The Bible

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The Bible
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• Luke 233943 (ESV)
• One of the criminals who were hanged railed at
  him, saying, Are you not the Christ? Save
  yourself and us! But the other rebuked him,
  saying, Do you not fear God, since you are under
  the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed
  justly, for we are receiving the due reward of
  our deeds but this man has done nothing wrong.
  And he said, Jesus, remember me when you come
  into your kingdom. And he said to him, Truly, I
  say to you, today you will be with me in
  Paradise.

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Matthew 1028 Do not be afraid of those who
kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather,
be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul
and body in hell.
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How many times does the word love appear in the
book of Acts?
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How many times does the word love appear in the
book of Acts?Zero (0)
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• Ephesians 2810 (ESV)
• For by grace you have been saved through faith.
  And this is not your own doing it is the gift of
  God, not a result of works, so that no one may
  boast.
• For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
  Jesus for good works, which God prepared
  beforehand, that we should walk in them.

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The Big Picture
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(No Transcript)
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Inerrant, infallible, inspired

• The original writings of the Bible turned out
  just as God wanted them to.

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The Bible is the primary way God speaks to us
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Isaiah 5510-11 As the rain and the snow come
down from heaven, and do not return to it without
watering the earth and making it bud and
flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower
and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes
out from my mouth It will not return to me
empty, but will accomplish what I desire and
achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
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Hebrews 412 For the word of God is living and
active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it
penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,
joints and marrow it judges the thoughts and
attitudes of the heart.
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2 Timothy 316-17 All Scripture is God-breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting
and training in righteousness, so that the man of
God may be thoroughly equipped for every good
work.
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Acts 1711 Now the Bereans were of more noble
character than the Thessalonians, for they
received the message with great eagerness and
examined the Scriptures every day to see if what
Paul said was true.
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The main difference Grace

• Works
• Jewish
• Hindu
• Buddhist
• Muslim
• Mormon
• Etc.

• Grace
• Christianity

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How was the Bible compiled?(The Canonization
Process)

• Author Apostle or closely linked follower of
  Christ
• Accepted by early church
• Used in church services
• Stamp of God
• Consistent messages

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Sola Scriptura

• Scripture alone is our authority.
• This does not mean that Protestants believe
• All truth is to be found in the Bible, or that
  the Bible is the only form in which the truth of
  God has come to His people.
• Every verse in the Bible is equally clear to
  every reader.
• The church and people are not of great value and
  help in understanding the Scripture.

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The Bible is not a science textbook

• But it was remarkably lucky about several
  things
• The universe coming into being at a point n time
  Genesis 1
• of stars Genesis 15
• Water cycle Isaiah 55
• More!

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If you get stumped . . .

• I dont know, but Ill find out
• Humble response
• Takes all the pressure off of you
• Keeps you from giving bad answers
• Gives you time to prepare better answers
• Lets you make an appointment to come back later
  to talk about God
• One bad argument can undermine ten good
  arguments.

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Historical facts

• Jesus was a real person who died on a cross
• The disciples really believed He rose physically
• The Apostle Paul . . .
• persecuted Christians then converted after
  claiming to see the risen Christ.
• wrote at least Romans, 1 2 Corinthians,
  Philippians, Galatians and Philemon -- key
  doctrines and traditions at early dates.
• Was hostile to the faith and had no reason to
  believe.
• We know the original writings of the Bible with
  99.5 accuracy, and 100 on major doctrines

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Men wrote the Bible, so it must have mistakes?

• No. Just because people sometimes make mistakes
  that they will always make mistakes.
• If God wanted the original writings of the Bible
  to convey exactly what He wanted to, then He
  could do it.

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How many translations did you Bible go through?

• One.
• Myth
• Greek original ? Latin translation ? other
  translations ? King James version ? New
  International Version, etc.
• Facts
• Greek original ?copies of Greek original ? Latin
  version
• Greek original ?copies of Greek original ? King
  James version
• Greek original ?copies of Greek original ?New
  International Version
• Dead Sea Scrolls prove copying process of Old
  Testament was highly reliable

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The Bible has been changed so we dont know what
the originals said?

• Nope.
• Even atheist scholars concede that we know 99.5
  of the original words and 100 of major
  doctrines.
• The 0.5 are basically typos
• The most divergent text families still end up
  with orthodox Christianity
• We know what changed the system works!
• Long ending of Mark
• Beginning of John 8 (woman caught in adultery)
• See your footnotes The earliest manuscripts do
  not include . . .

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Does the Bible claim to be the word of God?

• Yes, roughly 3,000 times.
• That doesnt prove it is Gods word, but it makes
  it very clear that we shouldnt pick and choose
  which parts we agree with.
• Jesus agreed with 100 of the Old Testament,
  including controversial passages about Adam
  Eve, Sodom Gomorrah, Noah and Jonah
• Christians should seek to hold the same views as
  Jesus

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Is the Bible out of date?

• Common claims
• It was written 2,000 years ago.
• Bronze age mythology.
• If it is the word of God it would be timeless.
• 2 Timothy 43 For the time will come when men
  will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to
  suit their own desires, they will gather around
  them a great number of teachers to say what their
  itching ears want to hear.

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Other reasons to trust the Bible

• Archeology
• Fulfilled prophecies

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Do you take the Bible literally?

• We should read it in the way the authors intended
  it, depending on the context and type of writing.
• History
• Metaphor / illustrations / parables
• Doctrine
• Poetry
• Figures of speech i.e., exaggerations

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Why I cant be an atheist . . .

• Something came from nothing?
• Life came from non-life?
• Evolution to everything we see today?
• Oxymoronic finetuning from chaos?
• Consciousness from materials?
• Morality from nothing?

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Intelligent Design in a nutshell

• Living things contain within their genomes large
  amounts of functional information.
• The only cause known to be capable of
  generating large amounts of functional
  information is intelligence.
• It is therefore reasonable to infer that the
  functional information in living things must have
  an intelligent source."
• Douglas Axe

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When was the New Testament written?

• Most of it was probably written before the
  destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 70 A.D.
• The writers would have been inclined to mention
  this fulfilled prophecy
• Paul died 65 A.D.
• All his letters written before then
• Acts closes with Paul still alive
• Luke wrote his Gospel before Acts
• Matthew Mark written before Luke

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Dalmatian Theology

• The Bible is inspired in spots, and were
  inspired to spot the spots.
• The burden of proof is on them to demonstrate
  which parts are / are not inspired.
• Not as cute as it sounds.

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Advanced Dalmatian Theology

• God is also changing spots and adding or
  removing spots
• Oddly enough, He is only telling theological
  liberals
• They use phrases such as God is still speaking,
  but they dont mean that God still speaks through
  his Word (that would be a true statement). They
  think He is still revealing new truths to the
  church and changing doctrines taught in the Bible.

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Tough questions

• Why do the wicked prosper?
• Why do bad things happen to good people and vice
  verse?
• Where is God during tough times?
• Why does life seem meaningless at times?
• See the Bible! (Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Job and
  more)

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What is truth?

• You are a king, then! said Pilate.
• Jesus answered, You are right in saying I am
  a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and
  for this I came into the world, to testify to the
  truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to
  me.
• What is truth? Pilate asked. With this he
  went out again to the Jews and said, I find no
  basis for a charge against him.
• John 1837-38

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What is truth?

• Truth is that which corresponds to reality.
• Just because we cant know all truth doesnt mean
  that we cant know any truth.
• Colossians 28 See to it that no one takes you
  captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,
  which depends on human tradition and the basic
  principles of this world rather than on Christ.

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Though it always comes as a surprise to
intellectuals, there are some forms of stupidity
that you must be highly intelligent and educated
to commit. God keeps them in His arsenal to pull
down mulish pride, and I discovered them all.J.
BudziszewskiUT Philosophy ProfessorHow to Stay
Christian in College
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Making up your own version of God is worse than
jumping from a plane and imagining your own
version of a parachute.
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What does the world say?

• Pluralism two definitions
• Good ? Treat people of all religions with respect
• Bad ? All religions are equally valid paths to
  God / all religions are pretty much the same
• Sincerely held beliefs . . .
• Good people go to heaven

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Copycats did Christianity borrow from other
religions? No.

• Thoroughly debunked in mid-1900s but given new
  life by Internet.
• Many allegations are mythical.
• Old Testament prophecies pre-date the alleged
  borrowings.
• Some overlaps expected e.g., the flood.
• Similarities dont necessarily mean things were
  copied.

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Recap

• How many times was your Bible translated from the
  original language?
• Do we know what the original Bible writings
  contained?
• Does the Bible have to have mistakes just because
  men wrote it?

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Recap

• What is truth?
• What is unique to Christianity?
• Should we treat people of all religions (or no
  religion) with respect?
• Are all religions equally valid paths to God?

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How to read the Bible

• Always, always, always read in context! Never
  read a Bible verse.
• Read individual passages in light of surrounding
  passages and all scripture
• Cultural and social setting
• Who was it written for?
• Literary type
• Let the clear explain the unclear (interpret
  difficult passages in light of straightforward
  passages)
• Don't assume that the unexplained is not
  explainable

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How to read the Bible

• Eliminate interpretations that cant be right
  (like a multiple choice test)
• The 144,000 in Revelation
• Don't assume that the Bible approves of all its
  records.
• When in doubt, consult a commentary, study Bible,
  pastor, or anyone with more experience in Bible
  studies.
• Remember that the Bible uses non-technical,
  everyday language.
• Dont argue from silence i.e., Jesus didnt
  say anything about . . .

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How to read the Bible

• Read it 1-3 chapters
• Question it
• What portion stands out to me? Why?
• Is there an example for me to follow?
• Is there an error for me to avoid?
• Is there a duty for me to perform?
• Is there a promise for me to claim?
• Is there a sin for me to confess?
• Plan it make a plan for how you will use it
• Pray it pray scripture back to God
• Share it helps others, and helps us to remember
  it

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In essentials, unityIn non-essentials,
libertyIn all things, charityAugustine of Hippo
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In essentials, unityIn non-essentials,
libertyIn all things, charity

• Essentials
• Jesus is fully God
• Jesus is fully human
• Jesus is the only way to salvation
• Physical resurrection of Jesus
• Etc.

• Non-essentials
• How often you do communion
• Wine vs. grape juice
• Musical styles
• Type of baptism
• Young earth vs. old earth
• Etc.

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Disputable matters

• Romans 141 Accept him whose faith is weak,
  without passing judgment on disputable matters.
• So we know that
• God knew wed have disputed matters.
• He gave guidance on how to handle them.

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Young earth (thousands of years) vs. old earth
(billions of years)

• Does day always mean literal 24 hour period?
• How much was accomplished in day 6?
• Scientific evidence
• Can Christians hold either view?
• Either way, God created it all

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Sample passages
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John 316For God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
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John 316-18 For God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through
him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe stands condemned
already because he has not believed in the name
of Gods one and only Son.
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Philippians 413 I can do everything through
him who gives me strength.
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Philippians 412-13 I know what it is to be in
need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I
have learned the secret of being content in any
and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,
whether living in plenty or in want. I can do
everything through him who gives me strength.
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Jeremiah 2911 For I know the plans I have for
you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.
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Jeremiah 291, 4, 10-11 This is the text of the
letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from
Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the
exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all
the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into
exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.This is what
the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all
those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to
Babylon . . .This is what the Lord says When
seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will
come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to
bring you back to this place. For I know the
plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans
to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give
you hope and a future.
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Matthew 1128-30 Come to me, all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am
gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my
burden is light."
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Matthew 71 Do not judge, or you too will be
judged.
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Matthew 71-5 Do not judge, or you too will be
judged. For in the same way you judge others, you
will be judged, and with the measure you use, it
will be measured to you. Why do you look at the
speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no
attention to the plank in your own eye? How can
you say to your brother, Let me take the speck
out of your eye, when all the time there is a
plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take
the plank out of your own eye, and then you will
see clearly to remove the speck from your
brothers eye.
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Judging

• Is Gandhi in Heaven?
• Who decides?
• Has He told us the process?
• Saying he is in Heaven is as judgmental as saying
  he is not.
• Thats nice, but what does the Bible say?

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Matthew 539 But I tell you, Do not resist an
evil person. If someone strikes you on the right
cheek, turn to him the other also.
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Exodus 2122-25

• RSV When men strive together, and hurt a woman
  with child, so that there is a miscarriage
• NIV If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman
  and she gives birth prematurely but there is no
  serious injury
• How do we know the proper interpretation?
• Original Hebrew "go forth" (ytsa'). This verb
  never refers to a miscarriage or abortion. When
  it refers to a birth it refers to live children
  "going forth" or "coming out" from the womb.

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Did this prophecy fail?

• Matthew 1628 I tell you the truth, some who are
  standing here will not taste death before they
  see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
• Mark 91 And he said to them, I tell you the
  truth, some who are standing here will not taste
  death before they see the kingdom of God come
  with power.
• Luke 927 I tell you the truth, some who are
  standing here will not taste death before they
  see the kingdom of God.

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Did this prophecy fail?

• Matthew 1628 I tell you the truth, some who are
  standing here will not taste death before they
  see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
• Mark 91 And he said to them, I tell you the
  truth, some who are standing here will not taste
  death before they see the kingdom of God come
  with power.
• Luke 927 I tell you the truth, some who are
  standing here will not taste death before they
  see the kingdom of God.
• No! The transfiguration account immediately
  follows each of these verses.

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Ephesians 522 Wives, submit to your own
husbands . . .
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Ephesians 52233Wives, submit to your own
husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the
head of the wife even as Christ is the head of
the church, his body, and is himself its Savior .
. . Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved
the church and gave himself up for her . . . In
the same way husbands should love their wives as
their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves
himself . . . Therefore a man shall leave his
father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and
the two shall become one flesh. . . . However,
let each one of you love his wife as himself, and
let the wife see that she respects her husband.
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Malachi 38Will man rob God? Yet you are
robbing me. But you say, How have we robbed
you? In your tithes and contributions.
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Malachi 3610 For I the LORD do not change
therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not
consumed. From the days of your fathers you have
turned aside from my statutes and have not kept
them. Return to me, and I will return to you,
says the LORD of hosts. But you say, How shall
we return? Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing
me. But you say, How have we robbed you? In
your tithes and contributions. You are cursed
with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole
nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the
storehouse, that there may be food in my house.
And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of
hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven
for you and pour down for you a blessing until
there is no more need.
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2 Corinthians 96-7 Remember this Whoever sows
sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever
sows generously will also reap generously. Each
man should give what he has decided in his heart
to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for
God loves a cheerful giver.
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Verse Text
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Where does love your neighbor as yourself first
appear in the Bible?
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Where does love your neighbor as yourself first
appear in the Bible?Leviticus 1918
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The Shellfish Argument

• Yes, Leviticus 1822 says Thou shalt not lie with
  mankind, as with womankind it is abomination.
• But Leviticus 1110 says, And all that have not
  fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers,
  of all that move in the waters, and of all the
  living creatures that are in the waters, they are
  an abomination unto you
• Therefore, the Bible cannot be the word of God
  and homosexual behavior must be moral because the
  Bible is an undependable, contradictory book that
  equates shrimp eating with sexual immorality.
  And people who teach that homosexual behavior is
  a sin are bigoted hypocrites who only follow the
  parts of the Bible they like.

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From the Jack Black video

• Christians Doesnt the Bible say these people
  are an abomination?
• Jack Black as Jesus It says the exact same
  thing about this shrimp cocktail . . . The Bible
  says a lot of things . . .
• Christians We ignore those verses.
• Non-Christians . . . you pick and choose.

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Why the shellfish argument fails

• There were different Hebrew words translated as
  abomination.
• The words were used differently in the individual
  verses.
• The passages were used very differently in
  broader contexts.
• The associated sins had radically different
  consequences.
• The treatments in the New Testament were
  completely different.

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The context of the dietary restrictions

• The beginning and end of chapter 11 make it clear
  that this passage is about dietary rules just for
  the Israelites.
• Leviticus 111-2 The Lord said to Moses and
  Aaron, Say to the Israelites Of all the
  animals that live on land, these are the ones you
  may eat
• Leviticus 1146-47 These are the regulations
  concerning animals, birds, every living thing
  that moves in the water and every creature that
  moves about on the ground. You must distinguish
  between the unclean and the clean, between living
  creatures that may be eaten and those that may
  not be eaten.

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The context of the sexual restrictions

• Leviticus 181-3 The Lord said to Moses, Speak
  to the Israelites and say to them I am the Lord
  your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt,
  where you used to live, and you must not do as
  they do in the land of Canaan, where I am
  bringing you. Do not follow their practices.
• Leviticus 1824-30 Do not defile yourselves in
  any of these ways, because this is how the
  nations that I am going to drive out before you
  became defiled. . . .And if you defile the land,
  it will vomit you out as it vomited out the
  nations that were before you. Everyone who does
  any of these detestable thingssuch persons must
  be cut off from their people. Keep my
  requirements and do not follow any of the
  detestable customs that were practiced before you
  came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am
  the Lord your God.

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Why the shellfish argument fails

• There were different Hebrew words translated as
  abomination.
• The words were used differently in the individual
  verses.
• The passages were used very differently in
  broader contexts.
• The associated sins had radically different
  consequences.
• The treatments in the New Testament were
  completely different.

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How do you find forgiveness?
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How do you find forgiveness?

• Im afraid of what comes next.
• I think its up to each one of us to interpret
  what God wants.
• I want a real chaplain who believes in a real
  God and real Hell . . . I need answers.
• I need someone who will look me in the eye and
  tell me how to find forgiveness, because I am
  running out of time.

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How do you find forgiveness?

• How would different groups answer him?
• Atheist
• Hindu
• Muslim
• Theologically liberal Christian
• Orthodox Christian
• How would you answer him?

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Recap

• How many times was your Bible translated from the
  original language?
• Do we know what the original Bible writings
  contained?
• Does the Bible have to have mistakes just because
  men wrote it?
• How do you answer the shellfish argument?

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Recap

• What is truth?
• What is unique to Christianity?
• Should we treat people of all religions (or no
  religion) with respect?
• Are all religions equally valid paths to God?
• How do you read the Bible properly?

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Just read it.
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Email neil_at_4simpsons.comwww.4simpsons.wordpress
.com Stand to Reason www.str.org Christian
Apologetics Research Ministry - www.carm.org