emotionality makes us defensive. Ok, that is not really breaking news to anyone, and yet it is a pitfall that constantly interrupts true listening. This is the topic of chapter 6, “Why Do You Always Overreact?!” These emotions, when handled improperly, cause a breakdown in communication. Nichols explains it by comparing it to a radio saying, “Emotional reactivity is like throwing on a switch and having the electricity come on, and instead of music you get static. The static is anxiety” (Nichols, 2009, p. 111). Nichols again takes a look at the interaction between past memories and how we react and deal with present circumstances. Someone overreacting really only looks out of place to us because we can’t see the memories leading to this reaction (Nichols, 2009). All of these experiences build up and create the perspective in which we receive and judge things, which may or may not be a correct evaluation. Often times we are intolerant toward others in the very areas we find ourselves lacking and don’t want to tolerate. The author points out how “we can’t listen well to other people as long as we project the mistaken idea that parts of us aren’t good enough to be loved, respected, and treated fairly” (Nichols, 2009, p.116). This can be a leading cause of conversations becoming arguments. A reaction from one causes a reaction in the other and the next thing both are arguing and not really hearing anything the other is saying. Another cause of arguments is the idea of wanting to prove you are right and the other individual wrong. If this continues, it will lead to disaster because “when neither party to an exchange is willing to break the spiral of reactivity, both are likely to end up feeling angry and misunderstood” (Nichols, 2009, p. 119).

Responsive listening is designed to help stop arguing. It works by hearing the other person’s side of the story before giving your own. As we all know, there are two sides to every story. This takes practice and self-control. It is not automatically assuming the other is right and just admitting you are wrong, but it is giving fair time to listen and hear what the other is saying instead of just repeating your own position to prove you are right. Some one has to break the pattern, “arguments are like ping-pong games: it takes two to keep them going” (Nichols, 2009, p. 121). Responsive listening is making the conscious decision to draw out the other person’s feelings prior to giving your own response ( Nichols, 2009). Many factors can contribute to arguments including tone of voice, not feeling listened too, and certain hot topics, etc. it all boils down to what seems obvious at n objective distance, good listening requires us to resist the urge to overreact, but that is where the struggle truly is, in the heat of the moment. Nichols encourages listeners by stating, “ facing encounters that raise your anxiety tests your maturity, strengthens you if you have the courage to stand fast and let matters unfold” (Nichols, 2009, p. 135).

This whole section spoke to me. I saw my many mistakes I make as well as examples in my own life and reactions that backed up the reality of how our past shapes us and creates our emotional responses that can effect our ability to listen. A prime example was earlier this week I came home to an empty house, I had beaten my wife home. She had sent a text telling me she was picking up the kids and so there was a change in our schedule. I felt instant anxiety rise up. Referring back to an incident I mentioned earlier regarding my divorce, I felt a bit of panic and worry. Even though I have been remarried for almost six years and it has been 10 years since my divorce, the fear of rejection and abandonment tried to raise its head. Remembering 2 Corinthians 10:5, “…taking every thought captive,” I reminded myself this was not the same person, not the same situation, and I had nothing to fear. This is important to realize we have to take control of our thoughts not just to handle our own responses, but to truly be able to listen to others and this will be an important lesson that can help our clients as well.

Check back for the rest of the review…

The Lost Art of Listening. A review of chapters 1, 2 & 3.

Posted on October 9, 2017October 9, 2017 by scottcatchot

Everyone has two ears and one mouth. It might be common sense then that we need to listen twice as much as we speak, and yet that is rarely the case, at least not real listening. There is a difference in hearing what someone says and truly understanding and catching what the mean. This common breakdown in communication, hearing but not truly listening, is what Dr. Michael Nichols discusses and explains how to over come in his book, The Lost Art of Listening.

Right off the bat Nichols hammers readers with a truth everyone has experienced, “Nothing hurts more than the sense that the people we care about aren’t really listening” (Nichols, 2009, p. 1). Even though most have experienced this hurt, it has not improved the vast majority of people’s true listening skills. This is sad. As Nichols says,” regardless of how much we take it for granted, the importance of listening cannot be overestimated (Nichols, 2009, p 6). The first part of the book, “The Yearning To Be Understood,” examines the desire everyone has for being understood. The three chapters take a look at the importance of listening and why it is important. It examines the interaction between the speaker and the listener and then dives into how breakdowns in communication come about.

The first chapter, “Did You Hear What I Said,” begins with examples of common complaints people express regarding communication between husbands and wives. This illustrates the frustration that comes from not feeling understood or taken seriously by those most important to us. A yearning to be understood and accepted. We are created to be social beings and therefore we desire to bridge the gap between others; to make a connection and us. Just as one desires to reach out to the other, the response can aid or hinder true communication and either allow the connection or hinder it. Therefore “the essence of good listening is empathy” (Nichols, 2006, p. 10). Combining effort with intuition to make communication work is a necessity. It is this ability that allows bonds to form and connections to happen. This is hugely important. Nichols says, “When deeply felt but unexpressed feelings take shape in words that are voiced and come back clarified, the result is a reassuring sense of being understood and a grateful feeling of shared humanness with the one who understands” (2009, p.10). Therefore, knowing how to listen is key to having successful relationships. We all know it hurts to not be listened too and the author points out most of us think we are better listeners than we really are. We tend to take listening for granted. In spite of how basic listening seems, it as more than one purpose, “taking in information and bearing witness to another’s experience” (Nichols, 2009,p15). This is what helps people grow up secure in them, having other people validate them and their thoughts as important, being taken seriously. Listening is not just hearing and offering reassurance that everything will be all right, it is actually making an effort to connect and understand why the speaker feels the way they do, showing sympathetic understanding (Nichols, 2009).

Listening is the most important aspect of counseling. Without it, there will be no real progress from sessions and no true connection between the counselor and the counselee. Listening will allow the counselor to catch what is the heart of the problem, not just what is being explicitly said. Sometimes, just listening and understanding can bring healing in of itself without any advice being given. Since helping people work through and deal with problems and issues in their lives, listening is the most important skill. Listening to the client, as well as listening to God’s direction regarding the advice to give.

The second chapter, “Thanks For Listening,” focuses on what connects people to each other and how listening helps to shape us. Nichols explains that, “striking a balance between expression (talking) and recognition (listening) is what allows us and the people we care about to interact as sovereign equals “ (Nichols, 2009, p.25). Listening is a powerful force for change and in shaping peoples perspectives and relationships lies in the way it allows for shared expression, offering validation or contradiction. So the give and take is very responsible for how people perceive if they are being heard as well as becoming a part of how someone views himself or herself. The old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” though often quoted as a shield against bad words unfortunately just isn’t true. Our deepest hurts and even the way in which we learn to view ourselves come from the words we hear from others. The author states that,”…self is not a given. Like having red hair or being tall, but a perspective on awareness, and an interpersonal one at that. The self is how we personify what we are, as shaped by our experience of being responded to by others. Character is formed in relationships and the vitality of the self depends on the quality of listening we receive” (Nichols, 2009, p. 27). The author looks at how this develops throughout the life cycle of most people.

He lists the time of this development between birth and two months as the “Here I am” This is when there begins to be an sense of oneself. An infant has needs that they cannot meet themselves, theses needs can only be met if the infant lets someone else know they need something. This is obviously displayed by the only vocalization a baby possesses, crying. This here I am, I need something is how a baby communicates all of it’s needs, even developing a particular culture with certain cries meaning certain things. Attentive parents help develop this culture through the way in which they listen and respond to their infant. A parent cooing and speaking to a child in ways accrediting certain desires or reasoning behind a babies actions and cries. Obviously they have to be intuitive to their baby’s feelings to understand and meet their needs and desires (Nichols, 2009). Imagine how strong relationships would be if we stayed that attentive to everyone. The author continues looking a the bonds with the “Hey Look At Me” (two to seven months) where the sense of a core self and autonomy is displayed. He explains that a confident child is developed through listening to the child. Again emphasizing how the self is built up by the validation of those important in our lives and of course leaving the warning that the opposite would hold true (Nichols, 2009).

From a counseling perspective this is something very important to remember to utilize when dealing with my clients. Even though the connections were examined as in regards to certain ages, even adults adjust and reevaluate self-based on interactions with others. Husbands and wives find most problems arriving due to a communication problems. Being able to listen better will not only help in showing married couples how to interact with each other, but also in providing a safe place for them to tell their story and viewpoint, to discover where the problems exist. As Nichols puts it, “the feeling of not being understood is one of the most painful in human experience (Nichols, 2009, p. 41). As a counselor, we need to help heal problems, not add to the pain by our own lack of listening and failure to understand. Therefore our own ability to listen in addition to being able to help others learn to listen better is paramount.

Why don’t people listen? A question that most people have probably asked at one time or another also serves as the title to the third chapter. This is where Nichols examines “How Communication Breaks Down” (Nichols, 2009, p. 42). The truth is, there are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it. Being tired, having certain times in which you are ready to listen more than others, current events, what’s going on around you, etc. However, regardless of the distractions, we sometimes just need to put in an effort to communicate. Make an effort to listen is important as is making an effort to talk. Relationships take investment, which includes investing in being a better listener. Assume people are worth the effort and worth the investment. “The truth is that we become more interesting when we assume interest on the part of the listeners” (Nichols, 2009, P. 44).

The author points out that sometimes the way communication has broken down is due to transference. This is where the speaker has projected certain expectations onto the listener. So many times people look at everyone around through through lenses tinted by their own experiences and expectations that color everything they see a certain way, which may very well not be reality. This can lead to what is heard not actually being what was said. This can be exasperated when both parties are doing this, which leaves no wonder why messages get confused and misconstrued leading to misunderstandings and feelings of not being understood. Throw in other possible breakdowns such as The listeners agenda, preconceived notions, emotions, not explicitly saying what is meant, gender differences, and etc., it is a miracle anyone ever understands anyone. This cliff hanger is where the author leaves the chapter , asking the question, “so why are we so sensitive to misunderstanding that we have trouble seeing the other person’s side of things?” We must tune into the next chapter to discover his answer.

I found myself reading through this book and saying things to myself like, “oh, I do that…yep, guilty…oh, so that is why she reacted that way.” These chapters not only highlight the importance of listening for a counseling perspective, but also I am seeing more deficiencies in my own listening ability that I hope to improve for my wife’s sake as well as other relationships in my life. I am looking forward to finishing this book and applying it to my life personally as it continually leads me to more self-reflection.

Stop back by for the review of the next three chapters…

What is Inspired?

Posted on November 14, 2016November 14, 2016 by scottcatchot

The Bible is often the subject of much debate. One of the key topics surrounds the idea that the Bible is more than just a book, but is the Word of God. The Bible is spoken of as “inspired”, but what does this mean?

If we go to a dictionary, we will find:

in·spired

inˈspī(ə)rd/

adjective

1.

of extraordinary quality, as if arising from some external creative impulse.

“they had to thank the goalie for some inspired saves”

2. (of air or another substance) that is breathed in.

When people speak of the Bible as being inspired, they are referring to the fact that the Human authors of the Bible were influenced divinely and the words they wrote were literally the words of God. This does not mean that God took over the authors and wrote through them like an automaton, but that His will flowed through them, using their personality and writing style to convey His words in scripture.

2 Timothy 3:16 states, “All scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness.”[1] The word translated as inspiration, is qeopneustoj (pronounced theh-op’nyoo-stos)[2] is sometimes translated God-breathed. It literally translates as breathed out by God.

In other words, scripture is the result of the Holy Spirit working through men.

In the afore mentioned scripture, Paul clarifies to what extent it is inspired by God, all scripture. This idea is reinforced by Peter in his letter to the churches in Asia. 2 Peter 1:20-21, Peter writes, “First of all you should know this: no prophecy of scripture comes from one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”[3]

Paul is telling his readers that the prophecy of scripture is not just what man thinks God is saying due to his own interpretation, but is actually God speaking through men, using their gifts and words , guided by the His Spirit. So Peter and Paul both believed scripture was straight from God, not man, therefore emphasizing the importance and infallibility of scripture.

Jesus Himself expressed this idea regarding scripture in Matthew 5:17-18, “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished.”[4] In this scripture, Jesus is attesting to the infallibility of scripture and stating that not one aspect of scripture will fade away until it has all been fulfilled.

Jay Adams sums up what is meant by “inspired” or “God-Breathed” when he writes, ” When God says that He breathed out His Word, He means that what is written is as much His Word as if He had spoken it audibly by means of breath.”[5]

Try to find any other collection of 66 books, written by over 40 different authors, spanning a period of over 1500 years and see if they fit together to tell one complete story, weaving together without true contradiction or loss of theme.

[1] Bible Gateway passage: 2 Timothy 3:16 – Holman Christian Standard Bible. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2016, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2 timothy 3:16

[2] KJV w/ Strong’s Concordance – 2 Timothy 3. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2016, from http://www.godrules.net/library/kjvstrongs/kjvstrongs2tim3.htm

[3] Bible Gateway passage: 2 Peter 1:20-21 – Holman Christian Standard Bible. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2016, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2 peter 1:20 -21

[4] Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 5:17-18 – Holman Christian Standard Bible. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2016, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew 5:17-18

[5] Jay Adams, A Theology of Christian Counseling, p.17

Can We Trust The Bible?

Posted on June 27, 2016 by scottcatchot

In apologetics, one mistake beginners tend to make is to start by quoting scripture. Now don’t get me wrong, the scripture is awesome and life changing, but what if the person does not believe the Bible is God’s word? What if they believe it is unreliable and full of mistakes and issues? Quoting scripture to an individual before anything has been established regarding the view of scripture can be fruitless. Especially when other religions hold the similar ideas regarding their holy books. Please understand, discussing the reliability of the Bible is not about proving it is the word of God. It is about showing what has been handed down was done correctly. It is confirming the accuracy of the transcripts by establishing the Bible as being accurate to what was originally written, and reliable in a historical sense, in other words it can be trusted. Now there are different approaches that apologists have taken when looking at the reliability of the Bible:

In a Ready Defense by Josh McDowell, McDowell lists criteria that is applied to check the validity of Historical documents. Mcdowell says that according to Military Historian C Sanders there are three basic principles of histography :the bibliographical test, the internal evidence test, and the external evidence test.

Lee Strobel, author of The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith, approaches the topic from an investigative journalism background. Through Interviewing experts and examining evidence regarding how accurate the Bible is.

In Cold Case Christianity, J. Warner Wallace, a Los Angeles homicide detective approaches the same idea with an criminal investigator background

Regardless of the approach, what is being investigated is all basically the same. So in regards to reliability what I want to focus on are the areas: is what was passed down what was originally written. Are the accounts reliable to what actually happened, or just made up. Is there any archeological proof to back up the bible.

To do this I want to look at the acronym M-A-P-S

This stands for

Manuscripts, Archaeology, Prophecy, Statistics

I did not develop this acronym. This acronym and information mainly comes from CRI (the Christian research Institute). They are a great resource. This information was in an article by Hank Hanegraaf from April, 2009.You may know him from the Bible Answer Man radio broadcasts.

There is a wealth of information available to support the reliability of Scripture .These Four basic areas in the acronym MAPS will help chart your way to understanding basic biblical reliability.

Bible Reliability-Manuscripts

Manuscripts refers to the reliability of the surviving manuscript copies of the original documents penned by the Scripture writers (we do not possess these originals). In determining manuscript reliability, we deal with the question: How can we test to see that the text we possess in the manuscript copies is an accurate rendition of the original?

There are three main manuscript tests: the Bibliographic, Eyewitness, and External (a second acronym — BEE — will help you remember these).

The bibliographic test considers the quantity of manuscripts and manuscript fragments, and also the time span between the original documents and our earliest copies. The more copies, the better able we are to work back to the original. The closer the time span between the copies and the original, the less likely it is that serious textual error would creep in. The Bible has stronger bibliographic support than any classical literature — including Homer, Tacitus, Pliny, and Aristotle.

We have more than 14,000 manuscripts and fragments of the Old Testament of three main types: (a) approximately 10,000 from the Cairo Geniza (storeroom) find of 1897, dating back as far as about AD. 800; (b) about 190 from the Dead Sea Scrolls find of 1947-1955, the oldest dating back to 250-200 B.C.; and (c) at least 4,314 assorted other copies. The short time between the original Old Testament manuscripts (completed around 400 B.C.) and the first extensive copies (about 250 B.C.) — coupled with the more than 14,000 copies that have been discovered — ensures the trustworthiness of the Old Testament text. The earliest quoted verses (Num. 6:24-26) date from 800-700 B.C.

The same is true of the New Testament text. The abundance of textual witnesses is amazing. We possess over 5,300 manuscripts or portions of the (Greek) New Testament — almost 800 copied before A.D. 1000. The time between the original composition and our earliest copies is an unbelievably short 60 years or so. The overwhelming bibliographic reliability of the Bible is clearly evident.

The eyewitness document test (“E”), sometimes referred to as the internal test, focuses on the eyewitness credentials of the authors. The Old and New Testament authors were eyewitnesses of — or interviewed eyewitnesses of — the majority of the events they described. Moses participated in and was an eyewitness of the remarkable events of the Egyptian captivity, the Exodus, the forty years in the desert, and Israel’s final encampment before entering the Promised Land. These events he chronicled in the first five books of the Old Testament.

The New Testament writers had the same eyewitness authenticity. Luke, who wrote the Books of Luke and Acts, says that he gathered eyewitness testimony and “carefully investigated everything” (Luke 1:1-3). Peter reminded his readers that the disciples “were eyewitnesses of [Jesus’] majesty” and “did not follow cleverly invented stories” (2 Pet. 1:16). Truly, the Bible affirms the eyewitness credibility of its writers.

The external evidence test looks outside the texts themselves to ascertain the historical reliability of the historical events, geographical locations, and cultural consistency of the biblical texts. Unlike writings from other world religions which make no historical references or which fabricate histories, the Bible refers to historical events and assumes its historical accuracy. The Bible is not only the inspired Word of God, it is also a history book — and the historical assertions it makes have been proven time and again.

Many of the events, people, places, and customs in the New Testament are confirmed by secular historians who were almost contemporaries with New Testament writers. Secular historians like the Jewish Josephus (before A.D. 100), the Roman Tacitus (around A.D. 120), the Roman Suetonius (A.D. 110), and the Roman governor Pliny Secundus (A.D. 100-110) make direct reference to Jesus or affirm one or more historical New Testament references. Early church leaders such as Irenaeus, Tertullian, Julius Africanus, and Clement of Rome — all writing before A.D. 250 — shed light on New Testament historical accuracy. Even skeptical historians agree that the New Testament is a remarkable historical document. Hence, it is clear that there is strong external evidence to support the Bible’s manuscript reliability.

Bible Reliability-Archaeology

Going back to the MAPS acronym, we examined the first principle, manuscript reliability. Let us consider our second principle, archaeological evidence. Over and over again, comprehensive field work (archaeology) and careful biblical interpretation affirms the reliability of the Bible. It is telling when a secular scholar must revise his biblical criticism in light of solid archaeological evidence.

For years critics dismissed the Book of Daniel, partly because there was no evidence that a king named Belshazzar ruled in Babylon during that time period. However, later archaeological research confirmed that the reigning monarch, Nabonidus, appointed Belshazzar as his co-regent whie he was away from Babylon.

One of the most well-known New Testament examples concerns the Books of Luke and Acts. A biblical skeptic,Sir William Ramsay, trained as an archaeologist and then set out to disprove the historical reliability of this portion of the New Testament. However, through his painstaking Mediterranean archaeological trips, he became converted as — one after another — of the historical statements of Luke were proved accurate. Archaeological evidence thus confirms the trustworthiness of the Bible.

Bible Reliability-Prophecy

The third principle MAPS is Prophecy. The Bible records predictions of events that could not be known or predicted by chance or common sense. Surprisingly, the predictive nature of many Bible passages was once a popular argument (by liberals) against the reliability of the Bible. Critics argued that the prophecies actually were written after the events and that editors had merely dressed up the Bible text to look like they contained predictions made before the events. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. The many predictions of Christ’s birth, life and death (see below) were indisputably rendered more than a century before they occurred as proven by the Dead Sea Scrolls of Isaiah and other prophetic books as well as by the Septuagint translation, all dating from earlier than 100 B.C.

Old Testament prophecies concerning the Phoenician city of Tyre were fulfilled in ancient times, including prophecies that the city would be opposed by many nations (Ezek. 26:3); its walls would be destroyed and towers broken down (26:4); and its stones, timbers, and debris would be thrown into the water (26:12). Similar prophecies were fulfilled concerning Sidon (Ezek. 28:23; Isa. 23; Jer. 27:3-6; 47:4) and Babylon (Jer. 50:13, 39; 51:26, 42-43, 58; Isa. 13:20-21).

Since Christ is the culminating theme of the Old Testament and the Living Word of the New Testament, it should not surprise us that prophecies regarding Him outnumber any others. Many of these prophecies would have been impossible for Jesus to deliberately conspire to fulfill — such as His descent from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen. 12:3; 17:19; Num. 24:21-24); His birth in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2); His crucifixion with criminals (Isa. 53:12); the piercing of His hands and feet at the crucifixion (Ps. 22:16); the soldiers’ gambling for His clothes (Ps. 22:18); the piercing of His side and the fact that His bones were not broken at His death (Zech. 12:10; Ps. 34:20); and His burial among the rich (Isa. 53:9). Jesus also predicted His own death and resurrection (John 2:19-22). Predictive Prophecy is a principle of Bible reliability that often reaches even the hard-boiled skeptic!

Bible Reliability-Statistics

Our fourth MAPS principle goes hand in hand with predictive prophecy, because it is Statistically preposterous that any or all of the Bible’s very specific, detailed prophecies could have been fulfilled through chance, good guessing, or deliberate deceit. When you look at some of the improbable prophecies of the Old and New Testaments, it seems incredible that skeptics — knowing the authenticity and historicity of the texts — could reject the statistical verdict: the Bible is the Word of God, and Jesus Christ is the Son of God, just as Scripture predicted many times and in many ways.

The Bible was written over a span of 1500 years by forty different human authors in three different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek), on hundreds of subjects. And yet there is one consistent, noncontradictory theme that runs through it all: God’s redemption of humankind. Clearly, Statistical probability is a powerful indicator of the trustworthiness of Scripture.

The next time someone denies the reliability of Scripture, just remember the acronym MAPS, and you will be equipped to give an answer and a reason for the hope that lies within you (1 Pet. 3:15). Manuscripts, Archaeology, Prophecy, and Statistics not only chart a secure course on the turnpikes of skepticism ,but provides a strong base for our belief that the Bible is indeed divine rather than human in origin.

Other great resources for more information on this topic:

http://www.josh.org/resurrection/is-the-bible-reliable/

http://www.thepoachedegg.net/.services/blog/6a0133f0b2fdc2970b0133f0b34b07970b/search?filter.q=reliability+of+the+bible

Focus on the Family

Apologetics? What is it?

Posted on February 23, 2016February 24, 2016 by scottcatchot

Apologetics is defined as reasoned arguments or writings in justification of something, typically a theory or religious doctrine. It is the aspect of theology that deals with the defense and establishment of the Christian faith. It is NOT apologizing for a faith in Christianity. It is simply defined as defending the faith, or as J Warner Wallace puts it, “Christian case making.” I like how that sounds apologetics isn’t about defending God, but helping others understand.

The word, “apologetics,” comes from the Greek word, “apologia,” pronounced “ap-ol-og-ee’-ah.” It means “a verbal defense.” It is used eight times in the New Testament: Acts 22:1, 25:16, 1 Cor. 9:3, 2 Cor. 10:5-6, Phil. 1:7, 2 Tim. 4:16, and 1 Pet. 3:15.

1 Peter 3:15 is the verse that is most used as the reason all Christians should be familiar with Apologetics.

15 but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.(HCSB)

Verse 16 goes on to give direction regarding how and why.

16 However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are accused,those who denounce your Christian life will be put to shame.
Always be ready to give a defense to anyone. Right there in a nut shell is the instruction for all Christians to be knowledgeable in apologetics. Now this does not mean everyone needs to go to college and earn a degree in Christian Apologetics. However it does mean everyone should know what they believe and why they believe it.

There is a story I tell my students when I a stressing the importance of knowing why the believe something and not just take other people word for things. I would like to share it.

A young girl is in the kitchen with her mother learning to cook. This particular meal they are making a ham. As she carefully watches what her mother does, she asks,”Why do you cut the ends off the ham?” After a slight pause the mother replies,” I really don’t know. This is just how my mother did it.” “oh, ok.”
Later in the week the mother is on the phone with the grandmother discussing this and that when she remembered her daughters question.
“Hey mom, Sarah was helping me with the ham the other day and asked a question i just never really thought of before, why do we cut the end off the ham before baking it?” “Well gosh Honey, I really don’t know either, that is just the way I was taught by mom.” This Great grandmother of this family was still alive and as the curiosity built up regarding this mysterious technique, Sarah’s mom called the great grandmother, posing the same question.
“Nana, why do we cut the end off the ham before baking it.” After a considerably amount of laughter, she answered,” Oh child, you don’t have to cut the ends off the ham. I used to do that because I didn’t have a pan large enough for the whole ham to fit into and Papa liked sandwiches made from the end pieces for his lunch.”

Not knowing why you believe what you believe can lead to doing things or holding on to ideas that are not relevant. So Apologetics not only allows us to tell others about our beliefs, it helps increase our faith because it builds a more solid foundation of what we believe, and why we believe it.
Great Apologetic resources:

https://carm.org/introduction-apologetics

http://www.thepoachedegg.net

https://answersingenesis.org

http://www.josh.org