Apologetics Aphorisms

I have a collection of aphorisms, quips, and humorous thought-provokers about discernment issues. I've collected these over a period of many years and I can't remember where I got most of them. I know many were picked up at the various discernment conferences I've attended. One of my favorite teachers with some of this wit is G. Richard Fisher, who has been a pastor at Laurelton Park Baptist Church in Bricktown, NJ since 1968, and is also with Personal Freedom Outreach apologetics ministry. I hope you enjoy these thoughts as much as I, and that you can find use for them sometime!


"Discernment is the immune system of the church; apologetics is the handmaiden of the gospel."


"Wisdom is knowledge applied; the knowledge being from study or experience."


"Tolerance is the virtue of those who don't believe in anything." G.K. Chesterson


"Greeks looked for wisdom, Americans look for compromise."


"True love must discriminate between good and evil."


"The Bible is like a gun; don’t defend it, use it!"


Christians who don’t understand their faith, and who are not discerning, are suffering from some (or all) of the following maladies: "Spiritual AIDS - Acquired Ignorance of Doctrine Syndrome," "Doctrinally impaired," "Biblically challenged," or "Doctrinal anorexia."


"They have been sewing spiritual clothes but they’ve missed several stitches."


"We need to equip our people for living in the world, rather than protect them from living in the world."


"Shepherds are letting the sheep determine their diet." (I believe this came from R.C. Sproul)


"Many Christians are eating junk food theology; some of which can give food poisoning."


"With some teachers there is so much chaff that the wheat is hard to find."


If someone says “you can’t throw out the baby with the bath water,” tell them to save the baby but drain the water.


"Seduction of the mind will result in corruption of the soul."


"When people are starving they will eat anything."


"To get a bone away from a dog, give him a bone with more meat on it." (Helping people leave cults)


"Ear candy gives brain cavities."


Some of Dick Fisher’s quips discussing scripture-twisting: “Hazardous hermeneutics.” “Rorschach Hermeneutics” (you see what you want to see). “Harmeneutics” “Flexodoxy”


Some claim people just need “milk” because they are not ready for the meat of Scripture. The question becomes, what sort of milk are we giving them: skim? 1%? 2%? or sour?


Daffynitions: Cult cocktail - Scripture with a twist. Therapist: Rent a Friend.