In chapter six, Frame states that the main task is to isolate the Bible’s own argument, rationale, for the truth of the gospel message. Frame argues that only the Christian worldview presents God as an absolute person. Earlier chapters prove this. Also, this absolute personality is found mainly in God’s Word not the Quran and other religious books which though dependent on the Bible distort it.
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In chapter 5, Apologetics as Proof: Theistic arguments, John Frame presents traditional arguments for the existence of God with a Van Tillian conclusion: nothing is intelligible unless God exists, and God must be nothing less than the Trinitarian, sovereign, transcendent, and immanent absolute personality of the Scripture.
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In chapter four, Apologetics as Proof: Transcendental Argument, Frame states that the transcendental argument for God’s existence (hereafter TAG), a form of argumentation that has become something of the bread and butter of presuppositionalists. Cornelius Van Til sometimes referred this view as transcendental and sometimes presuppostional.
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In chapter three, Apologetics as Proof: Some Methodological Considerations, and the next three chapters, John M. Frame discusses one, proof, of the three aspects of apologetics that he discusses in chapter one:
1. Apologetics as proof: presenting a rational basis for faith or “proving Christianity to be true.”
2. Apologetics as defense: answering the objections of unbelief.
3. Apologetics as offense: attacking the foolishness of unbelieving thought.
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In chapter two, The Message of the Apologist, Frame states that “the apologist’s message, ultimately, is nothing less than the whole of Scripture, applied to the need of his hearers.” Frame summarizes the message of Scripture from two perspectives. The first is Christianity as a philosophy, and second, Christianity as good news.
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Frame states that many passages of the Bible from the prophets, Jesus, and the apostles do not sound very “peaceful.” These men were willing to use very strong, angry language when necessary. On many occasions, however, they showed much patience and gentleness. In my view, strong language is appropriate against people who (1) claim to have some religious teaching authority, and (2) are proclaiming false doctrine on serious matters, leading believers astray, or are dishonoring orthodox doctrine by ungodly lives, and (3) have ignored clear and graciously expressed warnings that their conduct displeases God. The Protestant Reformers used similarly strong language (which can usually be justified on these principles). Most of those today who are seeking to emulate the biblical and Reformation writers in this respect are overdoing it, in my opinion. They should learn to give at least equal attention to peacemaking.
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