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Protesters Want Police Held Accountable in George Floyd Death The Wired Word for the Week of June 7, 2020

In the News

Protests have arisen in at least 140 cities across the , and in and Berlin as well, in response to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man who died while in Minneapolis police custody. Many of the demonstrations have been peaceful, but some have turned into violent clashes. Derek Chauvin, the police officer who kneeled on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, according to some reports, has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. In addition, the U.S. Justice Department will launch an investigation into potential violations of federal civil rights laws.

In Minneapolis, protesters set fire to a police station as violence spread through the Twin Cities. Dozens of businesses boarded up their windows and doors in attempts to prevent looting. Target, which is based in Minneapolis, temporarily closed two dozen stores, and the city shut down most of its light-rail system and all of its bus service for several days, citing safety concerns.

At the same time, thousands of peaceful demonstrators marched through the streets of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, calling for justice. A 20-year-old black woman named Erika Atson was among those who came together for peaceful protest. She told the that she had been at "every single protest" since Floyd's death and was worried about raising children who could be vulnerable in encounters with the police. "We don't want to cause any damages," she said. "We just want the police officer to be held accountable."

The police were called on Floyd because he was suspected of using a counterfeit bill in a store. The charge sheet does not indicate whether the police actually checked whether the bill was fake, or if they ever saw it or who had possession of it. The store owner said that Floyd "may not have even known that the bill was counterfeit." In any case, passing a counterfeit bill is not a capital offense.

The Christian Science Monitor reports that a number of major city police chiefs have called the killing of Floyd "deeply disturbing" and "of concern to all Americans." But will such words lead to greater accountability among police officers? "In this case, it's good that they have a video because otherwise there would be no trouble for the officers," says David Harris, author of A City Divided: Race, Fear and the Law in Police Confrontations and a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. "And at least they got fired. But there's no guarantee of anything else. The law is slanted in favor of police."

According to a Washington Post database, there were over 1,000 deaths by police in 2019. Black men are almost twice as likely to be shot by police, a number that has not changed since the death of Michael Brown of Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. For young black men in the United States, being killed by an officer is a significant mortality risk. "Black people in America are at much greater risk for instances of excessive force," said former Seattle police chief Norm Stamper to the Christian Science Monitor. "There's no way to pretty that up."

Efforts to hold police officers accountable include the strengthening of decertification programs that make it harder for troubled officers to re-enter the profession. A program called EPIC (Ethical Policing Is Courageous) has been created to protect junior officers when they speak against the actions of more senior officers. In addition, videos of police misconduct are a powerful tool for reform: The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners has decided to start using the video of Floyd's death to train officers how not to detain a suspect.

Another recent event shows the power of video for achieving moral clarity. In May, a white woman named Amy Cooper called the cops on a black man, Christian Cooper (no relation), and told them that an "African-American man" was "recording me and threatening myself and my dog," He was birdwatching in New York's Central Park and confronted her about letting her dog off its leash in an area where leashing is required.

After his video of her call went viral, she was condemned as a racist and was fired from her job at the investment firm Franklin Templeton. She apologized to him, and he said to The View, "I do accept her apology." He condemned death threats against her and said that he was not comfortable defining someone by a single act. "She had a moment of very poor judgment -- no excusing that it was a racist act because it was a racist act -- but does that define her entire life? I don't know. Only she can tell us if that defines her entire life."

More on this story can be found at these links:

George Floyd Protesters Set Minneapolis Police Station Afire. Associated Press Despite Furor, Accountability Lags for Police. Here's Why It Might Change. The Christian Science Monitor Christian Cooper Says He Accepts Apology From 'Central Park Karen' Amy Cooper: 'It's a First Step.' George Floyd: How a Suspected Counterfeit $20 Bill Led to Protests Across the US. as

Applying the News Story

Each of us can hold each other accountable for behavior, and recent videos of violent and racist acts are clear evidence that we need to address these problems in our communities, churches and nation. Christian Cooper held Amy Cooper accountable by making a video of her call to police, and the video of the death of George Floyd may be having a similar effect. Single acts captured on video can influence conversations on race and racism around the world, and perhaps open our eyes to injustices that have long been ignored.

Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope Here are some verses to guide your discussion:

Genesis 1:26 Then said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion … " (For context, read 1:26-27.)

According to Genesis, on the sixth day of creation God made humankind in the image and likeness of God, "male and female he created them" (v. 27). God gave humans dominion over the animals of the earth, entrusting people with responsible lordship. One of the distortions of the Bible used to justify slavery in the United States was the assertion of Southern plantation owners that slave-owning was "responsible dominion over a less fortunate, less evolved people." Dominion and dominate are closely related terms, with dominion meaning "stewardship" or "supremacy" and dominate meaning "to rule or control by superior authority or power." Questions: How is racism a violation of the image and likeness of God in a person of another race? What connection can be made between having dominion and law enforcement? How can dominion be abused?

Isaiah 1:16-17 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. (No context needed.)

Isaiah was concerned about social justice and the ways in which the people of Israel mistreated the vulnerable members of the community: widows, orphans and the oppressed. The word he used for "justice" is the Hebrew word mishpat, which "has as its root meaning fairness and equity," writes pastor Steve Holloway. "When it is applied to criminal cases, justice in the Old Testament means that the judge does not take bribes and does not treat the poor worse than the rich. Most of the time, the word mishpat has to do with justice for those we might call underprivileged: widows, orphans, immigrants and the poor."

Questions: What would Isaiah say about social justice in the United States today? How was George Floyd denied fairness and equity in his arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill? Where do we need to practice mishpat in our communities? What improvements could be made in police training to improve justice?

Luke 4:18-19 The of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor (For context, read 4:14-30.)

According to Luke, began his ministry by returning to his hometown of Nazareth and reading from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue. After reading about the Spirit of the Lord being upon him, he said to the people, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (v. 21). All spoke well of him until he began to speak of God's actions on behalf of foreigners such as the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian. Then the people tried to throw him off a cliff (v. 29).

Questions: How do you understand the mission of Jesus to "let the oppressed go free" in our world today? What would "good news to the poor" look like in your community? What position would Jesus take today that might get him in trouble?

2 Corinthians 5:18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation … (For context, read 5:16-21.)

The word reconciliation means dispute resolution and is typically a legal term, applied to estranged marriage partners or warring nations. But Paul used it to describe the work that God did in human life through Jesus Christ, making peace between God and humanity. Paul then charged the followers of Christ to be ministers of reconciliation, saying that God had entrusted "the message of reconciliation to us" (v. 19). In matters of and race, reconciliation is not so much repair of an old relationship as it is "a new creation" (v. 17). Questions: How is -telling and holding people accountable a part of the work of reconciliation? Where can you be involved in the work of reconciliation between people of different races or cultures?

The Big Questions

1. Where do you see racism at work today?

2. What is the best way to confront racism in yourself and others?

3. What is the best way to confront racism in the systems and societal structures we all participate in, willingly or not?

4. What was your reaction to the death of George Floyd? What do you understand to be the factors that contributed to his death?

5. How can justice be done in the Floyd case? How can police officer Derek Chauvin and his colleagues on the scene be held accountable?

For Further Discussion

1. "Sometimes there's no gray," writes Korean-American author and hospital chaplain, J.S. Park. "Sometimes there is clearly right and painfully wrong, plain as day. Even if both sides have a point, one side can be wrong. And it's exhausting to constantly find 'balance' and remain neutral. Neutral, in the face of evil, is not only a cop-out, but it's dangerous." How can you take a stand against the evil of racism, in yourself and in your church and community? When, if ever, does a focus on race become problematic?

2. "We want to be with y'all, for real. I took my helmet off, laid the batons down. I want to make this a parade, not a protest," Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson told protesters in Flint, Michigan, before he joined the crowd. What is your reaction to a sheriff joining a march for justice, and where do you see common ground between law enforcement and members of the community?

3. "I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality," said the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality." Where do you see "unarmed truth and unconditional love" having an effect today?

4. TWW team member Heidi Mann, who is white, writes, "The white police officer may not even consider himself racist, may know some black people personally and think they're fine people, etc. But the proportion of black people killed by police in recent years (and, really, down through many years) compared to white people killed by police would indicate there is something systemically wrong. Can you imagine a white man suspected of forgery, already in handcuffs, being held to the ground with a knee pressed into his neck when he says he can't breathe?" Do you see the death of George Floyd as evidence of systemic racism as opposed to individual racism? Why or why not? 5. What do you hear the participants in recent protests saying? Some are feeling overwhelmed by a history of violence and injustice. If you are white, how can you better listen to the voices of black and brown neighbors? If you are black or brown, where do you see opportunities for dialogue with whites? If you are black or brown, how can you better listen to the voices of your white neighbors? If you are white, where do you see opportunities for dialogue with black or brown neighbors?

6. "Racism in America is like dust in the air," wrote Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the LA Times. "It seems invisible -- even if you're choking on it -- until you let the sun in." How do you experience racism as "dust in the air"? What can you do to let the sun in?

Responding to the News

Look for ways to hold yourself and members of your community accountable for the ways in which you allow racism to continue to exist. Seek out opportunities to practice reconciliation between people of different races or cultures, always looking for the image of God in each other. If you're unsure of how to begin, you might consult these Anti-Racism Resources.

Prayer (Portion of "A Prayer for a Violent Nation," by Kaitlin Curtice)

O God, Mystery, Creator, First Breath -- We cannot go on this way, with broken bones and unhealed wounds and people screaming in the streets for air. O God, Mystery, Creator, First Breath -- We are trying not to give up on each other. We need to remember our way home. Amen.

Other News This Week Defender of the Faith Remembered as One Who Practiced the 'Apologetic of Love' The Wired Word for the Week of June 7, 2020

In the News

Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias died at his home in , , on May 19, two months after announcing that he had been diagnosed with cancer. He was 74.

Christian is the branch of which refers to the verbal defense, explanation or reasoned argument for the Christian faith.

Raised in a nominally Anglican family in and , India, Zacharias was surrounded by multiple religious traditions, in which he failed to find meaning. He became an atheist, and finally, in despair, attempted suicide at the age of 17. After he woke up in the hospital, he was given a Bible, and converted to upon reading :19: "Because I live, you also will live."

Almost immediately, Zacharias began to preach about the hope and coherence he found in Christ. Zacharias immigrated to Canada at age 20. Over nearly five decades, he traveled about 200 days every year to more than 70 countries. A sticker on his luggage read, "No one ever built a legacy by standing still." Zacharias authored more than 30 books, including Can Man Live Without God?, Why Jesus? and The of God: 52 Christian Essentials for the Heart and Mind. He hosted the radio program, "Let My People Think," and used podcasts and other media to communicate with people. His ministry was guided by twin goals: "Help the thinker believe. Help the believer think."

In 1984, Zacharias founded Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) which now has about 200 employees in 16 offices around the world, supporting more than 100 itinerant apologists who preach on the and reasonableness of Christianity. He also nurtured The Oxford Center for (OCCA) in England and The Zacharias Institute in Atlanta.

At a three-hour memorial service for Zacharias, held at Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia, via remote video and in tributes from across the globe, family members, coworkers and friends spoke about how the man had impacted their lives.

Vice President called Zacharias "the C.S. Lewis of our day," a gentle giant of the faith. Anglican priest Michael Coren said, while he differed with Zacharias on certain issues, "I regard him as one of the finest minds I've encountered, religious or secular. His grasp of philosophical argument and his ability to counter opposition with charity, wit and depth was truly impressive."

Max Jeganathan, Asia-Pacific Regional Director, RZIM, said Zacharias and his wife Margie had "engulfed me with the love of Jesus" and had been "God's kiss of grace" on him and his wife Fiona.

Some noted that Zacharias called everyone by name, treating the marginalized of the world with the same care as he did the rich and powerful. "He was always so focused on honoring others," observed Vince Vitaly, Director of the Zacharias Institute.

Sanj Kalra, Zacharias' friend and aide, said Zacharias told him, "Remember to do things for people that can't do things for you."

RZIM staff member Lou Phillips said the apologist never wanted the ministry to be about himself. He was impressed at how Zacharias would lift up other people. "Every time I was around Ravi, I just wanted to know Christ more," Phillips said. "Ravi became a father, a friend and a mentor to so many, but he always pointed us to Christ."

Zacharias' sister-in-law, Barbara Reynolds, remarked: "The way Ravi lived out his faith is the closest reflection of Jesus I have ever known, and that reflection has pointed me to deeper faith and trust in the Lord."

Others mentioned how Zacharias championed women and children, and generously invested in young ministers before they had a proven track record.

Tanya Walker, dean of OCCA, first heard Zacharias preach when she was 8 years old. She said she felt as if her heart was on fire, so captivated was she by the beauty of God she heard in his message. That was when she first sensed God's call on her life.

Many were impressed by how Zacharias engaged skeptics and questioners with respect, humor, kindness and poise, addressing their intellectual objections to Christianity, demonstrating that there is a logical basis for , and explaining how the Christian provides robust answers to humanity's existential questions. , former NFL quarterback, who viewed Zacharias as one of his heroes, said his friend was "soft-spoken, with a rhetorical style based on the Socratic method."

Apologist Lisa Fields credits Zacharias with helping her to think critically about her faith and to listen well to people.

"I would say we're giving answers to questions people aren't asking," Fields said. From Zacharias' teaching and example, she learned that Jesus "asked questions ... as a way [of] really getting to the heart of the matter. The questions people initially bring have deeper roots. The greatest evangelism and discipleship need, then, is to listen to the questions people are really asking."

"Never forget that behind every question is a questioner, and behind the questioner is a network of assumptions, hurts, struggles and often prejudices … When someone asks a question, answer the questioner, not the question," Zacharias used to say.

For Zacharias, theological discourse was not about winning a point, but about engaging a person. "Jesus never came to win a debate or an argument," he pointed out. "He came to win people who matter to God."

"We're not going to win people by mocking them. We're not going to win people by deriding them," he taught in seminars. "You've got to present the winsomeness and the beauty of the message that God would have us share."

Louie Giglio, pastor of Passion City Church, said "Ravi used his superior intellect not to put people down, but to build a bridge so people could walk across it to find their life in their Maker through the righteous one, Jesus Christ."

In the end, as Zacharias said, "Love is the greatest apologetic."

In 2017 Zacharias faced accusations regarding emails he exchanged with a married Canadian woman who sent him unsolicited suggestive remarks and nude photos. Some also criticized him for what they considered the misleading inflating of his credentials on his RZIM biography and in other promotional material.

In the first instance, Zacharias sued the woman involved, who had demanded $5 million from Zacharias and RZIM, in exchange for keeping the correspondence quiet. If he did not comply, she and her husband threatened "protracted and public litigation," according to a letter from the Bryant Law Firm.

Zacharias stated that he had never met with the woman alone, publicly or privately, and never sent or solicited any illicit photos or messages to her or any other woman. The apologist said he declined her request to join him on an international trip, asked her to stop emailing him and blocked her messages.

According to Zacharias' lawyers, in 2008, the woman and her husband had sued a Canadian pastor and his church for $1 million, alleging he had coerced them "into making certain ill-advised loans and investments." They eventually dropped that lawsuit.

In November 2017, the couple requested mediation with Zacharias, in lieu of a trial, and the parties reached a private settlement. Zacharias expressed regret and grief that he "failed to exercise wise caution and to protect myself from even the appearance of impropriety," adding that "I now realize that the physical safeguards I have long practiced to protect my integrity should have extended to include digital communications safeguards."

Regarding his academic credentials, Zacharias received 10 honorary degrees, and allowed people to refer to him as Zacharias, although he preferred the moniker, "Ravi." When some people objected to the use of the title, Zacharias and RZIM removed the offending language from their promotional materials, considering it a distraction from their ministry's focus on "the beauty and credibility of the gospel."

RZIM released a statement regarding the issue, which declares, in part: "Our hope is ... to focus on our primary calling of helping people to encounter the claims and person of Jesus Christ, and will enable others to focus on the strength and merit of our message."

More on this story can be found at these links:

Memorial: Ravi Zacharias (1946-2020) (Video 2:52:54). Ravi Zacharias International Ministries How Ravi Zacharias Changed the Way Evangelism Is Done. News Service The Testimony of Ravi Zacharias (Video 28:30). The John Ankerberg Show The Beauty Of Truth -- A Tribute To Ravi Zacharias on LIFE Today Live (Video 31:42). LIFETodayTV Why I Believe Jesus -- Ravi Zacharias (Video 37:38). BR Ministries

Applying the News Story

Christian public speaker John M. Njoroge wrote in his article, "Apologetics: Why Your Church Needs It," that "apologetics is the branch of Christian theology that seeks to address the intellectual obstacles that keep people from taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ seriously."

Kevin Muriithi, a leader at Apologetics Kenya, wrote that "apologetics is ultimately about the gospel. It helps to break down the barriers that people have raised towards the gospel based on their ignorance." But "apologetics is not merely intellectual boxing to get our enemies on the floor," he added. It is not focused on winning arguments by smug, self-righteous mental gymnastics.

Nor is apologetics primarily about reason or logic, although those components do come into play in this branch of theology. Christian apologetics is based on biblical teaching and the gospel, empowered by the , and motivated by love for people who are seeking meaning and purpose in life.

An apologist is one who welcomes questions and responds to objections or attacks upon the faith from opponents, searchers, questioners and potential converts. An apologist can also help already in the community of faith develop a mature understanding of their beliefs, and equip them to present the faith as viable, attractive and superior to other ways of life and thinking. The apologist models how to interact with questioners with grace, wisdom and courage.

Early apologist outlined his approach to apologetics in his Pensées: "Men despise religion; they hate it and fear it is true. To remedy this, we must begin by showing that religion is not contrary to reason; that it is venerable, to inspire respect for it; then we must make it lovable, to make good men hope it is true; finally, we must prove it is true." Other notable apologists for the Christian faith include: The apostle Paul, deacon Stephen, Origen, , Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, , , G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, , Lee Strobel, R.C. Sproul, William Paley, R.A. Torrey, Amy Orr-Ewing, Douglas Groothuis, Josh McDowell, Holly Ordway, Francis Collins, Judy Salisbury, Luis Palau, , Jane Pantig, Tim Keller, Francis Schaeffer, Letitia Wong, McGrath, N.T. Wright, Mary Jo Sharp, Glenn Usry, Tony Campolo, D.A. Horton, and John Lennox, among others.

The Big Questions

1. Who do you know who has done the work of an apologist in your life? What did you learn from him or her?

2. Discuss a time when you engaged with a person who questioned your faith. What helped you respond to the questioner's concerns?

3. You may have heard people say, All roads lead to heaven, or all are the same. How do these statements from Zacharias address that idea? "Truth by definition excludes. We have a right to believe whatever we want, but not everything we believe is right. All religions, plainly and simply, cannot be true. Some beliefs are false, and we know them to be false. So it does no good to put a halo on the notion of tolerance, as if everything could be equally true. To deem all beliefs equally true is sheer nonsense, for the simple reason that to deny that statement would also then be true. But if the denial of the statement is also true, then all religions are not true." To sustain the that there is no God, has to demonstrate infinite knowledge, which is tantamount to saying, 'I have infinite knowledge that there is no being in existence with infinite knowledge'."

4. Zacharias spoke about "the absolutization of relativistic thinking" which he said is like "having our feet planted firmly in midair. The search for moral absolutes, without a transcendent point of reference is an impossibility." Does your faith provide you with "a transcendent point of reference"? If so, what is that transcendent point of reference? If not, how do you determine right from wrong, good from evil? Or are those terms meaningless?

5. "Can man live without God?" Zacharias asked rhetorically. "Theoretically, yes. But you can't live a coherent, logical life without God. If God is no longer in the paradigm, what is the point of reference? If there is no God, there are no absolutes. If God does not exist, there is no moral framework upon which to build our life." Have you or someone you know ever tried to live as though God did not exist? How did that work out?

Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

1 Peter 3:15-16 NLT Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. (For context, read 1 Peter 3:13-22.) Colossians 4:3-6 At the same time pray for us as well, that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should. Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. (For context, read 4:2-6.)

The context of the passage from 1 Peter 3 is that the believers in the early church had opponents who wanted to stop them from disseminating the message of Jesus. Peter advises them not to fear, but to keep honoring Christ as Lord, even if they might suffer for it. Then he addresses the topic of apologetics, saying they should always be prepared to explain the hope they have in Christ to whoever asks about it.

Apologist R.C. Sproul writes that "The defense of the faith is not a luxury or intellectual vanity. It is a task appointed by God that you should be able to give a reason for the hope that is in you as you bear witness before the world." Both Peter and Paul agree that the work of apologetics is not just a task for the clergy, but is the responsibility of every believer. We never know when we might be called upon to bear witness to the reason we have hope in Jesus Christ. We need to know how we "ought to answer everyone."

Our conversations with others about our faith need to be bathed in prayer. Before leaving the house in the morning, we can pray for ourselves and for our brothers and sisters in Christ, that God would open a door for the word, that we might have conversations with people in which we could declare the mystery of Christ.

Questions: How do you prepare to explain why you have hope in Jesus? What do you believe about him, about his identity, teaching, life and work? What, if anything, makes Jesus special? Why do you believe what you believe regarding Jesus?

To whom does Peter say we should be ready to explain the reason for our hope? Why should we be ready to speak to those people in particular?

What should characterize our speech and conduct when we are explaining the reason for our hope in Jesus?

What is the significance of prayer as we prepare to engage people in conversations about Christ?

2 Timothy 2:15, 24-26 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. … And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (For context, read 2:14-26.)

Here Paul instructs his protege, Timothy, a young pastor, to study diligently, so he will be able to "rightly explain the word of truth" to the believers as well as to opponents. He is to lead by example, and also to teach the people to avoid "wrangling over words" (v. 14), "profane chatter" (vv. 16-17), "stupid and senseless controversies … that breed quarrels" (v. 23).

Questions: How does this passage seem to reflect the approach to questioners people say Zacharias advocated and modeled?

What should characterize our interaction with people who challenge our beliefs? How can we grow in kindness, patience and gentleness toward people who oppose us and our faith?

What was Paul's goal in exchanges with opponents? How can we develop greater compassion for people who discourage or reject our attempts to share our faith?

Jude 3, 20-22 Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. … But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on some who are wavering ... (For context, read 3-23.)

Jude was concerned that believers be on guard against those who would "pervert the grace of God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ" (v. 4). He may have been dealing with the same problem that Paul addressed in Romans 5:20, where it says, "where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." Some people got the idea that if more sin led to God pouring out more grace, they should sin even more. But Paul squashed that notion. "How can we who died to sin go on living in it?" he asked (Romans 6:1-2). That would be to pervert the grace of God, as Jude 4 said.

Jude also spoke against the violence of Cain who took the life of his brother Abel, and against those who choose self-interest, self-indulgence and personal gain and advantage over God's way of love (vv. 11-19).

In this passage, Jude spoke about the kind of ethical life we should pursue as the saints of God who are under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Here, contending for the faith involves presenting a cogent rationale for that kind of ethical life that is based on the love of God who rescued us from such licentiousness, self- indulgence and violence through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Questions: What issues might a Christian apologist need to address in our culture today?

What spiritual disciplines help you "build yourselves up on your most holy faith"?

For Further Discussion

1. You can find an intriguing review of principles of apologetics at work in Acts 17:16-34 at this link. Keeping in mind that Christians have different spiritual gifts, and that not every Christian has the gift of an apologist, read the text from Acts 17, review the questions in this small study guide, and consider how you can grow in your own ability to engage with people about Jesus Christ and matters of faith.

2. Respond to this, from retired missionary to Austria, Suzanne Loucky: "The first thing that's often impressive is Ravi's brilliance, vast knowledge, how he answers skeptics/critics. Many have mentioned his kindness, graciousness, ... and love, which was evident to all. ... "But that convicted me: I so often think of myself, rather than how to show love to the other person, regardless of status or appearance. Pray that I will grow in this and think less of myself, like John the Baptist: 'He must increase, but I must decrease' (John 3:30)."

3. React to this, from English philosopher G.K. Chesterton: "The tragedy of disbelieving in God is not that a person ends up believing in nothing. Alas, it is much worse, a person may end up believing in anything."

4. Zacharias said: "The Christian faith, simply stated, reminds us that our fundamental problem is not moral; our fundamental problem is spiritual. It is not just that we are immoral, but that a moral life alone cannot bridge whatever separates us from God. Herein lies the cardinal difference between the moralizing religions and Jesus's offer to us. Jesus does not offer to make bad people good. He offers to make dead people alive." Is it possible for humans to live a perfect, moral life? Do you agree with Zacharias that, even if it were possible, it wouldn't be enough to bridge the gap between us and God? What do you make of the way Zacharias describes the difference between what alone offers, and what Jesus offers?

5. Discuss this, from Zacharias: "To me, the person of Jesus Christ provides that coherent answer. In the incarnation, he identifies my malady, provides for my malady, draws me into relationship, takes me through the process of suffering, shows me the purity of Jesus himself in the way he taught and lived, and ultimately, in rising again from the dead, he teaches me that time is merely a temporal thing. We are here for eternity, and he alone is able to take us through the cross, past the open tomb, into the very presence of God. 'Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him' (1 Corinthians 2:9). "There is no other world view that'll give you corresponding and coherent answers to the four questions of life with logic and consistency, empirical adequacy, and experiential relevance. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through him (John 14:6)."

6. Here are a few statements about truth that Ravi shared with his audiences:

 Winston Churchill said that the most valuable thing in the world is the truth. He said, in fact, it is so valuable, that often it is hidden by a bodyguard of lies.  Nuclear physicist Andrei Sakharov, who discovered the technology that made the Russian hydrogen bomb possible, and later became an activist against the weaponization of that technology, said "I've always thought that the most powerful weapon in the world was the bomb, and that's why I gave it to my people, but I've come to the conclusion that the most powerful weapon in the world is not the bomb, but it's the truth."  "If the truth does not survive, you may as well turn the lights out, because to somebody whose mind is bent towards deceit and a lie, the darkness becomes the light. ... truth is imperative, so critical in our times." We must demand truth from our political leaders, Zacharias said, and we ourselves must speak the truth, live by the truth, and model living by the truth. Only then will truth set us free.  "Truth is the fundamental law of ethics. If you don't come to the conclusion that the truth matters, we're doomed, because we will live our lives on the quicksand of deceit. G.K. Chesterton said, 'Truth has become stranger than fiction, because we have made fiction to suit ourselves and we've become comfortable with fiction.'"

Pontius Pilate famously asked Jesus, "What is truth?" Why is truth important? How would you answer Pilate? 7. How does an apologist minister to believers in the church? How is that ministry different from and similar to how an apologist ministers to skeptics, questioners or truth-seekers?

Responding to the News

1. Ravi's sister-in-law, Barbara Reynolds, asked those in attendance at the memorial service: "What one thing in Ravi's life or words drew you closer to Christ?" Then she suggested: "Weave it into your life." If you know Ravi's work and have been drawn closer to Christ by his life or words, can you identify one thing you can focus on, to weave into your life? Or choose another person whose life or words have drawn you closer to Christ, and choose one lesson you have learned from that person. How can you intentionally build on that learning this week?

2. Look up Ravi Zacharias on the Internet, watch one of his videos, listen to one of his podcasts, or obtain one of his books, to learn how you can communicate the gospel message more effectively.

3. Whether or not you have the gift of apologetics, consider how you might gain skill and confidence in defending the faith as you converse with questioners, seekers or people who may be hostile to Christianity. How can you discover the deeper concerns that may be motivating their initial questions about our faith?

Prayer

Help us to learn from Jesus how to listen to the heart and the hurt behind questions people may be asking. Fill our hearts with Jesus' love for them, so that we will care more about them finding life and purpose in the God who created them than about winning a debate or an argument. May your love become our apologetic! Guide us by your Spirit, O God! Amen.

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