One of my favorite subjects is Apologetics (the defense of the faith). Below is a 10 minute video clip from Dr. R.C. Sproul about why Apologetics are important for the church. Curious: Do you employ apologetics with people when talking about your faith?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
The first minute, while true, seems to be the cause of much discussion in reformist circles about evangelicals. The difference, I suppose, is that Moses was given the words to speak and some (myself included) speak words we weren't given. We've all been given the Word, but how ready is it on our lips?...
The last minute was also particularly interesting - the reference from Thomas Aquinas to the distinction/harmony between nature and grace.
As for the question, apologetics is present whenever the gospel is mentioned. Very few accept (or even hear) the gospel without the clarification of some preconception of Christ.
NO ONE accepts or hears the gospel without the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit. (1Cor 1&2, 2Cor 3&4, Eph 1-3)
Apologetics can be a useful tool for pre-evangelism. A tool to overcome objections that is firmly planted in the world of "human wisdom" and not Spiritual illumination.
The answer to the question is: NO. Apologetics is not present whenever the gospel is mentioned, nor does it have to be. The Gospel is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles and no amount of logic or clever argumentation changes that fact.
No one is argued or convinced in to having faith. Faith is from God.
Tony, not sure if we're disagreeing. I'm curious if you're suggesting that in practice you approach a person and immediately share the gospel message without some investigation of anything that might muddy their perception of that message.
The Bible employs apologetics, does it not? How often are the Jews' preconceptions of faith challenged by Jesus? Also, consider most of Romans. Consider Acts 17:22ff.
The verse you (Tony) referred to begins with, "Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified...." And yet Christ did provide the Jews with signs and Luke (in Acts) literally provides the Greeks with wisdom. Apologetics accompanies the gospel message. Necessary? Perhaps not, but that's all I have witnessed.
And for clarification, my first comment was in response to the question "Do you employ apologetics...". I have not encountered a situation contrary to my response, God help me.
I don't see apologetics as arguing someone into faith (faith is indeeed from God), but rather something like arguing a person out of the darkness that clouds their sight of Christ. May the Lord be gracious and merciful to me if I would struggle in vain over another's eternal destination.
I don't think we are disagreeing, per se, I just think that we need some clarification and definition.
I realized I misunderstood the original question. Depending on how wide of a definition of apologetics one is working with, then yes one can say that apologetics is being used whenever you are speaking with anybody.
What I think we need to be absolutely clear on is that the Word of God needs no assistance from us in order to be efficacious. God is doing the verbs. People have "muddy ideas" because of their sin. God is the one who "digs ears out."
I am not dismissing apologetics - I just want to make sure it is kept in its place. The power is in the proclamation that Jesus IS the truth as opposed to a debate or explanation on the philosophical concept of the truth. The power is in the proclamation that God is the Creator as opposed to a debate or explanation of the Kalam cosmological argument for a 1st cause creator.
God opens eyes, ears, and minds through the power of His Word...Not his Word + the appropriate apologetic argument.
Amen.
Post a Comment