“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to every- one who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…” 1 Peter 3:15 The apostle Paul performed the first re- corded act of apologetics in biblical his- tory before the high council of Athens. He stood and defended the faith before a council of unconvinced men, alone, un- daunted and convinced to a T of the logicality and truth of his stance. Christian apologetics in today’s parlance refers to a systematic defends of the origin, credibility and doctrines of the faith. Derived from the Greek word “apologia,” meaning “defend” or “answer”, this im- plies not only a passionate approach but a logical, coherent, factual and many times argumentative discourse centered on Christianity. While there are endless possible question to answer, major areas of discourse centered around the existence of God and the nature of divine reality, the historicity and reliability of the bible, the veracity of the gospel, the deity of Christ and the problem of evil and suffering in this world. While these areas may appear daunting at first glance, there is an answer to every question in God’s word. Most believers, however, tend to take on a sentimental approach when confronted with these questions. This seems to be an exaggeration or misunderstanding of 2 Timothy 2:14, which admonishes believers not to engage in vain arguments. However, it is important not to superimpose one scripture over another, for it is the same God who convicts by His Spirit that created in man a mind to question and ears and eyes through which to hear the Word and see its evidence and thus be convinced. This is why Jude 1:3 admonishes us to contend for the faith and 2 Corinthians 10:5 speaks on casting down imaginations and all knowledge that raises itself against the knowledge of God. A second, perhaps closer to home reason for the lack of apologetics in the body today is laziness. Many Christians prefer to practice their faith comfortably in their local churches than to suit up in the armor of knowledge and engage in discussions. On the other hand, some avoid arguments over the faith in the same manner that they avoid evangelism entirely -a fear of confrontation. Beloved, let us not forget that God has called us each and every one of us to be heralds of His Good News. Difficult though it may seem, we are mandated to share His Word with our world, and as good and faithful servants it is necessary that we equip ourselves to do this in every way possible through the gifts of the spirit which inspire awe, and through the soundness of mind which inspires logical conviction (2 Timothy 1:7). But it is the Spirit that convicts, not the mind, you may be tempted to argue and you would be partly right. But let us not forget that the goal of apologetics is not to prove the existence of God or the truth of Christianity through human reasoning alone, but rather to demonstrate the reasonableness and intellectual credibility of Christian dogma while the Spirit plays His role. In essence, apologetics is a celebration of truth -the truth of the Scriptures, of the life, death and resurrection of Christ, and of His Lordship. It is an important aspect of Christian discipleship, as it enables believers to share their faith with confidence and clarity. This is the Great Commission to which we must all adhere. In the adoption of an apologetic stance, we can then wholeheartedly trust God to shine His light mightily through us in an increasingly secular and sceptical world.
Oreoluwa Opeolu,