It is the proclamation of the Gospel, not argumentation, that transforms minds. See Give Them the Gospel.
How do you answer the BIG questions in life: Questions, like
How do you know that Bible is accurate?
How do you know that God exists?
How do you know what is right and what is wrong?
How can you know how the Heavens and the Earth were formed and how mankind came to be?
How can we know anything about anything?
Most of human thought has a starting point of an assumption. Assumptions are arbitrary. To be arbitrary is to be irrational/insane. Any conclusions that require assumptions cannot be any stronger than the assumptions upon which they are based. A concrete example may help.
What is the alternative to being arbitrary, irrational, and insane? What other starting points are available? This page answers this question.
An Evolutionist may say:
- Evolution is fact
- We know that Evolution is fact because Evolution can be shown to be fact by science if we interpret observations based on the axioms of science. The axioms of science are materialism (there is no God), naturalism (God doesn’t do anything or reveal anything), and uniformitarianism (there was no worldwide flood).
- We know that the axioms of science are correct because we declare them to be basic and obvious.
However, they are not obvious at all. They are false. The proof of the axioms of science is non-existant. They are merely assumptions/lies. At this point, the whole house of cards falls down.
The way this house of cards is built is like this:
- Axiom 1 is Materialism: God doesn’t exist (or we do science as if God doesn’t exist).
- Axiom 2 is Naturalism: God doesn’t do anything or reveal anything (or we do science as if God doesn’t do anything or reveal anything).
- Axiom 3 is Uniformitarianism: The flood never took place.
- Axiom 4: Science must follow these three previous assumptions.
- Therefore anything observed that doesn’t conform to these three assumptions is not scientific, so every observation must be either be made to fit into these three assumptions or else discarded.
- Therefore, since God doesn’t exist, it follows that everything had to come from somewhere. It must have created itself through natural processes.
- Therefore, since we must limit our inquiry to those observations that fit the axioms of science an evolution, we must interpret the things we can observe and make up creative stories about evolution happening by natural processes without God. We must also make up creative stories to support the big bang and deep time. We must also make up alternate explanations for the evidence of the worldwide flood.
- Therefore, in those instances when we cannot make up a story that is consistent with both what can be observed and the four Axioms + Evolution, we must develop a rescuing mechanism such as, “We don’t understand that now, but science will explain it in the future.”
- A scientist that does not believe and follow the rules regarding the four Axioms + Evolution is not a real scientist and must be drummed out of the universities and cut off from any funding source.
- Therefore, evolution is scientific fact and is supported by all scientific evidence and all real scientists are evolutionists.
- Therefore, evolution is scientific fact and is supported by all scientific evidence and all real scientists are evolutionists.
- Therefore, since God doesn’t exist, it follows that everything had to come from somewhere. It must have created itself through natural processes.
- Therefore anything observed that doesn’t conform to these three assumptions is not scientific, so every observation must be either be made to fit into these three assumptions or else discarded.
If you can’t prove the axioms, you can’t prove the things that are based on the axioms.
Did you ever hear someone say that you have to make a choice between science and the Bible or reason and the Bible? That statement is a lie known as a false dichotomy. Do we have to make a choice between science and the Bible? NO! Do we have to make a choice between God and reason? NO!
That is NOT where the problem is, but that’s what some people seem to want to talk about.
Take science as an example. Using scientific method, we all see the same things in the material world, but we don’t come to the same answers. Why is that?
Same scientific facts. Different answers.
Why is that?
Now, look at the Bible. The same problem comes up. How can we know anything about the Bible and what it teaches? Every person believes different things about the Bible and how it should be read.
Why is that?
Same scientific facts. Different answers.
Same Bible. Different answers.
Why is that?
The true question is this: How do we come to our answers that we get from what we can see through science or what we can read in the Bible?
How do we think about what we see using science or what we read in the Bible?
How do we analyze what we have seen and read?
How do we interpret what we have seen and read?
Sure, we use logic, but logic always has to have a foundation. Jesus talked about building on the Rock. That Rock is Jesus Christ. He is the true foundation. There are also the false foundations.
The real question is, “Who do you trust–Do you trust your own understanding or do you trust God?”
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [literally, Transfigured] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
… and that ye seek not after your own mind and your own ability to observe, with which you used tocommit fornication: Numbers 15:39
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14
Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has showed it to them. 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: You see? You know because God has showed it to you and to all of us.
Trust in the LORD with all your mind and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8
For out of the mind come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. Matthew 15:19
The fool has said in his mind, There is no God. Psalm 53:1
So there are two foundations. One is simply assumption, something that someone’s mind made up, that is, a lie. The other is revelation from God. The Bible repeatedly tells us that God speaks to us. In fact, when the Bible tells us this, it isn’t the Bible speaking to us, it in the Holy Spirit speaking to us through the Bible. We should not add to His words or take from His word. We also know from experience that God speaks to us.
(some caveats about hearing God’s Voice)
There is no higher authority than God. A Naturalist may demand that you provide a higher authority than God, some proof independent of God. There is no higher authority than God. God makes Himself available to Atheist and Christian alike and will commune with anyone who will turn to Him, so we are all without excuse if we reject God.
An example might help.
Christ-follower: Why do you believe in evolution?
Evolutionist: Because my science teacher told me that evolution is scientific fact.
Christ-follower: Why do you believe your science teacher?
Evolutionist: because he agrees with the textbook he assigned us to read.
Now, rather than pointing out the circular reasoning, we may want to probe further, but we are likely to run into infinite regression. Infinite regression is a logical� fallacy that occurs when a seemingly infinite proofs are brought forward, but none of them can really stand on their own. None carries enough authority to satisfy truth or to be called truth. Each one is dependent on another proof, another premise, another proposition.
In the example above, we have asked, “Why?” twice. The next “Why do you believe that” question might be,
How does agreeing with the textbook make it true?”
or
“Since textbooks have to be swapped out regularly because of the errors in them, what makes you think the textbook is right?”
If we continued to ask, “Why?” we would come down to the foundation of this person’s thoughts. They usually are not all that deep. In fact, most people know that they have a lot of inconsistencies in their thinking, but it is painful for them to face this, so they refuse to challenge their own presuppositions. They don’t want to face how very flimsy their reasoning actually is.
Put another way, most people know that we have limited ability to observe, but few understand the limits of logic. The limits of logic are very simple, though. You may think that something is true. Why do you think it’s true? If you have a reason that makes sense for believing it, then you are using logic. You are able to show the proof or the reason behind your belief, but are you able to show the proof of your proof? If you say, I believe A because B proves A, then what proves B. Well, you may say, C proves B. Then what proves C. Eventually, you will come to the point where you have no more answers. At that point, you must decide what your foundation will be. Is your foundation the fact that you are just making it all up? Or do you have something better than that?
When we get down to the foundations, there are no more questions that can be answered. So where do the foundations come from?
There are three possibilities.
- Foundational thoughts can be things that we make up, pulled from the air–some people actually believe that the human mind has the miraculous ability to create knowledge, a kind of humanistic revelation. Rationalism is the name of the philosophy that believes this.
- Foundational thoughts can be lies that demons tell us.
Foundational thoughts can be divine revelation. For instance, God speaks to us through the Bible if we will listen.
Let’s look at another scenario:
Question: Why do you believe in creation?
Answer: Because God revealed this to me. He spoke to me through the Bible and gave me His faith so that I could believe Him.
See how quickly we got to the foundation. This is a belief that has a foundation that is solid and that cannot be moved. It isn’t even based on the Bible but on God Himself Who wrote the Bible through men.
This is NOT circular reasoning:
- Is there a God? Yes.
- How do you know? Because I have met with the Almighty Creator God and He leads me moment by moment. He has also revealed to me that the Bible is His Word without error, and He speaks to me through His written Word.
This is NOT circular reasoning:
- How do you know the Bible is accurate? Because the Almighty, Creator, God has personally told me this.
- How did God show you? He revealed it to me using the Bible. *
A word of warning! Don’t make stuff up. You don’t have to pretend. If you don’t have this kind of relationship with your Creator, you can have the relationship. In the Book of Jeremiah the prophet, God clearly states that He doesn’t want anyone saying that He said something unless He indeed said it. At the same time, He said that He would speak to anyone who would stand in His Presence and listen. It’s that simple.
Let’s look at a potential conversation between human reasoning (HR) and God’s revelation (GR) as a foundational starting point for thinking. When we speak of human reasoning, we are referring to raw human reasoning (the reasoning of the human mind without the Intelligence of the Creator flowing through the human mind).
GR: What is your starting point for knowing that the earth is old? (or that evolution happened)
HR: All the scientists agree that this is fact.
GR: But they don’t all agree. How do you decide which scientists to believe and what part of what each one says to believe?
HR: Well, the majority agree?
GR: So you are saying that the majority is always right? Suppose that the majority said that the earth was flat. Would the earth, then, be flat?
HR: Well I can tell who is right because it makes sense.
GR: What is your final authority to know that it makes sense.
HR: Reason! (If they were to say science, we could ask if they personally conducted and controlled the science or if they are going back via circular reasoning to their earlier statement about the scientists that they have make-believe faith in. Or, we could point out the self-refuting nature of scientism, believing that science is the only or the best way to gain knowledge–you can’t prove that using scientific method, so, by the very rule the person set up, it can’t be true. It refutes itself.)
GR: How do you know that you can trust your reason?
HR: My experience shows me. It’s pretty consistent that I can trust my reason.
GR: So you are using your own reason to prove that you can trust your reasoning. That’s circular reasoning. 
There many ways to reason. Most of them can be shown to be faulty. When an evolutionist, an old earth dogmatist, or an Atheist speaks of reason, they most generally are speaking of rationalizations. Rationalizations are insane thoughts that we try to make appear as if they are rational, that is, sane. They are just making stuff up! In other words, they are lying. Their lies aren’t even well-hidden because the people who are swallowing their lies love to be lied to. Then, the put the label of “science” on it to really give it a false sense of reality and finality. How deceptive can they get!
In reality, the things that we make up, that are pulled from the air, are actually demonic. The human mind, separated from God, is evil. So there are really two from which all thoughts and ideas come: good (there is none good but God) and evil (the evil one). Divine revelation comes from the Almighty, Creator, God, Jesus Christ. So there are only two choices, but how do we know there are only two choices? Because God has revealed this truth to us. A naturalist thinks that this is unfair and wants to apply a naturalistic filter to even this part of life, claiming that God can’t reveal, therefore all perceived revelation also comes from the human mind. This is, in effect, telling the Christian that the Christian is not experiencing what the Christian is experiencing. It is as if a deaf person were to deny that hearing people could actually hear or that there is such a thing as sound. It is as if a blind person were to deny that sighted people could actually see or that there is such a thing as being able to see. How do you prove, to a deaf person, that sound exists? How to you prove, to a blind person, that sight exists. Although a better comparison would be a person who has on very effective anti-hearing devices or a person who is wearing a blindfold, since God would be willing to commune with the Naturalist if the Naturalist would just turn to Him.
So there are two foundations. One is simply assumption, something that someone’s mind made up, that is, a lie. The other is revelation from God. The Bible repeatedly tells us that God speaks to us. In fact, when the Bible tells us this, it isn’t the Bible speaking to us, it in the Holy Spirit speaking to us through the Bible. We should not add to His words or take from His word. We also know from experience that God speaks to us.
There is no higher authority than God. A Naturalist may demand that you provide a higher authority than God, some proof independent of God. There is no higher authority than God. God makes Himself available to Atheist and Christian alike and will commune with anyone who will turn to Him.
The only way to really know anything is by revelation. Logic, knowledge, and morality make no sense outside of God. In fact, without God, there is no reason to believe that our observations are real or dependable. Science requires the God of the Bible as it’s defense for validity. Without God, we cannot know anything. If you have an interest in how to know the truth and how to make decisions, you may be interested in this page:
Those who reject God’s revelation and His Holy Presence find themselves being irrational. They begin to think that the only way we can know anything about anything is by that which we can observe in the material world by scientific method. Yet, they know that the things we now think we know by scientific method are likely to be shown to be false in the future. They see that the creation looks as if it was designed created by every observation, but it must not have been created. They have no explanation at all for the origin of life, but they think that the answer will come soon and we should just believe their statements without any proof. They think that if they were able to create something that lives from non-living things, that this would prove that it happened. That, of course, is not rational. They think that the only way we can know anything about anything is by using explanations that leave God out of the picture. They think that belief in God is irrational but cannot define the law of logic by which belief in God would be irrational. They define science as that which has no knowledge of God. They have stacked the deck against the very idea of God. Their declaration against the belief in God is, in fact, irrational [insane]. It is the error known as declaring a universal negative.
The question that must then be asked is how do we tell the difference between the revelation that comes from God and the lies of Satan?
The answer is that everyone who sincerely wants to do the will of God will know. God will provide a way to let them know.
Jesus said, “If you really want to obey God, you will know if what I teach comes from God or from me”
The rejection of the revelation that comes from God is not an intellectual problem. It is a sin problem.
Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you: For everyone who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks it shall be opened.” *
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to those who ask him? Matthew 7:7-11 *
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. You can set the truth before someone, but you can’t make anyone believe those things that they don’t want to submit to. They have to want to obey God.
“How frequently it is brought to our attention that nothing good can be done if the will is wrong! Reason alone fails to justify itself.” ~ Richard M. Weaver
Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32)
“If we are not prepared to buy the truth at the cost of our own humbling we shall not receive it”
“Lies appear to have no price upon them. They seem cheap and they abound everywhere. But for the truth there is always an obvious price to pay.”
“[God] has set a day when He will judge all the world’s people with fairness. And He has chosen the man Jesus to do the judging for Him. God has given proof of this to all of us by raising Jesus from death” (Acts 17:31).
“There is a judge for the one who rejects Me [Jesus] and does not accept My words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day” (John 12:48)
That also stands for every person who speaks the utterances of Jesus. When we hear those who speak His words, we hear Jesus Christ, and we either accept or reject. Every person who follows Jesus Christ is commanded to only speak His utterances and not their own.
“When we love others, we know that we belong to the truth, and we feel at ease in the presence of God” (1 John 3:19)
Ravi Zacharias did two open forums in a university. On the second night, one man told him that he had brought two Atheists in the night before who said that the arguments presented were so strong that they could not contend with them, but they were going to remain Atheists because that is what they prefer to be true.
In another instance, a Christian was listening to an unbeliever and drawing out his reasoning until the unbeliever finally came to the foundations of his thoughts.
Because the sinful human nature is so strong and we can all be fooled, God has established the apostles. You can read more about that here.
The foundations of the unbeliever’s thoughts turned out to be assumptions that were pulled from the air. When asked why he believed his basic assumption, the unbeliever looked startled and blurted out, “I guess I’m making the whole thing up.” It was quite a revelation to him since he hadn’t even known that he had any assumptions. However, in the end, he decided to remain an Atheist because he didn’t want God to rule over him. He decided this even though it did not make any sense to do so.
Ultimate Proof – Dr. Jason Lisle on Origins – YouTube Video
A class in logic
