Apologetics is a reasoned argument(s) or writing(s) to justify something, typically a theory or religious doctrine. As an example, for Christians, it is the defense of our faith.
Paul defended himself, his apostleship, and the gospel many times in his ministry. He did this before the Jews, Romans and Greeks (e.g. Acts 21:26-23).
There are several passages of Scripture that tell us to be prepared to give a defense of what we believe. For example, 1 Peter 3:15 and 2 Timothy 4:2.
Does Apologetics Require a Testimony?
Not only do we need a solid defense of knowledge for our belief but it is even more important to have a solid testimony. I’m not talking about a “how I got saved” testimony, (although I think that it is important to know and have it prepared to share) but a testimony of our lives reflecting Christ.
Jesus said that we are the salt and light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). This means that the world is watching how we act, what we say, and how we respond to circumstances. Even though we all live in a sinful body still (Romans 7:14-25), we are called to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5) and turn away from worldly lusts and desires (Romans 6:11-14).
Our testimony of Christ living through us is what can draw in unbelievers to be acceptable to God’s message. When they ask, what makes us different from the rest of the world, what do we say to them? First, we preach the gospel to them; but what happens if they say they don’t believe there is a God. How do we prove that to them so they can begin to believe in Christ?
This is where our practice of apologetics comes in. So then, we need to find a solid basis to begin our discussion with the person. But this starts with ourselves first.
What is a Worldview?
The first step is determining one’s worldview; but what is a worldview?
[If you want to know more about the Biblical Worldview, check out this article, “A Deep Dive into the Biblical Worldview.”]
A worldview is the basis by which a person perceives reality and the way that it is.
If we don’t really believe God’s truth and live it, then our witness will not make sense and will be misleading. Many of us go through life and are not aware that our personal worldviews have been deeply affected by the world. Through the media and other influences, the secularized views of law, politics, science, history, God and man affects our thinking more than we realize. We are then taken “captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8).
Apologetics Requires Immersing Yourself in God’s Word
We as believers need to immerse ourselves with the Word daily so that we can let it engrain us in God’s worldview. When we let God’s world-view become our guide, we can easily act and make decisions based off of His view. Our minds and actions will be that of Christ’s and our responses to questions will be in line of God’s thinking (Romans 12:2).
Personal daily devotions are important for growing closer to God. It is through reading His word and letting it teach you that familiarizes you with the Word. Through daily prayer and meditation on what you read, the Holy Spirit can use that when you need to give an account for what you believe. The Holy Spirit uses that in and for encouraging another believer (John 14:26-27; Luke 12:11-12).
Familiarize Yourself with the God’s Word
When it comes to apologetics, it is the utmost importance to be familiar and to know the Scriptures. If you did not know any Scriptures, what would the Holy Spirit have to remind you of?
Even though it would be convenient to know the book, chapter, and verse of the scripture you are seeking; at least knowing the author and the book will help. If you highlight in your Bible and write notes (which I would recommend), you will raise your chances and will be more likely to find what you are looking for in less time.
In a situation where you do not have a Bible with you, I believe that it is alright to simply state something like: “The Bible says that…” or “According to Paul in Galatians…” because God’s word will not return void and does not require a verse marking to give authority to it (Isaiah 55:11; Hebrews 4:12).
That does not mean that a Christian should not worry about the reference. What if somebody did not believe your word and wanted to read it for themselves? It would be helpful to confirm your point and raise trust in your words by showing proof. At least know the book and chapter. You can search from that point on.
Can you defend Christianity without having the Holy Spirit or knowing God?
Simple answer is “Yes.” By having the knowledge of a certain topic, you can defend whatever it is. For example, right now you can probably argue how the world was created by using whatever knowledge you have about: Evolution, Greek gods, atheism, or Hinduism. It may not be a good defense, but you can try.
Here is an action step you can take to see what your worldview looks like:
- Write down what your worldview is. Answer your beliefs on the subjects of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and mankind.
For Further Study
(Some links below are affiliate links which I receive a small commission from any purchases from Amazon)
“A Deep Dive into the Biblical Worldview” [Article]
“What Are the Four Components of a Worldview” [Article]
“World Religions: The great faiths explored & explained” by John Bowker [Check it out on Amazon]