Page 16 - May 2025 - Truth & Tidings

f you’re not sure what I mean by But today, if we live as we should, we
this title, let me explain. In modern will meet ordinary people who notice
IEnglish, “apologize” means saying our righteous life and our godly response
you’re sorry – expressing regret and em- to adversity and ask for an explanation.
barrassment for some offense or failure. Some may be skeptical or openly hostile,
No Christian would apologize for Christ but others who observe our faith and hope
in that sense! The word “apologize,” how- will want what we have. Since they have
ever, comes from the Greek word apologia, no hope (Eph 2:12; 1Th 4:13), they will
which in New Testament times meant “to long to have our “living hope” – an eternal
give a verbal defense” – the very opposite inheritance, preserved for us in heaven
of what “apologize” means today. The as we are kept for it on earth (1Pe 1:3-9).
Greek word appears 17 times in the NT in Peter exhorts us to be ready to give
noun or verb form and can be translated answers to all inquirers, whether they
“defense” or “defend” in every case. are hostile, neutral or searching. But what
The apostle Peter wrote that every be- kind of answers? In modern parlance, how
liever should be ready to “apologize” for do we “do” apologetics? Many people
Christ in this sense: “But in your hearts immediately equate apologetics with the
honor Christ the Lord as holy, always be- philosophical and scientific arguments
ing prepared to make a defense [apologia] used by uber-educated Christians to de-
to anyone who asks you for a reason for feat militant atheists in YouTube debates.
the hope that is in you; yet do it with They assume an effective apologist is
gentleness and respect” (1Pe 3:15). Peter that rare individual who has mastered
1
was writing to Christians who were ex- all the evidence for the existence of God,
periencing persecution (3:13-17; 4:12-19). the fallacy of evolution, the veracity of
He encouraged them to maintain a good Scripture, the identity of Jesus Christ and
conscience by living righteously, and to the historicity of the resurrection. These
be ready to give a reasoned defense for sophisticated arguments are important
what they believed – the “hope” within and do bring some people to Christ. But
them – to anyone who asked. the unbeliever’s chief problem is moral,
Peter assumed that living a godly life not intellectual. So, no lost person can be
would not only invite persecution but argued into salvation. “A man convinced
also bring opportunities for witnessing. against his will is of the same opinion
If the state begins to sponsor oppression, still.” Faith is more than intellectual as-
we believers will have to give our apologia sent; it is surrender.
before civil authorities in court (Luk 12:11; Peter was certainly not using apologia in
21:14; Act 22:1; 24:10; 25:8; 26:1; 2Ti 4:16). this modern, technical sense. Instead, the
answers Peter had in mind are the kind
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the that he and the other apostles gave, as re-
ESV unless otherwise noted. corded by Luke in the book of Acts. Before

144 TRUTH kTidings May 2025