Project Description

2016/01

A Humble Apology

We are seeking to win souls, not just arguments!

The idea of respect has taken on a very particular flavour in our present culture. It may be described by the cliché ‘Live and let live.’ In essence, we are all supposedly given the freedom to believe what we want, and to practise our religion as we please. However, the Bible presents a religion that makes such a position impossible. While we would not use legal force to impose our religion on any, we must affirm that all religions are not equally valid.

The Bible claims exclusive truth and declares that there is only one way to God. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) That such a message was preached is a reflection of the teaching the apostles received from the Saviour for He said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) Jesus Christ is the only way to God. He alone is absolute truth, and real life is only found in Him. Such exclusive claims mean that no other way to God is true. Hence the Christian will not allow others to practise their religion without challenge. It is his unashamed and unapologetic desire to see others converted from false religions, and to come into the truth that is found in Christ alone.

Understanding this exclusive Gospel should not make us arrogant. We only know the truth by the gracious revelation of God. It is the Father who has revealed the truth unto babes (Matthew 11:25). Natural man cannot grasp spiritual truths (1 Corinthians 2:14), but, with Paul, we say, “God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit” (1Corinthians 2:10). Arrogance should find no place in the Christian who knows all the spiritual knowledge he has is by the grace of God. However, such gracious privilege places us under responsibility to communicate the message to others. When we see our friends and neighbours in the darkness of false religion, we ought to lament their condition and fear for the eternal well-being of their souls. If their way to God is not His way then it is no way at all. Only the saved have eternal hope. Peter states that only those ‘begotten again’ have a ‘lively’ hope of “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1Peter 1:4). If we have any heart for lost souls, we must surely desire that they would come to know hope in Christ alone.

Later in his first epistle, Peter exhorts all believers to “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” (1Peter 3:15) Some deny our right to have an eternal hope; others genuinely want to know how to have what we have. Whatever the reason for the enquiry, it is our joyful task to give an answer. The word “answer” is from where we get our word ‘apology’. When we think of an apology we think of saying sorry for something we shouldn’t have done. But the Greek ‘apologia’ has nothing to do with regret or repentance. The Christian is never ‘sorry’ for his faith, but must always be ready to give this humble apology. The apology in view here most likely comes from the practice in Athens of every man being obligated to present his own defence if he were brought to trial. In the days before expensive lawyers, citizens would have to frame their own defence. Peter is saying that if we are put on trial for our faith, actually or metaphorically, we should be ready to present a coherent defence of what we believe and why we believe it. Such a defence must come from those who have a consistent walk and a good conscience before God (1 Peter 3:17). This defence should be:

Researched Standing in court it is imperative that you know your defence. The Christian faith is a revealed faith – the revelation being the contents of the Bible. When Peter tells us to be “ready” to give our answer he is instructing us to be prepared (The word “ready” is translated ‘prepared’ in Mark 14:15 with respect to the upper room). Such preparation requires study and research into the truths of the gospel. We should be able to defend the reliability of the Scriptures as the inerrant, inspired Word of God. We ought to know the Bible’s teaching regarding the person of Christ, very God and very man, hence the only suitable Mediator and Saviour of sinners. We ought to be able to define and defend the nature of the atonement – what did our Saviour accomplish when He gave His life a ransom for many? We ought to give ourselves to the careful study of the Scriptures in order that we may be “ready”.

Reasonable By this I mean that our defence should make sense. The Christian message is consistent and rational. What we believe is based on historical fact. The resurrection of Christ as described in the Gospels can only be understood to mean that He, who was dead, actually rose from the dead. These miraculous and supernatural events transcend our reason, but nothing in the Gospel is contradictory. Sin leaves us guilty before God. For guilt to be removed the price of sin must be paid in full. On the cross the sinless Christ could not have died for His own sins. He died for the sins of others, paying the price in full. Hence the guilty can be pardoned. Rational truth is presented in the Bible, and we should be able to communicate it clearly and concisely.

Resolute We are not apologising for what we believe. We are presenting Divine truth. Therefore our presentation must be made with resolution and confidence. This is the only worthy way to present Christ.

Respectful Peter tells us that we are to answer in “meekness and fear”. The sense is that our defence should be presented kindly and respectfully, without contention and contempt. When we disagree with others over their religious persuasion, we can be inclined to want to win the argument. Peter warns us of such. We need to keep in mind we are seeking to win souls, not just arguments!

We who have been graciously brought to know the truth, the only truth, have now the solemn and joyful task of defending that truth in the midst of many onslaughts. May God help us!