Apologetics: A 5-Day Biblical GuideSample

What is the purpose of apologetics?

Apologetics is defending the faith and giving good reasons for every Christian’s hope in Jesus. This is something commanded in Scripture, something every Christian ought to do. But besides being a command of Scripture, why should Christians engage in apologetics?

Today’s first reading (Matthew 28:16-20) is Jesus’s Great Commission from the Gospel of Matthew. He told them to go and make disciples of all nations, to baptize new disciples, and to teach them everything Jesus commanded. As Christianity spread and early believers preached the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, they encountered questions and challenges along the way.

The disciples had to give good reason for their hope. The Book of Acts is filled with examples.

One of these examples is from Acts 17, where Paul is on his second missionary journey to Thessalonica and is constantly engaged in apologetic discourse as he travels from city to city.

Along with Silas, Paul preached the gospel of Jesus in the Jewish synagogue. He reasoned with the Jews, persuading them that Jesus is the Messiah and had to suffer and rise from the dead.

And as Paul defended the faith, people were persuaded and saved! Not only were Jews saved, but Gentiles too.

After Thessalonica, Paul arrived in Ephesus and stayed for two years. While Paul began teaching in the synagogue, after three months, he moved to the hall of Tyrannus. Paul taught daily and the gospel spread throughout the region.

These two examples teach two important aspects of apologetics. Apologetics is never a task that can be completed, like taking out the garbage or cutting the lawn. Rather, apologetics is like cooking. Once you learn the basics of cooking, you don’t stop cooking— you keep cooking— trying different recipes, perfecting old ones, and working on becoming a better chef. Even with dedication to the craft, you will never exhaust the art of cooking.

It’s the same with apologetics. New questions and challenges will always arise; every Christian’s job is to respond in wisdom.

The purpose of apologetics is to help fulfill the Great Commission. By answering people’s questions, doubts, and challenges, they will hear the gospel and some might even believe it!

These examples of Paul from the book of Acts remind us that not having an immediate answer to a question is not failure. Paul’s ongoing teaching in Thessalonica and Ephesus demonstrates that apologetics is more like an ongoing conversation than a one-time event.

Paul stayed for two years, helping people understand who Jesus was and what He had done. Not knowing the answer to a question or challenge should be viewed as an opportunity to find the answer and keep the conversation going, recognizing one purpose of apologetics is to help make disciples of all nations.

As you read today, pray and ask God to help you fulfill the Great Commission by being ready to defend the faith.