Page 25 - Apologetics Student Textbook (3 Credits)

Study Section 4: How do we find TRUTH?

4.1 Connect

Before Jesus was flogged by Pilate, he was brought before him in judgment. Pilate asked
Jesus several questions but specifically about His kingdom. He wanted to know if Jesus was a
king. Jesus answered in the affirmative and told Pilate that He was a witness of the truth. He
said to Pilate, “Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.” Pilate answered with that very
often and famous line, “What is truth?” Since those days, mankind has been asking the same
question? How do we know if the news we hear is really true? How do we know that what is being
taught to us is the truth, or is some of it “Fake News?”

According to Colossians 2:8, we are warned to avoid false philosophy: See to it that no one takes you
captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental
spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

The BIG question is, how do you know if what you are being told is true? Today, let’s see if we can
figure that out…

4.2 Objectives.

1. The student will be able to demonstrate that the Bible written long ago is the same Bible as
we have today.

2. The student will be able to validate the Bible by the vast number of copies we have and how
close they date back to the original writings.

3. The student should be able to demonstrate that life emerging from non-life by random change is no
within the realms of probability.

4.3 One source of truth: Science!

Science is supposedly a quest for truth. It focuses on hard facts. If something is measurable
and repeatable, then it can be tested multiple times. If it gives the same result repeatedly,
then scientists are ready to call it a Law. A law, then, is what has proven to be true. If a
scientist is not sure of a result, he might call his prognosis a theory or “best guess.” A theory
is a scientific conclusion that a scientist feels is the best explanation for the results of
observational data.

Science is supposed to be based on research and experimentation. From the results of those activities, a
hypothesis is constructed. The hypothesis is tested by further experimentation and research and data is
analyzed. From all the data, a conclusion is suggested. The scientific method is an empirical method of
acquiring knowledge and determining what is true.

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