A Ready Answer - A Need for Apologetics

1 Peter 3:14–16 AV 1873

But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but 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: having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

In our text we are given instruction with regard to living in evil times.

Peter is instructing that we are to be ready to give an answer, but notice the attitude of heart we should have:

- Meekness (softness/gentle/not easily provoked/ Example: Numbers 12:1-3)

- Fear (passion to either appease out of not wanting to be punished or please via a sense of love for/ Example: Exodus 1:15-17)

Paul would go on to tell of his readiness to defend the gospel of those that preach out of a wrong heart attitude:

Phil. 1:15-17 “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.”

Tied to preaching of envy, strife, contention: Philippians 3:18 “(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:”

Paul literally had preachers whose only ministry goal was to destroy Paul’s ministry. Paul had to be ready and this opposition kept him prepared to defend his faith.

Paul is telling the church that he is set (ready) with a defense of the gospel!

Notice a few verses later (20), he has a boldness or confidence because he is ready for the defense, Christ will be magnified.

But how do we become set?

This brings us to the beginning of our Summer Series

A Ready Answer - A Need for Apologetics

2 Corinthians 10:4–6 AV 1873

(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

In this passage we are shown three important things to consider:

Weapons are not of our power, but of God’s

Doesn’t matter what we think, is it Biblical or against the knowledge of God

Our ideas/thoughts need to be brought into captivity (open-mindedness regarding theology is anti-Bible)

When considering giving a defense of your belief you have to be able to ask questions as to why.

Many are afraid to question because they feel like they are questioning God. But Scripture indicates there different attitudes with which one can question things:

Demonic Attitude

Genesis 3:1–2 “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:”

Mocking Heart

Luke 23:35–37 “And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying, If thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself.”

Heartfelt desire to learn

John 8:25–32 “Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lift up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Over the next 9-10 weeks we are going to go over

Four main questions (for a few this will be a review)

Is truth knowable?

Does God exist?

Are miracles possible?

Is the Bible reliable?

We will then spend time studying dispensationalism, why the KJB, and finally how does this affect our world view.

The great news is truth does exist and we have it!

In order to be ready to defend what we believe there are some absolutes we should understand:

I. Biblical Authority

Acts 17:11 “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

The Bereans searched the scriptures daily!

[if time, compare to Athenians in chapter 18 who only gathered to learn some new thing.

Difference between the mentality of a Bible believer and the unregenerate mind:

Eph 4:17-18 “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:” ]

There are 4 groups of Christianity:

Traditional

What saith the church fathers/tradition

Evangelical

Pragmatic: the ends justify the means. If people are getting save it doesn't matter how we get them there.

Charismatic

(subjective): Feelings based

Biblical

(objective): Bible based

The law of noncontradiction teaches us that not all of these people groups can be true.

Consider this passage:

1 Corinthians 14:8 (KJV) For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

If we are unsure of our authority, how then can we be prepared to Stand on what is right?

II. Command of Scripture

All Christians need a working knowledge of the scripture:

o We need to study

2 Tim. 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

o We need to memorize

Psalm 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee.”

III. Defeat over Unanswerable Controversy

If you are hearing competing views and it is causing you to fail, then you are not growing!

Knowing other views can be good, but if you are not sure on your own stance you are only hurting yourself!

IV. The Power of Doctrinal Authority

Friend, we have the truth! Everything we believe comes from the Bible!

Matthew 7:28 (KJV) And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

Matthew 22:33 (KJV) And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

Mark 1:22 (KJV) And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

Conclusion

We will close with this quote:

“I want to be so Biblical that if you disagree with me you disagree with the Word of God.” –Paul Chappell