The New Wave of Apologetics by Tim Wirth

The New Wave of Apologetics
by Tim Wirth

There is a New Wave of Apologetics sweeping through the Body Of Christ for some years now.

But before we see what apologetics is not, let's study and see what it is.

The term apologetics comes from the Greek word, apologia (apologeisthai), which in the New Testament usually refers to an individual’s defense of his conduct (1 Cor. 9:3--sometimes against legal charges, and in Acts 19:33, 22:1, 24:10). In the Acts passages, however, Paul defends himself by defending his message. So in Phil. 1:7, 16, apologia refers explicitly to a defense of the Gospel, and in 1 Pet. 3:15, to a defense of the Christian hope.

Defending the faith, therefore, is a biblical practice. The discipline of apologetics seeks to instruct Christians in such defense. As an analysis of a biblical practice, apologetics is a properly theological discipline. If theology is “the application of Scripture to all areas of life,” then apologetics is “the application of Scripture to unbelief” (Frame, Knowledge of God, 81, 87), including the unbelief that remains in Christian hearts.

From a John Frame article:
My own reading suggests that a “biblical apologetic” would take this general shape: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7) and wisdom (9:10); indeed, wisdom and knowledge are summed up in Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:30, Co. 2:3). Though God is known through his creation, people repress this knowledge (Rom. 1:18-32) until God’s grace renews their minds (Rom. 12:2). The apologist should press upon the non-Christian the evidence that God is clearly revealed in nature. But he should present it in the context of a biblical worldview, with an epistemology reflecting what the Bible says about knowledge. And he should present the Gospel in God’s own authoritative voice, using Scripture’s own arguments (as 1 Cor. 15:1-11) and other arguments that follow scriptural leads. As an example of the latter, when Scripture says that God is revealed in creation, it authorizes us to find evidence in creation to use in apologetic witness (as Acts 14:15-18, 17:22-31). When it says that the events of redemption occurred at specific times and places, it authorizes us to find apologetic resources in the historical study of those times and places (Acts 26:26).
Consider first that I believe that this is the time we are in:

2 Thess 2:3 "3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin[a] is revealed, the son of perdition,

1 Tim 4:1-2 "1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,"

2 Tim 4:3-4 "3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

Consider now the new wave of apologetics where you don't defend the Christian faith, but defend the faith of others by spinning the Christian faith.
Here is just one example of many, many instances of the new wave of apologetics:

Here is one in defence of Rick Warren.

" Take note of Apologetic Lesson One: Never look at one of anything to build an opinion. Not one word. Not one statement. Not one deed. To ignore this primary lesson in apologetics is to basically commit an error similar to the type of error you would commit by taking one Bible verse out of context. This is especially true, when seeing something that appears to be an anomaly. In scripture we can see this in all the verses wherein God is spoken of as one. But then suddenly, WHAMO!, the New Testament, and we see Jesus being called God. Say Waaaaahh??? Both JW and LDS jump to a conclusion — i.e., Jesus is another God. How wrong is that? Basically, they ignore many other verses and do not think it through to try and see compatibility.

Now, let us take this issue of Warren. We have a very interesting incident that on the surface MIGHT suggest pluralism (if that’s what you’re looking for). Either that, or it is Warren’s endorsement of Judaism (if that’s what you’rel ooking for). Only problem is: these views would be inconsistent, indeed it would contradict, what he has stated both before and afterward. Hmm.

For instance, at pastors.com, we hear him talking about how he forms his Easter message, saying, “As I go through these things, first I sit down, and I start praying. I start thinking about people I know who are going to be there. People I have invited, like my doctor, an atheist Jew who came for Easter. I start thinking: “Now what is going to help this guy know about Christ?” and I will go through that little formula and think about the points for my sermon” (Ministry Toolbox, Issue #221)

But perhaps Warren is talking only about “atheist” Jews. Possible.
But then we these words at pastors.com in an article by Chad Meister: “Having seen the incredible evidence for God’s existence, we’ve narrowed the field considerably. But we still haven’t reached the Christian faith, for there are different kinds of theism, including the three central theistic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. So how do we go about demonstrating that Christianity is the true theistic religion? Here the Bible plays a central role, and there are several kinds of evidence for both its reliability and its divine inspiration. . . .

Regarding its inspiration, one of the most powerful evidences is Old Testament prophetic claims that are fulfilled in the New Testament. There are dozens of such passages, and what is so amazing is the breadth and specificity of many of them. Not only do they demonstrate that a divine Mind must have been involved, but they also prove that Jesus was the Messiah that the Old Testament predicted, thus nullifying a Judaism, which denies Jesus” (Ministry Toolbox, Issue #279)
Woah! Pretty clear!!!
End of statement-

The one error (among many errors) here is that scripture is not even used in defence of Rick Warren but Warrens own website Ministry Toolbox.

This is the way of the new wave of apologetics.

This is all being used I believe to blur the lines of any and all religions to try to form the false religion of the end times scripture speaks about.

The false religion will need defenders of the new faith which is a hodge podge of religion.

From Tamara Hartzell 'In The Name Of Purpose"
The universal religion with its spiritual transformation is not coming; it is here. The Angel of light's kingdom is gathering together "all men of peace" from "every world religion" "as the embodiment of the emerging Kingdom of God on earth."* In this emerging interfaith kingdom there is:
"One Truth," yet many theologies;
"One God," yet many paths;
"One Church," yet many expressions; and
"One Divine Life," yet many 'little Christs.'

Despite its deceived claims that its message hasn't changed, today's Christianity is embracing the teachings of the counterfeit kingdom. As a result, it is being steadily transitioned away from Jesus Christ, the Rock of Offence, to the universal "Christ" who broadly accepts people within all religions/faiths. Its purposeful pursuit of unity with the world truly is uniting today's Christianity with the world.

"The religion of the future will be a general converging of religions in a universal Christ that will satisfy all ... In the end, it is hoped that the Christian will become a better Christian and each Hindu a better Hindu." —Jesuit theologian Father Jacques Dupuis, at the 2003 interfaith congress "The Future of God"*
"The Christ has no religious barriers in His consciousness. It matters not to Him of what faith a man may call himself." —Alice Bailey & Djwhal Khul*

"I happen to know people who are followers of Christ in other religions." —Rick Warren*

"He ['the Christ'] inaugurated the new era and ... the new world religion began to take form. The word 'religion' concerns relationship ..." —Alice Bailey & Djwhal Khul*

"I have known many people who believe in the Messiah of Jesus, regardless of what religion they are, because they believe in him. It's about a relationship, not a religion." —Rick Warren*

"The day is dawning when all religions win [sic] be regarded as emanating from one great spiritual source; all will be seen as unitedly providing the one root out of which the universal world religion will inevitably emerge. Then there will be neither Christian nor heathen, neither Jew nor Gentile, but simply one great body of believers, gathered out of all the current religions." —Alice Bailey & Djwhal Khul*

"I thought, you know where people are moving in they probably need new houses of worships, temples, and synagogues, and churches, and stuff like that." —Rick Warren*

"The church is bigger than any organization in the world. Then you add in Muslims, you add in Hindus, you add in all the different religions, and you use those houses of worship as distribution centers, not just for spiritual care but health care." —Rick Warren*

"I could take you today to a million villages ... they got a church. Or they got a synagogue. They got something. They got a house of worship. The church is the biggest organization in the world.... And I came up with a thing called the P.E.A.C.E. Plan. When Jesus sent the disciples out, he said, 'When you go into a village, you find the man of peace.' Now this person doesn't have to be a Christian.... You find the person of peace, and then you begin to do the P.E.A.C.E. Plan ... Now why am I telling this to you? Because we're going public with it this next year in 2006.... And I believe it will change the world." —Rick Warren*

Yes, change is the order of the day.
Truth becomes the sacrifice:
So remember to keep in Gods word daily.
Examine your faith and walk daily.
And beware of the new wave of apologetics