Elias Ayala

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) The simple answer is: Of Course! The Gospel is for sinners (and also for the saved). I think it is an imbalanced perspective which takes a particular sin (Homosexuality) and elevates it beyond all other sins. While it is true that the Bible does teach that some sins are worse than others, the Bible also teaches in a general sense that the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). All sin deserves just punishment, and because “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), all deserve just … Read More »

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) The reliability of the New Testament is a central point of interest and importance in apologetics. If the New Testament is not a reliable historical source about the life and ministry of Jesus and the life and belief of the early church, then there is a clear problem and difficulty in defending the New Testament’s truth claims. When examining an ancient document to check for reliability of transmission and accuracy of copying, it is extremely helpful to have a lot of copies. The more … Read More »

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) Of course not! While it is true that we are saved by faith and not by works (Romans 4:5), this does not mean that we can therefore go on living any way we wish. Believers relish in the great grace by which we were saved. God has lavished his love on us even while we were sinners, he sent Christ to die on our behalf (Romans 5:8). In light of this act of grace performed on our behalf, we are called to a higher … Read More »

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) The idea that human beings are merely physical entities with no spiritual or immaterial component is known as physicalism. Interestingly enough, there are some professed Christians who hold to this idea, but I think the biblical teaching clearly expresses the reality that man is both a body/soul composite. I think the difficulties with this position is legion, however, I will focus upon one important difficulty that renders physicalism irrational. This is the issue of “personal identity through time”. If human beings are reduced to … Read More »

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) When doing apologetics there are important things to remember prior to and during our interactions with unbelievers. First, we do not want to forget our spiritual and intellectual commitments. Remember that Jesus Christ must be sanctified as Lord in our hearts at all times. Never within our apologetic interactions are we to defend the Christian worldview from some other foundation. Jesus Christ the Lord is to be sitting on the thrones of our hearts and mind. This commitment should be assumed at the very … Read More »

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) A scoffer is someone who jeers or mocks or treats something with contempt or calls it out in derision. Notice that sound argumentation has no part in this definition. The ability to scoff at an argument is not equal to a logical and rational argument against someone’s position. Often times scoffing is a cheap substitute for rational argumentation. As Christian apologists and rational thinkers we need to be careful not to be persuaded by cheap emotional debating tricks. When we present arguments in favor … Read More »

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) Anything self refuting is false and so I would imagine it is easy to see why being able to identify self refuting statements would be important not only to apologetics but clear thinking in general. Suppose a skeptic objects to Christianity, but his reasoning for doing so is logically incoherent. It would be very helpful to be able to identify the logical incoherency or self refuting nature of the objection and address it from a more logical standpoint. This would at least help the … Read More »

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) Christians affirm that God brought the universe into existence ex nihilo (out of nothing). According to the biblical narrative, God did not create the universe out of pre-existing stuff. As the creator of the universe, God is not a being who exists within the universe, that is to say that God transcends the universe. He does not take up space within the universe. He must transcend the universe because He created the universe. As creator of the universe God is not composed of anything … Read More »

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) God’s commands are never arbitrary and without purpose or reasoning behind it. The character of God is consistent throughout the Bible. He never just randomly commands the taking of life although He as the creator, sustainer, and owner of all things has the right to take it by whatever means He wishes. Within the biblical context, when God commanded the taking of life it was always within the context of judgment. There is an exception in the story of God commanding Abraham to sacrifice … Read More »

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) A logical fallacy is a discrepancy in reasoning. It is a misapplication of logic and reasoning such that the desired conclusion of a line of argumentation does not necessarily follow. Furthermore, logical fallacies also involve inappropriate appeals to make a certain point. An example of this is the fallacy of an Appeal to Emotion. An appeal to emotion is a faulty application of logic and reasoning since such an appeal, while persuasive to some, has nothing to do with the truth of a person’s … Read More »