Defending The Truth

People down through the ages have been willing to fight and even die for the faith they placed in Christ.

1. Peter. Acts 5:27-29; 40-42

2. Steven. Acts 7:54-60

3. David. 1 Samuel 17:29

4. Never have I seen the need to be any greater for men to stand for God and what is right, than today.

a. Newspaper.

b. T.V.

c. High School

I. Why Should You Stand for It?

1. Because of the price that has been paid for it.

a. Jesus Blood. Matthew 26:28

b. The lifetime of others has been spent “that I might know Christ.”

1) Life of Bro. Ingram

2) Life of Musgraves

3) Lives that have been spent in this building.

2. Because it is truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

a. We know the truth about very little today.

1) Fuel shortage.

2) Water shortage.

3) Radio news casts last eve.

3. Because the Bible is the only thing that meets the needs of man today.

a. No matter what the problem.

b. Needs same as 2000 years ago.

c. Preach what you want, but the Bible is the only thing that changes lives today.

4. Because God will bless those who stand for Him.

a. Daniel 3:16-18; 25

b. We still serve the same God as did Elijah. 1 Kings 18:25-38

c. Paul; for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

5. Everywhere he went He started a revival or a riot.

II. How Are We to Defend the Truth?

1. By knowing what we believe. 1 Peter 3:15

a. Too many Christians can not give 1 verse of Bible for what they believe.

b. Get Articles of Faith. Know about God; Jesus; Bible; Blood; 2nd coming; Salvation; Hell; and Heaven.

2. By studying the Word. 1 Peter 1:22 – 2:3

a. Studying the Bible is the only means of you growing stronger and being used of God. (The more

you study the stronger you become.)

b. Your love for something determines how much endurance you will stand for something.

Mother for children; wife for husband, moms and dads for son or daughter.

c. A lot of times how much you know about something determines your love for it.

d. The Bible does not say work and grow.

e. The Bible does not say pray and grow.

f. The Bible says to study and grow.

1) Some of us would rather give our money than study.

2) Some would rather work all night than study.

3) But I believe if we are to have power with God to be able to stand for God. “We must stay in

the Book.

g. Notice what Peter says about studying.

1) Peter does not give us a method or a way, or a pattern.

2) He says there are some moral qualifications that must be met.

a) Vs. 1 Laying aside – means like removing old garments.

b) Vs. 2 The word desire - means the thing we are to take off that kills our desire to study and

know the Bible.

III. In Closing

1. Do you desire to know more about God?

2. Is the Bible something you long for or hunger for or something you must have?

3. The best way to defend something is to know what we believe about it.

4. Our actions must match our words.