Learning critical thinking is important not only for speaking to people outside the church but also for educating people on the inside. They often absorb ideas from the cultural atmosphere and thus need help letting liberating their minds from decide secular assumptions.
Christians must never treat idol analysis as a matter of addressing only how other people think. Scripture does not allow us that luxury. In the original Greek, there are no chapter breaks; the first chapter of Romans flows immediately into the second chapter, where Paul turns to the reader--the person who has God's written revelation--and says, "Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgement on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things" (Rom. 2:1).
All through Romans 1, it appeared that Paul was directing his teaching to pagan idol worshippers. But now, in a surprise move, he places his readers on the same level as pagans. He even repeats the same phrase as in 1:20, "without excuse."
By that verbal link, Paul implicates everyone in the charge of suppressing the truth and creating counterfeit gods. Christians are not immune. Scripture is addressing Christians in verses like "flee from idolatry" and "keep yourselves from idols" (1 Cor. 10:14; 1 John 5:21). We must be committed to turning away from idols and toward God as the ultimate source of truth in every area of life. To avoid being "conformed to this world," we must "be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2).
The ultimate goal of learning a biblical apologetics strategy is to love God "with all your mind" (Luke 10:27). Whether you are a Christian already or just beginning to learn about God, you may be surprised by joy when you discover that biblical truth is bright and resilient enough to be "a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps. 119:105), illuminating every area of life.
Let's get started honing our skills to identify the idols of our age.
Reference: Finding Truth, Nancy Pearcey
Christians must never treat idol analysis as a matter of addressing only how other people think. Scripture does not allow us that luxury. In the original Greek, there are no chapter breaks; the first chapter of Romans flows immediately into the second chapter, where Paul turns to the reader--the person who has God's written revelation--and says, "Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgement on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things" (Rom. 2:1).
All through Romans 1, it appeared that Paul was directing his teaching to pagan idol worshippers. But now, in a surprise move, he places his readers on the same level as pagans. He even repeats the same phrase as in 1:20, "without excuse."
By that verbal link, Paul implicates everyone in the charge of suppressing the truth and creating counterfeit gods. Christians are not immune. Scripture is addressing Christians in verses like "flee from idolatry" and "keep yourselves from idols" (1 Cor. 10:14; 1 John 5:21). We must be committed to turning away from idols and toward God as the ultimate source of truth in every area of life. To avoid being "conformed to this world," we must "be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2).
The ultimate goal of learning a biblical apologetics strategy is to love God "with all your mind" (Luke 10:27). Whether you are a Christian already or just beginning to learn about God, you may be surprised by joy when you discover that biblical truth is bright and resilient enough to be "a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps. 119:105), illuminating every area of life.
Let's get started honing our skills to identify the idols of our age.
Reference: Finding Truth, Nancy Pearcey
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