Unapologetic Apologist

e an Unapologetic Apologist
by Chris Tiegreen

"It is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today." (Acts 26:6)

A major news magazine recently ran a cover story on Christianity. I can't remember the specific angle or theme, but I do recall one sidebar commentary written by a guy who was terribly alarmed at the growing influence of evangelicalism in America. He was frightened by the fact that many in our country—even in public office—believed that Jesus was actually coming back. What's worse, he said, is that Christians base public policy on the idea that He might be coming back soon.

Though the writer was focusing on the political implications of this belief for our policies on the environment, long-term debt, etc., his spiritual comments were thoroughly woven into the article. They indicated the kinds of questions we face on the witness stand of faith on all issues, not just our belief in the second coming. And in a modern/postmodern culture, those questions are generally asked with a heavy flavor of contempt.

That not-so-subtle hostility keeps a lot of us quiet. In the arena of ideas, Christians are often only passive listeners. Maybe that's because our society exalts the sciences as factual and only humors the faithful as subjective and opinionated. Or maybe it's because those who do speak up in a public forum often do it with a lot of bluster and only a little real understanding—and we don't want to be lumped in the same category with them. We've seen how media and the "mainstream" shine the brightest lights on the flaws of the faithful while obscuring our valid arguments. That can be intimidating.

But God has called us into the courtroom of this world, wherever we find ourselves in it, to give a defense of the hope we have within us. We have answers, even when the world doesn't ask the right questions. We are authorized by heaven to speak.

That doesn't mean we have all the answers, of course. No one does, except for God. But we can point people in the right direction, and where we start is where Paul focused his argument at his trial in Acts 26. He defended his faith in the promises of God.

God's promises really are unique in the wide world of religions. His prophecies have never proven false, often being fulfilled centuries later with amazing accuracy. His comfort and assurance in times of trial have spared the sanity of many a believer throughout the centuries. His power to save has come through time and time again. Other religions are founded on codes and principles. Ours is founded on promises. There's an enormous difference.

We are to claim that difference. We may not understand all of God's promises thoroughly—why He sometimes heals and sometimes doesn't, or how everything will pan out in the end—but His track record is solid enough for us to present as evidence in the court of public opinion. We can point to fulfilled prophecies and powerful prayers as case studies in the reality of God. Yes, we have plenty to prove.

The world needs Christians who are armed with the Holy Spirit and a thorough knowledge of Christian apologetics. That's how we can engage a skeptical culture in discussions about truth. As long as they can portray our faith as wishful thinking and personal opinion, they can discredit it easily. They can throw around "scientific" scholarship from archaeology, history, literature, and other disciplines as evidence that we're ignorant. And a culture that has already swallowed the belief that all humanistic knowledge is rational and factual will believe them.

But knowledge is always interpreted through lenses of bias, and quite a few Christian apologists have found plenty of holes in humanistic thinking. They've also made their interpretations of the evidence available to the general public; your local Christian bookstore would be a good place to find some of them. When we can show how our faith is founded in real history—actual people and places—it is very convincing.

Arm yourself with understanding. Be an unapologetic apologist for the Christian faith. And when you find yourself on trial as Paul did, defend your hope well.

Chris Tiegreen is a writer and editor for Walk Thru the Bible's indeed magazine. He has authored several books, including The One Year Walk With God Devotional, Why a Suffering World Makes Sense, and Creative Prayer.

Wednesday, August 01, 2007
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