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(3 Minute Read. 31May2023)

Conversion of Saint Paul
by Domenico Morelli, 1876

When should a new believer in Jesus start studying and using apologetics?

One of the greatest apologists in history set a challenging example. He even came close to being assassinated for it!

On the road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus (known later as the Apostle Paul) was dramatically converted from an intense persecutor of Christians to a fervent believer through a blinding encounter with Jesus. After three days his sight was restored, and he was baptized.

But then Saul immediately jumped into apologetics in Damascus and then Jerusalem, vigorously defending faith in Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God.
Immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ. When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket. When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. (Acts 9:20-29)

Luke does not record the specific arguments Saul used with the Jews in Damascus and Jerusalem. But since Saul was a Pharisee (Acts 23:6; Philippians 3:4-5), he was well-versed in the Hebrew Scriptures. It is very likely that Saul showed how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah.

Jesus fulfilled over 350 Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. If Paul focused on just 50 of them, or even on only 20, it would have been strong proof that Jesus of Nazareth was Israel’s long-awaited Redeemer and the Son of God. The mathematical odds of fulfilling even 20 of the prophecies are vanishingly minuscule.

Saul’s apologetic was so effective, so compelling, and so unanswerable that Jewish opponents in both Damascus and Jerusalem tried to kill him! They could not abide the conclusions of his arguments, but they could not refute his reasoning. Therefore they tried to kill Saul to shut him up.

Are your arguments for Jesus so strong that people want to kill you?

Fruit of Apologetics

The result of Saul’s apologetic effort was the spiritual edification and numerical growth of the church.
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. (Acts 9:31)

Questions to Ponder

1. What does it say about our message of Christ to others if nobody ever gets stirred up, as Saul’s hearers did?
2. What can you do today to build up your apologetics arsenal in defense of faith in Jesus?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

This is the 15th article in the series on Apologists in the Bible. An apologist is one who gives a logical argument in defense of faith in God.
Read the prequels:
1. Elijah Does Apologetics
2. Peter Does Apologetics
3. Paul Does Apologetics
4. John Does Apologetics
5. Jesus Does Apologetics
6. Job Gets a Dose of Apologetics
7. Matthew Does Apologetics with a Sword
8. David Does Apologetics with a Sling
9. Luke Does Apologetics with a Pen (with video)
10. Moses Does Apologetics with Plagues
11. Jude Urges Apologetics
12. Man Born Blind Does Apologetics
13. Stephen Does Apologetics
14. Jesus Does Apologetics with Miracles

Read the sequel:
16. ??? Does Apologetics (coming soon . . .)

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday May 31, 2023 A.D.

Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. (1 Peter 3:15)

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(3 Minute Read. 24May2023)

Many planets in the Solar System have rings, as covered in the previous blog Lord of the Rings. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all have rings as well as the dwarf planets Chariklo and Haumea.

Newly discovered rings around a dwarf planet at the edge of the Solar System are a puzzle and a problem for evolutionists. Why would this be? The newly discovered rings are impossible according to current evolutionary theories, say astronomers.

Yet the impossible rings around the dwarf planet are there! Thus something must be wrong with the evolutionary theory. What is the solution?

Impossible Rings

Quaoar (pronounced “Kwa-war”) is a dwarf planet discovered in 2002. It is half the size of Pluto, about 690 miles in diameter. Quaoar orbits the Sun out beyond Neptune.

In February 2023, astronomers announced the discovery of two rings orbiting Quaoar which defy evolutionists’ ring formation theories. This is the seventh planetary ring system to be discovered in the Solar System. This Scientific American article of February 11, 2023 reported the discovery:
‘Impossible’ New Ring System Discovered at the Edge of the Solar System.

The article reports, “Astronomers have discovered an entirely new ring system within the solar system, and it’s located at such a great distance from its dwarf planet parent that it should be impossible.”

The Scientific American article quotes study co-author Vik Dhillon, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Sheffield in England. He said, “The six [previously known] planets with ring systems all have rings which are quite close to the surface of the planet. So this really challenges our ring formation theories. It was previously thought to be impossible to have rings that far out, so in a nutshell, the ring of Quaoar is a real challenge to explain theoretically.”

The problem with the newly discovered rings is that they are way too far out from Quaoar. They are twice as far away as the evolutionary model’s theoretical maximum for a ring system. The rings of all other planetary ring systems lie within this maximal distance, called the Roche Limit. Inside the Roche limit, orbiting material breaks up and forms rings. But outside the limit, orbiting material accretes into moons.

Since evolutionist astronomers claim the Solar System is 4.6 billion years old, Quaoar’s rings should have long ago accreted into little moons and used up all the ring material. Quaoar’s rings shimmering way outside the Roche limit completely contradict evolutionary theories of astronomy.

So why does Quaoar have these impossible rings?

Solution to the Problem

Are these newly discovered impossible rings a problem for Biblical Creationists? Absolutely NOT!

The heavenly bodies were created by God on Creation Day Four only about 6,000 years ago (Genesis 1:14-19). Quaoar’s rings have not existed for billions of years. Thus there is no reason to be puzzled why the rings have not coalesced into moonlets in that amount of time.

The solution to the problem is that the Solar System is only about 6,000 years old, NOT 4,600,000,000 years old! That is why the Quaoar rings have not yet clumped into moonlets. To understand how we know Earth’s age from Scripture, you can read an overview of Biblical truth on the age of the Earth in these Bible-Science Guy articles:
Age of the Earth 1 — Essentials
Age of the Earth 2 — Jesus’ View
Age of the Earth 3 — Genealogies

The Great Creator, the Lord of the Rings, hung the planets in space adorned with moons and rings about 6,000 years ago.

The Great Creator has left His fingerprints all over the universe for those who have eyes to see. The planetary ring systems testify to His creativity and ingenuity.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who made the heavens with skill,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who made the great lights,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting:
The sun to rule by day,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalm 136:3-9)

There is none like You, O Lord;
You are great, and great is Your name in might.
But the Lord is the true God;
He is the living God and the everlasting King.
The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.
It is He who made the earth by His power,
Who established the world by His wisdom;
And by His understanding, He has stretched out the heavens.
(Jeremiah 10:6,10a,11,12)

For another recent discovery that challenges not only evolutionary theories of star and galaxy formation but also evolutionary theories on the formation of the entire universe, read Inconvenient Galaxies.

Questions to Ponder

1. Which evolutionist friends might be open to discussing these new presupposition-shaking planetary rings with you? Will you pray for them and watch for opportunities?
2. How can the continuing surprises of the Solar System enrich worship of Yahweh, the Great Creator?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

Read the prequel:
Lord of the Rings

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Click Bible-Science Guy Table of Contents for a list of all blog posts starting in October 2007.

©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday May 24, 2023 A.D.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. (Psalms 19:1 ESV)

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(3 Minute Read. 17May2023)

Wedding Rings

Where did the rings around planets come from? What is the origin of these riveting rings?

The second-most famous rings in the Solar System (after wedding rings) are the rings of Saturn.

But other planets have rings as well. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all have rings. The dwarf planets Chariklo and Haumea also have rings.

Who was the first to see Saturn’s rings? As far as we know, Galileo became the first post-Flood viewer of Saturn’s rings in 1610. Uranus’ rings were discovered in 1977, Jupiter’s rings in 1979, Neptune’s in 1989, Chariklo’s in 2013, and Haumea’s in 2017.

Saturn’s Rings

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in the Solar System after Jupiter. It is huge compared to Earth. If Earth is scaled to a golf ball, then Saturn would be a beach ball 16 inches in diameter.

Saturn’s Rings in Ultraviolet Light
(From NASA’S Hubble Space Telescope)

Saturn has thousands of rings nested closely together with some intervening gaps. Each ring and gap is named. The rings are almost perfect circles that orbit Saturn at different speeds. No one knows why — except for the omniscient Great Creator Who conceived, designed, and sculpted the marvelous rings.

What makes up the rings of Saturn? They are thought to be made up of billions of bits of dust, ice, and rock from comets, asteroids, or shattered moons torn apart by Saturn’s powerful gravity. The ring particles are 99.9% water ice, and they range in size from dust specks to over 30 feet in diameter — that’s as large as a three-story building.

Saturn’s seven main rings were labeled alphabetically in order of their discovery. Moving outward from Saturn they are D, C, B, A, F, G, E. The smallest ring is about 4,120 miles above Saturn’s equator. The outer radius of the E ring is about 300,000 miles. Thus if Saturn’s main ring system were placed around Earth, then the ring system would extend thousands of miles past the Moon — because the Moon is only about 240,000 miles from Earth.
(Ref: NASA’S Saturnian Rings Fact Sheet)

Curious Rings

In the 1980s NASA’s Voyager space probe discovered an intricate structure to the rings consisting of thousands of thin gaps and ringlets. The rings range from about 30 feet to 3,000 feet in thickness.

Voyager also revealed wheel-like spokes in the rings. The Cassini space probe (1997-2017) showed some rings are braided. These features were completely unexpected and haven’t yet been explained — except by the ingenuity of the Great Creator.

In 2009 astronomers announced the discovery of a vast, enormous, previously unseen ring around Saturn. This ring, the Phoebe ring, was discovered using the Spitzer infrared space telescope, and it is Saturn’s largest-diameter ring. The ring’s inner and outer radii respectively are about 4,800,000 miles and 7,750,000 miles. The vertical thickness of the ring is about 1,500,000 miles. The entire volume of the Phoebe ring is large enough to hold one billion Earths!

The Phoebe ring is tilted at an angle of 27° to the other rings and to Saturn’s equatorial plane. It orbits Saturn in the opposite direction to the other rings. It is named after Saturn’s ninth-largest moon Phoebe whose diameter is 124 miles. The Phoebe moon’s orbital plane is also tilted at an angle of 27° to Saturn’s equatorial plane, and its orbit is retrograde like the Phoebe ring.

Saturn currently has 83 known moons, but this month the International Astronomical Union plans to recognize 62 more moons, thereby bringing Saturn’s total to 145 moons. This will surpass Jupiter’s current total of 95 known moons, making Saturn and then Jupiter the planets with the most moons in the Solar System. Some astronomers think that moons are involved in the formation of planetary rings.

Fingerprints in Space

The Great Creator has left His fingerprints all over the universe for those who have eyes to see. The marvels of giant Saturn and its complex rings and moons testify to the Great Creator’s incomprehensible wisdom and mighty power. The planetary ring systems testify to His creativity and His awesome beauty of design.
The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. (Psalm 19:1)
O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him? (Psalm 8:1,3,4)

Who is the Lord of the Rings? The Great Creator hung planets in space adorned with rings about 6,000 years ago on Creation Day 4. The Lord of the Rings is Yahweh, the Great Creator, the God of the Bible.

Read the sequel, Impossible Rings?, about newly discovered rings around a dwarf planet at the edge of the Solar System that astronomers say are “impossible” according to current evolutionary theories. Yet the rings are there, so something must be wrong with the evolutionary theory. What is the solution? Read Impossible Rings? for the answer.

Questions to Ponder

1. What could we understand about the Great Creator from studying Saturn and its rings and moons?
2. How can pondering the rings of Saturn affect your mind and heart today?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

Read the sequel:
Impossible Rings?

Subscribe – Don’t miss future blog posts!
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Click Bible-Science Guy Table of Contents for a list of all blog posts starting in October 2007.

©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday May 17, 2023 A.D.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. (Psalms 19:1 ESV)

Disclaimer: BibleScienceGuy has no control over any advertising that may appear and receives no payment or consideration for it. Ads & “Related” links come from WordPress, not from BibleScienceGuy.

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(3 Minute Read. 10May2023)

Woof! Woof!
This is Kepler, Master’s Jack Russell terrier, writing another article for Master’s Bible-Science Guy Blog.

Somehow a chipmunk got into our house recently. We have no idea how.

But chipmunks can squeeze through an opening the size of a quarter. So maybe I should be surprised it doesn’t happen more often.

I see lots of chipmunks running across our patio and in our backyard. Maybe one followed Master into the house as he carried in a load of firewood or groceries. Chipmunks live in our outdoor firewood stacks, so maybe one got carried in with firewood.

Master was the first to see the chipmunk running from the kitchen into our front hall. At first he thought it was a baby squirrel based on its furry tail, but after several more sightings, its identity became clear.

Master knew he could not catch it, but he knew who could. ME! The Great Creator has given me special abilities for this particular purpose.

I heard Master say I should be nicknamed Maher-shalal-hash-baz after Isaiah’s son (Isaiah 8:1-4), because that Hebrew name means “Swift is the booty, speedy is the prey.” He said it marked a prophecy about how fast Assyria would pounce on sinful Damascus and Samaria when the Great Creator judged their rebellion. But I think Maher-shalal-hash-baz is way too long for a nickname, especially for a quick pup like me.

I spent several days prowling the house looking for the sneaky critter. I could smell him, but he stayed hidden away from me — mostly in the firewood pile by the fireplace.

I wanted Master to unstack the firewood so I could get to the chipmunk, but Master said I should just catch him when he came out.

After I had failed for three days to deliver, Master brought in our Havahart live trap from the garage. We have used it outside in the past to catch raccoons, skunks, and squirrels. Missus baited the trap with peanut butter.

I wanted to go in and get the peanut butter since it smelled so good. But Master wouldn’t let me. I felt sure we would soon catch the little chipmunk. How could it resist going in to get the peanut butter?

But the clever little chipmunk avoided the trap’s trigger. After delicately licking up the peanut butter, he sauntered out the door of the trap without getting caught. This happened multiple times because the peanut butter kept disappearing. Master speculated that the chipmunk was not heavy enough to spring the trap, even though Master adjusted the trigger to maximum sensitivity.

Master kept letting me look for the chipmunk during the three days the trap was operational. I used two hunting methods. Most of the time I raced around the house following my nose trying to find and catch the chipmunk. But sometimes I sat very still beside the firewood waiting for Mr. Chipmunk to come out.

Missus said I reminded her of when David describes his enemy and asks for God’s mercy:
He is like a lion that is eager to tear,
And as a young lion lurking in hiding places. (Psalm 17:12)

Finally, last Wednesday morning my patience paid off. Missus saw me quietly sitting and waiting. (Waiting is something I generally do NOT like to do.) I was still like a statue. Then she heard a little squeak and ran to look. I had gotten Mr. Chipmunk as he ran across the floor. I proudly displayed my prize. See me with my trophy chipmunk in the picture above.

Missus called Master and they both volubly praised me. Missus gave me a special yummy treat — cheerios soaked in bacon drippings. That treat was worth all my hunting work.

While I paraded around with my trophy, I heard Master and Missus thanking God for my success. That little rodent could have wreaked a lot of damage if allowed to remain.

Now that I have demonstrated my prowess, I am ready to go into business as a pest exterminator. Several weeks ago we heard of a neighbor who spent $2,000 for an exterminator to remove squirrels from their attic. But they still have squirrels! I could earn my room and board for Master by hiring myself out for just $100. Let me into the attic and I will shortly take care of all the squirrels.

I hope another chipmunk gets into our house soon. I want to earn another bacon fat treat. But Master said we are going camping soon, so I’ll probably have different adventures to write about this summer.

Anyway, that’s how things look from the Kepler Dog House!

Till next time, this is Kepler signing off. Woof! Woof!

Questions to Ponder

1. What special ability has God given you that fits you for His particular purpose and calling in your life?
2. Do any of your children have a name commemorating a particular work of the Great Creator as Isaiah’s son did?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

This is the 53rd article in a series of blog posts on a precocious Jack Russell terrier named Kepler. Numbers 1-8 are by Kepler’s master, the BibleScienceGuy. Numbers 9-53 are by Kepler himself.
Read the prequels:
1. Why I Named Our Puppy “Kepler”
2. Kepler’s Kind
3. Kepler’s Lopsided Trade
4. Kepler’s Amazing Nose
5. Kepler’s Business Card
6. Kepler & the Psycho Squirrel (with video)
7. Taunting Kepler
8. Adam and Puppies

The following posts are by Kepler:
9. Who Taught Kepler?
10. Kepler Gets a Buddy (with video)
11. Kepler Chases a Squirrel (with video)
12. Kepler’s Complaint
13. Kepler’s To-Do List
14. Kepler and the Football Weekend
15. Kepler’s Favorite Store
16. Kepler at a Truck Stop
17. Kepler & Henry Catch a Squirrel
18. Kepler Finds Killdeer Eggs
19. Kepler Finds Robin Eggs
20. Kepler Lives to Tell the Tale
21. Kepler, Bears, & Raccoons
22. Kepler Mentors Henry
23. Kepler Gets a Bear
24. Kepler Finds Strange Eggs
25. Kepler Finds Duck Eggs
26. Kepler Gives Thanks
27. Kepler’s Newest Enemy
28. Kepler Loves Bulldogs
29. Kepler Ponders Snow
30. Kepler Wants to Move to Australia
31. Kepler’s Dating Profile
32. Kepler Meets Skunk
33. Kepler Wants to Be Good
34. Kepler on Guard
35. Kepler Chews On Grammar
36. Kepler for President
37. Kepler for President: Grins & Growls #1
38. Kepler for President: Grins & Growls #2
39. Kepler’s Water Guns
40. Kepler Remembers Henry (with video)
41. Kepler Gives a Virus Briefing
42. Kepler’s Campaign Advice
43. Kepler Ponders Senescence
44. Kepler’s AK-47
45. Kepler Talks Turkey
46. Kepler Versus the Squirrel
47. Kepler Hates This Word
48. Kepler and the FRIB
49. Kepler Finds Strange Creature
50. Kepler on Dawgs & Frogs
51. Kepler the Snow Commando
52. Kepler Babysits

Read the sequel:
54. Kepler ??? coming soon . . .

Subscribe – Don’t miss future blog posts!
Click the sidebar’s “SUBSCRIBE” button to follow the
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Click Bible-Science Guy Table of Contents for a list of all blog posts starting in October 2007.

©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday May 10, 2023 A.D.

But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you;
And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you.
Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you;
And let the fish of the sea declare to you.
Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind? (Job 12:7-10)

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(3 Minute Read. 3May2023)

King Charles III
60th birthday photo in 2008

King Charles III is scheduled to be crowned king of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland next Saturday, May 6, 2023.

It has been 70 years since the previous coronation when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953.

Tens of thousands of people will crowd into London to watch this historic event. Millions more will watch live on television.

The full official title of the new king is “Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of His other Realms and Territories King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith“.
(my emphasis)

What do the highlighted terms in the king’s title mean?

By the Grace of God

King by the Grace of God acknowledges that God rules the world and appoints kings and rulers as He wills. It is the Great Creator by whom kings reign and rulers decree justice. This theme is repeated throughout the Bible.
Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, thus you shall say to your masters, “I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight. (Jeremiah 27:4-5)
Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,
For wisdom and power belong to Him.
It is He who changes the times and the epochs;
He removes kings and establishes kings;
He gives wisdom to wise men
And knowledge to men of understanding. (Daniel 2:20-21)
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)

Sovereign’s Orb

The Sovereign’s Orb used in the ceremony and pictured here was originally made for the 1661 coronation of Charles II. It is part of the Crown Jewels housed in the Tower of London. For the coronation 360 years ago, new jewels were furnished by the royal banker and the royal goldsmith. The expense was equivalent to three warships.

The Sovereign’s Orb is a 22-carat gold hollow sphere about 12 inches across representing the earth. It is adorned with nine emeralds, 18 rubies, nine sapphires, 365 diamonds, and 375 pearls.

The cross above the globe portrays Christ’s sovereign rule over the earth.

At coronations, the Archbishop of Canterbury places the Sovereign’s Orb in the king’s right hand and says, “Receive this orb set under the cross, and remember that the whole world is subject to the Power and Empire of Christ our Redeemer.”

That is what it means to reign by the Grace of God.

Defender of the Faith

The title Defender of the Faith reflects the King’s position as head of the Church of England. The title was first used in 1507 for King James IV of Scotland as “Defender of the Christian Faith”. It has subsequently been conferred on all British kings.

Saint Edward’s Crown

The coronation consists of a church service, Holy Communion, and a ceremony during which the king takes oaths with his hand on the Bible and is anointed and crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Bible is used in the ceremony because the king is to be a defender of Biblical faith.

The king will be crowned with St. Edward’s Crown, the centerpiece of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. It is named for Edward the Confessor who reigned as king of England from 1042 until he died in 1066.

The cross on top of the crown and the three crosses around the front of the crown are a clear statement that the king reigns as regent under Christ. The crosses remind him that he is to defend the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3).

May King Charles III prove true to his oath to be a defender of Biblical faith.

The King of Kings

The splendor and pageantry of an earthly coronation are only fleeting shadows of the permanent unspeakable glory to come.

The prophet Daniel prophesied of Christ’s complete dominion over all nations and of
His everlasting kingdom:
Behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming. And He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14)

Speaking of Jesus, the angel Gabriel told Mary:
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end. (Luke 1:32-33)

The Apostle John saw the risen and ruling Lord Jesus:
And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16)

Christians look forward to the coming of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Some day at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11)

May that day come soon!

Questions to Ponder

1. Why are so many fascinated by the coronation of King Charles III?
2. What specific behavior will you choose today to expand your reverence and awe for the King of Kings who created, sustains, and rules all?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

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“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday May 3, 2023 A.D.

And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16)

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(2 Minute Read. 26Apr2023)

Zebras share a curious trait with donkeys

Donkey hooves are sharp and hard. How do unborn donkeys avoid injuring the mother donkey in utero as they wriggle around?

How do they keep from damaging the birth canal while being born?

I recently learned about the Great Creator‘s amazing solution.

Newborn donkeys have a soft covering over the hard hoof that protects the mother from injury. It quickly wears away after birth.

A similar solution is used for most ungulates (hoofed mammals). Horses, donkeys, zebras, cows, deer, sheep, goats, pigs, buffalo, hippos, rhinos, and giraffes all have soft hoof coverings as newborns. The covering goes by a number of names: fairy fingers, fairy slippers, horse feathers, foal slippers, golden slippers.

Here is a 1-minute YouTube video showing the hoof covering on a newborn donkey.
 

The technical name of the soft rubbery cover that protects the mother’s uterus and birth canal from the foal’s sharp hoof edges during pregnancy and birth is eponychium. It is also called the deciduous hoof capsule and comes in a variety of forms. On donkeys it is a soft rubbery capsule. On horses it is rubbery fingers covering the hoof.

Newborn foals need fully formed, functional hooves. They must be able to move away from the birthing location as rapidly as possible because predators are attracted by the smell of the placenta. The eponychium wears away on their first foray and their hard hooves are soon exposed.

Jesus used a donkey colt that had never been ridden that undoubtedly had already lost its eponychium.
Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”
(John 12: 14-15; cf. Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1-7; Mark 11:1-7; Luke 19:29-35)

The eponychim is another example of the Great Creator‘s care for His creatures.
Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind? (Job 12:9-10)

Questions to Ponder

1. How do “donkey slippers” argue against Darwinian evolution?
2. How does Ecclesiastes 11:5 relate to donkey slippers?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday April 26, 2023 A.D.

But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you;
And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you.
Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you;
And let the fish of the sea declare to you.
Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind? (Job 12:7-10)

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(3 Minute Read. 19Apr2023)

Do you know any hypocrites?

I do. I actually know many hypocrites. My church is full of them.

In fact, I am one of the hypocrites at my church.

What is hypocrisy?

One definition of hypocrisy is exhibiting behavior which does not conform to one’s own professed moral standards or beliefs. It is advocating behavior that one fails to practice. Hypocrisy is pretending to be what one is not.

Hypocrisy is not a new problem. The Bible contains the accounts of many hypocrites. King David and the Apostle Peter are two prominent examples.

King David professed to love God and His moral law, and he genuinely did. But he sent Uriah to his death in battle to cover up David’s adultery with Uriah’s wife.

Peter loved Jesus and professed it. But he denied even knowing Him the night Jesus was arrested. In the early church, Peter, Barnabas, and the Jews at Antioch were all charged with hypocrisy by the Apostle Paul for separating themselves from Gentile believers (Galatians 2:11-14).

Hypocrisy is a big problem. According to a Barna Research report, Christian hypocrisy is by far the biggest reason given by non-Christians for questioning Christianity, with 42% citing hypocrisy as the reason behind their doubts.

But according to Scripture, this criticism is itself hypocrisy! Hypocrites in the church are not the reason people do not come to Christ. It is due to fear that their ungodly deeds will be exposed.
He who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
(John 3:18-21)

Jesus strongly condemned hypocrisy:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:27-28)

He lamented hypocrisy with these defining words:
“You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me.’” (Matthew 15:7-8; Isaiah 29:13; Ezekiel 33:31)

Yes, Christians are people committed to following Jesus. But we are all sinners and fall short of His commands. We strive to obey Jesus, but all of us fail, often spectacularly. Christians are hypocrites in that we profess to follow Jesus but our actions frequently fall short. We often cover our sin, pretending to be better than we are. That is hypocrisy.

But Christians are not the only hypocrites in this world. Most people are hypocrites in that they fail to live up to their own professed standards. Most people pretend in one way or another to be better than they actually are. People pretend to be smarter, richer, more athletic, more popular, or look better than they really are. That’s hypocrisy.

Antidote to Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy is a sin. The Apostle Peter classes hypocrisy with the sins of malice, deceit, envy, and slander. He instructs believers to reject all of these behaviors. (1 Peter 2:1)

One key component to counteracting hypocrisy is humility. Instead of pride in oneself, we need to recognize our creatureliness and acknowledge the Great Creator.

Every gift, every talent, every thing for which we may be proud is a gift from the God of glory. All our energy, all our intelligence, all our strength, even every breath comes from Him who holds all things together by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17).
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (James 1:17)

Humbly and honestly acknowledging this means there is no reason to pretend to be other than we are. We are only imperfect servants of our God and King who have been saved by His grace through faith in His Son.

Our job is to be faithful disciples, not perfect people. Focus on faithful discipleship will solve the problem of hypocrisy.

Questions to Ponder

1. What will you say the next time someone declares that they can’t be a Christian because of so many hypocrites in the church?
2. When is your heart far from Jesus, even though you are honoring Him with your lips?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday April 19, 2023 A.D.

Put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
(1 Peter 2:1)

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(2 Minute Read. 12Apr2023)

How does the Solar System keep from flying apart?

The Solar System consists of the Sun and a fascinating variety of bodies orbiting around the Sun, all bound to it by gravity. This includes planets, asteroids, comets, and planetary moons.

Here is a picture of a beautiful Solar System jigsaw puzzle that I worked recently. It is a 200-piece puzzle measuring 19.5″ x 14.25″ by Ravensburger.

The puzzle shows the nine planets orbiting the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. (I still consider Pluto a planet, even though many astronomers do not.)

This mnemonic helps remember the planets in order from the sun. The first letters of the words are the initials of the planets.
My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas.
If you drop Pluto as a planet, you miss out on pizza from your mother.

Included in the puzzle picture are two space probes with solar panels, several galaxies, numerous stars, and the Milky Way. In the sky the planets’ orbital paths are not marked, but on the puzzle they were a big help in putting it together.

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all have rings, but the puzzle only shows rings for Saturn and Uranus. Even though the Solar System contains over 200 moons, only Earth’s moon is shown in the puzzle.

In this puzzle, neither object sizes nor distances are to scale. The Sun is by far the largest object in the Solar System, but it is not so in the puzzle. Moreover, if one takes the orbit of Earth for scale in the puzzle, then Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto would not be in the puzzle picture if they were at properly scaled distances. For example, Neptune is actually about 30 times as far from the Sun as Earth is, so for the puzzle scale it would be more than two and a half feet away from the Sun. Pluto’s eccentric orbit would carry it about four and a half feet away from the Sun.

The box labels the difficulty level of the puzzle as “8+ years,” but I was quite pleased with myself because I did it in less than a day.

Could the design of this puzzle have happened by chance? Could the construction of the jigsaw have come about by accident? No one would believe that. It’s absurd. An intelligent agent formed the graphic image and manufactured it with individual pieces to form the jigsaw picture. An intelligent agent purposefully put the individual pieces together to make the completed puzzle. Yet the puzzle itself is only a poor representation of the real Solar System. If the mundane representation obviously required intelligent agents, how could the far more complex original that it portrays have developed by chance accident? Most certainly it did not. The Solar System was designed and constructed by God.

There are many mysteries of the Solar System that mankind does not yet understand. But working this puzzle was an enjoyable reminder of the Great Creator‘s wondrous handiwork. A magnificent Creator designed the Solar System represented by this jigsaw puzzle.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.
(Psalm 19:1)

Questions to Ponder

1. As you survey the Great Creator’s artistry, what Solar System object is most impressive to you?
2. Are you worried about Earth flying off out of orbit? Why or why not?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

This blog article is the fifth in an intermittent Series on Jigsaw Puzzles.
Read the prequels:
1. Jigsaw Murder Mystery (with video)
2. Jigsaw Puzzles – Benefits
3. Christmas Jigsaw Puzzle
4. Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles

Read the sequel:
6. Jigsaw Puzzles – ??? (coming someday…)

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday January 29, 2020 A.D.

You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” (1 Peter 2:5-6)

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(3 Minute Read. 5Apr2023)

Why do you have an “inner compass” that guides you morally?

What is the origin of man’s sense of moral judgment and his standards of moral behavior?

If mankind evolved from primordial slime as evolutionists insist, then there is no rational objective basis for morality. Anyone’s opinion is as good as anyone else’s.

In this case, you can’t ever say anything is wrong. All you can do is express a negative opinion or preference. “Right” and “Wrong” are then held hostage to majority social opinion.

But this approach leads to horrific evil as exemplified by the majority opinions of Nazi Germany almost 100 years ago. The Nazi-instigated genocide was wrong, regardless of the views of those involved and regardless of who ended up winning the war.

According to a June 2022 Pew Research Center study, six in ten Americans think it should be legal in all or most cases to murder an unborn child at any time, for any reason, with no restrictions. This moral view resulted in almost half a million abortions in the U.S. in 2020 according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2020 this included 4,382 unborn babies of gestational age from 21 weeks to full term. Annually over four thousand highly developed babies are murdered legally in the US. How has man’s “inner compass” steered us so wrong?

Everyone has a moral sense. This is evident because everyone will find certain actions abhorrent. Where did that come from, and why isn’t it keeping humanity on track with moral judgment?

The Bible tells us the origin of man’s moral sense. The moral law is written on every human heart by the Great Creator.
For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them. (Romans 2:14-15)

Yet our own rebellion against the Great Creator clouds, compromises, and corrupts the inner sense of right and wrong that He gave us.
The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately wicked. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9)
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions. (Romans 1:18-26)

It is significant that this Scripture passage from Romans connects denial of the Great Creator with immorality. Honoring the Great Creator with worship and thankfulness is essential to maintaining a moral sense.

Morality cannot be relative; it is not a culture -specific concept. There is absolute right and absolute wrong. True morality must be objective. The Great Creator has given us His eternal standard of moral right and wrong independent of human opinion.

The Great Creator‘s moral law for all mankind is laid out in the Ten Commandments.

The prophet Micah summarized it this way:
He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

The first four of the Ten Commandments specify man’s relationship with his Creator. The last six deal with his relationships with other people. Thus Jesus Christ summarized the Law this way:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

This moral law, this universal standard of morality has been prescribed by the Great Creator. Mankind’s Maker is the one who has prescribed morality. But everyone has broken it. Breaking God’s law is called sin. We are all sinners in need of God’s forgiveness.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

Forgiveness for sin is available as a result of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. He solved our sin problem by dying in our place and being raised from the dead. Read Good News to learn how to obtain forgiveness for sin and eternal life.

Questions to Ponder

1. Did your “conscience bear witness” to you today about something?
2. What specific moral law of the Great Creator will you allow to re-calibrate your own compromised inklings today?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

Subscribe – Don’t miss future blog posts!
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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday April 5, 2023 A.D.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. (Psalms 19:1 ESV)

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(3 Minute Read. 29Mar2023)

Healing of the Paralytic at Capernaum
(James Tissot painting c. 1886-1894)

Did Jesus Himself ever do apologetics?

You might be surprised by how He did it and by how often.

Apologetics is the defense of the Christian faith using reason and logic. Part of it involves arguing that Jesus of Nazareth is the God-Man, God in human flesh.

In a spectacle impossible to ignore or misunderstand, early in His ministry Jesus made precisely this case. He made the case for His own Deity in a way that was compelling logically, physically, and emotionally via a miracle of creation.

Healing of the Paralytic

Three of the gospels relate the dramatic events of the miracle and its poignant human context. See Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26; Matthew 9:1–8.

Jesus told a paralytic who had been brought to Him for healing,
“Son, your sins are forgiven.”

This astounding statement by Jesus caused the scribes and Pharisees to think, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?”

The scribes and Pharisees were correct. God alone can forgive sins.

Aware of what the scribes and Pharisees were thinking, Jesus said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins — I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.”

By claiming the authority to forgive sin, a prerogative that belongs to God alone, Jesus was claiming to be God. To back up this claim, He performed a miracle of creation by healing the paralytic. This involved creating new nerves and muscles to enable the paralytic to stand, take up his pallet, and walk away.

Just as nobody can forgive sin except God, so nobody can create new nerves and muscles to heal a paralytic except the Great Creator.

This was Jesus’ point when He asked the scribes and Pharisees, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’?”

Of those two declarations by Jesus, one had an outcome that was visible to everyone. It was strikingly evident that the Lord Jesus Christ did indeed have the power to re-construct and animate the human body. In essence Jesus was saying, “This is how you know I really can do the invisible one also.”

Turning Water to Wine

Jesus’ first miracle of his ministry was also a miracle of creation which had an apologetic effect. He turned water into wine at a wedding in Cana
(John 2:1-11).

When the wedding celebration ran out of wine, Jesus had the servants fill six large stone water jars with water, holding 20-30 gallons each. In an instant Jesus turned about 150 gallons of water into first-class wine.

This was a major miracle of creation because most of the ingredients in wine are not in water. A water molecule consists of two hydrogen atoms bonded to an oxygen atom. Just hydrogen and oxygen — that’s all!

Wine, however, has over 1,000 additional compounds that are not in water. Its chemistry is very complex. Wine has ethanol, glycerol, tannins, anthocyanins, phenolics, flavonols, organic acids, sugars, proteins, sulfites, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, methoxypyrazines, and many other compounds.

From where did all these different compounds come to make the wine? Jesus the Creator called them into being. Most of these additional compounds involve carbon atoms. Jesus had to create the carbon and all the other elements involved other than the hydrogen and oxygen in water. He arranged the molecules with finesse — in a way that delighted the human palate. The chief caterer was astonished at how good it tasted.

This initial miracle also had an apologetic effect. Turning water into wine is not a big deal for the Creator of the universe. But it would be a huge deal for anyone else. Thus it was a clear sign indicating Jesus’ identity. John reports that the result of the miracle was that His disciples believed in Him (John 2:11). (Click Who Got Married at Cana? for more about the wedding.)

As we read the historical reports of these two miracles, may we be like the people who saw Jesus heal the paralytic. Mark, Luke, and Matthew report that they were all amazed and struck with astonishment and filled with fear and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

May God grant us the eyes of the people of Capernaum and Cana to see the truth about Jesus. These miracles are stirring challenges to acknowledge the deity of Jesus of Nazareth as the Great Creator and trust Him for salvation from sin and eternal death.

See Jesus Does Apologetics for Jesus’ verbal arguments asserting His Deity.

Questions to Ponder

1. What can you do today to build up your apologetics arsenal in defense of faith in Jesus?
2. Do you notice how the miracles around you daily testify to the Great Creator’s authority and artistry?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

This is the 14th article in the series on Apologists in the Bible. An apologist is one who gives a logical argument in defense of faith in God.
Read the prequels:
1. Elijah Does Apologetics
2. Peter Does Apologetics
3. Paul Does Apologetics
4. John Does Apologetics
5. Jesus Does Apologetics
6. Job Gets a Dose of Apologetics
7. Matthew Does Apologetics with a Sword
8. David Does Apologetics with a Sling
9. Luke Does Apologetics with a Pen (with video)
10. Moses Does Apologetics with Plagues
11. Jude Urges Apologetics
12. Man Born Blind Does Apologetics
13. Stephen Does Apologetics

Read the sequel:
15. Saul Dives In With Apologetics

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday March 29, 2023 A.D.

Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. (1 Peter 3:15)

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