Why Apologetics?

   A common job for apologists is to defend apologetics itself from internal critics.  Indeed, many Christians seem to think that defending the Christian faith is impractical, harmful and even ungodly.  Maybe the most common belief is that the field of apologetics takes faith out of the equation—and that the apologist is trying to make the unbeliever come to Christ by mere reason.  In this post, I will delve into a couple of reasons why every Christian should practice apologetics and give you a historical view of apologetics.

   I believe that most people oppose apologetics on grounds that are neither theological nor logical.  First, apologetics does not have anything to do with faith.  Apologetics works like a bulldozer in removing objections to faith—in a culture where everyone is taught that Christianity is for dumb people, there exist honest questions that must be removed before many can have faith.  Indeed, I’ve never heard of anyone who came to Christ because of apologetics—I’ve only heard of people who were given a fair choice to have faith based on apologetics. 
  Secondly, some Christians object to apologetics because they claim it is impractical to defend the faith.  I would disagree wholeheartedly, for I know many whose courage and confidence are greatly increased by apologetics.  In my experience, most people will not engage in conversations with skeptics, let alone share their faith with anyone, before they hear the reasons for their faith—but, after they hear the reasons for their belief, they can’t stop talking about it. 
  Thirdly, some object that Christianity is irrational.  This objection I believe is itself a kind of worldview.  Why?  Because, most of the time, the people who suggest this will give you good reasons why they’re right—that is, they will give you a reasoned defense of their irrationality. 

  I believe that there are two good reasons to practice apologetics. 

1. It’s commanded

There are several verses in the Bible that explicitly command believers to practice, or be ready to, defend their faith. 

1 Peter 3:15 says, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”

Isaiah 1:18, which is my favorite verse, says, “ ‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the LORD.  ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’ ”

Finally, the entire chapter of Acts 17 talks of Paul’s apologetics to the Greeks.  Verse two specifically states, “As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures…”

These verses clearly support the active defense of our faith, but, in fact, the entire Bible assumes that God exists, and that truth is absolute and understandable.  Many passages assume an apologetic aura.  If many major contradictions exist, then it would appear that the Bible is not God breathed—which means that we really don’t know which parts of the Bible are trustable.  The conclusion of this line of thinking is that our salvation itself would be untrustworthy. 

Paul claims this in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 when he says,

"12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."

If we don’t have good reasons to believe that Christ rose from the dead, then our faith is “futile” and “lost.”  In addition, we would be “still in your sins.” 

2.  Historical Witness

John Gager, a Christian historian, made an interesting discovery about the early church.  He discovered that the early Christian apologists played an essential role in helping Christians to survive as a community.  The Romans and Greeks looked down on Christians as “dumb” because of their beliefs.  But early apologists helped change this view, making Christianity popular and accepted—from there it would go on to become the official religion of Rome.  Thus, Christian apologetics has played an important role in the very existence of the faith.

As you can see below, many major historical figures in Christianity have believed in the necessity for apologetics.

“A man says to me, ‘Can you explain the seven trumpets of the Revelation?’  No, but I can blow one in your ear, and warn you to escape from the wrath to come.”
-Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, I am not a confessing Christian.”
-Martin Luther

“A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.”
-John Calvin

“...to be ignorant and simple now—not to be able to meet the enemies on their own ground—would be to throw down our weapons, and to betray our uneducated brethren who have, under God, no defense but us against the intellectual attacks of the heathen.  Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered.” 
- C.S. Lewis

“In an age in which infidelity abounds, do we observe believers carefully instructing their children in the principles of faith they profess?  Or do they furnish their children with argument for the defense of that faith?” 
- William Wilberforce

As I hope you’ve seen, there are at least two good reasons to know why you believe what you do and to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in of you.  It is my hope that you will take this responsibility as seriously as any other Christian responsibility.  I can definitely say that the practice of apologetics has influenced my faith and drawn me closer to my Creator—that is why it is my life goal to always be able to give a defense of my faith.  I hope that it can become a goal for you as well.