The Battle Belongs to the Lord: The Power of Scripture for Defending Our Faith

Many of us have either witnessed it or been guilty of it ourselves. And `it' is unacceptable from a biblical perspective. The `it' is the closing of the Bible as we open up our mouths and minds to defend Christianity (apologetics). Many have turned to Philosophy, Science, well-reasoned arguments, and other tracks in order to defend Christianity.. K.Scott Oliphant sees this as a problem with devastating effects. Not the least of these being, a minimization of Scripture in apologetics. Oliphant then writes The Battle Belongs to the LORD to remind us of the nature of apologetics, the tools, the combatants, and the goals. He writes, "The purpose of this book is to get us to open our Bibles again when we think about apologetics." The book is intended to be an introduction into apologetics. And if you are looking for such an introduction you will not be intimidated in reading this book. Oliphant is quick to explain and apply while writing in a style that is engaging while moving through his topics fairly speedily. As promised, the book is filled with Scripture. The chapters are each set around various parts of the Scripture that emphasize the priority of defending the Scriptures (ie 1 Peter, Jude, 2 Corinthians, & Acts 17). This is very helpful in that it helps you to see the connection of apologetics to Scripture as well as the age old priority of defending the faith. In addition to teaching us Oliphant does a good job writing in a pastorally encouraging way. He helps to engender more confidence in the Bible and a burden to proclaim it. This is always needed in the church. The book is not a manual of `how to do apologetics in the 21st Century' however, it is a book that shows it's priority and provides a framework for understanding the goal of apologetics and the means of getting there. Remember that it is an introduction (a much needed introduction) to the priority of biblical apologetics. The book is written with small group discussions in mind. Each of the chapters have review questions to help facilitate discussion.

About the only corner of the apologetic enterprise slenderly neglected by Presuppositionalists, scriptural exposition, is the most important aspect of defending the Faith. "The vast majority of apologetics has been first of all philosophical" (p. 1). Thus professor K. Scott Oliphint (Westminster Seminary) aims to demonstrate "The Power of Scripture for Defending our Faith." He fulfills this goal marvelously as he expounds parts of: - 1 Peter 3 - Jude - Acts 17 Some would assert that Oliphint goes a bit too far in instructing apologists to be gentle (as Peter commands) inasmuch as Jesus and the apostles were both gentle and tough. Numerous scripture passages record the Lord and other believers utilizing hard-hitting polemics and identifying evil doers using harsh names (Children of the Devil, Whitewashed tombs, Sons of Hades, etc.). Thus it seems to many, yes some Christians need to be kinder and more patient, believers more often need to press the grim, unpleasant, and troubling truth on nonbelievers. It is not so much about balance, as it is employing gentleness in the appropriate situations and firmness in the correct circumstances. Christians should always aim to be kind, empathetic, and compassionate, unless a veritable reason arises. Oliphint furnishes brief answers to: - Freud (p. 40) - Epicureans (p. 146) - Stoics (p. 147) - Heraclitus - Valid arguments vs. sound arguments (p. 149-150) - Proof in contrast to persuasion and plausibility (p. 151) The author (Oliphint is one of most astute, perspicacious, and adroit contemporary apologists) rightly states that one should discuss the ground of authority in the apologetic confrontation (p. 72-73) and God is the only reasonable source for knowledge inasmuch as He alone is not dependent on anything (p. 166). I give this work five stars because it meets its goal of impelling the power of scripture for defending the Faith. It lacks potent philosophical and practical apologetic meat (it doesn't press the issue that unbelief lacks the a priori essentials to account for: 1. immaterial immutable universals, 2. a fixed ground for moral absolutes, 3. The epistemic credentials to account for the pre-necessities for intelligibility), therefore purchase this book if you are searching for the scriptural basis and content of apologetics. Since most scholars are impoverished in such, this will be an outstanding resource for them and their students. God Does Exist!: Defending the faith using presuppositional apologetics, evidence, and the impossibility of the contrary

Scott Oliphint describes the necessity of defending the Christian worldview 'because it comes as truth to a hostile world, it challenges the worldviews and opinions of those who would want to oppose this truth.' Oliphint insists that 'apologetics is essential to our Christian lives; it is, in fact, required of every Christian.' p 4 Oliphint's first order of business is to warn that philosophy has been introduced into apologetics, and has transformed the way we think of apologetics, as often Scripture is treated as if it required supplementation by contemporary insights. Purely from a scriptural point of view, he seeks to show that a clear distinction between pre-suppositional apologetics as traditionally understood, should be maintained against other forms of apologetics. As clear evidence of its practical application to life, Oliphint firstly demonstrates from Scripture, through the paradigmatic encounter between David and Goliath in the valley of Elah, how the battle belongs to the Lord. The greatest challenge in maintaining the balance between Word and practice is not to fall prey to using Scripture only for one's own advantage or gain, e.g. financially, in coercing your wife, or in seeking to correct personal injustice. People are too important to God to be manipulated through 'proof-texting', whilst the danger lies therein that at the time it may have seemed appropriate to the situation. This is foreign to, and not the purpose of pre-suppositional apologetics. 'We will not use the weapons of the world.' p 13 What is the way of the pre-suppositional apologist? In his 'defense by divine design' we are to use the weapons, not of this world, but of the Lord - if we acknowledge the battle to be the Lord's. This right attitude is essential, as 'we may be brought into situations where we are weak and frail, though our opponent is strong and mighty (at least by worldly standards).' p 12 The temptation to resist defeat and the fear of failure could push us to enlist worldly means, almost reacting instinctively to survival at any cost. But our fight will be in vain. A synergistic admixture of worldly means and scriptural cannot bring victory to the Christian, nor glory to God. We must consider the glory of God first and foremost. And we must wait upon the Lord, who is not affected by circumstance. 'It is easy, all too easy, for us to fight the world's battles in the world's ways. This is a great temptation for us.' p 90 Articulating our defense strategy, Oliphint certainly sets the sufficiency of Scripture as our primary means of offense, as 'the sword of the Word'. But our interpretation must be demonstrated not only in a verse, but as consistent with the whole teaching of the Bible. Scripture cannot be made to serve the whim of our own agendas. What could be said for the role of prayer before engaging in known conflict? Are we willing to endure suffering patiently? Does the thought of conflict make the possible outcome of regression or outrigh

Every so often I read a book which simultaneously plugs a lot of holes in my knowledge and creates a lot of new ones. Every so often I read a book that increases my confidence in the Bible and the gospel but also makes me question where my trust really lies. The Battle Belongs to the LORD (BBL) is one of those books. As the subtitle may suggest, this book is about apologetics. I went through a phase, in my early twenties, of reading all the apologetics books that I could get. I thought that if I knew all the arguments for topics such as God's existence and Christ's resurrection I would be a better evangelist. After about three years I turned my back on apologetics due to what I perceived to be its utter failure to convince people about the truth of the gospel. If I am being really honest I always knew that I had not really thought about the whole issue of apologetics biblically. I had read plenty of books but spent little time in God's word, so when I read the start of the preface to BBL I got a rekindled interest - "This book is meant to be an introduction - and a beginning - to a lifetime of defending and commending the Christian faith. Its goal is to point you to biblical principles that will provide a foundation for that task." I purchased the book on the strength of this statement. Oliphint goes on to say that "[t]he purpose of this book is to get us to open our Bibles again when we think about apologetics." This stands in great contrast to the prevailing thought on apologetics which is that "reason, not revelation, is the proper source of truth for our apologetics." Oliphint makes good on his claim to look at the Bible as each chapter is essentially a clear and challenging exposition of some key apologetical portions of Scripture (making an excellent set of readings for a week): Introduction - 1 Samuel 17 Chapter 1 - 1 Peter 3:15-17 Chapter 2 - Jude 3 Chapter 3 - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Chapter 4 - Romans 1:16-18 Chapter 5 - Romans 1:19-32 Chapter 6 - Acts 17:15-34 Dealing with 1 Samuel 17, Oliphint likens apologetics to a spiritual continuation of David's battle with Goliath (is this a valid application of the story?) with the key truth being - the battle is the LORD's. Because it is the LORD's battle, it is to be waged in his way. Saul clearly forgot this, his vision obscured by a worldly perspective, but David saw the reality. Oliphint goes on to describe three principles that David applied in his battle and that we should apply when defending the faith: 1. David's reason for fighting - Goliath had defied the LORD of hosts (v45). David was willing to fight because his LORD had been challenged. 2. David's purpose in the fight - That all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel (v46). That all this assembly may know that the LORD saves (v47). The LORD saves not with sword and spear (v47) 3. David's weapons for fighting - "What is needed in the LORD's battle are weapons that will cause people to bow down, to bend the knee and a

This book goes a long way in rooting apologetics or the defense of the Christian faith firmly in Scripture and the Triune God of Scripture.The author has taken passages of scripture and demonstrated their apologetical import. In so doing, he shows us the necessity of every Christian to be a student of Scripture. Apologetics, we are shown, is not a matter of "method", but of being able to rightly divide the word of God and properly placing our faith in Him as we defend.This book is written in a very winsome, pastoral manner making it accessible to even the most "novice" or young Christian.After reading this book, you will walk away encouraged in your faith and grateful that you have been called into such a battle. Your faith will be strengthened because you will be better acquainted with the God of your faith. You will be motivated to share and defend the gospel of Jesus Christ, for His sake. Your appetite for the study of scripture will be whetted, as the author unfurls in each chapter the robust depth of passages we might otherwise believe we are familiar with. And finally, any lack of confidence and/or competence will be allayed as you will be convinced that the battle belongs to the LORD and the outcome is assured.