The story of the Acts 17 Apologetics team, Nabeel Qureshi and David Wood (including Negeen and Paul Rezkallah), being arrested at the 2010 Arab Festival this weekend in Dearborn, Michigan, is exploding not only across the blogosphere but is also getting picked up by other media sources, such as news programs and radio talk shows. With that sort of exposure you just know it is going to elicit responses from their critics. It is for this reason that everyone, Nabeel and David especially, can appreciate the value of their having filmed the experience.

For example, someone named Nick—over at Tom Gilson’s Thinking Christian—thought that the opinion of “Spiffy the Basset” had some credibility. Spiffy let loose with some very strong words attacking the character of Nabeel and David, calling them liars and claiming that they were “showboating” and “trying to cause a scene,” suggesting that they were “trying to get arrested” (which is not only fallacious but Gilson had already obviated this sort of response within his article itself). So herein lies the value of video footage: the scathing opinion of Spiffy can be compared against starkly unbiased video evidence, averting the tedium of this person’s word against that person’s. (Provided that the footage on their cameras is not coincidentally damaged or deleted while in possession of the Dearborn Police Department.) Just as the footage of their experience last year proved the lies and physical assaults of the security guards, so too will video evidence prove more reliable than the vituperative attacks of their critics this year. Clearly that is one of the very reasons they brought video cameras with them and had them rolling the entire time. So go ahead and toss in your lot with the unscrupulous and illegitimately personal attacks of Spiffy, Nick. The more reserved and responsible of us will toss in our lot with the unbiased view of the camera, and the testimony of Nabeel and David who make their statements knowing very well what the footage on the cameras will expose.

On a related note and something I found quite remarkable? There was supposed to be a second formal debate between Dr. James White, from Alpha & Omega Ministries, and Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Awal, from the Zaitun Dawah Institute, this evening at the Center for Religious Debate in Romulus, MI (info)—but it got cancelled, and I doubt you could ever guess why. Evidently the mosque that was hosting Sheikh Awal demanded that he pull out of that debate because of David Wood’s arrest Friday evening! If you’re struggling to grasp the connection between these two things, you are not alone. It is difficult to say what the connection could be, other than they are both apologists and participants in The Great Debate Series over last weekend. But even if we assumed that David Wood did something highly illegal, what has that to do with Dr. White? Why is that mosque equating the two men? As Dr. White noted,

I pointed out to Sheikh Awal that Sheikh Zakir Naik has been banned from the UK for saying that all Muslims need to be terrorists. So, should I hold him accountable for everything Zakir Naik says or does? If not, why not?

With consideration to how often American Muslims object to “being lumped together with others unfairly,” it was a very curious choice that mosque made, predicated on such a dubious connection.

For the sake of those who might be surprised to find out, you actually can present what the gospel says in bold and clear terms on atheist message boards. (And in my opinion, only by presenting it boldly and clearly.) The following is a brief exchange between me and an atheist (who we’ll call Anthony) which ensued after I had described one thing that makes Christianity unique or sets it apart in the marketplace of religions. I hope the following can be instructive, in some small way, for those who find themselves with an opportunity to present what the gospel is to unbelievers.

RYFT (Christian):

Christianity is the only religion in the entire world whose afterlife is based on grace; that is, every single other religion on the planet teaches an afterlife that is reached by some kind of balance of good works. Christianity is singularly unique in that salvation (afterlife) is not based on any human good works at all, period. It is based on the good works of Jesus Christ, in whom alone the believer is saved. This is because “a balance of good works” is precisely that: a balance, meaning that in addition there are bad works, violations of God’s holy law. In human courts, a person found guilty of breaking several criminal laws is never told by the judge, “Well, aside from these laws you have broken you’re an otherwise pretty decent fellow. You may go. No sentence for you.” It would be unjust to not punish guilty criminals. He may be a decent fellow, but he is nevertheless guilty of having broken several criminal laws, and justice demands crime be punished. On what grounds, then, would a person think God would leave sins unpunished? That would be unjust.

ANTHONY (Atheist):

You came to the conclusion that the correct religion in the world consists of a God with a one-size-fits-all plan for salvation? One that simply judges a book by its cover?

RYFT:

Since that is a crude caricature that fails to reflect what I had said, there is nothing for me to respond to. I have zero interest in answering for beliefs I don’t have.

ANTHONY:

But you said Christianity is based on belief and grace, rather than actions in life. I was addressing that. The only characteristic that God would consider is your belief in him, which is a human act. Would that be a fair assessment?

RYFT:

I had said nothing about what Christianity is based on. I said salvation is based on God’s grace, not human works.

Moreover, that is not a fair assessment, but a wildly inaccurate one that completely ignores what I had actually said. Belief in God does not save anyone. A person is not saved because he believes, but because of what Christ did.

It’s not as if man exists in some state of spiritual neutrality from which either ‘belief’ or ‘non-belief’ finally determines his standing before God, whether justified or condemned. Under biblical Christianity, all mankind exists in a state of condemnation already on account of sin. We all come from the same pool of death and darkness, of sin and moral ruin—and through unbelief (itself a sin) man remains there. We exist under judgment for death; only in Christ is there judgment for life. We exist under God’s wrath; only in Christ is that wrath removed. We exist under condemnation; only in Christ are we justified. Salvation is through Christ, not belief, who died for the sins of all who repent and believe.

"The doctrines of grace are the biblical teachings that define the ends and means of God’s perfect work of redemption. They tell us that God is the one who saves, for his own glory, and freely. And they tell us that he does so only through Christ, only on the basis of his grace, only with the perfection that marks everything the Father, Son, and Spirit do. The doctrines of grace separate the Christian faith from the works-based religions of men. They direct us away from ourselves and solely to God’s grace and mercy. They destroy pride, instil humility, and exalt God." (James R. White)

ANTHONY:

You’re not making any sense. First you say, “Belief in God does not save anyone.” But then you say, “Salvation is through Christ, not belief, who died for the sins of all who repent and believe.” So in order for me to be saved, I need to believe that Christ is my personal Savior (an entity that is also considered God). Or am I getting this wrong?

(And that quote from White? Niiiice!)

RYFT:

You are getting this wrong. Let me construct a chain we can follow.

(1) Salvation is through Christ alone—by who he is (sinless substitute) and what he did (atoning sacrifice). (2) His death paid for the sins of all who repent and believe. (3) So in order to be saved, you need to be one of those who repent and believe because that’s whose sins Christ’s death paid for. (4) If you do not repent and believe, your sins are not covered by his sacrifice, leaving you to pay for your sins on your own.

So then it is not your repentance and belief that saves you. It is Christ’s life and death that saves you, a salvation you enter into through repentance and belief.

If there are any lingering questions, go ahead and ask. I hope I’ve made it clear, but only you can tell me.

ANTHONY:

It’s a bit confusing? You say it’s not your belief that saves you, but then you would not be able to be saved without that particular belief.

RYFT:

Well, not quite: “you would not be able to be saved without” Christ paying for your sins. Salvation is through having sins paid for. Belief does not pay for sins. (1) Christ paid for the sins of all those who repent and believe. (2) All those who repent and believe therefore have their sins paid for.

ANTHONY:

Got it.