Apologetics - What and Why
What is Apologetics?
Apologetics is giving a reason or defense for our Christian faith, and it builds a positive case for Objective Truth, God, Miracles, the Gospel record, the fact that Jesus is God, and that the Bible is the true word of God; as well as answering objections. Pastor Francis Schaeffer described Apologetics as pre-evangelism that paves the way for the gospel.
Why do Apologetics?
If Apologetics is giving a reason or defense for our Christian faith, let's look at four reasons why we should do it.
1: Bible commands it
First, the Bible commands it. 1 Peter 3:15 says, "always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you". In Philippians 1:16 Paul says, "I am put here for the defense of the gospel." And Jude 3 tells us "to contend for the faith".
2: Culture needs it
Second, our culture needs it. This is because our culture has been teaching world views that are just not true. Such as...
- Relativism: that says no view is absolutely true
- Pluralism: that says all views are relatively true
- Naturalism: that says no supernatural view is true
The problem is that if someone does not believe in objective truth as a world view, then they're not going to believe in our One Personal God, Miracles, the Gospel record, the fact that Jesus is God, and that the Bible is the true word of God.
So, we've got to start with objective truth because our culture needs it. C. S. Lewis put it like this, "Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered." (The Weight of Glory)
3: Church needs it
Third, the church needs it. According to Norman Geisler's classic, "Twelve Points that Show Christianity is True", the statistics are staggering. 80% of active teens leave the church in their twenties with the main reason being doubts about the Bible.
Also, only 9% of evangelicals (people that attend church) have a Christian world view and more concerning is the fact that only 51% of evangelical pastors have a Christian world view. So yes, the Church needs it.
4: Results confirm it
Finally, results confirm it. Many people, from all walks of life, atheists, scientists, skeptics and the like have looked at the evidence and come to believe the truth of Theism and Christianity as a result of apologetics.
How to handle Objections
Only the Holy Spirt can save, not Apologetics.
Answer: This is true, but evidence can be used by the Holy Spirit. Apologetics can lead them to water, only the Holy Spirit can persuade them to drink.
The Bible is like a lion and does not need defended, only let loose.
Answer: Would we accept Islam or Mormonism based on this? No! The reason we fear a lion is because of prior evidence of their danger. We need evidence that what looks like a lion is a lion.
Paul tried apologetics in Acts 17, but failed.
Answer: Not so, Acts 17:34 gives the results and some believed. Paul used the same method in 1 Corinthians 15.
Paul said the natural man does not understand spiritual things in 1 Corinthians 2:4.
Answer: A distinction needs to be made between perceiving truth, as in Romans 1:18 which the natural man can do and receiving truth as in 1 Corinthians 2:14 which the natural man cannot do.
We are saved by faith alone not faith plus reason as in Ephesians 2:8-9.
Answer: Yes, but faith is not unreasonable and a rational person needs evidence that God exists before believing in God.
No one is saved by apologetics, but by preaching Christ as is said in Romans 1:16.
Answer: It is not either or, but both/and, apologetics is one way to help bring people to God. The God of reason, who created people with reason, would not bypass reason on the way to the heart.
Summary
Apologetics is giving a reason or defense for our Christian faith, and it builds a positive case for Objective Truth, God, Miracles, the Gospel record, the fact that Jesus is God, and that the Bible is the true word of God; as well as answers objections. Simple put, it is pre-evangelism that paves the way for the gospel.
Four reasons we do apologetics are the Bible commands it, our Culture needs it, the Church needs it and the results confirm it.
As Norman Geisler, the Godfather of Apologetics put it: If God is a God of reason, who created people with reason, He would not bypass reason on the way to faith.
How to do Apologetics
Sources
1 Norman Geisler and Doug Potter, Twelve Points That Show Christianity Is True - Teachers Guide