The Folly of
Modern Apologetics
COPYRIGHT ©2017 -
James M. Frye
All scripture quotations are taken
from the Authorized King James Bible. Any deviations are not intentional. All
underlines, bold and words within brackets are the author's.
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Over the past 20 years or so, I have noticed a
dramatic increase in what is referred to as "apologetics".
Apologetics is the name given to that field of study which seeks to
intellectually defend the Christian faith against its detractors. When I search
the scriptures, however, I find three serious problems with much of what is
called apologetics in our day.
1. The faulty idea that Christianity and the Bible are to be
made intellectually acceptable.
Scripture says that the things of God will
always be considered "foolishness" by the world.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of
the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are
saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:21 For after that in
the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness
of preaching to save them that believe.
We should not expect then that Christianity or
the Bible would ever be received as intellectually acceptable by the
unbelieving world. Scripture tells us the exact opposite. Unbelievers have
always seen true Christianity as foolish and they always will. It seems,
however, that some in the "Scholarly Community" do not care to be
thought of as "ignorant fundamentalists". For them apologetics
provides a way to be more favorably looked upon by the world. They can be
highly esteemed among men and avoid bearing reproach for Christ.
John 15:18-20 If the world hate
you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the
world would love his own: but because ye are not of
the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have
persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying,
they will keep yours also.
Hebrews 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without
the camp, bearing his reproach.
1 Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of
Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but
on your part he is glorified.
There is a second problem I see with much of
today’s "apologetic ministry".
2. The false
assumption that a person may be won to Christ by pure intellectual reasoning.
The goal of much of apologetics in our day
seems to be that we can convince someone intellectually and in doing so, bring
them to the faith in Christ. I have no doubt that some may be brought to
"believe" that there was in fact a Jesus, and that He died on a
cross. But bringing them to saving faith is another matter entirely. Coming to
saving faith in Christ is not just an intellectual exercise. It is a miracle
from God. We need to be careful that we are not just making a bunch of
"intellectual converts". Scripture makes it clear that there is a
type of "belief" that people may possess that is little more than an
intellectual accent to a set of facts. This sort of "faith" is
portrayed in Scripture as not being true saving faith.
According to the Bible, an unregenerate
(unsaved) person cannot understand the things of God unless God first
opens their heart in regeneration. Then and only then will they truly believe.
In their natural state, prior to regeneration, the things of God are
foolishness to them.
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they
are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned.
Acts 16:14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the
city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord
opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 A new heart also will I give you, and a new
spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your
flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I
will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye
shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Now, don't get me wrong. I am not saying that
we should not seek to help to clear up confusing issues for the honest seeker
of the truth. But to think that we can win people to Christ by debating Atheism
-vs- Theism and other such things is to be sorely mistaken. Scripture never
tells us to continue giving spiritual truth to those who mock and attack it. It
tells us to do the exact opposite.
Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your
pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again
and rend you.
There is yet a third problem with apologetics.
3. The main Bible
verse which is said to teach modern day apologetics teaches nothing of the
sort.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with
meekness and fear:
This is the verse that supposedly calls
Christians to modern day "apologetics". But if we take a look at it
in context, we find that it teaches nothing of the sort. Granted the phrase
"to give an answer" does in fact translate two Greek words one of
which is "apologia". But the kind of answer we are to give, and the circumstances under which we are to give it
has nothing to do with what is called "apologetics" in our day.
Let's begin by taking a look at the context of
the passage. First, the verses which come immediately before the text:
1 Peter 3:13-14 And who is he that
will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer
for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of
their terror, neither be troubled;
Now the verses which come immediately after
the text:
1 Peter 3:16-18 Having a good
conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they
may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is
better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than
for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for
the unjust...
The context of the passage has to do with
suffering (being persecuted) as a Christian even though we have done nothing
wrong. We are to take it patiently and do good to
those who do evil to us. We must not forget that chapter 3 logically follows
what has gone before in chapter 2. As a matter of fact it builds upon the
foundation and understanding that was laid there.
1 Peter 2:19-21 For this is
thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall
take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer
for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even
hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving
us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
The entire context surrounding the verse and
leading up to it has to do with a Christian suffering persecution wrongfully
and taking it patiently. So in that context we read:
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every
man that asketh you a reason of the
hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Now that we have seen the context, let's take
a look at the text in that context. First, let us notice what it does not
say:
A. The text says nothing about banging heads with atheists and
other unbelievers who reject the truth of Scripture.
B. It says nothing about trying to debate creation -vs- evolution
and trying to prove that creation is correct.
C. Nor does it say anything about trying to prove to people that
the Bible is in fact the word of God.
D. It does not tell us to try and refute the illogical reasoning
of those who would attack our faith.
etc. etc. etc.
I have heard all of these things (along with
quite a few others) put forth as examples of what this text is supposedly
teaching us to do. Hundreds of seminaries now offer degrees in apologetics
based upon the assumption that this is exactly what this text teaches. But take
a look the text. What does it actually say? It says that we as Christians will
often be mistreated and suffer wrongfully in this world. But we are to follow
the example of Christ and do well and speak well to those who do us wrong and
speak evil to us that we may be a witness unto them. When they see us living
this way, our witness will shine like a light into their hearts, and they will
come to us and ask us about the hope that is within us (our faith).
The primary witness we are to give in 1 Peter
3 is not the word of God at all. It is our life. Consider this
verse (also taken from the context).
1 Peter 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands;
that, if any obey not the word [are not believers], they also may without
the word be won by the conversation (manner of living) of the wives;
This passage is not talking about us going out
and trying to force our faith down the throats of others. We are only to give
an answer. An answer is a response to question another has asked us. And notice
what the question is. It is not an attack on our faith at all. We are
responding to people who are asking us about the reason for our hope". It
is a question that comes from one who has seen the incredibly righteous way in
which we live, and is being drawn toward the faith because of it. They are
asking us about our faith, not to attack it, but because they sincerely want to
know more. What is called apologetics in our day does not come from 1 peter
3:15.