Apologetics: A 5-Day Biblical GuideSample

How do we do apologetics the right way?

What makes a good apologist? What does success look like? The best apologist is one who imitates Jesus, described in the Gospel of John as the fullness of grace and truth.

Put another way, Jesus was perfect in love and never told lies, teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven winsomely and appropriately to those He was with.

Success in apologetics is being full of grace and truth. This means that an apologist cares equally about the content of what they say in their defence of the hope they have in Christ as much as how they say it.

In the second reading today, Peter writes that we should live good lives so others wonder what the cause is for our behaviour. Christians should live a life that shows the grace they have received in Christ and how a Christian life is its own apologetic.

When Christians defend their faith, they should do it with kindness and respect, winning a friend and not necessarily an argument.

Apologetics is committed to truth. The third reading today reminds us that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Salvation is only through Him.

And Christians have good reasons to believe this is true. Apologetics aims to help others discover these reasons and place their faith in Jesus Christ.

Success in apologetics looks like living lives of good character, full of grace and truth, as Christians imitate Jesus.

Today’s last reading reminds every Christian that success in defending the faith is not measured by the eloquence of speech or expertise in a particular area.

Paul encourages the Corinthians, reminding them that God chose to use a crucified Messiah, who looked foolish and weak in the eyes of the world, as the way of salvation. In the same way, the Corinthians did not come to faith because of Paul’s wise words or great knowledge— they came to faith because of God’s power!

This is good news for every Christian! It means that the power of apologetics is not found in words or knowledge alone but in God. It means that as you are faithful to defend the hope you have in Jesus, God’s power is working through you.

This does not mean Christians become lazy in defending the truth. Rather, it should spur Christians on in their efforts as they realize God uses ordinary people in unexpected ways to further His mission.

As you read today, pray and ask God to fill you with His Spirit, that you may be filled with grace and truth as Christ was. Pray that God would grant you opportunities to defend your faith and give good reasons for your hope in Christ.