Defending and Commending the Faith With Dr. Joe L. Mott, inviting the atheist, agnostic and skeptic to examine for themselves the evidence for the Christian faith

References: (1) “Christ is in every book in the Bible” by Oral Roberts. (2) Islam and Jehovah’s Witnesses claim the Bible was corrupted. (3) “Jesus Interrupted” by Bart Ehrman. (4) “The Changing Faces of Jesus” by Beza Vermes. (5) “History of the Christian Religion to the Year Two Hundred” by Charles Burlingame Waite. (6) “Cold-Case Christianity” by J. Warner Wallace. (7) “Did Jesus exist? “ by Ba...

References: (1) From 1947 to 2023 the Gallup poll traced the decline of church membership in the US. (2) In my opinion, people in the Christian Churches of America do not have a full appreciation of the real import of who Jesus really is and are thereby robbed of its significance. (3) Some, like Bart Ehrman, the skeptical professor of the NT at UNC in Chapel Hill, have gone so far to assert that J...

References: (1) “The Unfolding Drama of Redemption” by W. Graham Scroggie. (2) God’s revelation of the theme began with Gen. 3:15 where God told the serpent, the purveyor of rebellion: “I will put ENMITY between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed. ” (3) Man needs a PRIEST, a PROPHET, and a KING: a priest to represent him before God; a prophet to reveal God to him; and a king to...

References: (1) The New International Version and the Phillips translation of Heb. 2:17 renders “hilaskomai” as atonement, but it is translated reconciliation in the KJV, propitiation in the NASB and NKJV, and expiation in RSV and NEB. I will soon show that expiation is too weak of a word and should be better translated as propitiation. (2) The theologian Origen and others have said the sacrifice...

References: (1) In the book “The Bible in the Light of Our Redemption” by E. W. Kenyon informs us there are 5 Levitical offerings given to us in the book of Leviticus. The offerings are: the Burnt offering (chapter 1), the Grain or Meal offering (chapter 2), the Peace offering (chapter 3), the Sin offering (4:1 -5:13), and the Trespass offering (5:14-6:7). Finally, 6:8-7:38 discusses the laws of a...

References: (1) Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. (2) Jesus died in our place and gave His blood for the redemption of humanity by the will of God, bearing the punishment for our sins on Himself. That proposition is usually identified as the penal substitutionary atonement or PSA for short. (3) In the late first century Clement wrote, “Jesus Christ our Lord gave...

References: (1) “Knowing God “ by J. I. Packer. (2) “Introducing Christian Doctrine” by Millard J. Erickson. (3) Millard Erickson says Jesus saw His death as constituting a RANSOM. (4) Christ also saw Himself as our SUBSTITUTE. (5) There are indications that Jesus saw Himself in the role of a SACRIFICE. (6) Jesus had a sense that He was the SOURCE and the GIVER of eternal life. (7) Paradoxically,...

References: (1) Genesis 3:15 is the first prophecy of the PROMISED DELIVERER of humans, the Redeemer who would save His people from their sins. (2) In the atonement God addresses 4 basic NEEDS that we all have as sinners: a. We deserve to DIE as the PENALTY for our sin. b. We deserve to BEAR God’s WRATH against us. c. We are SEPARATED from God by our sins (Isa. 59:2)and there is a great gulf betwe...

References: (1) The OT translation for atonement is taken from the Hebrew word kaphar. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words says: “Most uses of the word [kaphar], involve the THEOLOGICAL MEANING of “COVERING OVER,” often with the BLOOD of a sacrifice in order to ATONE for some sin.” (2) Atonement is frequently identified with the juxtaposition of 3 words: “at,“one,”...

References: (1) The OT translation for atonement is taken from the Hebrew word kaphar which literally means “to COVER.” (2) The word redemption is now used in a SPIRITUAL SENSE to describe the over-all work of Christ in salvation, but it also means in a NATURAL SENSE deliverance on payment of a ransom price, in the case of a slave, or a prisoner of war, or in order to let the condemned go free fro...

References: (1) The Importance of the Atonement. What could be more important than the atonement? We all are sinners by nature and activity (Rom. 3:23; 5:12). It focuses on the reasons why the Son of God was sent into the world in the first place. (2) Wayne Grudem says in his book Bible Doctrine that both the love and the justice of God were the ULTIMATE CAUSE of the atonement. (3) The Necessity o...

References: (1) Systematic Theology Vol. 3, by Norman Geisler, pp. 222-230. (2) The word atonement — coming back to God — is a common theme in the OT particularly in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers being mentioned in Exodus 10 times, in Leviticus 49 times, and in Numbers 17 times. (3) Why is atonement needed? The nation of Israel was affected by sin because they and we, too, have sinned (Rom. 3:23;...

References: (1) Systematic Theology Vol. 3, pp. 222-227, by Norman Geisler. (2) Atonement — coming back to God — is a common theme in the OT particularly in Leviticus. The OT translation for atonement is taken from the Hebrew word kaphar which literally means “to COVER.” (3) The OT process took public form in animal sacrifices, for in the Hebrew world, the proper payment for sin was blood. “Almost...

References: (1) Systematic Theology Vol. 3, by Norman Geisler, pp. 222-227. (2) Col. 1:20-22 gives us a powerful expression of what it means to be saved: It was God’s purpose that “by Him to reconcile ALL THINGS to Himself, by Christ, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made PEACE through the BLOOD of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked wo...

References: (1) Systematic Theology Vol. 3 by Norman Geisler. (2) The Greek word for mediator is “mesites” and in classical Greek it has 2 BASIC MEANINGS: an arbiter or a sponsor, or guarantor, or surety. As an arbiter it means “a man who stands in the middle between 2 estranged parties who brings them together and who wipes out the differences between them.” This is what Jesus did between us and...

References: (1) Let us turn our attention to discuss a number of important TERMS that are used in the Bible and Christian literature that speak of the way sinners are made right WITH God and reconciled TO God. Words like salvation, redemption, justification, forgiveness, reconciliation, and atonement have been so influential in molding the conception of the WORK of Jesus Christ that it is absolute...

References: (1) The Bible is a salvific book. The apostle Paul told Timothy its central message: “From infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). (2) There are PRE-SALVATION ACTS of God that are important for our understanding of the whole salvation process. (3) While there is wide evangelical agreement on...

References: (1) This passage Romans 8:29-30 introduces readers to 5 ESSENTIAL DOCTRINES: (1) foreknowledge, (2) predestination, (3) calling, (4) justification, and (5) glorification. These doctrines are intimately linked, forming an WIDE-RANGING VIEW frequently called the “GOLDEN CHAIN OF SALVATION.” (2) The fifth and final link in the golden chain of salvation is GLORIFICATION. God will remove us...

References: (1) The Bible is very clear that when a person believes in Jesus Christ as Savior, then he becomes a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), AND a child of God who is born not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-13). Consequently God’s Holy Spirit takes up PERMANENT RESIDENCE within that person. (2) In John 10: 27-30 Jesus uses the metaphor of SHEEP to describe...

References: (1) Justification is what the Lord Jesus did for us when He died on the cross for our sins. (2) Sanctification is the process we undergo to become more like the Lord Jesus in our thoughts, words, and actions, a process of becoming holy, a process of formation of Christ-like character. Holiness is a final result of this process. (3) Holiness is a goal that we, Christians, have to reach,...

References: (1) The TERMS used to describe these important stages are justification, sanctification, and glorification. They describe the Christian journey from new birth to resurrection. (2) Paul calls the first stage of salvation, justification. Justification is “an ACT of God whereby He declares a sinner to be in right standing before Him because of the sinner’s FAITH in Christ. In...

References: (1) We are still involved with discussing the 5th point: Salvation has to be proclaimed. That means Christians are to be obedient to the Great Commission. We will soon discuss the 6th point: Salvation has to be lived. (2) Christians are called Christ’s AMBASSADORS (2 Cor. 5:18-20). Can an ambassador FUNCTION by saying NOTHING and KEEPING HIDDEN the good news? How does the love of...

References: (1) I have said that the story of salvation can be told in 6 brief statements: Salvation is needed; salvation is provided; salvation is offered; salvation can be received; salvation has to be proclaimed; and salvation has to be lived. (2) To the high priest’s question: “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus openly declared: “I am, and you will see t...

References: (1) In the last episode we began a discussion of the story of salvation. I have said that story can be told in 6 brief statements: Salvation is needed; salvation is provided ; salvation is offered; salvation can be received; salvation has to be proclaimed; and salvation has to be lived. We continue that discussion again in this episode. We have already discussed the first 2 statements....

References: (1) Sin is REBELLION against God. We all choose to actively do things that are WRONG. Sin harms OTHERS, damages US, and, most importantly, DISHONORS GOD. (2) The apostle Paul made it clear that sin has CONSEQUENCES: “Do not be deceived. God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he sows t...