“And he (Jesus) answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27)

What is Apologetics? In a nutshell, it is a rational defense of the Christian faith against unjust accusations. However, apologetics is not just defensive; it can also be offensive when we attack bogus truth and false worldviews. It’s a delusion to be believe that all that is required in sharing the gospel is “being nice” and bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit (love, peace, joy, patience, etc.) While that is indeed important, we must also speak words of truth. Timothy Paul Jones at Southern Seminary is correct in asserting that apologetics is verbally articulating God’s truth; apologetics is no less than that. The saying “Preach the gospel at all times, if necessary use words” is falsely attributed to Francis of Assisi. Whomever said it, it is a false saying akin to saying something like “Drink at all times and if necessary, use liquid.” The proclamation and defense of the gospel requires by nature a verbal declaration of truth. Until one has articulated truth, one has not yet done apologetics. Of course, apologetics should/must be more than words, but it can never be less than spoken truth.

Apologetics originates in the New Testament. After his resurrection, Jesus appeals to fulfilled prophecy (Luke 24:27). Luke appeals to eyewitness testimony ((Luke 1:1-4). John appeals to eyewitness testimony (1 John 1:1-2). Jesus and the apostles routinely offered arguments and gave evidence for their claims. All four gospels are apologies.
Matthew defends Jesus to Jews as fulfillment of the OT and the Jewish Messiah. Mark defends Jesus to Gentiles as the God-Man and suffering servant of Isa 53. Luke defends Jesus as the Son of Man (Dan 7:13) and Davidic son. John defends Jesus as the Son of God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. From Matthew to Revelation, much of the NT is an apology. Examples: John 20:21; Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-3; Rom 1:16-17; 1 Cor 2:1-5; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:7,27; 2:9-11; Col 1:15-20; Hebrews; 1 John 1:1-3; 1 Pet 3:15-16; Jude 1:3.

Galatians stands as an eloquent and vigorous apologetic for the essential NT truth that people are justified by faith in Jesus Christ—by nothing less and nothing more—and that they are sanctified not by legalistic works but by the obedience that comes from faith in God’s work for them, in them and through them by the grace and power of Christ and the Holy Spirit. It was the rediscovery of the basic message of Galatians (and Romans) that brought about the Protestant Reformation.

The book of Acts provides specific examples of people doing apologetics, speaking to people who are skeptical. The earliest and clearest examples are the seven Kerygmatic (proclamation) sermons. Looking at Acts 4:8-12, Peter is seeking to convince people who do not believe. The audience is Jewish. The central claim is that Jesus the promised Messiah, is raised from the dead. The evidence provided in these apologetic speeches changes based on the audience but the central claim of the death and resurrection of Jesus never changes; it is central in every case. The other speeches in Acts are 2:14-36; 3:12-26; 5:27-32; 10:34-43; 13:16-41; 17:22-31 – a total of seven different speeches. In these speeches, the evidence changes based on the audience, but the death and resurrection of Jesus is central to every speech.

There are multiple areas of apologetics: Cultural apologetics to impact the culture (Acts 17), Confessional apologetics to declare the power of the resurrected Christ (Eph 1:18-20), Classical apologetics to unmask the suppression of truth by unbelievers & strengthen believers (Rom 1:18-23), Evidential apologetics (including juridical) for credibility of the faith (1 Pet 3:15), Holistic apologetics to address both heart and mind (Luke 10:27), Transcendental apologetics to drive competing worldviews to their destructive logical conclusion (2 Cor 10:4-5), and Expository apologetics communicating the gospel in a natural, winsome manner while addressing and answering objections (2 Tim 4:2; 1 Cor 9:16; Romans). Future blogs will explain each category of apologetics.