A SHORT INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS

Dr. Samuel Sundar

MBBS, PGDHM, CO(Diagnostic Radiology)

Copyright ©samuelsundar

Introduction

The short introduction to apologetics is an attempt to introduce apologetics to the readers. Though there are many other books, under this category, there is only one short introduction and it is this book. This introduction also explains the spiritual aspects of apologetics which are absent in most of the apologetics books that I have read. The importance of prayer and the anointing of the Holy Ghost to do apologetics completely dependent on God is discussed. Hope this small volume inspires you to learn, live and love for Christ. Amen.

-       Dr. Samuel Sundar

Table of Contents

Contents

Copyright ©samuelsundar

Introduction

Table of Contents

1.    What is Apologetics?

Definition

Goal of Christian Apologetics

Glorify God

Defend and Present Christ

Demonstrate the truthfulness of Christian worldview and the errors in the other worldviews

Establish believers in the truth

Train Workers

2.    Biblical Basis for Apologetics

3.    Apologetics: Defense of the faith

Atheism

Islam

Cult groups

New Age movement

Debates

4.    Apologetics: Exposing Errors And Removing Barriers

Atheism

Agnosticism

Islam

Cults

New Age

Removing Barriers

Correcting Misunderstandings

5.    Classification of Apologetics

6.    God and Reason

7.    God and Truth

8.    Faith and Reason

9.    Apologetics is Spiritual Warfare

10. Apologetics and Evangelism

11. How to do Apologetics?

12. Lifestyle Apologetics: With Love and Through Actions

13. Prayer and Apologetics

14. Humble Apologetics

15. In the Power of the Holy Spirit

16. Integrated Apologetics: Apologetics For the Glory of God

1.  What is Apologetics?

Definition

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Apologetics as “Systematic argumentative discourse in defense (as of a doctrine)” and as “A branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity.”

Theopedia, the encyclopedia of theology defines apologetics as “the verbal defense of the Faith, for example by dispelling inaccurate stereotypes or by re-presenting doctrine in language that is more accessible to non-believers. The goal of apologetics is to persuasively answer honest objections that keep people from faith in Jesus Christ.”

It is a tool to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections and misinterpretations and expose the errors in other worldview and religions.

Goal of Christian Apologetics

Glorify God

The goal of everything the Christian does is to glorify God.  As Paul admonished the church, “…do it all for the glory of God.”

Defend and Present Christ

When sharing Christ with unbelievers, it is important to help them overcome doubts and understand what exactly the gospel is, its historicity, reliability and core message. Apologetics comes in handy to give the necessary rational basis for becoming a Christian and help remove barriers to belief.

Demonstrate the truthfulness of Christian worldview and the errors in the other worldviews

Apologetics uses logic, presuppositions, historical, scientific and archeological evidence to demonstrate the truthfulness of Christian faith and the errors and inconsistencies in other worldviews.

Establish believers in the truth

New Christians and establishes ones alike can develop doubts from various sources. It is the goal of apologetics is to help them overcome doubts and establish them in the truth.

Train Workers

Apologetics is a very important component in training ministers, missionaries and lay people to fulfill their calling. It equips the worker with the tools and training of mind to spot errors and defend the truth.

2.  Biblical Basis for Apologetics

Let the sacred Scriptures therefore be your models:

"Night and day read them, read them day and night.” Colman.

If you thus peruse them, "they will make you that you shall not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; (2 Pet 1:8,) but you will become good ministers of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine; (1 Tim 4:6,) and ready to every good work; (Tit 3:1,) workmen who need not to be ashamed;" (2 Tim 2:15,) sowing the gospel with diligence and patience; and returning to your Lord with rejoicing, bringing with you an ample harvest, through the blessing of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: to whom be praise and glory from this time, even forever more! Amen!

—   Arminius

The word apologetics is derived from the Greek word, “apologia”, which means defense. It is seen in the following verses:

Apostle Peter says, “Always be ready to give a reason/defense (apologia) for the hope that is within you” 1 Peter 3:15

Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Matthew 22:37 ©NET

Jesus teaches that we should love God with all our mind also. This opens the door for apologetics and its methods.

Moreover St. Jude in his epistle v3 asks his church to “Contend for the faith once for all given to the saints”

Dr.Paul courtier explains the above biblical passage with respect to apologetics.

“This passage provides a firm basis for defensive apologetics (dealing with questions people ask) as it envisages believers providing an answer to those who ask them why they have such hope. It teaches several key principles for apologetics. Firstly, apologetics is the task of all believers, not simply an intellectual elite – all should be prepared to give a defense. Secondly, arguments cannot be separated from the power of a provocative lifestyle – people should see our hope and ask us about it and our good behavior should make the strongest case for the truth we declare. We should be eager to “do good” and this includes being eager to share our faith with others. Thirdly, our confidence comes from knowing that Christ is Lord (Peter’s quote from Isaiah 8:12 in verse 14 of his letter actually identifies Jesus as the LORD Almighty) – fear of Him is the antidote to fear of man. Fourthly, our attitude in engaging should be humility (not placing confidence in ourselves but in God) and fear of God (“respect” in verse 15 really means reverence for God, not respect for the people who ask us or for their beliefs, although proper respect is also important in our witness according to 1 Peter 2:17).”

The Apostle Paul uses apologetics in various situations.

Acts 17:1-4 – “He reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving …”

Acts 17:22-34 – “He has given proof of this by raising him from the dead”

Acts 26:24-29 – “What I am saying is true and reasonable”

Romans 1:18-20, 2:14-15 – “what may be known about God … God has made … plain to them”

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – “We demolish arguments … and we take captive every thought”

Philippians 1:7, 16 – “defending and confirming the gospel”

Paul’s method of apologetics involved going to a new town, entering the synagogue and proving from the scriptures that Jesus is Christ, the promised Messiah. And finishing his work with the Jews, he would go to the gentiles in that town and preach the gospel to them using general revelation of the created order and signs and wonders demonstrated by the power of the Holy Spirit to give proof for Gospel message.

Moreover St. Jude in his epistle v3 asks his church to “Contend for the faith once for all given to the saints”

Above all Jesus in his debates with the Pharisees and Sadducees and in many a conversation applied apologetics. His method of apologetics involved questioning the questioner. Whenever a person asked him a question Jesus would answer him with another question.

The Monday morning review quotes the following passages from the bible as the questions of Jesus to his questioners.

Matthew 9:14-15 (NIV)  14 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”  15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?

Matthew 15:1-3 (NIV)  Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”  3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

Matthew 15:32-34 (NIV)  33 His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”  34 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

Matthew 17:24-26 (NIV)  24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.  When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own sons or from others?”

Matthew 21:16 (NIV)  16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.  “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?”

Matthew 26:6-10 (NIV)  6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.  8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”  10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman?”

Mark 2:1-11 (NIV)  5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”  6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” He said to the paralytic, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

Here we see Jesus questioning the questioner. This process makes the questioner think and realize the problem with the question. It makes him face his own assumptions.

Peter Zukaran of Probe ministries explains the apologetics of Jesus thus:

“Jesus showed Himself to be a brilliant apologist who used the laws of logic to reveal truth, demolish arguments, and point out error. The communication of truth and discerning error requires the use of reason. Since our faith is a reasonable faith, reason was part of the apologetics of Jesus. An example of the use of reason is found in Matthew 12:22-28. Here the Pharisees accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of the Devil. Through the use of reason, Jesus showed their accusation to be false. The argument He used is the argument known as reductio ad absurdum [Latin for "reduction to the absurd"]. This is an argument that demonstrates if the primary premise is supposed to be true, then it leads to a contradiction that is absurd. One would then inevitably have to conclude that the original premise is false. Jesus responded stating that “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out?” Jesus points to the illogical nature of their accusation and further points to the testimony of His miracles that confirm His authority being from God.”

So it is clear that Jesus had his apologetics and we are also called to be the same, like Christ. Jesus clarified his message to seekers, like Nicodemus and also defended his teaching by quoting Old Testament scriptures to the scribes and Pharisees.

3.  Apologetics: Defense of the faith

“Christianity today is in conflict; in conflict against the secular world; in conflict with world religions—which are hostile to us—in conflict against the Kingdom of the Cults—and the Occult; in conflict against corrupt theology in our theological seminaries—and oftentimes in our pulpits; in conflict against all forms of evil surrounding us on all sides. And it is a foolish person indeed, who does not recognize that the Church was born in conflict; lives in conflict, and will triumph in conflict. We have been called to be soldiers of the cross. And if we’re going to be soldiers of the cross that means that we have to be attired to fight. That’s why Paul could say here in 2 Timothy, chapter 4 — I have fought the good fight [v. 7]. He did not say, “I have taken the long vacation.” I have fought the good fight, I finished the course, I kept the faith. But the problem we are facing today in Christianity—and one of the reasons why we are in crisis—is this: A large section of the Christian Church simply will not come into conflict with the world. And that, is one of our greatest drawbacks.” –Walter Martin

Christianity since its inception has come under attack from various sectors and it is the Apologist who have risen to the occasion to defend the faith.

The major contenders include:

Atheism

Christianity provides arguments for God’s existence to convince the atheists. It also provides arguments from scientific discoveries about the cosmos and the cell, which demand an intelligent mind behind their conception. One of the popular atheists of our times, the late Anthony Flew, became a theist on the basis of the evidence from the structure of the living cell under the microscope.

“If the universe had not been made with the most exacting precision we could never have come into existence. It is my view that these circumstances indicate the universe was created for man to live in.” –Robert Jastrow, agnostic astronomer, author of God and the Astronomers

“An honest man, armed with all the knowledge available to us now, could only state that in some sense, the origin of life appears at the moment to be almost a miracle, so many are the conditions which would have had to have been satisfied to get it going.” –Francis Crick, biochemist and spiritual skeptic, shared the Nobel Prize for discovering the molecular structure of DNA

“There is for me powerful evidence that there is something going on behind it all....It seems as though somebody has fine-tuned nature's numbers to make the universe....The impression of design is overwhelming.” – Paul Davies, an internationally known British astrophysicist and author

Islam

Though Islam believes in God, it denies the inerrancy of the bible, divinity of Christ and the death and resurrection of Christ. Many apologist have developed arguments to defend the divinity of Christ and the resurrection of Christ. Since Jesus claimed to be divine and also predicted his death and resurrection, the proof for which is substantial, many a Muslim has come to accept Christ on the basis of this evidence. Nabeel Qureshi from Stand to Reason and the Caner brothers from Liberty University are good examples of people who converted to Christ after considering the evidence. These serves as apologists of Christ in their given contexts.

“I have said many times that if you want to look very wise in the world’s eyes and are willing to risk looking foolish years from now, you can make a reputation for yourself by pointing out the “errors” in the Bible. There are always facts we do not know and things we fail to understand, so it will always be possible to point to certain items and say that they are errors. But these things tend to become explained. As time passes and the data from archaeology, historical investigations, numismatics, and other disciplines accumulate, these alleged “errors” tend to explode in the faces of those who propound them, and the position of these who have taken their stand upon the historical accuracy and inerrancy of this book is vindicated. The Bible is seen to be more reliable, not less reliable, as time passes.” –James Montgomery Boice, Daniel: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2003), 60.

Cult groups

From the early days of Christianity many cults or heterodox sub-groups developed from within the Church and became a thorn in the flesh of the early Christians.

“Cults use our vocabulary, but they don't use our dictionary.” –Charles Swindoll

It started with the Heretic Marcian and continued through Arius, who denied the divinity of Christ and Pelagius who denied the sovereignty of God. Even today many heretical groups keep popping up. The largest among them at present are the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons. Apologists today are well equipped to meet the threat from this and other groups.

‘The rise of the cults is “directly proportional to the fluctuating emphasis which the Christian church has placed on the teaching of biblical doctrine to Christian laymen. To be sure, a few pastors, teachers, and evangelists defend adequately their beliefs, but most of them–and most of the average Christian laymen–are hard put to confront and refute a well-trained cultist of almost any variety.”’ –Walter Martin

“The Jehovah’s Witnesses, having been misled and misinformed by their leaders, continue to persuade people that the deity of Christ was a late invention by false teachers in the fourth century at the Council of Nicaea. Nothing could be further from the truth. In addition to the testimony of the Old Testament prophets (e.g., Isaiah 9:6), the disciples (e.g. John 20:28), and Christ Himself (John 8:58)—all who affirmed the deity of the Messiah—there is also the testimony of the church fathers in the second century, long before the fourth century Council of Nicaea. Men like Ignatius (A.D. 30 – 98 or 117), Justin Martyr (A.D. 100 - 165), Irenaeus (A.D. 120-202), and Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 150 - 215), over and over in their writings, affirm that Jesus was God incarnate.” –Charlie Campbell

New Age movement

This includes the eastern religious doctrines which are presented in a way acceptable to the white man. These include an amalgamation of Pantheism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Baha’i religion many obscure teachings which come along with them. These need to addressed and the challenges posed by them need to be answered, so that the Church is protected from their influence. Many apologetics ministries have developed a satisfactory response to these teachings and are educating the Church to deal with them. They also reinvent Jesus after their own imagination based on some obscure sources from the 2nd or 3 rd century.

“Many Christian college students have encountered criticisms of Christianity based on claims that early Christianity and the New Testament borrowed important beliefs and practices from a number of pagan mystery religions. Since these claims undermine such central Christian doctrines as Christ's death and resurrection, the charges are serious. But the evidence for such claims, when it even exists, often lies in sources several centuries older than the New Testament. Moreover, the alleged parallels often result from liberal scholars uncritically describing pagan beliefs and practices in Christian language and then marveling at the striking parallels they think they've discovered.” –Ronald Nash

Debates

A special mention needs to be made about the debates which are conducted across the world between Christianity and the various opposing worldviews. Famous Christian debaters like William Lane Craig, Dinesh D’Souza and John Lennox are debating the various challengers of the Christian faith in order to demonstrate the truth claims of the Christian Gospel.

4.  Apologetics: Exposing Errors and Removing Barriers

"If Christians could be trained to to provide solid evidence for what they believe and good answers to unbelievers’ questions and objections, then the perception of Christians would slowly change. Christians would be seen as thoughtful people to be taken seriously rather than as emotional fanatics or buffoons. The gospel would be a real alternative for people to embrace."

–William Lane Craig, On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision, p. 18

Another important function of apologetics is to expose the errors in the different worldviews, religions and cults who challenge Christianity.

Exposing error is called deconstruction. The Christian apologist uses logic, philosophical arguments, historical evidence, archaeological evidence and scientific evidence to show the errors in the opposing world view and demonstrate their errors. Thus the Christian apologist exposes logical inconsistencies, logical fallacies and factual errors to deconstruct the opposing system.

Some of the common errors which are present in the various worldviews include

Atheism

Atheism cannot adequately explain the origin of the universe or the design in the universe.

“Atheism is so senseless. When I look at the solar system. I see the earth at the right distance from the sun to receive the proper amounts of heat and light. This did not happen by chance."

–Sir Isaac Newton

Agnosticism

Agnostics hold that God cannot be known. Such a position, although it appears benign is not and needs to be exposed.

“To say that we cannot know anything about God is to say something about God; it is to say that if there is a God, he is unknowable. But in that case, he is not entirely unknowable, for the agnostic certainly thinks that we can know one thing about him: That nothing else can be known about him.” In the end, agnosticism is an illogical position to hold to. –J. Budziszewski, Quoted in Ron Rhodes, Answering the Objections of Atheists, Agnostics & Skeptics, p. 25.

Islam

Islam has errors in the Quran and the polygamous life of Prophet Mohammed is inconsistent with the life of a prophet.

Answering-islam.org has this contradiction in it’s page, “Contradictions in the Quran”

"Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, 'we are Christians'." (Sura 5:85)

This is supported to some extent by an explanatory note in the "Mishkat" (IV page 103, note 2380) where we are told that "nearly two-thirds of paradise" will be filled with "the followers of the Holy Prophet and the followers of other prophets will form one-third." In strange contrast to this are the words of Sura 5:51"Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends."

Cults

The Cult groups have erred in interpreting the bible rightly and have even produced their own translations to sustain their errors. The Jehovah’s witnesses have their own translation of the Bible which supports their doctrine and the Mormons have an additional “Book of Mormons” which is a collection of revelations made to Joseph Smith, its founder.

New Age

New Age philosophy has various contradictions and they do not adequately explain reality.

Campbell of alwaysbeready.com gives a couple of questions to counter the New Agers

If we are God, how did we become ignorant of that fact? How can God, the omniscient one become ignorant about himself? It’s a contradiction.

If we are God, why do we act so badly?

Yes how can God forget he is God, he cannot.

Christian apologetics exposes these errors in detail, so that the Christian and non-Christian can clearly see them.

Removing Barriers

One of the main function of apologetics in day to day life is to remove the barriers to beliefs and spiritual growth. The mind seeks coherence and when the opponents planted a seed of doubt, the Christian worldview is made to look incoherent. The apologist carefully and clearly shows the coherence of the Christian worldview by demonstrating where the opponent has gone wrong and why the doubt is unsustainable.

For many unbelievers, removing such barriers has helped them overcome their doubts and place their faith in Christ for salvation.

Personally I had doubts sown by my biology teacher. He would explain evolution as a Hindu phenomenon and mock creation and virgin birth. Even though I did not seek answers for it immediately and got saved. The questions made me seek answers when I was a student at Medical school. Initially could not find answers from the internet. But slowly a lot of anti-evolution material started appearing on the Internet and my doubts were cleared. Over the years as I went through the various interpretations of the Genesis creation account I settled with God as the creator, who could have used multiple mechanisms ranging from 6 days literal creation to old earth creationism and theistic evolution. All that I can say from the facts for sure is that, intelligence was involved in designing the creation order we see today. Now I am have no problem addressing issues related to origins. I have also helped others see it in my discussions with them, believers and unbelievers alike.

Lee Strobel in his best seller, “The case for Christ”, writes about how he, a strong atheist became a Christian after investigating the evidence for two years.

When the novel “Da Vinci Code” hit the stands, it created quite a sensation and the faith of many was shaken. It was Christian apologist who came to the rescue at that moment and helped the church see the mistakes in the novel and demonstrate the credibility of the Christian faith. Many have even found Christ, through this debunking process which took the shape of church seminars and books.

Apologetics is like an axe cutting down the trees which grew from the seeds of doubt sown at an early age. Once the errors are exposed and the barriers removed, the person can see the cross of Christ and its significance in meaningful way and respond to the call of God to Salvation.

Correcting Misunderstandings

“Christianity is...rarely understood by those outside its bounds. In fact, this is probably one of the greatest tasks confronting the apologist–to rescue Christianity from misunderstandings.”

–Alister E. McGrath

Christianity has also been misunderstood by many of those who have not properly studied it. Apologetics aims to educate the ecclesiastically illiterate world about the true meaning and purpose of Christian faith. Prejudice is one of the main reason why many people don’t take Christian claims seriously. Apologetics seeks to remove prejudice by helping people see clearly all the arguments, evidences and teachings of Christianity and Christ

5.  Classification of Apologetics

Presuppositional Apologetics: It includes worldview apologetics otherwise called philosophical apologetics. Here logic is used to disprove an opposing world view and also establish the Christian world view.

Evidential Apologetics: It includes historical, archaeological and scientific apologetics, where evidences are used to prove or disprove a specific point.

Lifestyle apologetics: It includes living in a way which demonstrates the life changing power and truthfulness of the Gospel. Here personal testimony is used to witness for Christ.

Integrated Apologetics: In integrated apologetics, all the above three methods are combined rightly to demonstrated the truthfulness of the Christian worldview and answer the objections of the opposing world views.

6.  God and Reason

“The Christian faith does not call for us to put our minds on the shelf, to fly in the face of common sense and history, or to make a leap of faith into the dark. The rational person, fully apprised of the evidence, can confidently believe...” –William Lane Craig

The God of the bible is rational. He created the laws of logic. He created wisdom. He created the world in such a way that it is intelligible to us. He created us in his image as rational and intelligent creatures, who can understand, reason and communicate. God is not against logic. He is against using logic for the wrong purposes. The first man when he sinned, reasoned with God to defend himself. God condemned his wrong reasoning and cursed the earth because of sin.

In Isaiah 1: the Lord says to Israel, “Come let us reason together”. God is a reasoning God. He is willing to reason with people to show them their problems. God is the God of reason. Therefore there is no reason to fear reason and abandon it as something carnal. Reason should be trained and then it can be used to serve God and built his kingdom.

7.  God and Truth

“Truth is so obscured nowadays and lies [are] so well established that unless we love the truth we shall never recognize it.” –Blaise Pascal

God made man intelligent and rational so that man can know the truth. God made man with a hidden hunger for truth. Every man in everything looks for whether something is true or false. Why should man look for the truth? Where did this hunger for the truth come from and why did God give man this hunger?

God created man with this hunger because God created man in his own image. God is true and his character is truthfulness. He defines what truth is and what is not.

Jesus even said, “I am the way, the truth and the life”. God made man with a hunger for truth, because he wanted man to have a relationship with him, his creator. This hunger is totally satisfied only by Christ. As earthly hungers point to an earthly need. Spiritual hunger points to the reality of spiritual need and the reality of the presence of spiritual food, Christ. The hunger for truth in it’s highest manifestation is a hunger for Christ.

“You (God) have created us for yourself and our hearts are restless unless it finds it’s rest in You” – St. Augustine.

8.  Faith and Reason

The Greek word for faith is ‘pistis’. It means to be persuaded something is true based on evidence. Jesus did his miracles to persuade people that He is the Messiah. He wanted them to believe based in the evidence of the miracles.

Persuasion can occur based on evidence which may be miracles, logical arguments, arguments based on scripture, historical facts with archaeological evidence and scientific arguments.

Faith as understood from the root word is not ‘blind faith’. The bible does not encourage blind faith. The gospels are based on eye witness accounts and their reliability can be tested. Faith as the bible defines is reasonable faith.

9.  Apologetics is Spiritual Warfare

Of course we are human, but we don't fight like humans.  The weapons we use in our fight are not made by humans. Rather, they are powerful weapons from God. With them we destroy people's defenses, that is, their arguments and all their intellectual arrogance that oppose the knowledge of God. We take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ.

2 Cor 10:3-5 (GW)

Here talks to the Corinthians church and tells them the spiritual warfare involves destroying people’s argument and their intellectual barriers, which have stopped them from knowing the truth of Christ. Paul talks about spiritual weapons which are mighty through God. He says that these weapons are powerful to pull down the strongholds, in which men are kept in bondage from knowing Christ. What are these weapons?  These weapons are spiritual truths which counter the false philosophical arguments and intellectual arguments to establish the Gospel truth. This process is used by God to rescue souls who would otherwise end up in the wrong side of eternity.

10. Apologetics and Evangelism

“Evangelism, as defined by Weber, is "The proclamation of the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ with a view to bringing about the reconciliation of the sinner to God the Father through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. The Word derives from the Greek noun euangelion, good news, and verb euangelizomai, to announce or proclaim or bring good news."[3] The process of evangelism, which includes both the presentation of the Gospel and the leading of one to a decision for or against Christ, is distinct from apologetics, which is simply responding to the questions unbelievers may have concerning the Christian faith. Certainly, apologetics can lead to evangelism, and the evangelist may rely on apologetic arguments if needed, but the two are not one in the same.”

-       Daniel Wiley, Adjunct Professor at Baptist Bible College

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As Professor Daniel explains, proclamation is different from defense. An evangelist may or may not use apologetics. The evangelist should proclaim the Gospel and be ready always to give an answer for the hope that is in him. Apologetics can form a formidable part to the evangelist’s arsenal to proclaim the Gospel and bring people to Christ.

11. How to do Apologetics?

Apologetics involves both the intellect, emotions and the will. The Apologist must be well prepared intellectually, the emotions should not be one of hatred but love. The will is involved when these two components are willfully implemented not being carried away by the emotional turmoil of the circumstance he is in.

The bible teaches in 1 Peter 3:15 that the defense should be given with gentleness and respect.

Gentleness and respect should be prominent characteristic traits of Christian apologist. This requires a level of spiritual training and maturity.

The apologist should be “always prepared” both spiritually and intellectually to give a defense of the life of faith, in him. His practicing the teachings of Christ and manifesting the character of Christ is at the core of Christian apologetics.

The apologist should use both evidences and presuppositions to defend the faith. He should be trained to present them in the power of the Holy Spirit, so that it produces results. The apologist should integrate the message of Christ, the arguments and evidences with his life style to present a powerful case for the truth of Christianity.

12. Lifestyle Apologetics: With Love and Through Actions

The greatest apologetic is our life. The way we live the Christ life, in the power of the Holy Spirit, bring forth the fruit of the Holy Spirit helps people to get the best evidence for what Christ can for them. The community of the people of God have a mandate from Christ to live in love and thus witness as his disciples.

Jesus said before he went to the cross, “I'm giving you a new commandment: Love each other in the same way that I have loved you. 35 Everyone will know that you are my disciples because of your love for each other.”

John 13:34-35 (GW)

This teaching of Jesus forms the basis of lifestyle apologetics. Our obey this and other commands of Christ and living in line with his teachings, creates a powerful impact on the world and it declares the glory of the Gospel of Christ as no words can express.

In Acts St. Luke records the love in the Christian community

45 From time to time, they sold their property and other possessions and distributed the money to anyone who needed it. 46 The believers had a single purpose and went to the temple every day. They were joyful and humble as they ate at each other's homes and shared their food.

Acts 2:45-46 (GW)

32 The whole group of believers lived in harmony. No one called any of his possessions his own. Instead, they shared everything.33 With great power the apostles continued to testify that the Lord Jesus had come back to life. {God's} abundant good will was with all of them. 34 None of them needed anything. From time to time, people sold land or houses and brought the money 35 to the apostles. Then the money was distributed to anyone who needed it.

Acts 4:32-35 (GW)

The model of the Apostolic Church was communal living of the highest order which reflect the love they shared among them in accordance with the command of Christ. This communal model of the Church which was a great apologetic for Christ extended well into the 2nd and 3rd  century.

Tertullian(145-220) in his “Apology”, chapter 39 writes about the lifestyle apologetics of the early Christian church of the 2 nd century.

“I shall at once go on, then, to exhibit the peculiarities of the Christian society that, as I have refuted the evil charged against it, I may point out its positive good. We are a body knit together as such by a common religious profession, by unity of discipline, and by the bond of a common hope. We meet together as an assembly and congregation, that, offering up prayer to God as with united force, we may wrestle with Him in our supplications. This violence God delights in. We pray, too, for the emperors, for their ministers and for all in authority, for the welfare of the world, for the prevalence of peace, for the delay of the final consummation. We assemble to read our sacred writings, if any peculiarity of the times makes either forewarning or reminiscence needful. However it be in that respect, with the sacred words we nourish our faith, we animate our hope, we make our confidence more steadfast; and no less by inculcations of God’s precepts we confirm good habits. In the same place also exhortations are made, rebukes and sacred censures are administered. For with a great gravity is the work of judging carried on among us, as befits those who feel assured that they are in the sight of God; and you have the most notable example of judgment to come when any one has sinned so grievously as to require his severance from us in prayer, in the congregation and in all sacred intercourse. The tried men of our elders preside over us, obtaining that honour not by purchase, but by established character. There is no buying and selling of any sort in the things of God. Though we have our treasure-chest, it is not made up of purchase-money, as of a religion that has its price. On the monthly day, if he likes, each puts in a small donation; but only if it be his pleasure, and only if he be able: for there is no compulsion; all is voluntary. These gifts are, as it were, piety’s deposit fund. For they are not taken thence and spent on feasts, and drinking-bouts, and eating-houses, but to support and bury poor people, to supply the wants of boys and girls destitute of means and parents, and of old persons confined now to the house; such, too, as have suffered shipwreck; and if there happen to be any in the mines, or banished to the islands, or shut up in the prisons, for nothing but their fidelity to the cause of God’s Church, they become the nurslings of their confession. But it is mainly the deeds of a love so noble that lead many to put a brand upon us. See, they say, how they love one another, for themselves are animated by mutual hatred; how they are ready even to die for one another, for they themselves will sooner put to death.”

“See How they love one another” was the witness of the unbelieving world about the Christians. We can see that the apostolic tradition of communal living and witnessing extended well into the second century and the Roman Empire was soon won over for Christ.

13. Prayer and Apologetics

‘“Give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word.” The Revised Version has it, “We will continue steadfastly in prayer.” The implication of the word used here means to be strong, steadfast, to be devoted to, to keep at it with constant care, to make a business out of it. We find the same word in Col. 4:12, and in Romans 12:12, which is translated, “Continuing instant in prayer.” The Apostles were under the law of prayer, which law recognizes God as God, and depends upon Him to do for them what He would not do without prayer. They were under the necessity of prayer, just as all believers are, in every age and in every clime. They had to be devoted to prayer in order to make their ministry of the Word efficient. The business of preaching is worth very little without it be in direct partnership with the business of praying. Apostolic preaching cannot be carried on unless there be apostolic praying.’

—The Complete Works of E. M. Bounds

Christian Apologists should be men of prayer more than men of learning. Though learning gives the edge, it is only prayer which can empower him to apply the edge to bring the results. The apostolic ministry was built on a powerful foundation of prayer, both individual and corporate. It is essential therefore for the apologists to give themselves completely to prayer and also create a prayer support base, a group of people praying for them daily.

Because Apologetics is spiritual warfare against the lies of the evil one, it involves a lot of prayer. An apologist should be a man of prayer because he needs God’s help to help others. He is doing the kingdom work and kingdom work requires supernatural power and anointing by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will empower, lead, guide and use the apologist in accordance with the plan and purpose of the Holy Trinity. The Apologist should submit to God’s will under all situations and should be disciplined in depending on God and his power to accomplish the mission. Many times when a unexpected question is thrown at his face, God will give the answer at that moment and the apologist should be willing to look to God for help always. The Apologist should always remember that what he is doing is God’s work and he should do it with reverence and awe. Thus prayer is essential to prepare the apologist spiritually and be always ready. Prayer also help the apologist to be humble and helps him get the perspective which he might otherwise not have. He should also pray for the opponent, so that they may be able to see the truth and come into a relationship with Christ. He should do everything with this attitude and expectation. As William Carey said,

“Attempt great things for God, Expect great things from God”.

So prayer is the way to grow expectation and get the vision to attempt great things for God and his kingdom. Prayer also increases the faith of the apologist and he can face any situation confidently knowing that he is doing God’s work,God’s way for God’s kingdom and God’s glory.

14. Humble Apologetics

Because the apologist is dealing with a lot of what is called ‘knowledge’, he should be careful so that he can tackle the problems which can come because of knowledge.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Knowledge puffs up; but love builds up”. So the apologist must take extra care and precaution so that he can guard against the pride which can come with the acquisition of knowledge. He should humbly ask God daily in prayer to protect him from pride and help him be humble always. Since this is not possible in the flesh, he should ask God to empower him with the Holy Spirit to overcome the flesh i.e. pride and live in humility.

15. In the Power of the Holy Spirit

Since apologetics is a highly spiritual activity, directed against the kingdom of darkness and their lies, apologetics cannot be done in one’s own power. Since it requires a lot of spiritual virtues to be executed properly, the apologist should constantly ask God to anoint him with the Holy Spirit. He should seek God’s power in all aspects of his life. The anointing of the spirit will teach the apologist, train the apologist and prepare him for situations he cannot foresee. The anointing will prepare the apologist both intellectually and spiritually to accomplish God’s mission with the right motive and right method to bring Glory to God alone. Soli Deo Gloria!! Should be his goal above all else and in everything.

16. Integrated Apologetics: Apologetics for the Glory of God

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God.

1 Cor 10:31 (GW)

As Paul tells the Corinthian church, apologetics should also be done for the glory of God. It is biblical mandate. The apologist should train himself to do everything for the glory of God. This should be an ingrained aspect of the apologist. This motive only God knows and he will judge with regard to this on the judgment day.

Integrated apologetics is when the presuppositional, the evidential and the personal experience and change are brought together in sharing the defending the truths and doctrines of the Christian faith. It is to this that every apologist should aspire to in order to bring glory to God.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Contact: Dr.Samuel Inbaraja

samuelinba2@gmail.com

©samuelsundar

Table of Contents

Copyright

Introduction

1. What is Apologetics?

2. Biblical Basis for Apologetics

3. Apologetics: Defense of the faith

4. Apologetics: Exposing Errors and Removing Barriers

5. Classification of Apologetics

6. God and Reason

7. God and Truth

8. Faith and Reason

9. Apologetics is Spiritual Warfare

10. Apologetics and Evangelism

11. How to do Apologetics?

12. Lifestyle Apologetics: With Love and Through Actions

13. Prayer and Apologetics

14. Humble Apologetics

15. In the Power of the Holy Spirit

16. Integrated Apologetics: Apologetics for the Glory of God

Table of Contents

Copyright

Introduction

1. What is Apologetics?

2. Biblical Basis for Apologetics

3. Apologetics: Defense of the faith

4. Apologetics: Exposing Errors and Removing Barriers

5. Classification of Apologetics

6. God and Reason

7. God and Truth

8. Faith and Reason

9. Apologetics is Spiritual Warfare

10. Apologetics and Evangelism

11. How to do Apologetics?

12. Lifestyle Apologetics: With Love and Through Actions

13. Prayer and Apologetics

14. Humble Apologetics

15. In the Power of the Holy Spirit

16. Integrated Apologetics: Apologetics for the Glory of God