The importance of Apologetics – Defending The Faith With Your Greatest Weapon

See Also: God’s Not Dead: Primordial Truth: YHWH (God) & Jesus ARE Real: Insurmountable Evidence Marathon (Debate Series)

Dear readers,

The importance of apologetics, in addition to evangelism, has become increasingly necessary as time goes on. We should be able to communicate our beliefs and engage in meaningful conversations with those who may have challenging questions about our faith.

It’s important to share the Gospel with others and let our lives be living proof of who we belong to; Jesus Christ. Scripture also challenges us to go beyond that.

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

Maybe you’ve been in a situation where you wish you could share more, or feel more confident defending your faith. It’s a good idea to learn how to answer some common misconceptions about the Bible.

It’s one thing to be able to share the fundamentals about our faith with others (evangelism), but in an ever-increasingly hostile world toward the truth of Jesus Christ, how are we to respond to difficult questions (apologetics)?

Let’s take a look at Hebrews 5:12-14 and 6:1-3 to see what the Bible says about the difference between spiritual ‘milk’ and ‘meat’.

Spiritual Infancy
Hebrews 5:12-14 says,

12“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”

It tells us that some believers still needed someone to teach them the basic principles of God’s word, even though they should’ve been teachers at that point in their walk. They were still drinking spiritual ‘milk’ instead of eating solid food.

Milk is for babies, solid food is for the mature.

Moving Towards Maturity
Hebrews 6:1-2 encourages us to move beyond the foundational teachings about Christ and move toward spiritual maturity.

As we mature in our faith, we become better equipped to answer our own questions, allowing our faith to grow stronger which helps us share the truth of the Bible more effectively with others.

1”Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.”

Defending Your Faith
Apologetics helps address objections to your beliefs and arms believers to defend their beliefs respectfully and confidently. The word ‘apologetics’ is derived from the Greek term “apologia,” which translates to “defense” or “justification”.

By understanding the historical, philosophical, and scientific evidence supporting the Bible, we can better explain the reasons for our beliefs. Knowing the intricacies of our worldview, we can better defend it against other worldviews, philosophies, or religions, and articulate what makes the Bible so different.

Scripture itself often faces misunderstandings and misconceptions. Sadly, a lot of people have preconceived notions about Christians and who Jesus is.

Apologetics helps break down barriers that may hinder others from accepting or understanding the message of salvation. These barriers may have been grafted onto them through things like cultural conditioning or bad experiences.

Additionally, being able to articulate why you hold the beliefs you do helps you stand strong against any challenges or spiritual attacks you may face, and brings a sense of peace and unwavering faith.

Apologetics vs Evangelism: What’s the Difference?
Apologetics focuses on giving rational arguments and evidence to defend the Christian faith against objections and skepticism. It involves using logic, historical facts, and philosophical reasoning to demonstrate the credibility and truthfulness of Christianity.

Evangelism, on the other hand, is the act of sharing the Gospel message of Jesus Christ with others in hopes of leading them to salvation.

Hebrews 5 and 6 use the analogy of milk and meat to discuss the importance of spiritual growth and maturity. This analogy can also be applied to the relationship between apologetics and evangelism.

Milk represents the basic, foundational principles of Christianity, just as milk is the first form of nourishment for a baby. In the context of evangelism, the “milk” can be seen as the foundational message of the Gospel which is:

a. ) The deity of Jesus Christ.

b.) The death of Jesus in our place.

c.) The Resurrection of Jesus.

The Gospel message is the invitation to receive forgiveness from sin and gain eternal life through faith in Him. (1 Corinthians 15) The main focus is explaining how people can have a personal relationship with Jesus.

Meat symbolizes the more detailed teachings that come with spiritual maturity. This happens naturally as you progress in your relationship with God and spend more and more time in His Word and in prayer.

This can be compared to apologetics, as it involves a deeper understanding of the intellectual and rational foundations of Christianity. ‘Milk’ represents the foundational principles of the faith that you must grasp to build on. For example, you can’t move on to higher-level mathematics without understanding the basic operations first.

Understanding and Refuting Common Misconceptions About the Bible
Misconception 1: The Bible Is Just a Historical Record
Some believe the Gospel is merely a historical account of Jesus’ life and works, similar to any other historical document.

However, that’s not the case. It is a divinely inspired text that reveals the redemptive plan of God (Isaiah 25:8) through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23).

Unlike historical texts, the Bible offers a unique message of salvation and an invitation to a personal relationship with God (John 20:31).

The historical and archeological aspects of the Bible are important because they affirm the real-life existence and events of Jesus Christ.

Several non-Christian sources, like the Roman Josephus and Tacitus, recorded Jesus’ existence and crucifixion in their writings.

The Gospels, as historical documents, also provide eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It’s also important to note that the growth of early Christianity depended on the disciples’ knowledge of the resurrection.

Misconception 2: Scripture Promotes Blind Faith
A common critique is that scripture encourages blind faith from its followers, discouraging rational thought or questioning.

This is a misguided stance because Christianity itself encourages a faith that is supported by evidence.

Scripture provides many accounts of Jesus performing miracles and fulfilling prophecies (Luke 24:25-27). The apostles also encouraged examining the scriptures (Acts 17:11), showing that faith in Christianity can stand up to questioning. Truth will always be true and no amount of questioning can ever disprove facts.

Often, the people who hold the fallacious view that the Bible promotes blind faith have either:

a.) Never earnestly read it for themselves

b.) Have ‘religion-colored glasses’ on, or a narrow lens of preconceived religious ideas and traditions rather than engaging critically and openly with the actual content.

Some tend to mix the Bible and the doctrines of men or unscriptural traditions. Others may reject things the hypocrisy they see in churches, so they also reject the truth of the Bible. Both of these are intellectually dishonest.

Misconception 3: The Bible Is Incompatible with Modern Science
Some argue that the teachings of the Bible are outdated or incompatible with modern science. However, the Bible proves much of what science later ‘discovered’, and disproves the propaganda pushed by other religious groups, er, I mean ‘scientists’. I have a documentary about modern science and its shocking origins here: How Ancient Mysticism Became Science (video)

You can also find my article highlighting the cherry-picking of data in scientific research and how it influences the formation of dominant narratives here:

The Science of Cherry-Picking
The Science of Cherry-Picking
PROBABLYALEXANDRA
·
AUGUST 22, 2023
Read full story
Many scientists have found their scientific work to be compatible with their faith, viewing the natural world as a testament to God’s design (Romans 1:20). It’s the propaganda we’re fed that’s labeled as ‘science’ that poisons the well and causes confusion.

Misconception 4: The Bible has been changed over time, and is unreliable.
Numerous manuscripts and fragments of the Bible, dating back centuries in languages like Greek, Latin, and Syriac, exist in large quantities. A comparison of these texts reveals a notable uniformity, suggesting that the scripture has been accurately transcribed and preserved over time. Archaeological findings affirm specifics described in the Bible such as ancient cities, rulers, customs, and traditions. This lends support to the authenticity of historical claims made by the Bible.

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 1940s and 1950s added more proof of the Old Testament’s reliability. These ancient manuscripts, copied by hand many hundreds of years before the time of Jesus Christ, confirm that the text of the Old Testament, as we know it today, was the text that people were copying and reading in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC.

Despite minor differences, the essential foundational points remain consistent throughout existing manuscripts. Thus, while minor translation changes may exist, the Bible’s core message and integrity have been preserved.

Misconception 5: Evil Disproves the Existence of God
Finally, one of the most common arguments is called ‘The Problem of Evil’, where unbelievers assert the claim that the existence of evil disproves an all-powerful God. In my opinion, the inverse is true. Understanding the depths of evil in this world points to wickedness that is beyond human. Ephesians 6:12 suggests that there are spiritual forces at work that contribute to the existence of evil. Recognizing the reality of extreme evil also leads us to recognize the existence of the spirit world, as it serves as evidence of supernatural forces influencing our reality. Simultaneously, the concept of evil not only suggests the existence of God but also helps us grasp the nature of God.

Evil is not the opposite of God. Evil is the absence of God.

God represents everything that evil is not—love, compassion, justice, and righteousness.

The basis of the ‘Problem of Evil’ argument is filled with so many false assumptions, that it would be an entire article in itself to address. The most basic answer, though, is truly as simple as this meme:

Life is difficult for both Christians and non-Christians. It doesn’t cease to be difficult, calamitous, and filled with suffering just because someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Sometimes, it actually gets even harder, depending on where you live, or how you’re treated by those around you.

However, what transforms is your perspective. Death is just death, pain is just pain, and loss is just loss without any healing, hope, or purpose when God is not in the picture. But with the hope of heaven and the promises made, Christians look at life in a different way. Life was never guaranteed to be easy – but with Jesus, you are guaranteed to never walk alone.

Summary
To summarize, just as spiritual growth involves progressing from milk to meat, Christianity requires both evangelism and apologetics.

Evangelism introduces people to the essential message of salvation through Jesus Christ, while apologetics gives a deeper understanding of our faith and addresses intellectual barriers.

Both are essential elements of a well-rounded spiritual diet.

God bless,

Alexandra

Original: Probably Alexandra 5.2.24 Substack Newsletter

The importance of Apologetics – Defending The Faith With Your Greatest Weapon

See Also: God’s Not Dead: Primordial Truth: YHWH (God) & Jesus ARE Real: Insurmountable Evidence Marathon (Debate Series)

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