Apologetics Without Apology

 

Apologetics is a pretty big word. It sounds like the word “apology”. Right now I want you to erase any idea of relating to each other those two words (apologetics and apology). It has nothing to do with being sorry. The word “apologetic” simply means ” a defense”. Christian Apologetics is simply giving the reason for what we believe and why we believe it. This has nothing to do with an “apology” because we are not “sorry” for what we believe. In this post I am going to explain what Christian Apologetics is and what the Biblical basis for Christian Apologetics is.

Apologetics Commanded

The primary verse that we get Christian Aplogetics from is 1 Peter 3:15. This is where the word “apologetics” comes from as well as the command that we as Christians are to do apologetics.

but 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,
(1 Peter 3:15)

The Greek word that is translated “defense” is the word “apologia” which is where we get the word “apologetic”. This passage is directed to all believers. If you are a believer, you are commanded to always be ready to make an apologetic (defense). This passage also tells us the reason for apologetics. It is so we can clearly explain what we believe and WHY we believe it. I want you to understand we do not have a blind faith. There are actual reason we believe what we believe! There is actual, concrete evidence for what we believe! According to 1 Peter 3:15 each one of us is commanded to know what that evidence is and be able to present it in a clear way to anyone who asks about our faith.

1 Peter 3:15 also tells us what our attitude is to be when doing apologetics. We are to be respectful. Apologetics is not about making other people look stupid or making them sound ridiculous because “their evidence isn’t as substantial as our evidence”. Apologetics is simply about respectfully telling someone why you believe what you believe and the reason for the hope that you have. This is the heart of apologetics.

Apologetics Exemplified

Not only does the Bible command us to do apologetics, it also gives us several examples of people doing apologetics. I am going to list several verses that talk about someone calling out false teachers, reasoning from the scriptures, refuting people publicly, and calling others to do the same. These all are examples of what apologetics is all about.

But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?“
(Acts 13:8-10 emphasis mine)

And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”
(Acts 17:2-3 emphasis mine)

And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
(Acts 18:27-28 emphasis mine)

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.
(1 Corinthians 16:13-14 emphasis mine)

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
(Colossians 2:8-9 emphasis mine)

but test everything; hold fast what is good.
(1 Thessalonians 5:21 emphasis mine)

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of the demons. If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by doing so you will save both yourself and your hearers.
(1 Timothy 4:1, 6, 16 emphasis mine)

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
(Jude 3-4 emphasis mine)

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
(Jude 20-23 emphasis mine)

As you can see, there are numerous examples of people defending the faith and encouraging and even commanding all believers to do the same.

Apologetics Applied

As mentioned before, apologetics is knowing what you believe, why you believe it, and being able to accurately and clearly defend those beliefs. There are clearly three things involved in apologetics: knowing what, knowing why, and knowing how to defend.

In order to know what you believe you must study. Search the scriptures for yourself and determine what the Bible teaches. To know why you believe it you must first know why you believe the Bible is true. You can do reading on this subject to find out information on the accuracy and the historicity of the bible (I will provide you with a good book list at the end of this post). When you know why you believe what you believe it not only helps you with defending your faith, it also strengthens your faith. It helps to understand that you don’t have a “blind faith” but that there are actual reasons you believe what you do. Finally we come to the defense. It is important to note that there is a big difference between knowing why you believe something and being able to defend it. In order to defend it you must know why, but you must know it well enough to be able to clearly explain it to someone else. An other part of the defense is knowing what other religions believe so you can effectively cause a person to question what they believe. Remember that this is to be done with gentleness and respect. It is not a time to bash other beliefs.

This is apologetics. We do not apologize for what we believe or for explaining it to someone. We do it boldly, reasoning with them and proving that Jesus is who He says He is. All believers are commanded to “always be ready to give a defense”. Apologetics is not an option. It is a matter of obedience.

Suggested Reading

• Know Why You Believe by Paul E. Little
•  Stand Your Ground by Dean Hardy
•  The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh MacDowell
•  The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
•  Beyond Opinion by Ravi Zacharias
•  The Challenge of the Cults and New Religions by Ron Rhodes
•  The Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin and Ravi Zacharias

Testifying to the gospel of the grace of God,
Robbie
Acts 20:24