Apologetics
March 23rd, 2007 by Stephen
Should we get involved in apologetic debates? And what do we hope to achieve with them?
I believe the most important method of witnessing is through our personal testimony. That apologetic reasoning is very occasionally succesful in winning people for Christ is undeniable. I had a friend who became a Christian by such persuasion of the evidence, but ultimately even he would not have become a Christian were it not for his friendship with Christians.
Apologetics has its place, but I find it a fairly small place. It is the Holy Spirit that does a work within us, and no one can reason themselves into heaven without the promptings of the Spirit, and no one can resist the Spirit’s call, even though they may have questions still.
This, I believe, is the normal way of these things. God calls us, we respond, and the answers of apologetics are of some use in dealing with doubts, but rarely of much use to those who are unsaved, unless they are earnestly seeking people who are so constrained by doubt that they cannot progress into a relationship with the invisible God, nor his image, his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
I suppose that apologetics can be useful in convincing someone that Christians are not believing something without evidence - that we have a reason for our belief, and it is not mere superstition. But maybe that is all.
I think we so often get our emphasis wrong. We spend so much time reading “apologetics” when all around us people are dieing unsaved. We should instead be praying. If it is the Holy Spirit that moves our hearts, and not a book by an apologist then reading the books is something of a distraction - if only Christians would spend as long on their knees as they do reading books (and don’t think I am talking to others and not myself here!)
I know why we so often avoid this spiritual imperative - it appears unproductive to pray, when we could be acquiring so much knowledge - but don’t you see that in so doing we deny the very power of God we seek to profess. If God is the creator of the universe, the all powerful, almighty, merciful and loving God of Scripture then how can we possibly spend so little time in communion with him when he is so near to us?
I love books and reading and might easily spend several hours reading a book on apologetics or some other Christian subject, but I find it much more difficult to spend an hour in prayer, and I will admit that I cannot think of a time I spent more than two hours in private prayer. John Wesley said he would not give a fig for the spirituality of a man who spent less then three hours in prayer each morning - how far we have sunk from such ideals.
Whilst we might rail against the words of Wesley as unrealistic, I believe his emphasis was right. He knew the power of prayer. Even though he never agreed with Calvinisms claims of irresistable grace, he knew that it was only through the Spirit of God that we would see the stirring of men’s hearts.
I long to see people saved, but I want more than this - I want to see revival, and we have been waiting a long time for it. It is only through our prayers that this will come about. No revival ever followed “apologetic debates”, and none ever will. Likewise there was never a revival that was not preceded by the earnest prayers of the elect.
This point goes further still. Evangelism through our relationships only works if we live the lives we profess. No one ever sold a product they did not believe in, and we will never convince our friends and family of the urgent need for salvation if we do not live a life comensurate with that belief. Prayer is at the heart of this, because it is only through prayer that we have communion with God, be it prayer in public worship or private devotion. It is a matter of shame on the Church that Christians pray so little - what does this tell the outside world? Does it tell then we believe that the God of the Universe listens to us and cares for us?
A quote often (incorrectly) attributed to St Francis goes: “Preach the gospel at all times, use words if necessary”. The emphasis is right. Our words are a tiny part of our preaching of the gospel compared to our actions, and the praying Christian is an example worth many thousand apologists if they do not pray.
Another point that comes to mind is that we can only preach the gospel to non Christians if we know non Christians. Willow Creek Community Church talk of “being intentional about your relationships”. Whether we agree with the systematic methods of that Church or not, they make a very important point: We must be careful to build friendships outside the Church as well as within, and we must realise that whenever we are with our non Christian friends that we are witnessing to them in all we do.
Most Christians, according to surveys carried out by Willow Creek and others, have virtually no non Christian friends, but make non Christian acquaintances throughout their life. I am fond of Chinese food, and usually frequent the same resteraunt. I now find myself on talking terms with the staff there and recently had the opportunity to invite one of the staff to Church. I must admit I was stunned when he agreed - moreso when he made it plain that he wanted to come regularly. I wonder how many similar opportunities such as this I have missed.
