MEMORY VERSE:“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”1 Peter 3:15
BIBLE PASSAGE:Jude 3-4
INTRODUCTION
The English word “apology” comes from a Greek word which basically means “to give a defence”. Christian apologetics, then, is the science of giving a defence of the Christian faith. There are many sceptics who doubt the existence of God and/or attack belief in the God of the Bible. There are many critics who attack the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible 2 Timothy 3:16. There are many false teachers who promote false doctrines and deny the key truths of the Christian faith. The mission of Christian apologetics is to combat these movements and instead promote the christian faith and truth.
OUTLINE
1.CONTEND FOR THE FAITH
2. WITH GENTLENESS AND RESPECT
1.CONTEND FOR THE FAITH
There is no excuse for a christian to be completely unable to defend their faith Jude 3-4. Every Christian should know what and why they believe as well as how to share it with others. They must also know how to defend it against lies and attacks Colossians 4:6. We are all commanded to be ready and equipped to proclaim the gospel and defend our faith Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Peter 3:15. The only way to do this effectively is to study the reasons why we believe what we believe 2 Timothy 2:15. This will prepare us to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ, “as Paul said we should 2 Corinthians 10:5. Jesus was His own apologetic, as He often stated that we should believe in Him because of the evidence He provided John 2:23; 10:25; 10:38;14:29. In fact, the whole Bible is full of divine miracles that confirm what God wants to believe Exodus 4:1-8; 1 Kings 18:36-39; Acts 2:22-43;Hebrews 2:3-4; 2 Corinthians 12:12.
Paul practiced what he preached; in fact, defending the faith was his regular activity Philippians 1:7. Paul referred to apologetics as an aspect of his mission in the same passage (v.16). He also made apologetics a requirement for all believers Titus 1:9. Jude, an apostle of Jesus, wrote that “although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” Jude 3.
2. WITH GENTLENESS AND RESPECT
Defending the Christian faith with apologetics should never involve being rude, angry, or disrespectful 2 Timothy 2:24. While practicing Christian apologetics, we should strive to be strive to be strong in our defence and at the same time we must behave like Christ in our world, in our presentations to people Matthew 10:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:7. If we win a debate but turn a person even further away from Christ by our attitude, we have lost the true purpose of Christian apologetics 2 Corinthians 6:3.
CONCLUSION
We are commanded to use apologetics in as many or more places as we are told to preach the gospel.