Is Aplogetics An Option Or Responsibility?
Apologetics does not deal with excuses, but
rather with answers. It means a defense of a particular stance on any
given subject. But how big a role should apologetics play in a Christian's
witness? Do we have to present a case for Christianity? Or are we simply
called to preach the gospel?
Certainly most Christians are aware of their
responsibility to reach a dying world with God's message. No less an
authority than Jesus exhorts us to proclaim the Good News (Matt. 10:27)
and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19). However, there is another
dimension often neglected in evangelism - namely, the defense of the
Gospel. The very Bible which moves us to preach the Good News urges
us to contend for the faith as well. Apologetics is neither an option
left to the believer nor a late feature of the Christian faith. Rather,
it is an essential element of Scripture.
Writing in a world steeped in mystery cults,
the Apostle Peter admonished believers to "always be prepared to give
an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that
you have ... with gentleness and respect" (1 Pet. 3:15 NIV). Only by
meeting honest objections with biblical answers can "we take captive
every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5). It was in
this spirit that Paul vigorously defended the Gospel, charging Timothy
and Titus to do the same (2 Tim. 2:23-26; 4:2-5; Titus 1:9-14).
The need for apologetics today is crucial
and critical. Believers must realize that we are living in a post-Christian
era, with a host of religions, cults, and occultic systems vying continuously
for people's commitments and, indeed, for their very lives. We must
face these challenges head-on. Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, a prominent
Christian scholar, keenly observes that apologetics does not replace
faith but grounds it. Nor does it supplant the Spirit's working but
acts, instead, as a vehicle that clarifies the truth of God's Word.
The same verse that tells us to preach the Word also instructs us to
"be prepared in season and out of season, [to] correct, [to] rebuke,
and [to] encourage - with great patience and careful instruction" (2
Tim. 4:2).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
For more inofrmation on the role
of apologetics in the Christian's witness, please consult When Skeptics
Ask (Victors Books) by Norman Geisler and Ronald Brooks (B241/$24),
and (at the intermediate level) Reasonable Faith (Crossway Books) by
William Lane Craig (B193/$16). These resources are available through
CRI. For shipping and handling information, please call CRI or refer
to our Resource Listing. To place a credit card order, call toll-free
(888) 7000-CRI. To receive a free copy of our Resource Listing, fax
us at (714) 858-6111 or write us with your request at P.O. Box 7000,
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688-7000.
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