Elias Ayala

Can God Create a Being Equal to Himself in Every Way?

By: Elias Ayala (M.A.T & Mdiv) This question is a strange one but was asked within the context of suggesting how I knew for sure that there was only One God. How do I know that God did not create other Gods and that polytheism isn’t true? The answer to this question allows us to emphasize the complete uniqueness of God in contradistinction to any other being. This uniqueness is not threatened when God creates other beings, especially those that share to some degree, various attributes and characteristics with Him. … Read More »

Is the Holy Spirit a Person?

By: Elias Ayala (M.A.T & Mdiv) It is common for many Christians to neglect the person of the Holy Spirit within the context of their own personal spiritual life. We can often place so much emphasis on the Father or the Son that we forget that the Scriptures also refer to the Holy Spirit as God. When we address God in worship, we must not forget both who He is and what He is. God is a being, but He is also comprised of three distinct persons. Such is the … Read More »

The Importance of Church History in Apologetics

By: Elias Ayala (M.A.T & Mdiv) It is often touted on the internet that the books of the Bible were chosen at the Council of Nicea under the guidance, supervision, and command of Emperor Constantine. This process was closely controlled so as to choose books that catered to the political desires and ambitions of the newly Christianized Roman Empire. Or, we have often been told that the doctrine of the Deity of Christ was a later invention of the church who looked back at the life and teachings of Jesus … Read More »

Pride and Apologetics

By: Elias Ayala (M.A.T & Mdiv) “Yes, pride is a perpetual nagging temptation. Keep knocking it on the head but don’t be too worried about it. As long as one knows one is proud one is safe from the worst form of pride”. -C.S. Lewis I think C.S. Lewis captured well the notion that the worst kind of pride is the kind of pride we are not aware that we have. Admitting that pride can sometimes creep into our lives is a step in the right direction. The issue of … Read More »

A Christian and Two Buddhists Walk into Starbucks

By: Elias Ayala (M.A.T & Mdiv) I was trying to get some work done at a local Starbucks near my home when I overheard a rather interesting conversation. Two Buddhist gentlemen were discussing the impact Buddhism has had on their lives. They went on and on about the practical benefits of the Buddhist philosophy of life and how it has brought them to a place where they can genuinely love other people and the world around them. One of the gentlemen, very passionately tried to express to his friend some … Read More »

The Folly of Neutrality

By: Elias Ayala (M.A.T. & M.DIV) As with tossing a double sided coin, beginning the task of apologetics in a neutral fashion is a losing battle. The idea that we need to lay aside our biases as our opponent lays aside his or her biases is quite the illusion. For at first glance, such an approach seems to be the fair an objective way to go, however upon closer analysis you will find that not only is neutrality in our thought unbiblical, it is literally impossible. That’s right, to be … Read More »

The Word of God As Our Foundation

By: Elias Ayala (M.A.T. & M.DIV) “The Scripture does not depend for its truth on anything other than itself. It is not true because it accords with some higher standard. It is true because it is God’s Word, and God’s Word is true because He says it” -Dr. John Frame In the above quote, Dr. Frame correctly recognizes the authoritative place the scriptures hold within the Christian’s worldview. On Christian theism, there is no higher authority than God Himself. We see even within the pages of the Bible God swearing … Read More »

How Should Christians Understand Near Death Experiences?

By Elias Ayala (M.A.T. & Mdiv) A Near Death Experience, or hereafter, an NDE, is “an unusual experience taking place on the brink of death and recounted by a person after recovery, typically an out-of-body experience or a vision of a tunnel of light”. There have been multiple recorded cases of such experiences that either share common characteristics, or differ greatly due to the apparent religious nature of the experience. The problematic issue is not in the fact that such experiences can be had, but rather, in the great diversity … Read More »

Understanding God Rightly: A Look into the Doctrine of the Trinity

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) “Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not a wise man boast in his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises loving kindness, justice and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things, ‘declares the Lord…” Scripture teaches us that God delights in the fact that we “know and understand” … Read More »

Miracles: What Are They?

By Elias Ayala MDiv & M.A.T. Christianity is a religion of miracles. We read of the famous accounts of God delivering His people through the parting of the Red Sea, Jesus turning water into wine, healing the sick, and raising the dead. Countless miracles are recorded throughout the scriptures; but what exactly is a “miracle”? The answer to this question is actually quite important, for it touches on the issue of how God is providentially involved in the world. Some have described miracles as God breaking the laws of nature … Read More »