Apologetics: Part 2

(continued from Apologetics: Part 1)

Ok, so I explained a little about what Apologetics is. I wanted to type up the rest of the notes from the first night, which was an introduction.

TWO MAIN GOALS
There are two main goals of learning apologetics.

The first is that we would know for ourselves what we believe and so we don't have a blind faith. And like I mentioned in Part 1, the more confidence we have, the more likely we'll be to share with others. So the first goal is for our own foundation.

The second goal is to point others to the truth. I mentioned 1 Peter 3:15 "always being ready to make a defense to everyone who ask you to give an account for the hope that is in you...". And also, we are commanded to refute false ideas about God. "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God" 2 Cor 10:4. And Jude 1:3, "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints".


THE APOLOGIST (us)
Our pastor spent a few minutes making note of what our motivation and focus should be.

First, what is our motivation? Simple: to point people to Jesus. Our goal is not to win an argument or show how much we know. Knowledge itself isn't bad, but it does have the potential to make us prideful if it's not done in love. We are not trying to pick a fight or win an argument. We only want to point people to Jesus. What good is it if we win an argument and lose the person?

Also, we need to remember that the person we are sharing with is not our enemy. It's a spiritual battle. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" Eph 6:12

So we need to remember all the verses I've mentioned and speak with gentleness, reverence, wisdom, grace, speak the truth in love, not quarrelsome, be kind and patient.

Finally, read this verse in 2 Timothy 2:24 again: "The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil having been held in captive by him to do his will." Looking at the section that says, "they may come to their sense and escape from the snare..." Apologetics is a tool to help people remove the snares, or the barriers that people place between themselves and Jesus.

The barriers might be worldview, cultural influences, etc. But Apologetics is reasoning with people from the evidence for the purpose of removing these barriers. We have been discussing a lot of the evidence in church, and I will be posting that later.


Lastly, its important to know that Apologetics has two limitations. Number one, it must be applied. If it never makes it out the door, it worthless. We need to care. And this is something I pray for myself every day for... to care enough to take the time to share.

And the second limitation is it must be from God. Apologetics cannot save anyone. It's only by God's spirit that anyone is saved. Apologetics is a great tool, and can remove those barriers, but only God can save. "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it" Psalm 127:1.


Ok, here's something I saw today that brings the importance of knowing how to defend our faith to the forefront. I was in the laundrymat (yes, I have to go to the laundrymat... grrr) and I saw a huge poster posted on a bulletin board. It was talking about getting Bush out of office and as I read everything on it, I honestly got a chill down my spine. But, friends and family, we need to understand that the world is being set up to view us, Christians, as their enemy. It is happening. This is not an attack on just Bush as president, but on Christians and everything we stand for. It is not a politcal issue, it is a spiritual one. We need to be in prayer. We need to be ready to give a defense of our faith.

Visit their website http://www.worldcantwait.org

Here are just a few of the insane comments:

YOUR GOVERNMENT is moving each day closer to a theocracy, where a narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism will rule.

YOUR GOVERNMENT suppresses the science that doesn't fit its religious, political and economic agenda, forcing present and future generations to pay a terrible price.

YOUR GOVERNMENT is moving to deny women here, and all over the world, the right to birth control and abortion.

YOUR GOVERNMENT enforces a culture of greed, bigotry, intolerance and ignorance.