What is Presupposition Argumentation?

 

The beautiful thing about presupposition argumentation is first and foremost, you don’t have to be a genius to use this line of argumentation for it to work. If you type in “presupposition meaning” in Google, it might come up with a definition like this: “A thing tacitly assumed beforehand at the beginning of a line of argument or course of action.” In other words, this is the very core of what someone pre-supposes. So when looking at worldviews (that is, the way in which someone observes the events of life through religious or non-religious ways), a presupposition is already present before an argument can begin.

 Let me give you an example, say for instance an Atheist is arguing in the case of cosmic evolution in opposition to creation. Their presupposition begins with chance and not a created order. So let’s look at the Christian presupposition for the created order. You don’t have to go far to see what Christians presuppose; “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1. This verse is the foundation of the Christian worldview and how we understand all knowledge and all understanding. So what does this verse tell us? 1) This verse alone tells us the existence of God, His ability to create AND on top of that, the Christian presupposition starts with certainty and not chance.

 So what does that look like in an argument against an Atheist? Well since our worldview starts with certainty and more importantly, certainty of God, we have confidence of where all knowledge and all understanding comes from. If by starting with a worldview that presupposes chance, than technically there is ultimately no true foundation for morality. In fact I’ve heard one Atheist try telling me that morality is subjective after they posted an image fighting for prochoice rights on Facebook. My reply was simple “If you believe that morality is relative, than does that mean you could be wrong about the image you just posted?” Needless to say, there was no following comment. And this is an example of presupposition argumentation; all we are doing is showing the truth that the Atheistic worldview does not even exist.

As Romans 1:18-20 says; For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, ¹⁹ since what can be known^[o] about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.

According to this verse, nobody needs evidence of God. And in fact by arguing to anyone about evidence of God, that lowers the position of God from judge to the one who is on trial! And by doing so, we allow the unbeliever to judge God and weight in whether they should believe in God or not. That’s not biblical argumentation! But praise God we have a clear and succinct way to engage in apologetics (that is, a defence for what you believe in).

It says in Proverbs 26:4-5; Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness or you’ll be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his foolishness
or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.

 

Now in no way are these verses contradicting themselves. What does the fool ask for, evidence right? But how should we answer them? According to their foolishness, in other words, according to their presupposition and showing them that their worldview doesn’t exist! This is how Christians should engage in argumentation and to do so out of gentleness and humility. Remember this is dangerous stuff, you’re destroying worldviews. You want to see their worldview crash right before their eyes, but if you aren’t motivated by love, they’re not even going to believe a word of the gospel that you mention to them. Presupposition argumentation is just a tool, the main reason anyone should use this is ultimately to share the gospel with the unbeliever and (I can’t stress this enough!) to do so out of love and obedience to our Lord. For more information on presupposition argumentation, I highly recommend watching a DVD called “How to Answer The Fool” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM1AWO92Crc for the trailer link).

The Dangers of Following the Flesh

Brothers and sisters I want to start this blog with an apology to all of you. I felt that after I’d read Galatians 5 and 6, it was obvious that I was in sin. Since this blog is a ministry, it’s easy to forget at times the precious gift that God has entrusted me with. And Paul makes that obvious in the passage that I’ll be revealing later in this blog. Although I say that I’ve been entrusted with a precious gift, I don’t mean that in a self-glorifying way of course, but rather in the way that Paul puts it “For each person will have to carry his own load.” Galatians 6:5

Since the Lord has humbled me to press on with this ministry and to do so joyfully, I would ask of you to please pray for me. I’m a weak man and I fall into the dangers of following the flesh all too easily. That said I’d like to begin this note with a sharp passage that cut its way into my heart this morning.

I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, ²¹ envy^] drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:16-21

This passage is striking in every way, since Paul has explained our freedom in Christ in verse 13 “For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.” Paul starts with the freedom of Christ in explaining what it means to be free and the opposition that we face with against the desires of the flesh in the preceding verses. I believe these verses should cause each and every Christian to humble themselves and ask first and foremost if the flesh is their own enemy.

The dangers of following the flesh is simply put like this, you don’t know you’re following the flesh until God’s word practically screams out at you! Look closely in verse 20 (in particular selfish ambitions). Selfish ambition would have to be the MOST stealth of all that opposes against the Spirit. Why do I say that?  We need discernment to know if our ambitions are selfish or not. In particular with what we do with our time and our money or even our goals. When I was a teenager, I used to collect many computer games. Even when I was in my early 20’s, I still didn’t stop my computer game habit; in fact it got worse since I wanted to upgrade my computer to one that was more powerful.

No one questioned my game collection, no one in the church pulled me aside and said to me “brother, I think you’re in sin!” I gave up my games after my grandparents passed away in 2009. God opened my eyes to the futility of what I was doing, feeding the desires of my flesh and living for worthless entertainment. I’m not condemning anyone who plays computer games at all, since we have been called to use our gifts and our talents for God’s glory. I would urge those who are ‘gamers’ to consider the motive of what they’re doing and if they’re doing it for the glory of the Lord.

We have been called as Christians to be at war with our flesh! And it is hard, I’m not going to lie and say that it’s easy. I cannot even walk into any computer game store at all knowing my past addiction to games. It might be the same for someone who has had problems with alcohol as well. Whatever it is, let me tell you straight and I mirror this back onto myself as well. There’s NOTHING worth chasing after in this world other than to know the Lord Himself! Let that be a reminder for us all when we are faced with the temptations of following after the desires of our flesh.

The Hardships of The Christian Walk

For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4:17

Last night my wife and I had dinner with my parents at their place. They’re not Christians and so essentially they don’t understand the motive of why Christians share the gospel. Over dinner my dad warned me of sharing the gospel in the work place (I work casually as a construction labourer), the reason being is because he told me of someone else who had been kicked off a site for singing hymns and sharing the gospel. My parents tried to give me ‘selling’ techniques, as if I could tone down the message of the gospel.

I admit that I was frustrated at hearing what they had to say, but only so much as that they themselves are not saved. And so I began to share the gospel with them (this is not the first time), I tried explaining as best I could as to why we Christians share the uncompromised truth of Jesus Christ. I said to my parents “I’m not worried about losing my job, but I need Christ!” Both of my parents are managers and they’re quite secular in their ways of how they do business.

My wife and I stand in opposition to my parents, not so much that we fight with them but that we are for Christ. I love my parents, which is exactly why I share the gospel with them despite the fact that they hate it very much. I’ve been told by them that I’m “too full on!” hence why they told me that I might need ‘selling’ techniques. I want to tell you brothers and sisters, that we do not trust in man’s strength to share the gospel of Jesus Christ! We do not trust in our own flesh to do the will of our Lord, we trust in Him who works in us.

We do not look for better ways on how to sell the gospel! This is a message of salvation, whether they like it or not, we have a duty to share the full uncompromised gospel. Yes you will be hated; yes you will face afflictions of various kinds. Consider Christ who faced beatings and was hated to the point of death! I’m not worried about losing my job, I’m worried about their (my parents) salvation. I don’t go out to purposely face afflictions, nor do I intend to lose my job. But I can’t (and I said this to my parents) go to work without sharing the gospel! And when I don’t share the gospel, I groan within, thinking that in some way I’ve missed an opportunity to share the greatest message anyone can possibly hear.

I don’t know where you stand or what kind of persecutions you have or are currently facing in the case of sharing the gospel. Let me say this, press on! Don’t stop at sharing this message because as Paul says in Romans 1:16, it IS the power of salvation! Let us press on and encourage one another to do so! Let us leave behind our old dead self who once chased after worldly trivialities. And let us put on Christ, every day that He gives us that we may glorify Him who gives us the strength to persist in the face of afflictions and hardships.

The Greater Truths of Hell

Does it make you appreciate the greater act of grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ when you read of the truths of hell? When you read of the unquenchable fire, the outer darkness and the torment that is carried out for all eternity? (Matthew 8:12) There’s not a flame hot enough that describes the torments of hell that await the unrighteous in our worldly understanding. Not even the sun is hot enough for the full cup of God’s eternal wrath (Revelation 14:9-11). Hell is necessary, it is necessary because God is good. Some of you might be thinking, that’s a contradictory in itself. No my friend, because God is good, He must punish that which is wicked and evil.

As Paul Washer once said “if I love children, I must then hate abortion.” This is true in the same of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we are not clothed in His righteousness then we are deserving of His eternal wrath with a hatred that is good. This truth should keep Christians sober minded and humble, pleading our Lord for greater humility in fact! We should never abandon the truth of hell, but we should have a greater sense of what we’ve been saved from and a greater sense of why we need to preach the gospel more urgently.

The condition of judgment in hell leaves people eternally weeping and gnashing their teeth (Matthew 8:12). These truths are spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, therefore as Christians we have an urgency to listen carefully. Why am I speaking of hell you might be wondering? Because we as Christians need to be daily reminded of this eternal truth, much like the gospel and knowing the extent Christ went to when He died on the cross! We all deserve hell, as we read in Romans 3:10-18, there is no one righteous. Hell should make us uncomfortable, it should remind us of the truth that we need to continue to fight the flesh (Romans 8:13).

Our lives should be centred on Christ knowing the depth Christ went to in order to save us from the wrath of the Father! Do you read of hell in this same light? Do you read the truth of hell knowing your friends and family members walk a wide path to destruction? Do you feel the urgency to share the truth of the gospel despite the affliction or the persecution that a waits? Have you ever seen a worm thrown into a fire? It doesn’t fight the flames at all; instead it curls up and yields to the heat and torment. This is the same of hell; the unrighteous will yield to the flames of hell. But unlike the worm, those in hell will never die. There is not an ounce of relief, for even an ounce of relief would be unjust in accordance with our great Lord.

The unrighteous will beg for a drop of water (Luke 16:24) but it won’t be there for them! And what is more comforting, a drop of water or repentance? I tell you, a drop of water is more comforting than repentance (if repentance were possible). We must preach the uncompromised truth of our Lord knowing the finality that awaits most people! Let us boldly use our gifts and talents for His glory! Let us stand on the frontline of hell itself, pleading with non-believers to be reconciled to God! Tell them the truth, tell them that their actions is like making their bed in hell already. Tell them the truth of Christ, His grace and mercy to save. Beg them to repent!  As Charles. H. Spurgeon once said “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. If they perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for!”  

Godly Grief Leading to Repentance

For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

I’ve mentioned in a few of my notes about judgment and how many Christian circles will avoid judging one another as to not step on any egg shells. But in the above verse, this is exactly why judgment is necessary. It is good for someone to grieve over their sin, as the verse says, it leads them to salvation. What is godly grief though? I think that’s a question to be explored before someone comes to me and accuses me of preaching another gospel.

The example of godly grief is in the same chapter; For even if I grieved you with my letter, I do not regret it—even though I did regret it since I saw that the letter grieved you, yet only for a little while. ⁹ Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us. 2 Corinthians 7:8-9 Paul is grieving with the Corinthians knowing that the letter he wrote to them had cut them in a way, a sharp rebuke! But Paul doesn’t remain in his grief, nor does he regret sending a sharp letter to the Corinthian church. In fact the reaction is quite the opposite, in verse 9 Paul rejoices because their grief had lead the Corinthian church to repentance.

This is what godly grief is! Not a state of mourning over sin and never living past the moment “had I’d only have done this, done that, said those words and not looked at the unclean image.” NO! This is worldy grief. It is true, our minds cannot at times escape the sin that we’ve committed against God, and in some blasphemes ways we can often say to ourselves “my Lord can never forgive me for this!” But this is nothing short of worldy grief, it does nothing for the soul except that you’ll continue to run the mouse wheel that goes nowhere. But godly grief is a change of attitude “yes, I did those terrible things, I’ve offended the Lord in ways I do not understand…but I praise Him who died for me and gave me a new life.” This is godly grief and by godly grief I mean that we can look back over our sin but in so doing we can be reminded of the hope that Christ has given us and the way in which He continues to change us.

Godly grief is necessary in the Christian life! It is good to mourn over sin in so much that it leads us to repentance. I implore with anyone who is in sin and who feels like their mourning doesn’t lead them to repentance to talk with their minister or a trusted Christian friend. Our lives should rest on the strength of Christ, knowing that He is good to save! We’re never so far from our Lord when we’ve sinned; a right fear of God is what we all need. Fearing God in so much as that it gives us a right perspective of His sovereignty and we than know that we have only Him to turn to! What a saviour we have!