The ability of Christians to defend their faith and their hope in Christ is important today. Christians believe that Jesus is indeed who He said He is, which is the way, the truth, and the life. Many cannot accept this and wish to choose what is right and wrong for themselves. It leads to a lack of knowing a God who deems what is right and wrong. As followers of Jesus, our call is to live a life of surrender to establish the good Kingdom of God here on earth. As Christians, we find our comfort in knowing we are seen and loved by the God of the universe. We are rescued from eternal separation from Him by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This does not disqualify us amid a lost world, one longing for answers to important questions about life and purpose. We use apologetics to explain our faith to others and draw people to Christ’s goodness, truth, and beauty.
Christians live as salt and light in the world, tasked with explaining why our faith is the truth. We interact daily with many people, often our friends, who do not know Jesus. We should boldly share the story of Jesus, ready to respond to any questions that come our way. A believer experiences the peace of assurance by knowing they walk through life with the promise of eternity. We have tasted and seen the love of a God who came down from heaven to die for us. We now are gifted access to divine wisdom, beauty, and goodness found in our Creator. Believers must appeal to those who do not know to understand that they too can enter this relationship, that they might also taste and see. In a world longing for God without knowing how to put it into words, Christians are meant to fill these gaps with words to illustrate His richness.
For those who need help understanding your belief in confessing Jesus as Lord, misconceptions may arise. Many still need to have the words articulated to them about it. However, we do not avoid meeting them in a place of confusion or misconceptions; rather, we peacefully approach them. Studying apologetics empowers you to understand and speak about your faith. How do you study apologetics? One suggestion for growing in wisdom is to read materials about apologetics. Apart from reading material, you can listen to podcasts or watch videos about people engaging in apologetic conversations. Another suggestion is to talk with people who have studied and acquired wisdom in the field. Ask your pastor hard questions. Grow so that you might be able to win others to Christ.
In ‘God in the Dock,’ CS Lewis asserted this: “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
This quote underscores the understanding believers must have at the forefront of their minds to defend the faith well. Within the Bible, Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love our God with all your soul, mind, and strength. The second is to love your neighbor as yourself (Mk 12:30-31). Apologetics fulfills this by loving the Lord by using your mind; in accomplishing this, you demonstrate love to your neighbor. We effectively love others by showing and telling them about the love of Christ. You need apologetics to share the Gospel with friends, family, and those you have not yet met. Each time you seek to share your faith, you give a reason for it.
Written by Caitlyn Conn, Edited by Lydia Parker