How can, “ a Follower of Jesus”
be Prepared to Defend their Faith?
Or, even a better question:
will they defend their faith?
Are you ashamed of the
Gospel?
Do you avoid conversations
about your faith in front of certain people?
Do you fear persecution due
to your relationship with Jesus?
If
you answered yes to any of these questions join the club. For many years I had
this fear about letting others know I was a follower of Jesus. I feared rejection
by these same people who I had spent many years hanging out with and living a
life style that was by all Godly standards worldly and self-serving. But at
some point in time, as my faith began to mature, so did my conviction to live a
life that honored God. I am also thankful that I have a wife that continuously prayed
that I would begin to apply God’s Word to my life. So when I did and began to share and live out
my faith, the circle of friends I used to hang with began to change. This happened because some of my friends did
not want to accept the person I had become.
I did not reject them but they rejected me. Sad but true, some people not
only reject the Gospel but also those who claim to have been saved by Jesus. I
also noticed that some of my relationships began to slowly drift away. In my
case, I had lost some friends, but graciously, God led me to an extended Church
family where I felt loved and cared for.
Sharing
ones Christian faith can be difficult yet followers of Jesus must actively
pursue God’s commission to share the Good News. People’s lives are at stake and what is shared
can motivate others to investigate the hope followers of Jesus have. Christians have the privilege of letting
others know that there is still hope in a fallen and broken world.
I
first heard the word “Apologetics”
on Christian radio. I believe I heard it on Hank Hannegraaff’s radio show called
“The Bible Answer Man”. At first I thought it was a strange sounding Christian
word that meant we somehow apologize for our faith. But I was wrong, there is a
much different meaning to this word and I am truly glad that we don’t have to
apologize for believing that Jesus is the way, and the truth and the life.
The
word "Apologetics" is
derived from the Greek
word "Apologia," which
means to make a defense. Apologetics is a branch of theology
(The study of religion) that deals
with the defense of Christian doctrine
and proofs of Christianity.
Apologetics
covers many areas including:
·
Who Jesus
is.
·
The reliability
of the
Bible.
·
Refuting cults.
·
Biblical evidences in history, archeology
and science.
·
Answering objections, etc.
In short, Christian Apologetics, attempts to:
(1)
Present a rational basis for the Christian faith
(2)
Defend the faith against objections
(3)
Attack the alleged flaws of other worldviews.
We
are called by God to give an Apologia, a defense
for what we believe:
1
Peter 3:15 NIV
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
How does a follower of
Jesus prepare? How should they go about defending their faith?
Understand that biblical
knowledge, faith and action will work together in a Christian’s defense of their beliefs. One must
read, study and actively pray for Godly perspective on how to share the Good
News with those living with Bad News, brokenness and spiritual depravity. As they model
the life of a follower of Jesus, people will see that they are actually
living out the things they espouse to. They have a story to tell that reveals what
Christ has done in their life. They also should be an example of Christ’s transforming power not hypocrisy. Good
Christian counsel and mentorship is also important in spiritual growth and
defending their faith.
Ephesians
4:22-24 NIV
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true
righteousness and
holiness.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 NIV
You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
Challenge:
When
there is opportunity to share your story
with others you should not be ashamed
of who you are. You should speak about
your faith openly (with
gentleness and respect) and identify with Christ,
your Lord and
Savior.
Romans
1:16 NIV
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes
When
Christian’s are asked for proof that there is a God, they should be able to defend what they believe. It is very important that they invest time in knowing what the Bible says
as well as offer bits of proof that
show only a loving God could have created all things as opposed to things
happening by natural causes. This is also an area where the Holy Spirit will remind them of the
things you have been taught.
Luke
21:14-15 NIV
But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
Luke
12:11-12 NIV
"When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."
"When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."
John 14:26 NIV
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Acts 1:8 NIV
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
What are followers of Jesus up against?
Today Christians are going to have to battle the idea of “Naturalism” that has permeated our society and is now the major
teaching and goal of our education system here in America.
Naturalism:
·
Is a theory denying that an event or object has a
supernatural significance, or the doctrine that scientific laws are adequate to account for all phenomena.
·
Is the view that the universe exists as a self-contained
whole and that it is self-directing. Naturalism thus denies that there is any supernatural element affecting the natural
world. Classic naturalists had high views of science and rationality as
capable of discovering absolute truth.
·
Contrasted with
"supernaturalism," naturalists insist that the universe is a "closed system," (ex.) there is no God who intervenes in the universe and in human
affairs. Naturalists presuppose
"evolution," and believe that
science is the only way to come to an understanding of truth.
·
The doctrine that
all reality comes under the “laws of
Nature.”
Many people don’t believe in
the Bible because they don’t feel it can hold its own weight when it comes to science.
Actually, what is recorded in the Bible often corroborates what we know already
about science and predates the recent discovery
of many of the things we understand today.
Sad truth:
People don’t read the Bible
so they don’t know how the Bible is the historical and scientific record of our
known universe.
OK, let’s get a little
controversial. Many people believe in Evolution
as fact instead of theory. Even though it is called the “Theory of Evolution” most schools teach it as though it is
fact.
Example 1:
The Bible says that God created everything according to its
kind (Genesis 1). Well, that's what science shows us. We can't find fossils
that show a transition from species to species because there aren't any. Science
shows adaptation within species or relatively minor changes in the composition of
a species' gene pool with time (micro-evolution), but not an evolutionary
transition from one species to another (macro-evolution). This agrees with the
Bible.
Example 2:
Some people find it absurd
that the entire human race might have come from just two people (Adam and Eve).
From a biblical perspective, all humans are descendants of one man and one
woman—Adam and Eve
(Read: 1 Corinthians 15:45;
Genesis 3:20). Thus, if
the Bible’s history is accurate, biologically, only one race of human beings
exists. Modern observational science confirms that this is the case.
When the Human Genome Project was completed in 2000, scientists announced
that they had put together a draft of the entire sequence of the human genome
and “the researchers had unanimously
declared, there is only one race—the human race.” The report also stated: “But the more closely that
researchers examine the human genome—the complement of genetic material encased
in the heart of almost every cell
of the body—the more most of
them are convinced that the standard labels used to distinguish people by
‘race’ have little or no biological meaning.”
These are just a couple of
examples but there is so much more. One thing we all should remember: Creationists
and Evolutionists, Christians and non-Christians all have the same evidence—the same facts. Think about it: we all have
the same earth, the same fossil layers, the same animals and plants, the same stars—the facts are all the same.
The difference is in the way
we all interpret the facts.
And why do we
interpret facts differently?
Because we start with different presuppositions.
These are things that are assumed to be true, without being able to prove them.
These then become the basis for other conclusions. All reasoning is
based on presuppositions (also called axioms).
This becomes especially relevant when dealing with past events.
As a follower of Jesus one
can be assured that their beliefs are going to be challenged and their faith is
going to be tested. This however, can be a good thing for developing their character
and strengthening their faith.
James
1:2-4 NIV
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking
anything.
The reason why Christians
should be able to offer proof of their beliefs is mainly because people will
offer their own evidence on why they should not believe in God and creation. The going trend in our culture today is to
promote “Atheism”: The belief that
God does not exist. Or, if there is a
God, this God is unknowing or somehow removed from a daily and personal
interaction with mankind. Another premise is that all religions have equal
value in truth: all roads lead to heaven.
If Christians don’t defend their faith many people will never be
challenged to investigate their own belief systems. Instead of followers of Jesus being
challenged all the time, they should challenge others to investigate what they
believe. They can offer proof in
Science, Archeology, the Historical record, and the empirical evidence that
Jesus can change a person’s heart. To me
this is sometimes the greatest proof they have: a changed heart as a result of
the power of the Holy Spirit.
There is also another
challenge Christians will face. They have to realize that as followers of Jesus
they will experience spiritual battles and their enemy (Satan) will
continuously to try to discredit God, Christian character and integrity along
with the mission of the Church. The first thing Satan will do is distract followers
of Jesus from being in relationship with God. Then he will try to confuse the
way they think and the way they are able to discern. Then he will tempt them to
sin. If the enemy can gain a foothold in a Christian’s life, their integrity
and character will suffer along with their effectiveness to fulfill God’s plan and
purpose for their lives. So followers of Jesus must be on our guard because their
enemy Satan, is out to destroy them. They must continue to stand firm in their
faith.
1
Peter 5:8-9 NIV
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the
same
kind of sufferings.
Standing firm means Followers
of Jesus also must submit themselves to God.
The Bible explains it this way:
James
4:7-10 NIV
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change
your
laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble
yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Personally, submitting to
God’s will does have a profound effect on me. My attitude and heart begin to
change because I have chosen to live God-centered as opposed to self-centered.
In essence, I have chosen to die to self. Jesus says that dying to one’s self-interest
has a great benefit. This kind of heart attitude is what Jesus truly desires
from His followers:
Matthew
16:24-25 New Living Translation (NLT)
Then
Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of
you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your
cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.
But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
This kind of obedience
truly pleases God and reflects Godly character.
1
John 2:5-6 NIV
But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
Obedience requires that we
share our faith.
Matthew
28:18-20 New Living Translation (NLT)
Jesus
came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on
earth. Therefore, go and make disciples
of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and
the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have
given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of
the age.”
It is God’s will for followers
of Jesus to share the Gospel and to know how to defend the faith that they are
sharing. One can only defend the Gospel
by understanding the real truth found in the Bible.
Challenge:
Begin to read and study the Bible
with a purpose.
For the sake of yourself and
your children; for the sake of your extended family and friends; for the sake
of your Church family; and for the sake of the lost; defend your faith; share the hope you have. It comes down to being a
matter of life or death.
Just Sayin…………………..Dave
