When someone today thinks of an apologist, they might think of it as a profession. Similar to preaching, only certain types of people are called to the task. In reality, all Christians are called to apologetics. 1 Peter 3:15-16 says, “but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”
In regards to apologetics, William Lane Craig said, “not only is apologetics vital to shaping our culture, but it also plays a vital role in the lives of individual persons.” The Christian should be a role model for believers and non-believers alike.
This is reflected in Titus 1:9 as it says to “hold to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able to both encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it.” This refers to the qualifications of an elder, but the message remains clear. An elder guides the congregation and is a beacon of Christian behavior and faith. Every believer should seek to be this sort of figure.
PAUL’S EXAMPLE
Acts 19:8-10 says, “Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, arguing and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from them, taking the disciples and conducted discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.”
Though this seems like Paul retreated from the cause, he did not. Instead, he took to a lecture hall to discuss “the Way.” One might call Paul the seminary teacher of his day. He prided himself on his calling to educate the masses and bring them closer to God.
A LITTLE EVERY DAY
Every Christian needs to do a little bit to help them towards apologetics every day. If someone loves to write, they could start a blog talking about God’s word or write for their college about the Word of God. This could mean stopping and having a conversation with a stranger about their faith or lack thereof. It might be awkward, but doing the work of God is not meant to be easy. Additionally, the Bible tells us that hard work is rewarded. Proverbs 12:24 says, “the diligent hand will rule, but laziness will lead to forced labor.”
Every Christian should do the best that they can in order to be knowledgeable about the faith and know how to share it. Pick up the Bible and start a conversation. There is no way to know what kind of impact just simple information about God can have on someone. A Christian should be the good influence on the world that God intended.
