Apologetics: A 5-Day Biblical Guide预览

How should we behave?

Apologetics gives good reasons for every Christian’s hope in Christ by answering objections, questions, and challenges to the faith. The purpose of apologetics is to help fulfill the Great Commission and help bring people to saving faith in Jesus.

Before diving into the basics of how to do apologetics, it’s important to remember the identity and posture of an apologist. An apologist is anyone who defends their faith in Christ; understanding the posture of an apologist helps anyone defending their faith do apologetics correctly and treat others with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Today’s reading comes from Peter’s first letter in the Bible. He reminds his readers of their identities because of their faith in Christ.

He first describes Christians as those who come to Jesus, craving and being nourished by Jesus, just like a newborn baby needs milk. This means that every Christian should seek to know Jesus more and more and find the answers to their doubts and questions.

Christians have tasted and seen that God is good. They seek to live lives that pursue Jesus even more— to experience greater joy, satisfaction, and peace in Jesus.

For the apologist, answering questions and challenges is an exercise of spiritual nourishment, deepening their relationship with Jesus.

Peter’s second reminder is that every Christian and apologist belongs to a community of faith. Peter says every Christian is like a living stone belonging to one church, to be His temple and His priests.

By priests, Peter means that every Christian praises and proclaims the mercy they have received and how they were pulled out of darkness.

This reminds every apologist they are not alone and can turn to other Christians to help answer questions and challenges. This means you may not be an expert in the reliability and trustworthiness of the Bible or well-versed in philosophy to answer questions about God allowing evil and suffering, but you are part of a community of faith, with other members dedicated to studying and answering questions, for which you may not yet know the answer.

You don’t need to know every answer and can turn to others for help. It also means you don’t need to win every argument but faithfully respond when asked.

Finally, Peter shows that the apologist does not do the saving. God does.

God is the one who gives mercy through Christ. God is the one building a spiritual temple as the Holy Spirit works. God is responsible for salvation and growing His church.

The apologist is responsible for answering the questions, challenges, and objections of the people in their lives. And it’s okay for you to rely on others in the community of faith, the Church, to help.

The posture of an apologist is to crave Jesus more and more, work with and rely on the community of faith, and leave it to God to save people.

As you read today, pray that the Holy Spirit will work through you to know Jesus more and more, to help you rely on other Christians, and to be faithful in responding to the questions from people in your own life.