What Is Apologetics?

Best-selling author, speaker, and advocate for Christian apologetics, Dr. Alex McFarland. Best-selling author and apologist, Dylan Burrows. Together, bringing you truth. For a new generation, this is TNG Radio. First Peter 3.15 says, �Be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks a reason for the hope that you have.� Welcome to TNG Radio.

Alex McFarland here with Dylan Burrows. Dylan, I guess in terms of Christian apologetics, that is probably the most well-known verse of all. When people ask, �What is apologetics?� There are a number of verses that people can cite, but invariably, 1 Peter 3.15 is the one that people think of, �Be ready to give an answer.� Would you agree? Well, certainly. And for me, it was surprising that last year I was at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention and our Vice President, Mike Pence, spoke addressing Christian broadcast leaders and the very verse that he used and chose to share with those leaders was this verse from 1 Peter 3.15 and 16.

Exactly. And you know, we get the question a lot via email and a lot of correspondence. People say, �What is apologetics?� And I want to give the whole verse in its context, but it says, �But set apart Christ as Lord in your heart and be ready always.� In other words, be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks a reason for the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect. The old King James says, �Do this with meekness and fear.� You remember Daniel and the men in the Old Testament that purposed in their heart that they would not defile themselves with any sort of bribe or any food or anything like that. They made a decision in their heart, and apologetics to live the faith and present and defend the faith, it does begin with a decision in your heart and a resolve that Jesus Christ will be your Lord and Savior, and that you will be his representative. We often say that we have a true message. We are to be authentic messengers. Now another verse that I want to give in relation to apologetics, and by the way, in this program we are going to talk about what apologetics is and is not.

What is apologetics? Because it definitely relates to the life of the Christian. 1 Peter 2.15 says, �This is the will of God that by doing well you will put to silence the arguments of foolish men.� Now Dylan, have you ever heard that old phrase, �People can�t hear what we say because they are watching how we act or they see who we are.� Is it possible for us to share the true message of the Gospel, but it really fell on deaf ears because of what people perceive negatively in the life of the one sharing it?

Oh, that is a good point. Many times in the past, Christian radio stations would do just that. If you saw a moral failing by a Christian musical artist, suddenly a radio station would decide we are no longer going to play that artist�s songs on our radio station.

Why? Not because the song was suddenly bad, but because the person performing that song now had a reputation that dishonored the message that they broadcast over the radio. And we see this elsewhere in our lives today. If you are a person who seeks to share the Gospel with others, but your life does not reflect a Christian lifestyle, your message will be less effective. And that is why, as Christians, like we have read in 1 Peter 2.15, that by doing good we put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. It is by our actions that people give us an audience to share the message with them. So let us dig down and look at what apologetics is.

Because sometimes people will say, �I do not apologize for being a Christian.� Let me say, in no way is apologetics backpedaling or soft pedaling anything or saying, �Oh, I am sorry for being a Christian. Please like me anyway.� No, it really means a strong, persuasive, compelling defense of the faith. And more than ever, I think everybody probably would agree, the Christian faith needs to be proclaimed. It needs to be defended. The claims of Christianity have been under attack.

So when 1 Peter 3.15 says, �Give an answer and be prepared to give a reason.� The word answer and the word reason, these are really ancient legal words that mean to speak in defense of something. But be mindful of the fact that your life has to match your message. We do this with gentleness and respect. Dylan and I can think of some incredible mentors that you and I both have had that share the message of the Gospel powerfully, decisively, but they do it in a way that is very appealing and winsome. I think of Gary Habermas.

I think of Lee Strobel. These guys are powerhouse intellectuals. They are brilliant people, but they are some of the most approachable, patient, well, I'll just say it, Christ-like people, and I think that's what's made their walk and their witness so compelling. So we've got the call to do apologetics, the mandate to defend the faith. Jude 3 says that we are to earnestly contend for the faith, and that means diligently, sincerely, consistently. But let's take it back to one of my favorite New Testament characters, the Apostle Paul. There was only one Paul, and he was definitely an apologist. Romans 1.16, you remember that verse Dylan? He says, �For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, Jews and Gentiles.� Let's talk about being unashamed of the Gospel. In this culture, Dylan, there's a lot of pressure to cave in and to either be silent or even apologetic for what the Word of God has clearly proclaimed.

Yes, and there are different levels of this, or different spheres, I guess you could say, and one of those is what we say on various social issues, and I understand there will always be differences there, but this particular passage in Scripture, Romans 1.16, speaks directly regarding the Gospel. �We are called to be unashamed about the good news that Jesus Christ lived, that he died, that he was buried, and that he rose again and offers us eternal life.� If you say you're a Christian, you must be unashamed about that message. That is what changes you and makes you a Christian, and that is the message that we can offer that can change the lives of others. So we have to start there with the good news of Jesus Christ above all other issues when we talk about being unashamed. You know, I'm so glad you mentioned the death barrel and the resurrection of Jesus, which is � you know, these are matters of historical record, that Christ really did die on a real cross with real nails in his hands and feet.

The punishment that we deserved was deflected onto Jesus, and if you will turn to Christ by faith and say, �Lord, I'm sorry for my sins, please save me,� he will forgive you. I want to say this about the Gospel, though. I was in Salt Lake City, Utah last week and found myself in a debate on the radio with an atheist, and there were a couple of things he said that I thought were very interesting, but one of the things the atheist said was, �Are you one of these people who believe that unless everybody agrees with what you say, they would go to hell?� Look, while we do believe it, it's not mere opinion.

I mean, this is reality. It was Jesus, the Son of God, who rose from the dead, and that lifts his word above the realm, above the fray of human opinion or preference. I mean, because Christ said it, it's reality. And ultimately, it's Christ's Word that matters most, and we see that in the Word of God, and we'll talk more about this when we come right back.

So stick with us here on Truth for a New Generation Radio. Christians don't necessarily agree with one another when it comes to questions of religious pluralism, homosexuality, the role of government, abortion, and war. Too often we manage these disagreements by ignoring them. Yet we're called to engage the world for the sake of Christ.

How can we be effective if we avoid society's most pressing questions? In 10 Issues That Divide Christians, Alex McFarland challenges us to drill down to the biblical core of 10 current issues, such as social justice, evil and suffering, pornography, and environmentalism as he echoes the biblical invitation, Come, Let Us Reason Together. Only by engaging the Scriptures deeply, thinking clearly, and speaking truthfully can we in God's family address our differences and discover the peace that comes with unity of purpose. Ten Issues That Divide Christians.

Find this book and many others at alexmcfarland.com. If you're a Christian parent, you of course want to instill a biblical view of life in the hearts of your children. If you're a pastor, you want to offer ministry that draws young families to your church. This is Alex McFarland encouraging you to check out my new book and video curriculum, The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask About Christianity. I interviewed hundreds of children, ages 5 to 12, and we address actual questions from actual children, the spiritual issues that are on the minds of your kids.

Did Jesus ever sin? The book and video lessons are great for groups of any size and was produced with the goal of equipping kids to stand strong for Christ in any situation. The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask, the book, study guide, and video series. You'll find it at afastore.net.

That's a-f-a-store.net. This is Dylan Burrows here with Alex McFarland on Truth For A New Generation radio, and we've been talking about what apologetics is, what it is not, and why it matters to you. And Alex, as we begin this next segment, talk a little bit about what God is doing at Truth For A New Generation. And I want to say how much we praise God for all that's going on in this ministry. I do want to remind people that coming up very quickly is my time in March at the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove in western North Carolina.

Very beautiful. I'll be there March 22-24 doing Daniel and Revelation, Bible Prophecy, Does God Write History in Advance. And the Billy Graham Training Center is just amazing.

Please go to thecove.org. I would love to see you there. Dylan, they tell me that about 170 people are signed up from all over America. They can take about 100 people more. So it's going to be amazing, and we look forward to meeting you and going through Bible prophecy together.

One other thing, now listen up carefully. March 21, Greensboro, North Carolina. We're going to have our ministry's open house.

We do this every spring. And we'll be at the Proximity Hotel and Restaurant if you're coming in from out of town, but we'll have an incredible evening together. A great meal, great music. I'll be telling all about the ministry. But from Fox News in New York City, my dear friend Todd Starnes will be there in person.

And you'll probably see him on Starnes Country and so many other places. He speaks as a keynote for us in many of our conferences. Todd Starnes and I together on the evening of March 21 in Greensboro will be doing our open house. So if you want to be a part of that, I'm going to give you a little bit of contact.

Listen very carefully. You can call 336-253-5102. That's 336-253-5102 to Carla, our assistant.

She'll be happy to take your name, and we'd love to have you at the banquet. And a lot more to share, but we've got events all over the country this year, and you don't want to miss out. Online, via our app, and through broadcasts, we are committed to take the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout this nation. And Dylan, you know, a lot of what we do is apologetics. The evidence for the faith, defending the faith, equipping young people to stand strong for the faith. But you know, it seems like more and more, we find ourselves teaching churches and Christians just how to share the simple message of the gospel. You know, I was just up in Ohio for one of our big events that will happen in November, and in the Q&A with 65 pastors from all over the state of Ohio, these were great men and women of God.

But you know the need? They were like, please just tell our people how to share the gospel, personal evangelism. And as much as we need to speak to the issues of our day, friends, I want to underscore that it is imperative, imperative that the church keep first and foremost Christ's great commission. That we go into all the world and make disciples, that we are able to share the gospel. And so let me ask you, dear friend, and this is why this ministry exists.

If somebody sat down beside you and said, please tell me how to become a Christian, tell me how to receive Christ into my life, are you prepared to do that? And I want to say this about church. Every member a minister.

That really needs to be our mindset. Every member a minister. Because we're all called to play a part in Christ's great commission. That includes evangelism, includes apologetics too, doesn't it, Dylan?

Yes it does. And I love the passage you shared earlier from 1 Peter 3 15. It tells us to always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.

Now sometimes people get bogged down because they don't have the answers for people about creation or about the end times or some social issue. But this passage focuses on the reason for the hope that is in you. That's the gospel of Jesus Christ. Salvation that has changed you that could change someone else. So if you don't know where to begin, start with your own story, your own testimony of how Jesus changed you, made you alive again, forgave your sins, and gave you new life. If you start there, that will open a door of discussion where you may not have all the answers, but you have the answer that you're pointing them toward, which is Jesus Christ.

Exactly. And back to our verses about being ready to give an answer. 1 Peter 3 15. Making sure that by living right and modeling Christ's likeness, our life matches our words.

The messenger is commensurate with the message. That's 1 Peter 2 15. Let's talk a little bit about what apologetics is and is not. Apologetics is, I'm going to give some statements and we'll unpack them. Apologetics is a call for one's life to be as unassailable as our message. Apologetics is a discipline that really flows out of worship for the Savior. And apologetics is a ministry, really in which the practitioner himself, or herself, is a proof, a living proof for the facticity of the gospel. Let me say what apologetics is not, and we'll come back to this, but apologetics is not apologizing for being a Christian. It's not saying I'm sorry, but it means to speak in defense of the faith, to give the evidence. Apologetics is not an opportunity to put oneself up on a pedestal, because we're not wanting people to say, wow, what a smart Christian. We're wanting people to say, wow, what a great Savior. Apologetics is not a pursuit in which intellectual rigor is a substitute for the cultivation of one's heart.

I mean, you know, we are to learn and to know things. You know, I think about Paul when he was at Mars Hill in Acts 17. Clearly he demonstrated a knowledge of the culture. He demonstrated a knowledge of their religion, false though it was.

He demonstrated a knowledge of literature and poetry and government. See, Paul was a fully orbed disciple, and we are to be that too, but in the quest for knowledge, let's not forget wisdom, which Proverbs 1.7 is the fear of the Lord. And apologetics is not a license to be abrasive or anything like that. And we'll come back to that. Let's go back to what I said at first about what apologetics is. So Dylan, I'm going to throw a question, and by the way, when we're recording and doing this, he never knows what I'm going to say. So I want you to comment on this, and the reason I throw it out there is because I know you're qualified to do it. How could apologetics, Dylan, be an act of worship?

Wow, that's such a good perspective. This idea of apologetics or defending your faith, giving an answer for your faith as an act of worship, it really is tied to the great commandment. When Jesus was asked, what is the greatest commandment, he said, to love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, all your strength, to love your neighbor as yourself. That idea of loving the Lord with all your mind incorporates knowing our faith and being able to communicate it with others. Now, one person may be able to do it more effectively than someone else, but we are all called to do it. One person may be more intellectual.

Some people may do it through the arts. Others might be better at sharing their own personal story. But we all have a place at sharing the hope that's within us that could change someone for eternity.

And I know that we have so much more to say on this. And when we come back, we're going to unpack what this means on a practical level when we share our faith with others. So stick with us here at Truth For A New Generation. You know, Alex has been writing for many years, and one of his classic books is still great today as a basic introduction to the Christian faith. It's called Stand, Core Truths You Must Know for an Unshakeable Faith. This book will help you help your teens get off the roller coaster of doubt and onto solid ground. You'll read about the six pillars of biblical Christianity.

They are, one, inspiration of the Bible, two, the virgin birth, three, the deity of Christ, four, atonement, five, Christ's resurrection, and six, Christ's return. Alex mixes it up with humor and stories he gleaned from decades of working with youth and encourages teens to build a foundation of faith that will stabilize their lives and help them take a stand for Christ. Simple and straightforward, Stand, Core Truths You Must Know for an Unshakeable Faith, available wherever Christian books are sold. First Peter 3.15 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have.

We're instructed to be prepared to defend our faith. This is Alex McFarland for the Life Answers Teams, students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina. The Life Answers Teams are made up of students who will inspire and equip your congregation. These apologetics teams we train speak in churches to youth groups and train Christians of all ages to address key issues of our times from a biblical perspective. Like is there a God?

Is the Bible true? What about gender and moral issues? Call me at 864-977-2008 and we will arrange for the Life Answers Team to come to your church and give a presentation that will benefit your people for years to come. 864-977-2008 and always be ready. Welcome back to TNG Radio.

Alex McFarland, Dylan Burrows. By the way, you can follow all that we're doing around the country at truthforanewgeneration.com. My own website is alexmcfarland.com and I've got a lot of exciting speaking opportunities around the country and I hope to see you at many of them as you're able to come and come up and say hello. We would love to meet you and we deeply appreciate your prayers and support. You know Dylan, before the break we were talking about apologetics as an act of worship and that reminds me of a panel that I was sitting on and there were a couple of Christians and a couple of skeptics and somebody asked me, they said do you not ever lie awake at 3 in the morning and wonder what if there is no God or what if the Bible is false and I said honestly I don't. Not because I'm smart or anything like that, it's just that creation had to have a creator and the evidence for Jesus and the Bible is so compelling. What I do find myself pondering, really it's overwhelming, is how he could love me, as sinful as I am and have been, but he does love me. And isn't it amazing that Christianity is simple enough that a child can understand Jesus loves me this I know, but it's profound enough that the greatest scholars of all time have just in awe and worship bowed and said my Lord and my God.

You know Dylan, you and I have been privileged to know people like William Lane Craig and Josh McDowell and John Ankerberg. I mean we've been privileged, you and I both, to hang around with some amazing men and women of God, haven't we? We have and one thing you notice over the years that those who last are those who are consistent in both their life and their message. I mean someone can get up and give a great debate to defend a particular aspect of the Christian faith, but there's more to defending the faith and getting up and saying the right words. You have to be able to live that out and that's the hard part.

So many people start well. Maybe they accept Christ as a child and they're doing the right things as they grow up and then somewhere along the way get off track and that is the hardest part I think for many of us is being able to faithfully endure and if you look at the New Testament so many of the Apostle Paul's later writings were focused on faithfully enduring hardship as a Christian, faithfully living for Christ as a Christian, and knowing that all that we go through in this life is worth it because in the end we will be with Christ for eternity and everyone else that we talk to about the gospel who accepts Christ will be there with us as well. Well you know 2 Corinthians 10, 5 says that believers are to quote, cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. And like I said our true message must be delivered by equally authentic messengers.

And you know apologists can be very gifted at pulling down invalid thoughts. But with equal zeal we're supposed to mortify ungodly actions aren't we? Romans 8, 13. And it says bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Don't you think that a godly life must be predicated upon Christ honoring thoughts and beliefs? And we do that by filling our heart and our soul with the word of God. Well certainly if you wonder how do I make my way the right way that God wants, it's very clear. You look at Psalm 1, it talks about focusing on God's word day and night. It's not about memorizing scripture or even reading it, it's about meditating upon it and then living it out. So as followers of Jesus Christ if we want to know how to stay on that right path, it's right there in God's word. But we have to take the time to focus on it and to see how we can live it out in our lives. And of course it's not just the word of God, but the Spirit of God within us. We can't do it on our own strength. We are not good enough, we are not powerful enough, but Christ has saved us, he has redeemed us, and he's empowered us with a new spirit that can help us do what he's called us to do. It's not us doing it in our own strength, it's us living in his strength and him working through us to change the lives of others. You know, Dylan, sometimes people, they feel a little bit overwhelmed and they're like, well, you know, I can't memorize evidence that demands a verdict and mere Christianity by C.S.

Lewis is a little too complicated. And I get that. You know, really, to be a disciple is a lifelong commitment. And I would say to be an evangelist and to be a witness for Christ and to get involved in apologetics is a lifelong commitment.

And again, it's the cultivation of the heart, not only the learning of the message. And don't feel like you've got to read the complete works of Aquinas, you know, on day one. Just start where you are and remember to read the word of God and then not only God's book, but read the good books. You know, Josh has written so many books.

Lee Strobel has written really good books. There are other apologists that we want you to know of, like, you know, people like Mark Middleburg and Dylan Burroughs and a lot of great authors. But don't think because you can't do everything that you shouldn't do anything, because it might be that nugget you read that is the thing God will use in your walk and your witness to point somebody around you to Jesus. And that's well said. I think of another part that has been important to me over the years is that idea that God has called you to reach certain people that only you are called to reach. There are sometimes when I share the gospel with somebody and they turn it down and I think, well, if I would have just done it better, they would have gone to heaven. But because I messed up, they're going to go to hell forever and it would be all my fault.

Well, that's not how it works at all. What you realize is God calls people to be part of the story along the way. And then when those who are called to reach a certain person share the gospel, that person responds and heaven is more crowded. And that should be our goal, is that it's not about who I lead to Christ or who you lead to Christ. It's us living faithfully, sharing the message as we are able, being unashamed, and watching God do His thing.

And when He works, it's way better than anything we can ask or imagine or even plan in our wildest dreams. And let me say this as well. Apologetics is not a license to be abrasive or to be curt with anybody. The Bible says that we are His ambassadors. We are 1 Peter 3.15 to share the gospel with gentleness and respect. But Dylan, I love in 2 Corinthians 5.20, it says we are ambassadors for Christ. Now, it says this, we beseech you in Christ's stead be reconciled to God.

In other words, if Jesus himself were here, he would say what we're saying. Know that God loves you. Know that your sins can be forgiven. Know that whatever you've done, Christ can wash away.

Whatever's been done to you, He can heal. And so, really, we in a very real sense, as witnesses, as Christians, yes, as defenders of the faith, we're Christ's messengers to this world. Come and be reconciled to God. Yes, and many have said that you are the only Bible some people will read.

And if they are basing their decision on Jesus, on their reading of the Bible in you, what would that look like? I want to challenge you. Live for Christ today. Live fully for Him. Be unashamed in sharing your faith and see how God works. Thanks for being with us at Truth for a New Generation.

We'll be with you next time. Truth for a New Generation, in association with Alex McFarland Evangelistic Ministries, exists to equip Christians with a biblical world view through conferences and camps. For information about upcoming events, visit truthforanewgeneration.com or give us a call at 877-YES-GOD-1. That's 877-YES-GOD and the number 1. TNG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland Evangelistic Ministries, P. O. Box 10231, Greensboro, North Carolina 27404. That's P. O. Box 10231, Greensboro, North Carolina 27404. Or give online at alexmcfarland.com or truthforanewgeneration.com. Thanks for listening and join us again next time as we bring you more truth for a new generation on TNG radio.