If you accept Christianity as your faith, the Bible encourages having an unwavering and bold commitment to Jesus Christ. Offering salvation for nothing and apologizing for our faith in Christ is not even an option once you begin your journey of spirituality. Even the thought of apologetics stiffens Christians.
Unfortunately, apologetics and i study cannot be ignored as it’s a part of building our faith’s foundation. So we must first understand the term and discuss Christian apologetics with some groundwork.
What is Apologetics?
The term is often referred to as systematic argumentative discourse in its most basic sense. However, it is explained as an alternative view of a topic when broken down further. Having a view different from others doesn’t have to be quarrelsome or argumentative. Instead, it must be done in an organized fashion.
Well, when it comes to having a conversation about our faith, most of us have experienced it at least once in our lifetime. As we talk about Christian apologetics, we refer to having an intellectual defense of what the faith of Christ believes in and stands for.
Religion is something that everyone holds close to their heart and tends to get passionate about it when discussed in a group. Sometimes you experience having to defend something being called against the religion. The thing that is near and dear to someone’s heart must not be taken lightly.
Apologia is a Greek word, which means simply to answer something, is what drives the term apologetics. To put it in simple words, it is referred to as giving a reply rather than having a debate altogether. In a situation where you wish to tell your friend about a hidden chest that carries infinitely invaluable treasure, your friend may have questions that you must address to make them believe its existence.
Similarly, you answering queries and giving responses against people’s objections about the faith of Jesus means being apologetic. It is important as there have been a ton of objections over 2000 years. Apologetics has what you need if you value giving a response to such objections rather than refusing to engage or getting frustrated.
Why is Apologetics Important?
Does God exist? Should we trust Bible? How do we know the God we follow is good? Did Jesus die or faint?
These questions have been in the mind of many since the existence of Jesus on Earth, and to answer them, we have to have firm faith in God. We must ourselves believe first that Bible is trustworthy, and what is entitled in it can be believed with eyes closed.
The significance of the Christian apologetics study can be understood better if we imagine a conversation without it. It does not inspire confidence in your beliefs if someone questions you about your faith and why you follow Jesus and shrug your shoulders.
Instead of staring back blank, the Bible has clarified to answer everyone boldly but intellectually. It forces people to look back at their objections if convicted about your response to them. Tell them how you know the truth behind the Gospel story, and they will be stunned. The story has been entrusted to us, and we are urged to contend for the faith and defend it whenever required.
So how exactly should you defend the Gospel? There are many ways to learn about it, such as learning from scripture pages or reading the Bible to view apologetics in action. After all, it wasn’t instructed to do without having enough sources present just for that. Hence, apologetics is important for every Christian so they can play a role when someone doubts their faith and demands reasons of why it should be followed.
How Should Apologetics Be Used?
We have splendid news for you if you’ve ever wished to find an answer without having looked for it. You may have passion and drive to answer every question, but not necessarily the time to find the right ones. Fortunately, people with an open heart do the job for us for as long as there have been questions raised for religious truth. These individuals are willing to explore scripture pages and find an answer to even the most difficult and deepest questions
However, the study of apologetics is not for everyone who desires to study or has lots of free time. Instead, it is commanded for all the followers of Jesus.
You may not necessarily have to look for the answers from the beginning due to repetitiveness. Many questions that were raised last century are still being raised today in the 21st century. Hence, if you see a similar question popping up from someone, you have enough sources to look for an answer if you don’t have one.
The main thing is to be mentally prepared to answer and not get cold feet, as only then will you convince others and invite them in. Also, to give a positive impression, you must answer with respect and gentleness. The one with questions must not feel forced or aggressive during the conversation, as your job will only be to clarify the confusions and leave the rest to them.
Our Final Thoughts
In simple words, Christian apologetics means defending something about Christianity and bringing the truth forward for those with any objections about the faith. In Christian life, Christian apologetics is a crucial aspect.
You cannot be a pure Christian if you’ve not learned to defend your religion against the objections people may have about it. As people of faith, we ought to be well-equipped and ready to defend Christianity and proclaim the Gospel. It may be taken personally by many, while others may consider it part of their role as a member of followers of Jesus Christ.
Whatever it is, it is not encouraged to be done in an argumentative manner, instead intellectually. Give their questions some respect by gently answering them. Even if they carry objections after being answered, it is not advised to get aggressive, but give time and references to Bible to convince them, or to say the least, have a second thought.
