Point: when sharing the gospel, is the question we are being asked or the point being brought up by the other person a salvational issue, or not?
above the line... salvational issues to be dealt with first
below the line... peripheral issues (may be interesting, but can side-track giving the gospel)
Point: pursue the things above the line first when sharing the gospel
~
(expanded)
Line of Demarcation Illustrated
(above the line - important kinds of questions to answer related to salvation)
Who is Jesus?
How are sins atoned for?
What must I do to be saved?
__________________Line of Demarcation__________________
(below the line - kinds of peripheral issues that can side-track giving the gospel)
Is baptism to be by immersion or sprinkling?
Does God heal everyone, every time?
How often would I have to attend church?
note: the line of demarcation can be used in contexts other than evangelism, and can be very useful to help us stay on target with whatever subject is being discussed
(condensed from and based on the curriculum 'Trained for Service' ã 2003 by the John J Namestnik Family)
Refresh yourself with excellent things you want to remember and to be able to share with others!
Showing posts with label apologetics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apologetics. Show all posts
Three-Fold Test
a test to determine if a person's or group's beliefs about Jesus and salvation line up with Scripture
1. Who Jesus is
2. what Jesus did
3. source of info
~
(expanded)
1. Who Jesus is
(partial answer: Jesus is God - there has only ever been, is now, and ever will be one true and living God. God is a trinity - a tri-unity of three separate and equal Persons, of which Jesus is one [the Father and the Holy Spirit are the other two]. Jesus is fully God, and fully man. He is the one Mediator between God and man. He is the Savior, etc.)
2. what Jesus did
(partial answer: the gospel... Jesus shed His blood, suffered and died in our place, fully paid the penalty due our sin, atoned for our sin, turned away God's righteous wrath from us, reconciled us to God, etc.)
3. source of info
(answer: the Bible - accurately handled, rightly interpreted - is the only trustworthy source of information about Jesus and what He did)
Point: deviations from what the Bible actually teaches about Jesus and the atonement He wrought are to be recognized and refuted
(condensed from and based on the curriculum 'Trained for Service' ã 2003 by the John J Namestnik Family)
1. Who Jesus is
2. what Jesus did
3. source of info
~
(expanded)
1. Who Jesus is
(partial answer: Jesus is God - there has only ever been, is now, and ever will be one true and living God. God is a trinity - a tri-unity of three separate and equal Persons, of which Jesus is one [the Father and the Holy Spirit are the other two]. Jesus is fully God, and fully man. He is the one Mediator between God and man. He is the Savior, etc.)
2. what Jesus did
(partial answer: the gospel... Jesus shed His blood, suffered and died in our place, fully paid the penalty due our sin, atoned for our sin, turned away God's righteous wrath from us, reconciled us to God, etc.)
3. source of info
(answer: the Bible - accurately handled, rightly interpreted - is the only trustworthy source of information about Jesus and what He did)
Point: deviations from what the Bible actually teaches about Jesus and the atonement He wrought are to be recognized and refuted
(condensed from and based on the curriculum 'Trained for Service' ã 2003 by the John J Namestnik Family)
Apologetics
Erroneous Views of Man's Eternal Destiny
no reincarnation - die once
no universalism - eternal torment for some
no purgatory - Jesus purged all of believer's sins
no annihilation - conscious eternal torment for some
~
(expanded)
a. No Reincarnation
A belief in continuous life cycles people are reincarnated into until they reach a desired status or stage (coming back as other people or living things like bugs, or animals).
God says...
...it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment. (Heb 9:27b)
b. No Universalism
A belief that all people will eventually be saved.
God says...
These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous unto eternal life. (Mt 25:46)
c. No Purgatory
A belief in a place where some go after death to have some of their sins purged by their own suffering.
God says...
...the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7b)
God further says that when a Christian is absent from the body (when their spirit leaves their body at death) they are at home with Him...
...we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. (2 Cor 5:8)
d. No Annihilation
A belief that no eternal torment awaits unbelievers, they are instead utterly destroyed / annihilated.
God says...
...the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment... He cried out and said... "...I am in agony in this flame." (Lk 16:22b,23a,24a,c)
no reincarnation - die once
no universalism - eternal torment for some
no purgatory - Jesus purged all of believer's sins
no annihilation - conscious eternal torment for some
~
(expanded)
a. No Reincarnation
A belief in continuous life cycles people are reincarnated into until they reach a desired status or stage (coming back as other people or living things like bugs, or animals).
God says...
...it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment. (Heb 9:27b)
b. No Universalism
A belief that all people will eventually be saved.
God says...
These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous unto eternal life. (Mt 25:46)
c. No Purgatory
A belief in a place where some go after death to have some of their sins purged by their own suffering.
God says...
...the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7b)
God further says that when a Christian is absent from the body (when their spirit leaves their body at death) they are at home with Him...
...we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. (2 Cor 5:8)
d. No Annihilation
A belief that no eternal torment awaits unbelievers, they are instead utterly destroyed / annihilated.
God says...
...the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment... He cried out and said... "...I am in agony in this flame." (Lk 16:22b,23a,24a,c)
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