It is not always simple to understand every detail, let alone the main points, even if we firmly believe that the Christian faith is true. Everybody has unsolved questions. Some of them have to do with apparent inconsistencies found in the Bible, while others discuss how faith and the scientific sciences interact or how the Bible views different religions. Christians have attempted to reason through these difficult issues and provide evidence for Christian ideas throughout history in an effort to uphold Christianity against skeptics and to reinforce the faith of believers. We refer to this as “apologetics.”
Apologetics in the Bible
The entire Bible is, in a sense, a big apology. God demonstrates in the Scriptures that He [is the only true God], not to be confused with pagan deities. Stories, prophetic writings, and God’s commands all regularly touch on this subject. Furthermore, God reveals the issues facing humanity—the most serious of which is sin—as well as the remedy He provides.
Naturally, people are blind to these truths, they even resist them. This is for example seen in people’s response to the preaching of the Gospel, as recorded in the book of Acts. Religious leaders are annoyed and arrest the preaching Christians (e.g. Acts 4:1-3), some believers are even imprisoned and killed (e.g. Acts 7). God’s message about sin and forgiveness is often questioned and rejected. And yet, the apostles state that “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Being filled with the Holy Spirit, they cannot help but defend their faith and share it with others. That is no surprise, given the fact that the Holy Spirit himself is a kind of apologetic: “He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).
“And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say,” says Jesus, assuring us that this Spirit will assist us in finding the appropriate words to defend our faith. Luke 12:11–12
The goal of apologetics
Defending Christian teachings is the focus of apologetics. We are unable to tolerate God’s scorn because we love Him more than anything else! Our goal is to uphold God’s glory. Psalm 96:7-9 declares clearly:
Glory and power be given to the Lord, O families of the peoples! Give the Lord the honor He deserves, present a gift, and enter His courts! Glory in the grandeur of holiness before the Lord, and quake before Him, all nations!
However, there’s more. Christians work hard to demonstrate to people the relevance of the Christian faith because they firmly believe that trust in God is essential. Not only do they want to establish their own correctness, but they also want to bring others to Jesus in order to deliver them from [everlasting punishment in hell] and grant them eternal life. We feel so blessed to have a [restored and intimate relationship with God] that we want to spread that blessing to others.
How can I defend my faith?
The social and cultural setting will determine how this can be accomplished. It may be legitimate in academic circles to use scientific reasoning to demonstrate that believing in God is not “stupid” or out of date. Your lifestyle might serve as a more potent witness for your neighbors than words ever could. Additionally, you might get the chance to discuss problems in life from a biblical standpoint [with a good buddy]. The important thing is to constantly be ready, according to 1 Peter 3:15, “to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” But, we must do it with kindness and respect.
