1 Apologetics Defending the Faith I. Introduction A. Apologetics: The branch of theology which seeks to provide a rational justification for the truth claims of the Christian faith and present Christian doctrine clearly and convincingly. B. Apologetics is the systematic defense of the Christian faith. It seeks to define, establish, defend, and vindicate the presuppositions of Christian theology in the areas of metaphysics, epistemology, and axiology. It also seeks to defend and vindicate the Christian system of truth in every area of thought or investigation. 1. Apologetics comes from the Greek word apologia, meaning “answer,” “defense” or “account.”1 2. The purpose of Christian apologetics is to remove intellectual barriers that prevent a person from accepting the gospel. 3. Good apologetics focuses not so much on giving answers to questions, but providing rational ideas to stimulate thinking. a) There is no obligation to answer every question. b) One of our tasks is to be “prepared to give an answer.” 4. The apologist’s goal is not to win debates, but to reason with others to help them come to the conclusion that Christianity is correct. C. There are three good reasons to engage in apologetics.2 1. The Scriptures command it (1 Pet 3:15, 16). 2. You are provided with the opportunity to engage in the overall purpose of apologetics, which is to remove intellectual and emotional barriers from someone coming to faith. 3. It strengthens your faith. a) Confidence in your beliefs leads to confidence in your Christian walk. b) Looking deeply into these issues should give you a greater love for and appreciation for the Lord. Looking at a starry sky to some people is like looking at a 1 J. P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains, 2nd ed. (United Bible Societies, 1999). 2 J. P. Moreland, Scaling the Secular City: A Defense of Christianity (Baker Academic, 1987), Introduction. Central Africa Baptist College PO BOX 21891 KITWE, ZAMBIA [email protected] Tel 26-097-741-5011 2 bunch of lights, but to others it is an exciting adventure—why? One has knowledge and the other does not. Do you enjoy listening to an orchestra play? Those who have trained their ears for it enjoy it to a much greater extent. It is the same with paintings and other art forms. In the same way, when we come to know the philosophical depths of God’s world, we appreciate the Creator even more. Rationality is an art form, and God’s reason is beautiful. My hope is that in this class you will recognize patterns of God’s working in the world you have never recognized before. In doing so, you will appreciate Him more. II. Apologetics and Philosophy A. Definition: 1. The word philosophy comes from the two Greek words phileo (love) and sophia (wisdom); thus it means “the love of wisdom.” 2. Philosophy is the study of life and the world as a whole; it examines and criticizes assumptions and ideas, and seeks to construct a unified view of the world and our experience. B. There are three primary areas of study in philosophy: 1. Metaphysics, the study of reality and existence a) Primary questions: (1) What is the nature of being? (ontology) (2) What is the nature of the universe? (cosmology) (3) What is the nature of man, in terms of human personality or consciousness? (psychology) (4) What is the nature of God if such a being exists? (theology) b) Secondary questions: (1) Can the existence of God be proved? (2) What is the value of the theistic proofs? (3) Can the created nature of the universe be proved? (4) How is the created universe related to God? (5) What is natural law? Can miracles be defended? (6) What is sin? How does it relate to man’s will and God’s will? (7) How can both God and evil exist? 2. Epistemology, the study of knowledge and how it is obtained a) What is knowledge? (1) How do our ideas refer to reality? (2) What is the source of knowledge? Central Africa Baptist College PO BOX 21891 KITWE, ZAMBIA [email protected] Tel 26-097-741-5011 3 (3) Are our sense perceptions and mental operations trustworthy? (4) Is it possible to obtain knowledge? (a) What is the source of knowledge? (b) What is the instrument of receiving knowledge? (c) What are the limits of knowledge? b) What is truth? (1) Can truth be tested? (2) How can one proceed from one truth to another? (a) What kind of certainty is arrived at by deduction? (b) What kind of certainty is arrived at by induction? (3) Are there such things as innate truths? Can they be proved? c) Is epistemology prior to all other philosophical questions? d) An important part of epistemology is logic, the study of validity and invalidity and of truth and falsity and the relation of ideas to each other e) Can ultimate reality be known? If so, how? f) What is faith? What is faith’s relation to reason? (1) What is the effect of sin on man’s ability to know? (2) Is there common ground between believer and unbeliever? (3) What methods can or should a believer use when dealing with an unbeliever? (4) Can Christianity, either in whole or in part, be proved to be rational? (5) Can Christianity, either in whole or in part, be proved to be the most, or only, rational world view? C. Axiology, the study of values a) An important part of axiology is ethics, the study of human obligation: morals, right and wrong, good and evil. (1) What are values? (a) Are values rooted in objective reality or only in the mind of the observer? (b) What are the criteria by which value is judged? (c) What are the important values which are to be desired in life? (d) How can the important values be realized in our experience? Central Africa Baptist College PO BOX 21891 KITWE, ZAMBIA [email protected] Tel 26-097-741-5011 4 (2) Is there an absolute standard or criterion of value? (a) Are there any legitimate relative values? (b) Is there an ethical hierarchy? (3) Is sin ever not avoidable in a given situation? (4) What is man’s summum bonum? (5) Can cultural norms be morally neutral? b) This is primarily the field of Ethics, and that is another class. D. Kinds of Knowledge 1. Knowledge a) Ultimately knowledge is that which is known to be true for legitimate reasons and is indeed true. b) Christians believe that the only absolute knowledge is that which is revealed by God. c) Knowledge also includes those truths that can be logically deduced from revealed truth. 2. Opinion a) What some people commonly call knowledge can more properly be called opinion. b) Opinion represents the beliefs people have based on their experience or observation. c) Opinion consists of conclusions reached after examining individual examples. These conclusions are not absolute, since it is impossible to observe all possible relevant examples, and since no observation is perfectly precise. d) Conclusions formed from inductive observations are necessarily tentative. (1) They might be changed when more evidence becomes available. (2) For example, since science is basically inductive, its conclusions are properly stated as scientific opinion, not scientific knowledge. The scientific method, involving hypothesis, experiment, observation, and theory, produces many practical benefits and useful ways of organizing our thinking about the world. However, it should be remembered that what has been called scientific knowledge has radically changed over the history of science. e) There is a distinction between knowledge and opinion, even when the opinion is true. It is possible to come to a true conclusion by fallible means. It certainly is Central Africa Baptist College PO BOX 21891 KITWE, ZAMBIA [email protected] Tel 26-097-741-5011 5 common that people believe something that is true for the wrong reasons. f) The idea of probability is difficult to apply to knowledge. (1) Many say that, while scientific knowledge is not absolute, it at least is probably true. (2) However, probability is hard to determine when the absolute truth is unknown. (3) We must live in the practical world, and we order our daily lives and make innumerable decisions on the basis of our understanding of probabilities. 3. Belief a) Belief is a flexible term, which can include both knowledge and opinion. b) The Bible speaks of belief or faith as the firm conviction of the truth of God and his Word. c) On the other hand belief may be based on observation or induction, which may or may not be true, or it may be simply based on fancy or wishful thinking. E. Fields of Apologetics 1. Science a) Evolution b) Intelligent Design Movement 2. History a) Historical accuracy of the Scriptures b) Historical reality of the Son of God, reality of the resurrection, reality of the Jewish people c) Archaeological evidence 3. Philosophy a) Who made God? b) How does the infinite relate to the finite? c) How does an eternal Being relate to time? d) Can God create a rock so big that he cannot lift it? 4. Theology a) How can God be three in one? b) How can Christ be fully God, yet fully man? c) How can God be unchanging, yet say that He changes His mind? 5. The vastness of the discipline a) Apologetics is a vast discipline that covers every fact in the world. b) We need believers in every realm of life who make apologetics their passion. We cannot afford to only have apologists who sit in ivory towers, but we must Central Africa Baptist College PO BOX 21891 KITWE, ZAMBIA [email protected] Tel 26-097-741-5011 6 have apologists who are engaged in every realm of life—science, history, philosophy, etc. c) The “professional” apologist should be generally familiar with each of these fields, but he must depend on others to dig deeply into these issues. These believers will provide the primary work, which the apologist will seek to popularize to Christianity as a whole. III. Importance of Apologetics A. Common Excuses 1. Philosophy is not for me. 2. The Bible can defend itself. 3. Apologists don’t agree with each other. 4. I don’t know enough. 5. People aren’t interested in these arguments. B. The Biblical command – 1 Pet 3:15-16 1. Christ occupies your heart first. 2. You have the hope (resurrection, kingdom). 3. People know you have this hope. 4. You have a reason for this hope which you can verbalize. 5. You must be ready to give this reason to non-believers. 6. Sanctify—Set the Lord apart as holy 7. Be ready—Presumes that Christians should be actively engaged in learning how to respond 8. Reason for the hope that lies in you a) Why does Paul not use “faith” here?3 b) In the context, believers are being persecuted for their faith. Thus, their lifestyles of faithfulness in the midst of persecution provided opportunity for people to ask why they had hope. 9. You must answer with “gentleness and respect” (NIV and ESV); NASB has “reverence”; NKJV has “meekness and fear.” a) Respect for God, not pride b) Respect for person (1) This person is in God’s image. (2) This person may become a Christian some day. (3) You were once unconverted. c) Respect even if you are mistreated 3 Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, New American Commentary 37 (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003). Central Africa Baptist College PO BOX 21891 KITWE, ZAMBIA [email protected] Tel 26-097-741-5011 7 10. You must have clear conscience (a life backs up our words). C. Titus 1:9-11 1. Enemies of Christianity have base motives and false doctrines, and cause much damage to the church. 2. Enemies of Christianity must be refuted and silenced. 3. Church leaders must have sufficient knowledge and steadfastness to do two things: a) Encourage the church through sound doctrine b) Refute those who oppose sound doctrine D. Relation to other disciplines in Christianity 1. Relation to theology a) Theology is the setting forth of biblical doctrines in a systematic core. b) Apologetics is the defense of the doctrines expressed in theology c) Thus, apologetics is dependent on theology. That is, apologetics looks to Christian theology for the doctrines which must be expressed and defended. 2. Relation to philosophy a) Philosophy is the investigation of truth claims through use of reason. b) Apologetics is the expression of Christian theism in a rationally persuasive manner. c) Because of the similarity in the end goal, some apologists would like to call the discipline Philosophy of Religion. d) However, there are significant differences between professional philosophers and Christian apologists. (1) Source of authority (2) Bounds of possibility (3) Goal of the work 3. Relation to evangelism a) Evangelism is the clear presentation of the gospel to sinners. b) Apologetics, then, has been called pre-evangelism. (1) There is danger in this terminology, because apologetics is a necessary part of evangelization. (2) Nevertheless, apologetics is often used as the means to eliminate the rational blockades preventing one from coming to faith in Christ. c) Is apologetics necessary for evangelism? d) In conclusion, apologetics is a useful but sometimes unnecessary aid to evangelism. Central Africa Baptist College PO BOX 21891 KITWE, ZAMBIA [email protected] Tel 26-097-741-5011 8 4. Relation to counseling a) Counseling is the application of the Scriptures to human problems. b) Often, there is an intellectual component to counseling issues. That is, many of the core issues of counseling deal with an unbelieving heart. Sometimes apologetics can help here, because unbelief often presents itself as intellectual difficulties.4 IV. Apologetics and the Bible A. Biblical approaches 1. Gen 1:1 – The Old Testament writers simply assumed the existence of God; they made no attempt to prove His existence (see also Ps 19:1-6). 2. In the New Testament era, Christians had to defend the faith: a) Judaism rejected the deity of Christ. b) Proto-Gnosticism denied the human nature of Christ. c) Gentiles had to be convinced that there is only one God. d) Young Christians faced overwhelming persecution. e) The Roman government linked Christianity to Judaism. 3. Matt 7:6 – a warning not to cast pearls before swine 4. Mark 12:30 – Christians are to love the Lord with the mind. a) In one’s love for God, the mind plays a crucial role. b) Commitment to God is not merely an emotional response, nor is it merely rituals and duties; one must also think and think well. c) Apologetics (along with disciplined Bible study) is one way to “love the Lord with all your mind.” 5. Luke 12:11; 21:14 – Jesus’ disciples were going to have to defend themselves. 6. Acts 19:33, 22:1; 24:10, 25:8, 16; 26:1-2, 26:24; 2 Tim 4:16 – Paul made a defense of himself and his role in propagating the Gospel. 7. 1 Cor 9:3 – Paul defended himself 8. 2 Cor 10:5 a) This verse is used in arguments against the use of apologetics. b) However, this verse mentions “casting down” (demolishing) arguments and taking thoughts “captive,” 4 This is a very difficult topic, since unbelief is more than intellectual—it is also moral. When someone does not believe, it very often is due to the will not to believe. This is especially the case in counseling issues. Central Africa Baptist College PO BOX 21891 KITWE, ZAMBIA [email protected] Tel 26-097-741-5011 9 which indicates that even though the Christian’s weapons are not the weapons of this world (2 Cor. 10:4), they are to challenge the presuppositions and arguments in order to lead people to faith in Christ, when necessary. 9. 2 Cor 12:19 – The Corinthians mistakenly thought that Paul was defending himself. 10. Phil 1:7, 17 – Paul defended and confirmed the Gospel. 11. 1 Thes 5:21 – “Test everything. Hold on to the good.” a) This verse exhorts the Christian to a life of “testing” for truth. b) Prove, in this context, means “to try to learn the genuineness of something by examination and testing, often through actual use—’to test, to examine, to try to determine the genuineness of, testing.’”5 c) Testing seems to include the idea of testing with intellectual rigor the prophecies placed before the church. If a prophecy does not meet the standard of Scripture or reason (as informed by Scripture), it must be discarded. d) Both Paul and John are telling Christians to use their heads as well as their hearts. e) There are many con artists, frauds and phonies in the world. 12. 2 Timothy 2:14-15 – do not quarrel, but correctly handle the Word of truth 13. 2 Timothy 3:16 – think biblically, because apologetics must integrate with Scripture, not vice versa. 14. 1 Peter 3:15 – “. . . be ready always to give an answer [apologia] to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you. . . .” 15. 1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God. . . .” 16. Jude 3 – “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” a) “Earnestly contend” means to “exert intense effort on behalf of something—’to struggle for.”6 b) This specifically expresses the task of defensive apologetics. 5 Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon. 6 Ibid. Central Africa Baptist College PO BOX 21891 KITWE, ZAMBIA [email protected] Tel 26-097-741-5011 10 c) The word “faith” in this text refers to the body of essential Christian doctrine. d) Jude is calling believers to uphold and maintain sound doctrine in the face of those who seek to “turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and deny the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 4). B. An examination of alleged anti-apologetics texts 1. Luke 12:11-12 a) Jesus is not telling us to never prepare or study. b) In this passage, Jesus is speaking directly to his disciples. His words are stated directly to them for a specific time, not to us. c) We can learn a valuable lesson here, however: The Holy Spirit who is with us will guide us, help us, and teach us. d) But we still have the responsibility of being good students of the Word (2 Tim.2:15). 2. 1 Cor 1:17-25 a) Paul is not teaching anti-intellectualism. b) Paul himself was an intellectual. c) The knowledge of the perishing will not bring them to Christ. d) The work of the cross baffled the conventional wisdom of the Jews and the Greeks. e) God’s understanding and wisdom far exceed the understanding and wisdom of man. f) There is no condemnation of intellectualism (or apologetics) here. 3. 2 Cor 10:3-5 a) The question is, what “spiritual weapons” do we have? b) Truth is a weapon. c) The fact that we do not “wage war as the world does” does not imply that we do not reason. d) Critics of apologetics will argue that logic is a “weapon of the world,” but there is little rational or biblical evidence to support this. 4. Col 2:8 a) This verse is not a condemnation of philosophy per se, but rather a warning against any thoughts or ideas that are “hollow and deceptive.” b) One purpose of apologetics is to combat false ideologies. C. Apologetic key words in Scripture 1. “Therefore” Central Africa Baptist College PO BOX 21891 KITWE, ZAMBIA [email protected] Tel 26-097-741-5011