What is The Apologetic Research Center?
The Apologetic Research Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was incor- porated on August 28, 1995 exclusively for religious/edu- cational purposes.
ARC endeavors to serve the needs of all Christian church- es, para-church ministries, and individual Christians through an organization structured to provide EDIFICATION via seminars and the dessemination of teaching materials; SUPPORT via community outreach pro- grams, and the ardent prayer of our membership; DEFENSE via the dissemination of up- dated apologetic materials, frequent public debates and counter-cult lectures, all of which shall be accomplished with an attitude of genuine friendship and self-sacrificing love.
What Do We Believe?
Whereas the Bible is the only perfect source for all Christian Doctrine, We accept it as our only rule of faith and practice. Thus, while we assent to the truths expressed by many of the creeds of the historic Christian Church, we will uphold neither they, nor any other confession and/or article of faith other than the "God-Breathed" words of our Heavenly Father as recorded in the 66 books of the Christian Scriptures by His chosen Apostles and Prophets. In these 66 books of the Bible we find God's COMPLETE revelation to man; His plan for man; as well as the frame-work of man's responsibility to God. Further, we believe that in these 66 books God has revealed himself to man as being TRIUNE, i.e.; THREE PERSONS , yet ONE GOD.
In God's plan of salvation for man, we find that He requires that one express FAITH ALONE in JESUS CHRIST ALONE for his/her salvation. One must also accept that this Jesus Christ is revealed in the Christian Scriptures as being the second person of the TRINITY, sent to earth by THE FATHER to redeem fallen mankind by means of His sacrificial death at Calvary.
Why Apologetics?
Many today have misunderstood exactly what apologetics is. They have assumed that it is in some way, arguing with someone about the Bible, usually over some moot point. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that apologetics, (from the Greek word "apologia"), has nothing to do with arguing, and everything to do with the DEFENSE of the Word of God.
The need for this type of specialized defense can be seen when one considers the prevailing attitude projected from pulpits (televised and otherwise) nationwide today. The common refrain is that there is a "great revival" just beyond the horizon. "God will send a fresh move of the Spirit prior to the return of Christ," they say; "And we can be comforted in knowing that the time for this move is now." The problem with this scenario is that there is absolutely NO scriptural evidence to support it. In fact, the biblical evidence is quite the contrary. The Bible warns of Great Apostasy, not Great Revival as being the move that will precede the return of Christ. (II Thessalonians 2:1-3)
Repeatedly when individuals are warned that false teachings CAN, WILL, and ARE infiltrating the Christian Church, the prevailing attitude is that God will root these perversions out himself, and that the Holy Spirit won't allow his people to be deceived. This is patently false! The scriptures are consistent in its revelation that as we get ever closer to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that the Christian Church WILL BE infiltrated, and that many WILL apostatize. It is equally clear that we, as God's people, have a mandate to do battle to protect the integrity of God's Word from this eventuality. Examples of this reality can be found in:
Amos 8:11,12: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord God, That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it."
John 16:1,2: "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service."
Acts 20:28-31: "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears."
II Thessalonians 2:1-3a: "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first..."
I Timothy 4:1,2: "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doc- trines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron..."
II Timothy 3:1-8: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith."
II Timothy 4:1-4: "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."
II Peter 2:1-3: "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetous- ness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."
It is clear when reading these passages, that far from the rallying cries of "revival," and claims of "fresh words from the Lord" often heard from pulpits worldwide today, the scriptures provide an ominous warning for believers to be on their guard. The Coming Apostasy HAS arrived!! To meet this challenge, The APOLOGETIC RESEARCH CENTER is ever "Set for the Defense of the Gospel!"
"The sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God."
Ephesians 6:17 NKJV
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
The Apologetic
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