Apologia, the Greek word that is the root of Apologetics, does not in this case imply an admission of guilt or regret but a desire to make clear one’s belief or position (Webster). In gospel work it is the utilizing of explanation along with proclamation in an effort to “convince the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9), that is, those who disagree.
Yet the apostle Paul appears at first to reject the use of the apologetic approach to evangelism:
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom…For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified…And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom…that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (see 1 Cor. 2:1-5).
However, this cannot be a blanket rejection of a wise and reasoned approach to biblical truth because we read that he “reasoned” with both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 18:4). Now it may be argued that he only reasoned “out of the scriptures” (17:2). Certainly this was his primary source and authority, but we know that he also referred to literary sources (17:28), commonly accepted moral standards (24:25), and personal experience (26:4-23). Of course one of the most effective lines of argument used by early Christians was fulfilled Messianic prophecies (2:17-28). And we know the Lord Jesus used current events (Lk. 13:1-4) and homespun stories (parables) to deliver His message.
No one involved in witnessing should be so foolish as to think that a lost soul can be convinced to follow Christ merely by intellectual arguments.
Nor should we despise the clear, simple proclamation of the gospel from the Word. But the New Testament has many examples of the wise use of other evidence—textual, prophetic, experiential, logical, and historical to name a few—to call people to “reason together, saith the Lord” in a sincere effort to show them that “though [their] sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isa. 1:18). Let us then be “ready always to give an answer…a reason of the hope” within us (1 Pet. 3:15).
CHRISTIAN EVIDENCES MINISTRIES
We are pleased to introduce to you Christian Evidences Ministries, a web-based ministry, whose main purpose is to provide reasons for believing the Bible. Make no mistake about it, the Christian Faith stands or falls on the reliability of the Bible. Thankfully, much evidence exists which demonstrates the Scriptures are a thoroughly trustworthy source of truth. Much of this information has been collected and displayed with college or high-school students in view. However, everyone will find the material very useful.
To organize this ever-growing array of apologetics-related material, they have developed a framework using the acronym M-A-P-S:
Manuscript Evidence:
Proof of the Bible’s Authenticity
Archeological Evidence:
Proof of the Bible’s Historicity
Prophetic Evidence:
Proof of the Bible’s Accuracy
Scientific Evidence:
Proof of the Bible’s Reliability
Visit Christian Evidences’ web-site www.christianevidences.org to learn how this framework can be useful in fulfilling our responsibility to give a reason for what we believe.
If you ever had the desire to be like “Indiana Jones” and search for the artifacts of history, then this is the site for you. Did you know that between the paws of the Great Sphinx, there is evidence of the Passover as described in Exodus 12? Did you know that recent discoveries about “Neanderthal” man are setting evolutionary thought on its ear, and at the same time proves ancient man lived to the ages as described in
Genesis 5? Did you know that Paul’s writings anticipated aspects of Einstein’s theory of relativity twenty centuries earlier? If not, then this is the site for you. After visiting this site we think you’ll agree–evidence for the Bible is overwhelming!
Written by J. B. Nicholson Jr