Elias Ayala

The task of apologetics can become bogged down in intellectual argumentation and philosophical reflection, even to the point the very task becomes burdensome. It is often the case that an over emphasis on the intellect can get in the way of the heart of the apologetical task. This is not to undermine the necessity of an engaged intellect; indeed, an engaged intellect is necessary to every facet of the Christian faith. As Christians, we do not make the arbitrary distinction between “heart” and “mind”; heart being popularly understood as emotion, … Read More »

Is this a valid objection for believing the Bible? Not at all. While it is true that miracles may involve a suspension of the laws of nature, this is definitely not the case with all miracles. Consider the amazing miracle of the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14); while this was no doubt one of the most dramatic displays of God’s power in the Old Testament, it did not violate any known law of nature; indeed the scriptures tells us that this was accomplished by God sending a strong … Read More »

It is the mark of a false worldview to be an intellectually disjointed system. As every system of thought must do, an unproven axiom is presupposed, and the remainder of the worldview is deduced from that axiom. The axiom of a worldview is its ultimate foundation or starting point. However, when a person adopts beliefs not consistent or logically deduced from their affirmed axiom, then disjointed and inconsistent thinking results. For instance, if someone begins their thinking from the axiom of empiricism (all knowledge comes from sense experience: touch, smell, … Read More »

Christians affirm the inspiration and inerrancy of scripture. We believe the words written by the Apostle Paul that “All of scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). While written by man, the Bible was inspired by God Himself; indeed, it is a revelation of Himself and His workings and dealings with His covenant people. In the scriptures we have the very Mind of God exposed and revealed to us such that we can know what God desires of man and how he has called us to live. Because the scripture, as … Read More »

Anyone familiar with the fact that the New Testament is couched within a deeply imbedded Old Testament awareness will very quickly recognize the significance of the number 12. John the Baptist preached with ferocity that the Kingdom of God was “near”. However, with the coming of Jesus Christ the Messiah, behold, the Kingdom of God is “here”. Jesus Christ not only ushered in the Kingdom of God on earth, he saw himself as the one who would usher in this dominion of God through his ministry of Gospel proclamation, healing, … Read More »

There are many supposed Christian ministries that are growing exponentially. However, growth and apparent success does not demonstrate God’s approval. Indeed, there are many false belief systems that often experience growth and success when measured by certain standards. The reality is that we live in a broken and sinful world where many are seeking a message that makes them “feel” good. It is this feel good man centered message that attracts the masses. Unfortunately, many professing Christians are ill equipped in God’s Word that they are easily deceived by the … Read More »

Responding to a Question: “We get much or our systematic theology from the early Church Fathers. Who are we to pick and choose what we want from the early Church Fathers?” While I greatly respect the contributions of the early Church Fathers, I have no reason to believe that they were infallible and inerrant. There are many points at which the early Church Fathers were in clear error and at odds with scriptural teaching. On the other hand, they have greatly contributed to Christian truth and theology. The Bible itself … Read More »

Storytelling can play a powerful role in apologetics. Consider the fact that storytelling is perhaps the primary means by which God has chosen to convey a large portion of His written revelation to us. While the Bible does not consist of only storytelling, It heavily relies upon story to push forward God’s redemptive purposes within the context of His workings with Israel, and by extension, the world. There is a reason why the stories of the Bible have captivated the minds of billions. While the Bible is very much a … Read More »

First, how is one defining science? If science is a method of investigating the natural world, then no, YEC’s do not deny science. However, if one defines science in such a way that necessitates the exclusion of God, then yes. For the biblical Christian, there is no area of thought that is conceived of as independent from the triune God who provides the necessary foundation for all intellectual endeavors. The Christian does not agree with the much assumed methodological atheism/agnosticism that is inherent in secular scientific methodology. For many, science … Read More »