Introduction to Apologetics
By Michael Klikas
03 September
2006
Adult Education Hour
1 Peter 3:15
We are about to embark on a study that if taken the right way by you will change how you read the Bible and why you read the Bible. Bible study will no longer be to fulfill an obligation, if that is what it is to you. Bible study will be quality time spent. Bible study will become exactly what it should be, a way to become more intimate with the Lord and truly to start to have the mind of Christ in you. Why do I say this? I say this because we are going to look in to the area of apologetics, and once you start to understand apologetics and its purpose, you can’t help but change. I don’t want to be an apologist you might be thinking to yourself. You can’t avoid being an apologist by mere fact that you are commanded to be one. Probably the verse that is used the most to show this is 1 Peter 3:15.
1 Peter 3:15 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:
The reason that we say that is because of the words to give an answer. The Greek word for this is áðïëïãéá
Pronounced: ap-ol-og-ee'-ah
1. verbal defence, speech in defence
2. a reasoned statement or argument
You may also know this word in today’s English as apologize. So as a side note, when you apologize for something you did, you are actually arguing on why you did what you did. For example, someone says that the only thing missing from my mustache is a green stripe because it looks like a generic Fu-Man-Choo. So when I confront them, they say that they are sorry but, I really made them mad so they just lashed out at me. By putting the word but in there, they went from heading towards asking for forgiveness to making a verbal defense on why the made such an ugly comment about my mustache. So we must see that an apology is actually a defense for something. But what or whom are we defending? What is the goal in being an apologist? So before we talk about what we defend or who we defend, we must define what an apologist is. Then we will seek to answer the questions why be an apologist and what is our goal? Well, as I said just a few moments ago, you are commanded to be an apologist according to 1 Peter 3:15. But in order to understand this verse, we have to see the context in which it was written. Doing that will take some time so what we are going to do first is talk about what an apologist is, and what an apologist is not. Then we will look at the proper way to approach apologetics, by understanding the verses that we plan to use contextually. So let's start by defining what an apologist is and what the goal of an apologist is.
What an apologist is:
An apologist is someone, anyone who defends their stance on an issue, idea, formula, etc. But a biblical apologist is someone who defends the truth that is in them as a result of being saved. We defend why we know the Bible is true and we defend the truths of the bible that we hold dear to our heart. An apologist also defends the truth that is in him, as it relates to the scriptures and not necessarily just any truth by itself. While one thing may be true to one person, it may not true to another. For example, you may say that lobster has great flavor. That is true to you. That is not true to me. The common denominator for a biblical apologist is the word of God. Someone’s belief or disbelief in word of God does not make it true or false. The word of God is true regardless of who believes it and who doesn’t.
Another example is I tell atheist’s that God’s existence is not dependant upon their belief or lack thereof, but that their eternal destination is dependant upon whether God shows him or her mercy and grace by saving them before they die
An apologist is also a student of the Bible. One cannot hope to defend the truth that is in them as a result of salvation unless they have studied the truth. As you may know I hold dear the doctrine of the triune God that the Jehovah’s Witnesses stand against. Who is right, me? Only if what I believe is in line with the scriptures and only if the scriptures have saturated my heart with truth and I have applied and lived that truth.
An apologist is also someone who does not take what they hear and believe it unless they themselves have studied it and found that what has been said is true. Those who are ignorant of the Scriptures are apologists of ignorance themselves. If you believe something because that is what you have always heard and have not looked into the word of God to see if it is true then you really have no foundation to base your apology on other then the word of finite fallible man. That is not to say that you shouldn’t trust the pastor or me or the other deacons. But you should search the scriptures to see if what is being preached is from the word of God or from the opinion of man. You and I need to make truth personal to us and we can’t do that by only learning during the preaching services.
Acts 17: 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
And finally, an apologist heart is clear of anything that may get in the way of his or her defense of the truth that lives inside them. The word Sanctify means this:
áãéáæù
Pronounced: hag-ee-ad'-zo
1. to render or acknowledge, or to be venerable or hallow
2. to separate from profane things and dedicate to God
1 Peter 3:15 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:
However, just because I am an apologist does not automatically make me right. Which leads to what an apologists is not.
What an apologists is not:
You are not an apologist if you defend the truth of either a denomination, system of beliefs, or theories that contain some truth or no truth at all. All of these things may contain some truth but the little truth that they have is enough for them to believe but it does not lead that person to the Lord Jesus Christ because it is not the complete truth. There are many who have false hope and yet defend that false hope to the grave. So a false apologist really depends on what he or she believes, and not necessarily what the truth is. In 1 Peter 3:15 and Acts 22:1 the point that is being made is know why you believe what you believe and defend that, because your defense is based on the truth.
Now I say that with the intent of believing the word of God and not just believing anything. The biblical apologist is not defending God but defending why they believe the truths from the word of God. What a biblical apologist does is expose the false doctrines that others believe by revealing truth from the scriptures to those that oppose the truth. For example, truth from the word of God never changes, but so called truths from cults and religion change to fit their needs and thoughts.
The other thing the apologist is not is they are not the source of truth. There is no truth that originates in us. The only thing that is true is the word of God. If the word of God dwells in our hearts then it can emanate from us but it can not originate from us.
Now we have to ask what the goal of an apologist is. There is really only one goal that apologist has. Can anyone tell me what that goal of an apologist is? The goal is always the same no matter what. If we are witnessing to a member of a cult that is lost, or a lost person who is not churched, the goal is the same. If we are defending our stance on tongues, baptism, salvation or anything else in the Bible that denominations have twisted for their own use, the goal remains the same and that is to point that person to the Lord Jesus Christ. Every defense we make must be done in a way as to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ and magnify Him. It should never be our intention to prove someone wrong because we know the truth and they don’t. Our catechism really comes into play here when we think about the chief end man. We are to glorify God and enjoy him for ever. If our goal is anything other then directing that person or group of people to the Lord Jesus Christ then we have failed to glorify God and we are enjoying our little victory more then the Lord himself. So now that I have said that, let’s move into our study.
We are going to look at chapter three of 1 Peter from an apologetic viewpoint to help us understand better why we are commanded to be an apologist, and the results of being obedient to the word of God.
Now in chapter two Peter talks about suffering at the hands of evildoers for righteousness sake. He clearly states that in these verses in chapter two, and there are many more we could look at but for times sake we will just look at these two and move into chapter three.
1 Peter 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Then he follows up in chapter three by saying likewise and bringing this suffering close to home
.
1 Peter 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
1 Peter 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
1 Peter 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
1 Peter 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
1 Peter 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
1 Peter 3:6 Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
Now remember, we said the word áðïëïãéá means to give what? It means to give a verbal defense. So is the Bible contradicting itself here? Not at all! While the Bible talks about the wife’s conversation or the way that she conducts herself, the Bible does not say that she shouldn’t answer her critics or those who wonder why she sits quietly by and does not rip into her husband. James says in James 1:19:
James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Proverbs 29:11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
Even lost people who can have some of the vilest mouths and minds can recognize a godly person, especially a godly woman. That doesn’t mean that they will act differently towards her, but they recognize who she lives for, especially when that wretch of man is the woman’s husband.
As we continue down this passage to verse fifteen and read the verses in context we see that the husband has the duty of equipping his wife with the word of God. Obviously he must be saved. Why is that so important that the wife be equipped as well? Considering what we are talking about, apologetics, who is an apologist? Every single person who knows the Lord Jesus Christ is and should be an apologist, not just the men. But men, if our wives are lacking in certain areas and you’re not doing anything about it, then you are setting her up to fail and ultimately that failure belongs to you.
1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Now there is more here then we have time to cover, but hopefully you get the gist of it. Besides that, Mike covered this well in his series on marriage. Before we move on, let me say this one thing to you ladies. If your husband is not dwelling with you in knowledge, you still have your own personal responsibility to know the word of God. If you are married and have children, who is going to teach your children about the Lord?
Now notice verses eight through thirteen.
1 Peter 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
1 Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
1 Peter 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1 Peter 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
What are some of the main points that we can take from this, looking at this from the apologist attitude?