{"id":149,"date":"2016-01-14T15:46:55","date_gmt":"2016-01-14T20:46:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/?p=149"},"modified":"2016-09-09T22:53:42","modified_gmt":"2016-09-10T02:53:42","slug":"scope-of-christian-apologetics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/index.php\/2016\/01\/14\/scope-of-christian-apologetics\/","title":{"rendered":"The Scope of Christian Apologetics"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Paul<\/a>

Paul at Areopagus by David Martin (1639-1721)<\/p><\/div>\n

What is the scope of issues that should be included under the field of Christian apologetics?\u00a0 There is the well-known verse, 1 Peter 3:15:\u00a0 \u201c[B]ut in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. . . . .\u201d \u00a0Based on this passage alone, it might seem that apologetics is mainly limited to the issue of telling unbelievers about individual assurance of salvation (Christ in your heart) and Christ\u2019s resurrection (the basis for \u201chope\u201d).<\/p>\n

But there is more to the story. \u00a0Paul says that for a man to be qualified to be an elder, he must be \u201cable to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it\u201d (Titus 1:9).\u00a0 What is the scope of sound doctrine?\u00a0 Jesus says that, \u201cMan shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God\u201d (Matt. 4:4).\u00a0 We also see that the Apostle Paul says, \u201cAll Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness\u201d (2 Tim. 3:16). \u00a0\u00a0The scope of sound doctrine is the entire Bible, and since Paul says to rebuke those who oppose sound doctrine, the scope of apologetics is a defense of the entire Bible.\u00a0 The obligation of the church is to teach all Scripture and defend it against those who oppose it.\u00a0 Theology drives apologetics.<\/p>\n

This has implications for the Great Commission.\u00a0 In that speech, Jesus says to \u201cteach them [the nations] everything that I commanded you\u201d (Matt. 28:20a).\u00a0 Everything that Christ commanded includes \u201cevery word that proceeds from the mouth of God\u201d \u2013 i.e. the whole Bible (cf. Matt. 5:17-20).\u00a0 Therefore, the Great Commission requires us to teach the whole Bible and defend the teachings of the whole Bible.\u00a0 An apologetic that encompasses all the doctrines in Scripture is necessary as part of carrying out the Great Commission.<\/p>\n

This does not mean that we should not focus on certain issues with certain groups.\u00a0 It does not mean that an apologetics discussion group cannot focus on defending \u201cthe central claims of Christianity.\u201d\u00a0 But we should all keep in mind that defending everything taught in the Bible is the full scope of every Christian\u2019s apologetic obligation.\u00a0 That means apologetics involves addressing issues that divide denominations. \u00a0Per Titus 1:9, apologetics applies to differences between Christians as well as the differences between Christians and non-Christians. \u00a0\u00a0The goal set for the church in the Bible is that \u201cwe all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood\u201d rather than \u201ctossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine\u201d (Eph. 4:13,14).\u00a0 For Christ\u2019s church to grow in maturity, it must grow in unity by agreeing about what the Bible teaches in all that the Bible teaches.\u00a0 Spiritual maturity is marked by being able to eat the \u201csolid food\u201d of difficult Bible doctrines, not just the \u201cmilk\u201d of \u201cthe elementary doctrine of Christ\u201d (Heb. 5:13-6:1; cf. 1 Cor. 3:1-3).<\/p>\n

Anybody who has engaged in much apologetic witnessing soon realizes that unbelievers can ask all sorts of questions about the Bible, not just questions about the existence of God and proof of the resurrection.\u00a0 Sometimes they ask about passages in the Bible that few Christians in our day are even aware of, given the shallow preaching and teaching in most of our churches . Being an effective Christian apologist requires a deep knowledge of the whole Bible.\u00a0 Skeptics claim that there are a myriad of contradictions in the Bible.\u00a0 Explaining the resolution to those apparent contradictions requires the Christian to know how different parts of the Bible fit together, especially the details of the Bible\u2019s account of ancient history.\u00a0 One claim is that the story of David killing Goliath is fictional because the text says that David took Goliath\u2019s head to Jerusalem (1 Sam. 17:54); yet, it was not until many years later that David conquered Jerusalem, taking control of the city away from the Jebusites (2 Sam. 5:6-9).\u00a0 A person has to dig into the books of Joshua and Judges to see that, although the Israelites did not control the city until David conquered it as an adult, Israelites lived with the Jebusites in the city before that (Joshua 15:63; Judges 1:21).<\/p>\n

How the questions of skeptics are answered often depends on what denominational\/theological tradition that a Christian adheres to. \u00a0Skeptics\u00a0ask, \u201cWhy do Christians condemn behavior based on Old Testament law, yet these same Christians say that eating shellfish is acceptable, even though the Old Testament condemns that too?\u201d\u00a0 There are some Christian theological traditions that will say that all Old Testament law is abolished; others will say that all Old Testament law not repeated in the New Testament is abolished; and yet others will say that all Old Testament law not annulled in the New Testament remains valid.\u00a0 Limiting the scope of apologetics to a few major issues reflects a na\u00efve understanding the questions that skeptics ask and the knowledge required to accurately answer those questions.<\/p>\n

1 Peter 3:15\/Isaiah 8:13<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last, the understanding of 1 Peter 3:15 presented above is more limited in scope than it should be.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0As James White recently pointed out in his\u00a0Dividing Line<\/em>\u00a0webcast (here<\/a>), and as mentioned in some commentaries,[1]<\/a>\u00a0Peter derives his statement here from Isaiah 8:13 in the Septuagint version, a Greek translation of the Old Testament often quoted by the New Testament authors.\u00a0 In the English version, Isaiah 8:13 (ESV) reads, \u201cBut the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. \u00a0Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0In comparison, 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) begins, \u201cBut in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy.\u201d The parallel is even more obvious in the original Greek.\u00a0 Isaiah 8:13 in the Septuagint begins, \u201c\u03ba\u1f7b\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u1f01\u03b3\u03b9\u1f71\u03c3\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5.\u201d\u00a0 And 1 Peter 3:15 in the Greek begins, \u201c\u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd \u03b4\u1f72 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u1f01\u03b3\u03b9\u03ac\u03c3\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5.\u201d\u00a0 Peter sticks Christ in the middle of Isaiah\u2019s statement, identifying Christ as the Lord.\u00a0 And since the Greek word \u03ba\u1f7b\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd in the Septuagint at Isaiah 8:13 is a translation of the Hebrew word YHWH, Peter is identifying Christ as YHWH, the God of Israel.\u00a0 Although Peter\u2019s words \u201cin your hearts\u201d is not repeating the same words from the Septuagint version of Isaiah 8:13, the thought is the same.\u00a0 To honor Christ as Lord \u201cin your hearts\u201d means the same thing as Isaiah\u2019s command to \u201cfear\u201d and \u201cdread\u201d the Lord.<\/p>\n

But seeing that the\u00a0language<\/em>\u00a0of 1 Peter 3:15 is drawn from Isaiah 8:13, we should also see the similar\u00a0meaning<\/em>\u00a0of Isaiah 8:13 in its context to the meaning of 1 Peter 3:15.\u00a0 Seeing the similarity in meaning undermines a narrow view of the subjects to which apologetics properly applies based on 1 Peter 3:15.\u00a0 To honor YHWH as holy per Isaiah 8:13 means to \u201cnot to walk in the way of this people\u201d by fearing political conspiracies rather than God\u2019s word (Isa. 8:11).\u00a0 And rather than following the words of fortune-tellers (Isa. 8:19), God\u2019s people should follow God\u2019s word:\u00a0 \u201cTo the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn\u201d (Isa. 8:20).\u00a0 So, Isaiah 8 is teaching that to honor and fear the Lord, people should live their lives in obedience to God\u2019s word, knowing that judgment will come to those who reject God\u2019s word in favor of some other authority.<\/p>\n

And if we look at the context of 1 Peter 3, we can see the same thing.\u00a0 Peter is encouraging Christians to obey God\u2019s word in all that they do:\u00a0 \u201cFinally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind\u201d (1 Peter 3:8).\u00a0 The \u201cdefense\u201d or \u201capologetic\u201d that Peter requires in 1 Peter 3:15 is to those who \u201crevile your good behavior in Christ\u201d (1 Peter 3:16).\u00a0 In other words, the apologetic that Peter commands is specifically a defense of living by God\u2019s word as a standard of ethics.\u00a0 That involves defending the existence of God and the resurrection of Christ, but also all of the Bible\u2019s commands to us.\u00a0 As God was allowing Assyria to invade Israel as punishment for Israel\u2019s disobedience to the law of God in Isaiah\u2019s time, the message of the resurrection is not just one of salvation to those who believe in Jesus, but judgment on those who will not live by the standard of the God\u2019s word:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.\u201d (Acts 17:30-31).<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The word \u201cdefense\u201d in 1 Peter 3:15 is the Greek word\u00a0apologia<\/em>, from which we get our English word \u201capologetics.\u201d\u00a0 The Greek word is a combination two other Greek words,\u00a0ap\u00f3<\/em>, meaning “from” and\u00a0l\u00f3gos<\/em>, meaning \u201cintelligent reasoning.\u201d \u00a0It refers to a reasoned argument in defense of a claim, especially in a court of law.\u00a0 Since the Bible teaches that the resurrected Christ is Judge of the world, the picture presented by Peter in 1 Peter 3:15 is that Christians are Christ\u2019s attorneys, His legal representatives on earth, who are given the task of prosecuting the King\u2019s lawsuit against the unbelievers who have rebelled against the King\u2019s laws.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0idea of a defense in a court of law\u00a0reflects a common theme in the Old Testament of the\u00a0covenant lawsuit<\/em>\u00a0that God prosecutes against His people when they are unfaithful and against foreign nations when they become exceedingly wicked (see Deut. 28; Ps. 50:7-13; Ps. 83; Isa. 18-20; Isa. 3:13-15; Isa. 41:1-22; Isa. 43:9ff.; Jer. 4-9; Hos. 2:4ff.; Mic. 6:1ff.).[2]<\/a> \u00a0 Isaiah 8, the very chapter from which Peter draws his command to engage in apologetics in 1 Peter 3:15, is describing a covenant lawsuit against the northern kingdom of Israel coming to its conclusion through the invasion of Assyria to destroy Israel for her sins.\u00a0 These lawsuits make use of the Hebrew word\u00a0r\u00ee\u1e07<\/em>, meaning dispute or lawsuit. \u00a0The Greek word apologeomai<\/em>, a form of apologia<\/em>, is used as the translation of r\u00ee\u1e07<\/em> in a couple of places in the Septuagint (Jer. 12:1, 20:12). \u00a0The covenant lawsuit is also clearly seen in the book of Revelation, with charges against the seven churches of Asia Minor and later characters like the Beast and the Harlot.[3]<\/a><\/p>\n

In the Old Testament covenant lawsuits, God offers clemency to the accused if they repent (cf. Jer. 18:8).\u00a0 Of course in the New Testament, King Jesus offers clemency to those who will repent, based on the price of the penalty being paid by the King Himself.\u00a0 Therefore, not only are Christians serving in the role of attorneys prosecuting a case against unbelievers, at the same time \u201cwe are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. \u00a0We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God\u201d (2 Cor.\u00a0 5:20).\u00a0To those who reject the message of reconciliation, however, the message delivered by the Christian serves to further condemn them (2 Peter 2:20-21).<\/p>\n

The modern, pietistic view of apologetics as being limited to assurance of personal salvation certainly has no place in 1 Peter 3:15.\u00a0 Merely the fact that Peter calls Jesus \u00a0YHWH, the God of Moses and the Creator of heaven and earth, should dispel that notion. \u00a0\u00a0Regarding the sovereign Creator as holy in your heart has implications as wide as God\u2019s creation.\u00a0\u00a0 Jesus rules all things, so faith in Jesus has implications for everything in life.\u00a0 His authority extends to all areas of life, whether family, church, science, or politics; therefore, obedience to His word extends to all areas of life.[4]<\/a> \u00a0That is what the Christian must defend \u2013 all of the Bible in what it says about all of life.\u00a0 That is biblical apologetics.\u00a0 \u00a0You have \u201ca reason for the hope that lies within you\u201d because you have been saved by Jesus unto good works (Eph. 2:10), rather than living your life in rebellion against God\u2019s word, which eventually ends in judgment carried out by the great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13), judge of the living and the dead (Rom. 14:9).<\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a>\u00a0 Some who mention the connection are\u00a0<\/em>Meyer’s NT Commentary<\/em>,\u00a0Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/em>,\u00a0Pulpit Commentary<\/em>, and\u00a0Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/em>:\u00a0\u00a0http:\/\/biblehub.com\/commentaries\/1_peter\/3-15.htm<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a>\u00a0 See Richard M. Davidson, \u201cThe Divine Covenant Lawsuit Motif in Canonical Perspective,\u201d https:\/\/www.andrews.edu\/sem\/inministry\/uploads\/2015fallcoursesyllabi\/5.davidson_-_covenant_lawsuit_motif.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> \u00a0Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., \u201cThe Seven \u2018Letters\u2019 are not Letters\u201d (7\/17\/2015), http:\/\/postmillennialismtoday.com\/2015\/07\/17\/the-seven-letters-are-not-letters\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a>\u00a0 An implication of this is that our apologetic methodology must be based on the Bible.\u00a0 See Greg L. Bahnsen,\u00a0Van Til\u2019s Apologetic:\u00a0 Readings & Analysis<\/em>\u00a0(Phillipsburg, NJ:\u00a0 P&R Publishing, 1998), pp. 1-4;\u00a0Always Ready:\u00a0 Directions for Defending the Faith<\/em>\u00a0(Atlanta: GA:\u00a0 American Vision, and Nacogdoches, TX: Covenant Media Press, 1996), p. 63;\u00a0Presuppositional Apologetics:\u00a0 Stated and Defended<\/em>\u00a0(Powder Springs, GA:\u00a0 American Vision Press, and Nacogdoches, TX: Covenant Media Press, 2006), p. 26.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is the scope of issues that should be included under the field of Christian apologetics?\u00a0 There is the well-known verse, 1 Peter 3:15:\u00a0 \u201c[B]ut in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":191,"href":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149\/revisions\/191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/christianciv.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}