Volume 8 / Issue 3 | March 2021
The Apologetics Newsletter
of the Missouri Baptist Convention
In this issue: The witness of Paul to Christ's deity ... Who are you to judge? ... Meet Hanna Sims and Gabriel Zelaya ... The seven letters of Revelation ... and more!
The witness of Paul to Christ's deity
Although Paul likely had no personal encounters with Jesus prior to the crucifixion, he meets the Lord in dramatic fashion on the road to Damascus after Christ's resurrection (Acts 9:1-9). Paul's conversion, testimony, and epistles bear evidence of his conviction that Jesus was, and is, divine.
Who are you to judge?
Jude describes certain false teachers as "merely natural, not having the Spirit" (Jude 19). He seems to be stating plainly that these professing Christians are unbelievers. How can he possibly know these interlopers are lost? Isn't it possible they are deceived, or merely backslidden?
Other witnesses to Christ's deity
In previous columns, we saw how John and Paul affirm the deity of Jesus. Here, we briefly survey the witness of the author of Hebrews, as well as Peter. Specifically, we'll note Heb. 1:2-3, 8-9; and 2 Pet. 1:1.
Have Jews and Christians corrupted the Bible?
The traditional Muslim response to the Bible is that it's the word of God when it conforms to the Qur'an. At the same time, our Muslim friends would argue that Jews and Christians have corrupted the Bible so that, for the most part, it's no longer trustworthy. However, this claim poses problems that begin with the Qur'an itself.

Meet Hanna Sims and Gabriel Zelaya
Hanna Sims (pictured at right) and Gabriel Zelaya are the newest members of the Missouri Baptist Apologetics Network. Hanna is a teacher-trainer with an emphasis on answering apologetics questions in the language of children. Gabriel serves as a worship leader and apologetics teacher. Both Hanna and Gabriel are active leaders at their respective Missouri Baptist churches.

The seven letters of Revelation
The apostle John is instructed to write to the "angels" of the seven churches in Asia, a Roman province that is now part of modern-day Turkey. Whether the "angels" are pastors of the churches, or spirit beings, they bear responsibility for sharing important messages from Christ with the congregations.

Now on Audible: Jesus Before Bethlehem
High Street Press, the publishing imprint of the Missouri Baptist Convention, now offers its newest resource, Jesus Before Bethlehem: What Every Christian Should Know About the Angel of the LORD, as an audio book on Audible. This 335-page resource explores dozens of Old Testament Christophanies, or appearances of the preincarnate Christ. Written for pastors and laypersons, the study is designed to show how the eternal Son of God has always taken a personal interest in those He created to be His imagers on earth.

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