How can we apply the logic of Luke 11:19 in defending our faith? Setting the Scene • Jesus has just cast out a demon. Some witnesses insist He did it “by Beelzebub.” • He answers, “And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.” (Luke 11:19) • The Lord exposes the internal inconsistency of His critics’ charge: the same act (exorcism) done by their own people is praised, yet when He does it, they condemn Him. Jesus’ Argument in Luke 11:19 • Reductio ad absurdum: take the opponent’s premise and show it collapses on itself. • Consistency test: if a standard is valid, it must apply across the board. • Appeal to undisputed facts: demons really were being driven out; the only question is “by whom?” Principles for Apologetics Drawn from the Verse • Expose double standards. – If skeptics borrow moral or logical capital from Christianity, point it out. • Use internal critique. – Step inside the opponent’s worldview temporarily and reveal its contradictions. • Highlight fruit. – Authentic spiritual power and transformed lives testify to the gospel (cf. Matthew 7:16). • Keep the discussion person-centered. – Jesus directs the debate back to Himself as the true source of deliverance. Practical Ways to Use This Logic Today 1. When confronted with “Christianity is harmful,” ask how they account for hospitals, orphanages, and abolitionist movements birthed by believers. If the fruit is good, the root can’t be evil. 2. If someone claims moral relativism yet condemns injustice, invite them to explain where objective moral standards come from. Their own outrage “judges” them, echoing Luke 11:19. 3. When science is set against faith, note that many founders of scientific disciplines were Christians. If faith is supposedly anti-reason, why did it historically nurture reason’s growth? 4. In conversations about evil, show that calling something “evil” assumes a real moral law—best explained by a moral Lawgiver. Otherwise, the accusation self-destructs. Supporting Scriptures • Proverbs 26:4-5: “Do not answer a fool according to his folly… Answer a fool according to his folly…” – The two-step method: first refuse to adopt the faulty premise, then turn it back on itself—exactly what Jesus does. • 1 Peter 3:15: “Always be prepared to give a defense… but respond with gentleness and respect.” – Jesus models calm, reasoned reply, not anger. • 2 Corinthians 10:5: “We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God.” – Internal critique is a God-given strategy. • Romans 1:20: Creation itself leaves humanity “without excuse,” so unbelief always carries internal tension that can be exposed. Living It Out • Listen carefully, identify the hidden standard your friend already uses, and show how it points back to Christ. • Stay gracious; the goal is not to win an argument but to invite others to the consistency, power, and truth embodied in Jesus. |
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