Acts & Apologetics: Why Christian Theism?

Why do we have to be so particular? Why CHRISTIAN Theism?

So we've been talking about the need to understand apologetics and the necessity of speaking God's Truth. We've looked at varying worldviews.  But why do we need to be speaking of Christian theism? Why not "plain"  theism?

First off, what is "theism"? Theism is the belief in God or god depending on your personal worldview. That's it. Plain and simple, not much better than deism. Deism is the idea that a god or some supernatural being created all that we see and all that there is. And then essentially, stepped back and out of the way. God is impersonal or even non-personal. Theism is "better" in that it views God as the Creator but goes a step further in that God is "more personal" - as in can be "known" - and is interactive with His creation.

So what is Christian Theism and why is it important?

Christian Theism is the idea of theism PLUS, or maybe better said, fully realized by the Biblical (and therefore true) revelation that God exists in a Triune Nature of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; not three Gods but One God in three Persons. After all is said and done, God has called us Christians to  provide an apologetic or a defense for the God of the Bible, not just  "some God."

We are not to speak of God in general, because I believe that diminishes Who He is. God is not the One on trial as we debate and reason with friends, loved ones, and strangers - we are! If we truly believe that the Bible is the True, Inspired Word of God, spoken by God through ordinary men by the power of the Holy Spirit, then God is not on trial. The Bible does not merely assume the existence of God, the Bible asserts His eternal existence - "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1. The Bible doesn't assume God, it asserts God. This existence is so important for us to grasp that without God, nothing would or could exist. He created everything; down to every last atom in the universe. And it was created for Him and no one else.

In and of itself, that is a grand thought. And just as grand and just as marvelous is the knowledge that God Himself also created the perfect mechanism to redeem the creation that He knew would one day choose to disobey Him, thereby sinning,  and falling out of fellowship. The supreme holiness of God demands that there would be complete separation between Himself and man. He knew that there was nothing man would be able to do about it. Man was completely and utterly helpless; but not hopeless

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The hope would lie in the Creator Himself. The Creator, in the image and Person of Jesus Christ, would be the atoning sacrifice that would redeem sinful man, restoring eternal fellowship with Almighty God. The future of every man, woman, and child depends on their either acknowledging God as their personal Savior and spending eternity in perfect fellowship with Him in Heaven or denying the holiness and sovereignty of God and the redemption He provides and being eternally separated and punished in an unquenchable hell. Those are the only 2 choices. Period.

Some may say that we aren't to argue with unbelievers. Says who? The  Bible is very plain in that we are to reason or argue or discuss fully  Who God is and what He has done for us - see Acts 17:2, 17, 18:4, 1  Peter 3:15, and Acts 6:9, as examples. To simply say that God is love doesn't fully describe God. Our job is to know all of God and to reason with them. To show and demonstrate to them that God is the Sovereign, Creator of all that is. And that He wants to have a personal, permanent, and eternal relationship with His creation; on His terms, not ours.

I guess the bottom line is, are we sharing the Truth of God and the necessity of a personal and individual Salvation via the shed blood of Christ or the "feel good," squishy warmth of a lovey-dovy God that won't send anyone to hell?  Which is the truth? Do we want our friends and loved ones with us in eternity in Heaven or not? This is serious stuff. God is not to be trifled with. 

Many say that Christianity is just one of the ways to get to God. It is just another religion. Jesus was just a "good man" or a wonderful prophet or an exemplary person to model your life after. Those facts are all true. But if Jesus isn't Who He says He is and a simple man died on Calvary's cross rather than the Incarnate God, Christianity crumbles. The funny thing is that our Christian Faith stands the test of time. People still come to a saving Faith in Christ and are forever changed. That is the power of the Gospel. That is the power of Christian Theism.

If we want to see as many people come to a saving faith in Christ, it is our duty to defend Christian Theism. And nothing less