Apologetics, derived from the Greek word apologia, means to give a defense or reason for the truth of the Christian faith. This is the exact word that Peter uses in 1 Peter 3:15, where he charges his fellow believers always to be prepared to provide a defense (apologia) to whoever asks for the reason for the hope they have. The verse states: “… but in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to defend anyone who asks you for a reason (apologia) for the hope in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect.” This underscores that apologetics seeks to create a reasonable, loving defense of Christian hope. The believer must clarify the Gospel and explain how it is the best way to understand our experiences and the world we live in. Apologetics is not intended to be argumentative or combative. Authors Joshua D. Chatraw and Mark D. Allen say that apologetics is not Christians seeking to throw intellectual knock-out punches for Jesus. Rather, as Peter emphasizes in his writing, an apologetic should be defined by “gentleness, respect, a clear conscience, and good behavior.”
So, what exactly is apologetics defending? The answer is the truth of the Gospel. This truth, as declared by Jesus Christ, is the cornerstone of our faith. Pontius Pilate asked what truth is to Jesus Christ before He was crucified. Earlier in his ministry, Jesus answered this question, telling His disciples that He was “the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6). By asserting that He is the truth, He declares that following Him is the only way humanity can be washed clean of their sin. He is the only way to eternal life, to be made right before a holy God.
Jesus affirmed that He is the only way to salvation through His crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection. It is what the Christian faith centrally and ultimately rests on. Even the Apostle Paul said our faith would be in vain if Christ had not raised from the dead; we are still in our sins (1 Cor 5:17). Skepticism by unbelievers often comes in questioning truth, with posing important
questions such as: “How do you know that this truth is the only truth? How do I accept this above every other truth that is out there in the world?” Defending the faith means lovingly showing that if Jesus is the truth, He is always the truth for all people.
Therefore, we must seek to convince others of their hope of eternity through Jesus Christ. In Acts 17:22, the Apostle Paul defends the resurrection to those in the Areopagus of Athens by appealing to different aspects of their culture. Paul outlines how a believer might approach reasoning with another about the importance of Jesus’s resurrection. The culture within a society greatly influences the thinking and conduct of most individuals, which should inspire every believer when pointing others to Christ. An even greater inspiration is trusting that defending the faith is a tool that the Lord is using to witness to others, but it does not rest on your abilities at all. Every Christian should pray for the Holy Spirit to produce the ability to correctly convey Christ’s love in their word and deed as they seek to share the Gospel. Defending the faith is an incredible responsibility for believers, but it creates an opportunity to describe to those who may not yet know Christ’s goodness, truth, and beauty.