Apologetics

1 Peter 3:15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Apologetics is a fun and very important thing for a Christian to understand but the first thing that I should say is that it isn't the gospel. I will circle back to that in a moment. The word Apologetics does not mean to apologize as the English translation may indicate. It comes from the Greek word apologia which means to give a reply, an answer or to give a defense. I say it is fun because the things you will learn will challenge many of the things you have been taught and arm you with a defense for the hope that is in you. It is important because, well God tells us in 1 Peter that it is, but also for your education. If you are in High School or College everything in the book will be thrown at you to try to get you to walk away from your faith. If you are a parent you want to educate you children before they are exposed to those things.

Let me tell you a short story about how I got into apologetics. I was a young Christian playing the guitar on the praise team at church when the pastor brought in a new guitar player. He was absolutely amazing at playing the guitar and it was a pleasure to work with him. One night after practice he cornered me and unleashed a barrage of things that I was not prepared for. He started with telling me that he didn't believe anything that the preacher said and that he considered himself to be an atheist. If that first statement was not shocking enough to me, he went on to state all kinds of "scientific facts" that supported the reason that he was an atheist. As my faith was shaken for the first time by a conversation like this I began to wonder how I could answer his accusations . . . or if he was correct.

Of course scientific facts are not something we write off as Christians, in fact we embrace science, we only demand that it is done the correct way. More on that in our studies.

Circling back to my first point, though learning how to give answers to accusations or questions concerning Christianity is fun and exciting, it is not the gospel. I say that because you will learn how to answer the harshest of critics, but an answer or a defense will never convince someone to become a Christian, only the gospel can do that. Only the workings of the Holy Spirit working in the heart of the person you are speaking with. In short, don't get caught up with winning an argument and walk away self righteous, no, make sure you give that person the gospel and let God do His amazing work if He so chooses to do so.