Disclaimer: We do not believe this sign depicts any official nor common stance of the Baptist church.
(This is a continuation of this post.)
Before I start this post, you, the reader, should know I just prayed that God would speak through me with wisdom and love. I admit that I, Excelsior (such a great name, I know), really struggle with the appropriate approach to Christian Apologetics in practice. In this post, I aim to show (giving Athanasius a break to read another dozen books) that Apologetics is Biblical, useful, and necessary, but only to a point. I further aim to show where that point is.
An "apology" is "a defense of." Apologetics is a term almost always used in short meaning "Christian Apologetics" or "A defense of Christianity." Thus it is in many ways an intellectual exercise, using reason as best one can to explain and make sense of all that Christianity teaches. In a previous post, Athanasius explained that above all else, love trumps. This is the most important thing to keep in mind. That any means one uses, it must be done with love to be of God and for God. In that spirit, 1 Peter 3 (ESV) commands a unique duty: "[13] Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? [14] But even if you should suffer for righteousness‘ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, [15] but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, [16] having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame."
This is a great starting point: we now know 1) We are called to always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks for a reason for the hope that is in you. I.e. we ought to know and depend on the spirit to provide adequate reason for all that we believe. This doesn't mean you need to be a philosopher - I think a simple "I have hope because of the truth confirmed in my heart through my relationship with Jesus" would more than suffice as a logical reason to have hope. The point is we should have a reason. 2) The second point is simple, and follows from the first: that "reason" isn't ungodly, but necessary in this respect. It's true, we are supposed to have the faith of a child, with no doubt (Matthew 18-19, Mark 10, James 1). So if the "reason" isn't apparent for certain questions, follow James 1 and ask God for wisdom in faith, but do not doubt that the answer will come. 3) Do it with gentleness and respect - this is where Athanasius and I can sometimes go wrong, especially with each other. Intellectualism aside, love is always most important, and supersede's one's desire to reason in any situation.
Does the Bible have any examples of apologetics?
OH yeah.
a) Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord..." (Even God uses reason in his dealings with us)
b) Acts 17:2 "And Paul went in as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures."
c) Matthew 22:23-33 shows Jesus using arguments against the Sadducees, an inductive argument no less.
d) Luke 10:25-28 "And behold a lawyer stood up to put [Jesus] to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" [Jesus] said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do your read it?" And he answered, "You shall love he Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." And [Jesus] said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live."
This example is especially cool. First of all, notice how Jesus cleverly speaks with this man Socratically, reasonably, and lovingly, - what a boss. But furthermore, notice the four ways we should love he Lord - heart, soul, strength, and mind. It's actually sin to not worship God with your intellect. I'm by no means an authoritative exegetitor (or someone who interprets scripture with few errors), but I think this implies that we always must have faith amidst doubt, and that we should seek the wisdom to satisfy our minds nonetheless. James 1 would say to ask God for that wisdom. Our last post mentioned the organization RZIM that proclaims "Helping the Thinker believe, helping the believer think."
e) Perhaps the best example of Apologetics in Scripture is found in Acts 17. I encourage the reader to read this awesome chapter. In verse 23, Paul uses reason to make an amazing point about the altar to "the unknown God" to the Men of Athens at the Areopagus (a forum for philosophical debate in Athens, Greece). It's actually a pretty cool story. Read it here.
There's other good biblical evidence to back-up this claim of using one's reason to find answers:
a) Philippians 4:5, "Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;"
b) Isaiah 26:3, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
c) 2 Corinthians 10:5, "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,"
d) Romans 14:5, "One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind."
e) 2 Timothy 2:24-26, "And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness, God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will."
Reason and logic are not unimportant or sinful, but necessary aspects of evangelism and the Christian life, and are required to love God the way we ought to love Him, completely. However, if any instance of providing a reason leads someone to quarrel, or be unloving, not gentle, or disrespectful in anyway, it is best to avoid the issue and simply love without bringing arguments into it. We cannot with logic convince someone to believe in God (Romans 1:17), but God may use us to dissuade their doubts in some way so that they are more open to seeking a loving relationship with our God. All in all, talking about God's reasonableness is just another way we can show God's love, and through that, we will plant seeds for God.
Takeaway:
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2.
With love (Notice the English for once),
Excelisor.
P.S. please email us at theology.guys@gmail.com with any questions, concerns, or criticism! We are not and do not believe that we are always right and simply hope that what we write somehow helps fellow believers in their eventful travels on the inter-webs. God bless.
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