The Reasons for Our Hope

"The first fifteen volumes in the series focus on Bible doctrine, i.e., what the Bible teaches. The first twelve volumes deal with theology, i.e., what the Bible teaches about what is true as opposed to what is false. The next three volumes deal with ethics, i.e., what the Bible teaches about what is right conduct as opposed to what is wrong.In the final two volumes I have shifting gears and am focusing mostly on something that is a bit different. Here the main subject is not what the Bible teaches, but why we should believe what it teaches. In other words, we are now dealing with what is called apologetics, or sometimes Christian evidences. Most of my teaching and writing efforts throughout my career have been concentrated on Bible doctrine or teaching, but I have also done quite a bit of work in the apologetics field. Very little of this work has been published, though.In this volume I am not trying to set forth a comprehensive course on apologetics, textbook style. Rather, I have collected what I consider some of my most useful presentations on the subject, mostly as taught in churches and various kinds of church gatherings.My goal here is to help the average Christian to be able to obey what the Apostle Peter has instructed us to do in 1 Peter 3:15, i.e., to "in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (ESV). The title of this present volume is taken from this verse." ~ Jack Cottrell (From the Preface)