Is Apologetics A Vain Pursuit?

You may have already heard of the study of apologetics before crossing paths with this blog, and you may have not. No matter what side of this spectrum you find yourself on, reading this blog indicates you have some degree of interest in apologetics. This being the case, it is good that you are informed of the arguments against using apologetics. Dear reader, I am not blind to the fact that you have already formed important questions concerning defending the faith. I want to assure you that being informed about complex topics and answers is good so that you might share the Gospel well, which is necessary for apologetics. Apologetics seeks to defend the faith by taking the required measures to meet someone in their doubts and to be winsome in convincing them of the love and hope the Gospel offers.

Within the faith, you will find Christians who question the validity of apologetics and that this pursuit of wisdom is not wise at all. Some reference Colossians 2:8, claiming that apologetics is a vain pursuit. Another notable argument is the problem that apologetics removes the need for faith. A believer might also suggest that one cannot force a person into believing in Jesus. While questioning the validity of apologetics is not intolerable, it demonstrates a very shallow understanding of what it truly is.

Again, some have charged apologetics as a vain pursuit, as substantiated by Colossians 2:8. However, this is a misinterpretation. Colossians 2:8 states this: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” However, Paul is not discussing apologetics in this verse. Paul himself was an avid defender of the faith. Indeed, upon deeper inspection, we can see that defending the faith is the opposite of what this verse is discussing. Douglas J. Moo states that the wording in this verse denotes that the “spoil” by these philosophies is simply any anti-Christian teachings, not the use of reason to defend Christian faith. Therefore, the argument that apologetics is a vain pursuit is a misrepresentation when considering the context of surrounding scripture and the purpose of why Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians.

The idea that apologetics denies the need for faith misses the point. Faith is trust and loyalty to Jesus. Apologetics is using your mind, which God gave you; to explain the trust you have in Jesus. Apologetics is not about a lack of faith but about exercising it by defending it well and lovingly. At some point, each believer will take part in apologetics, confidently defending the faith and appealing to others as to why they should take part in it, too.

The final claim concerning not being able to argue a person into believing in Christ is valid! Only the Holy Spirit can convict the heart and bring about salvation. Apologetics is not about seeking to argue, rather, we desire to gently point others to Jesus with good reason and evidence. Paul embodies this as he reasons about the faith in Athens in the presence of those who were part of great schools of philosophy at that time (Acts 17:16). Paul appeals to the truths that Roman culture recognized. Namely, through what they know about creation and their longing to know the Creator. Paul asserts that Jesus Christ is the answer to all that they have been longing for. It astonishes some, and many wish to hear more of what he has to say about the Gospel. An individual’s salvation is not based on the one sharing the Gospel’s ability to say the right words or be convincing enough for someone to embrace the faith. The burden of salvation solely rests on the works of the Holy Spirit, as He moves and acts in a person’s heart to draw them to Himself.

So, is apologetics a vain pursuit? No! It is a tool in the toolbelt of the believer. A believer uses apologetics with humility and meekness to glorify God and share the Gospel. If this is done with a pure heart, then it is not vanity. However, if a person does apologetics to prove themselves righteous or of high wisdom, then it is vanity. A good and true apologetic does not seek self-satisfaction. It seeks simply to share the Gospel, plant seeds of the truth of Jesus Christ, and give good reasons for the hope within us.