ScriptureStream

False dilemma (“either … or”)

Spiritual importance

Can you think of any other possibilities for each of the following?

“Either you have faith, or you are rational.”

“The Bible vs. science.”

“The Bible teaches that ‘in Christ all things hold together’ (Colossians 1:17). But we now know that the forces of gravity and electromagnetism are what hold the universe together.”

“You must not really believe that God is going to answer your request for healing; otherwise you would not have gone to the doctor.”

Perhaps the most common example of this fallacy occurs with the topic of salvation – “Either we’re saved by grace or by works!”

Salvation by grace only is a core doctrine of many churches.

Compare Ephesians 2:8-9; James 2:24. Make sure you avoid the equivocation fallacy in regard to the word “works” in these passages.

Special pleading

What is it?

Proverbs 20:23

“Special pleading is the fallacy of applying a double standard.”

Spiritual importance

Romans 2:1-3, 17-24

Notice the hypocrisy in Matthew 23:3-4. Could that sort of thing happen to so-called Christians today?

Evaluate the declaration “You shouldn’t judge people!”

Introduction

Acts 15:19

Romans 10:1

Learn the truth about Jesus!

Matthew 28:18-20

Acts 2; 8:35; 9:22

Romans 10:9-10

Do what He wants!

James 2:17

Luke 6:46

Repent: Luke 24:45-47; Acts 17:30-31

Get baptized: Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4; I Peter 3:21

Walk in newness of life: Ephesians 3; Romans 6; Colossians 3

Join a local church: Acts 9:26-28; I Corinthians 5:2; Titus 1:5-9; I Peter 5:1-2; Hebrews 13:17

Where are you in this process of conversion?

Do you need to learn more before you can fully believe and confess Jesus?

Are you ready to repent of your sins?

Are you not sure what your status is about baptism?

Maybe you’ve done those things, but then didn’t walk in newness of life. Repent!

Do you need to join a church?

Spiritual importance, continued:

“If you really believe the Bible, then I suppose you believe in slavery and stoning rebellious children as the Bible teaches.”

“What about my dear Grandmother who died without being baptized? Are you really saying that baptism is necessary for salvation?”

“Since the inerrancy of Scripture is a divisive doctrine, we should reject it.”

“Most scientists believe in evolution.”

“I know what Matthew 19:3-9 says, but don’t you think God wants us to be happy? You don’t think He wants His people to be stuck in miserable marriages, do you?”

“Which would you rather believe in – God or evolution?”

“Which would you rather believe in – a God who saves everyone or just some?”

What is it?

“A person commits the fallacy of bifurcation when he or she claims that there are only two mutually exclusive possibilities – which, in fact, there is a third option (or more).”

See John 9:1-3. “The key to avoiding the dilemma is simply to find the third alternative.”

If there truly is no third option, then no fallacy is committed.

For example, Matthew 12:30 commits no fallacy.

Matthew 21:25

Proverbs 18:22 – Marriage is good!

The controversy around marriage roles

The benefits of marriage roles

God-designed companionship

Genesis 2:18; Malachi 2:14

If we try to change what God designed, the only way it can go is down!

Your companion is instructed to love and sacrifice themselves for you.

Ephesians 5:25-30; I Peter 3:7; Colossians 3:18

When the husband fulfills his role correctly, the wife gets a wonderful thing.

Ephesians 5:33

When the wife fulfills her role, the husband benefits as well.

What is my spouse isn’t on board?

I John 2:17

Courage

John 16:32

Acts 4:13 – Peter and John showed confidence, but it was not through their own knowledge or training. It was from being with Jesus!

Acts 18:9-11 – God gave Paul some encouragement by settling him in a safe place for a while.

I Corinthians 16:13

Cost

Philippians 3:7-8 – Paul gave up many physical things, including a career as a Jewish official, to serve God.

Whatever the cost, we must stand with Christ.

Matthew 16:24-26

Christ

I John 2:3-6

I Peter 2:21-24 – Jesus did not die so that we could sin like anybody else!

We should not stoop to the level of the enemy. We must be like Christ!

Galatians 2:20

Matthew 10:16

Faulty appeals

Amos 7:10-17; Jeremiah 38:1-6 – God’s prophets were often rejected without reasoning through their warnings. People tried to ignore or stop their message with force.

What is it?

Appealing to faulty sources of authority might be very effective or persuasive, but it is faulty reasoning because it does not prove a proposition.

The appeal to force/fear: “You better accept my claim or there will be consequences!”

Daniel 3:6

You do not see this sort of appeal in the New Testament. The apostles did not try to force people to be baptized.

The appeal to emotion: attempting to persuade people by stirring powerful emotions rather than making a logical case.

The appeal to pity: a particular type of the appeal to emotion that occurs when an arguer tries to persuade people to accept a position by generating sympathy for those who hold the position.

The appeal to ignorance: the fallacy of appealing to the unknown; specifically, it is when a person argues that a claim is probably true simply because it has never been proven false.

The appeal to the majority of what’s popular: the fallacy of deciding proof by opinion polls.

Spiritual importance

Acts 4:14, 21; 5:18, 28, 40

What about preachers who primarily tell anecdotes and poignant stories instead of reasoning with people from the Scriptures (Acts 17:2)?

“What about the tribal member deep in the jungle who’s never had a Bible and doesn’t know about Jesus?”

“If you teach creation in this school, we’ll sue you.”

Philippians 1:27-2:4

Philippians 1:27 – Our conduct should be worthy of the gospel (up to the standard of the gospel).

Standing for God – Matthew 12:25; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 6:11, 13; 4:12; I Corinthians 10:12; 15:1

Striving together for the faith – Jude 1:3

Philippians 1:28 – There are adversaries, even within the church. If we strive together, we can stand against them.

Philippians 1:29-30 – Striving builds us up in the faith.

Acts 5 – Suffering for Christ has great value.

Revelation 2:13

Despite all the suffering and conflict the Philippians were faced with, they continued to grow!

Philippians 2:1-2 – What to do about conflict and suffering? Be united in serving God!

Philippians 2:3-4 – We are no good in battle if we only think of ourselves. Looking out for others first gives us courage.

Ephesians 6:10-18

Why follow spiritual pursuits?

Matthew 17:5; Hebrews 1:1-2; Acts 3:22-23

II Peter 1:3

II Corinthians 11:3

Genesis 3:6

I John 2:15-17

II Corinthians 11:14-15

Romans 8:6-9, 13-14

Romans 13:14

I John 3:8

Romans 6:16-18

Philippians 2:25; Philemon 1:2

II Timothy 2:3

Ephesians 6:10-18

This is heaven’s armor, but it is for us.

Revelation 2:10; I timothy 6:12

II Corinthians 10:3-5

Matthew 4:1-11

Hebrews 2:14

I Peter 5:8

We must put on all the armor of God.

Ephesians 6:13

I Timothy 4:16

James 1:21

Ephesians 4:14

Colossians 2:8

Jude 1:3

I John 3:7

Psalms 119:172

Romans 10:17

Psalms 119:105

Colossians 3:16

Ephesians 6:15 – preparation of the gospel

I Peter 3:15

I Peter 2:2

Hebrews 6:1

I Timothy 4:13, 16

Hebrews 5:12-14

Jeremiah 6:10

Hosea 4:6

I Timothy 3:15

Matthew 7:13-15

Philippians 2:15

Psalms 1:1-2; 119:15-16

II Timothy 3:16-17

II Timothy 1:3

Titus 2:1

I Peter 3:15

Ephesians 6:16 – the shield of faith

Galatians 3:26

Hebrews 11:1

Romans 10:17

John 20:30-31

Hebrews 2:10

Matthew 28:18

Proverbs 3:5-7

John 10:27-28

Ephesians 6:17 – helmet of salvation

Ephesians 1:3

Matthew 5:45

II Timothy 2:1, 10

Ephesians 1:7

Romans 6:4

Galatians 3:27

Colossians 3:1-3

Philippians 4:8

Ephesians 6:17 – sword of the spirit

This it he only offensive spiritual weapon we have, but it is the most powerful weapon known to man.

II Corinthians 10:3-5

Hebrews 4:12

II Peter 1:5-10

Ephesians 6:18 – prayer is how we communicate with the Commander in this warfare

I Thessalonians 5:17

Luke 18:1

Hebrews 12:1

Philippians 3:13-14

Revelation 2:10

I Peter 1:22-23