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Every Christian An Apologist
by Joel Taylor
In matters of religion, the propagation of false, antithetical concepts seem to keep working their way back into the proverbial woodpile of Christian thought. I find it nettlesome mainly because those who are found disseminating these erroneous matters should know better, specifically, those in ministerial roles of leadership. Then again, since when were leaders in ministry perfect?
One issue I’ve discovered in the woodpile recently is the concept of ‘the professional apologist’. Too often the apologist is viewed as a "master", with long hours put forth for the purpose of defending the faith, especially on behalf of those, bless their hearts, who are not gifted enough to be apologists.
Take for example, this recent statement by Frank Turk at Pyromaniacs in this post entitled “He Saved Us”.
“I honor the work of thoughtful, erudite apologists who spend their lives effectually dismantling the ideologies which oppose the Gospel, and the church benefits from the work of those men. It does: it must. It is one of the duties of the elder, as I see it, to be able to rebuke those who are, frankly, wrong.
It’s the rest of you I am worried about. Let’s face it: everyone is not an apologist, and not everyone ought to be an apologist. It takes an interesting and spiritually-mature mix of mental acuity and personal charisma to be an effective and winning apologist. It is not just an exercise in dogmatics or legal or philosophical wrangling.
Do you agree with that? I certainly hope not. This is poor theology, it is wrong, and should be corrected. Worse, it lures Christians into the same mentality that says, "That’s not my job." Such thinking is both common and pestiferous. Yet, is that what Scripture teaches us? Is apologetics for the erudite, well-educated professional only?
Let’s cut to the chase and see if we can ascertain just who Scripture declares the apologist to be, and what is expected. For the moment, disregard the above quote; given the writers conclusions, his teaching of the ‘erudite apologist’ smacks of theological elitism.
Let’s look to the sure word of Scripture, shall we?
But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but 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, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. – I Peter 3:14-16 (ESV) [emphasis mine]
I Peter 3:15-16 is a mandate to every believer. Tasks of the teaching-shepherd or pastor-teacher is to equip the saints for spiritual worship (Ephesians 4:12), as well as to carry out the mandate given here in I Peter. Be able to give a reason for your hope in the Christian faith. It’s well accepted that 1 Peter 3:15-16 is a mandate to every believer to be able to practice. Apologetics. Carrying out that mandate serves God and the Church, the body of Christ. But for our purpose, let’s keep it simple, without straying into the specific aspects of apologetics theory.
Who is Peter speaking to? Christians.
A specific group of ‘professional’ Christians? No.
Is God speaking to all of His children, and instructing all of us to be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you”?
Absolutely.
Please, brethren, stop thinking of apologetics as belonging to some ‘erudite’ group of specially gifted people, and realize that the tasks of the apologist is one that simply involves the believer presenting the hope of the Gospel that lies within you.
It requires that you, the Christian, know the fundamentals of the faith. It requires that you, the Christian, study the Scriptures, pray over them, and by God’s grace, having been given those truths by the Father, they become such a reality in the very core of your being, that it is, among other things, a quite natural thing for you to express the reasons you consider all trials to be joy.
In ancient Athens, every citizen was expected to be able to join in the discussion of state affairs. In Christianity, every citizen of the heavenly kingdom is expected to be able to give reason for the glorious hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Who is the Christian apologist? You are, if you be in Christ.
– Joel
5 Pt. Salt 
You know, this post would be more helpful if you included your response to what Frank said about 1 Peter 3:15 in his.
If Frank had mentioned I Peter 3:15, I would have, but he didn’t!! Thanks for the comment, and for stopping by.
*Jugulum returns after rereading the post*
Oh, I see what happened. I forgot that he talked about it in the comment section, not in the main text of the post. So, not surprising that you didn’t respond to it. Sorry about that.
If you’re interested, he discussed it in this comment and in this comment (along with the one right after it, which continues it).
This was very interesting to read…For me it’s very hard to see what’s wrong with Frank Turk’s argument…Here in Sweden it’s very normal that Christians rather say things like “you should use so much time on apologist things, let the Lord handle that”, so out of that point of view Turk’s point is very good. But then I read your view on this matter, and I have to agree, if everyone shared your view- the Church wouldn’t be suffering as much as it does now.
Thanks for bringing this subject up.
God bless you Joel!
Interesting piece Joel. I found my mind wandering back to the early church where I pictured everyone claiming to be a Christian as suspect. Christians in the early church encountered suspicions from anyone they came in contact with (and yes this definately included family & friends), and I’m sure there was quite a dose of hostility. For instance, if early Christians were not apologists how would they have endured polytheism? I don’t picture them saying, “Well, that’s fine for you son to worship all of your gods, but I’m just going to worship this one God over here, Okay?” We have to share the reason for our Hope, not keep it to ourselves!
Share it indeed, and be able to give a reason for our hope! Amen. I Peter 3:15 seems so clear to me. Peter addresses every Christian who reads his letter. He wrote inspired by the Holy Spirit, the breath of God. Why then, after all these centuries, are there still those who think apologetics is for specialists? It just boggles my mind.
I would be willing to talk with you at-length about the subject of lay apologetics in the North American church – at my D-Blog. Here’s the thesis I would defend:
The NT gives such specific instruction about apologetics and teaching that most believers in the English-speaking church should refrain from practicing the art.
I’d let the exchange run 20 questions, and I’d give you an open-ended word limit to all your answers – and require of myself only the 500-max as is standard there. I would post a 1500-word opening statement; you could post a 5000-word opening statement if you wanted. However, given the gross word advantage I would be giving, I would require to keep the privilege of the last word/closing statement in the exchange.
Go over there, read the rules, and e-mail me if you are interested. This would probably be the most profitable d-blog exchange ever to occur there, and ironically it would also be the most incriminating.
You’re not a heretic for believing what you teach here to the extent you are teaching it: you’re just mistaken; the kind of church this view breeds is still a church: it’s just a bunker and not a city on a hill.
Read the rules, and pack a lunch.
When I was first saved from Roman Catholicism, my devoutly Catholic mother sneered at me as I shared the Bible and said, “You’re no theologian!” That has remained with me. We are each responsible to learn what God has said and to rightly divide truth. We must stop leaning on others to always feed us. We share the truths within God’s Word. Most of us are not the religious intellectuals, however, each of us has the Holy Spirit who will lead us into all truth. And as long as we are checking our findings with those more mature, we should do very well.
One thing I haven’t seen commented on is the qualitative difference between apologetics engaged in by elders, and that engaged in by “Joe Believer”. In my humble estimation, that’s the issue at question here.
“Paul wrote to Titus that overseers (pastors and elders) in the church are required to be especially adept at refuting those who oppose the truth of God (Titus 1:9). However this is not merely the assigned task of ordained men. All believers are commanded to engage in it as well. Addressing himself to all members of the congregation, Peter penned the following command: “sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to give an answer to anyone who asks from you a reason for the hope that is within you, yet with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). It is God Himself, speaking through Peter’s inspired words, who calls upon us as believers — each and every one of us — to be prepared to defend the faith in the face of challenges and questions which come from unbelievers — any one of them.
The necessity of apologetics is not a divine necessity: God can surely do His work without us. The necessity of apologetics is a moral necessity: God has chosen to do His work through us and called us to it. Apologetics is the special talent of some believers, and the interested hobby of others. But it is the God-ordained responsibility of all believers.”
~Greg Bahnsen
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It’s the rest of you I am worried about. Let’s face it: everyone is not an apologist, and not everyone ought to be an apologist. It takes an interesting and spiritually-mature mix of mental acuity and personal charisma to be an effective and winning apologist. It is not just an exercise in dogmatics or legal or philosophical wrangling.
It is odd that Frank is kind of an online apologist setting himself up to tell us what one should look like. I guess … like Frank huh? Or maybe not LIKE Frank but at least we shouldn’t disagree with him or come to different conclusions than him.
Have you seen how he’s taken this ‘fight’ to Horton now, blaming him for all these ‘unwashed apologists’ that aren’t up to snuff in his humble opinion…? And Chris Rosebrough is now enabling this kind of snobbish elitism.
While I agree with the call for all believers to be able to give a reason for the hope that lies within them, I wonder about “apologists”. They seem to me to be the ones who seek debates etc. Given the sovereign grace nature of salvation and the receiving of wisdom, I am somewhat confounded. If asked why I believe what I believe I will with grace and humility give a reason but do I seek out that conversation- no. The Gospel is foolishness to those that are perishing. They can’t understand apart from the quickening of the Word by His Holy Spirit. Unless or until His Spirit moves I mind as well be talking to a dead stump. So I wonder what is the purpose of a debate before the world, erudite, logical or by a gifted orator or not. Are we trying to intellectually- not spiritually, in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit- make ourselves intellectually acceptable to the world. I would contend that is not possible. Who is glorified by these “professional apologists”- God and His Spirit or man?