Journal: Bible and Spade (Second Run)
Volume: BSPADE 29:3 (Fall 2016)
Article: Beneath The Surface, An Editorial Comment: Why Christian Apologetics Is Important
Author: Brian Beakes

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Beneath The Surface, An Editorial Comment:
Why Christian Apologetics Is Important

Brian Beakes

Have you noticed that what could once be assumed to be commonly known about Christ is no longer so? If you ask a person on the street what it is to be a Christian, what do you think the reply might be? Some would answer, “to be a good person.” Others might reply, “to go to church on Sundays.” Sadly, all too many will say, “to be bigoted and hateful of people who are not like them.” Our culture does not seem to understand what the Church is supposed to be anymore. To be skeptical of the Bible and the reality of God is the “new normal.” 1 Peter 3:15 tells us, “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” This is why I am proud to be associated with ABR and their work in providing the Church with material to better arm the Christian to be ready to provide an answer for the hope that lies in us. Here are some reasons why I, a layperson, think that apologetics is still vitally relevant today.

I think the Church often goes too far out of its way to make itself “relevant” to the contemporary culture. Efforts to become “relevant” often end up making the gospel seem secondary. People say, “If we just take care of people’s needs, that is enough,” or, “we do not want to offend anyone.” It appears to me that this effort to appeal to the culture is making Christians lazy, unprepared, or worst of all, unwilling to discuss truth in any depth. Apologetics allows us to demonstrate to people the reality of Christ’s finished work on the cross and God’s signature on actual historical events. It can help us show a person why it matters that Christ’s crucifixion was on an actual cross, in real history, and documented by eyewitnesses, and that this sets Christianity apart from all other religions on Earth. Apologetics is not used to make the gospel relevant to society, but to show the world that people are relevant to God. So much so, that He actually did all of these amazing things recorded in Scripture that provide us with the way to be saved from our sin.

Most skeptics today feel that the Christian is simply ignorant of science. They falsely think that a believer cannot follow the Lord and also understand science. This is, of course, the farthest thing from the truth. Scientific apologetics allows us to show the skeptic why the Creation account is consistent with science. It gives us the ability to explain how the Flood account is consistent with the evidence we actually observe and find, for example, in the fossil record. It allows us to counter the claims of the evolutionary biologists who assert the univer...

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