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turning to Acts, however, it is important course but for all believers. Even a young
not to forget the rest of what Peter had to Christian can give his testimony and share
say about giving answers. We are to do so the verses that the Spirit used in his sal-
“with meekness and fear, having a good vation. The best apologist turns out to be
conscience” (1Pe 3:15-16 KJV). The goal the believer who sets Christ apart as Lord
of apologetics is not to win arguments in her heart, lives a consistent Christian
but to win souls. An expert apologist lifestyle, maintains a good conscience,
might riddle his opponent’s arguments prays for guidance and knows her Bible.
with holes and leave him lying on the A common objection to this simple
ground breathless and defeated – and yet advice is that unbelievers won’t listen to
more bitter and antagonistic than ever. the Bible unless we first prove to them
According to Peter, a successful answer that the Scripture is true. But that is not
must begin and end with kindness. Our so. It may help, of course, to begin by as-
good behavior in Christ starts the whole serting that Scripture claims to be God’s
interaction, and we explain our hope with Word (2Ti 3:16), and by pointing out that
meekness toward the inquirer and with accepting this claim is not circular reason-
reverence for Christ. A good conscience ing (assuming what we want to prove)
doesn’t matter in academic debates but is because the initial premise, “the Bible is
crucial for effective witnessing. We should God’s Word,” rests on amazing evidence.
speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15). If in our The New Testament authors repeatedly
hearts we have honored Christ the Lord argued for the inerrancy and reliability of
as holy, we can be confident that He will Scripture by demonstrating the fulfillment
help us give an effective answer in the of Old Testament prophecy and the fact
power of the Spirit. of the resurrection; we can do the same.
Peter showed how to give a proper But in the end, we don’t have to prove
apologia when he answered his Jewish anything because the Bible takes over as
audience in Acts 2:15-30. He declared the soon as we quote it.
truth about the life, death and resurrection Many people hotly deny God and His
of Christ, and buttressed his claims by Word, but when we peel back the layers,
quoting from Joel and the Psalms. Simi- we find that every human heart knows
larly, Stephen’s answer in Acts 7:2-53 is a that God is real and that His Word is true
sustained argument from Scripture. Paul’s (Joh 1:9; 16:8; Rom 1:19-22). The Holy
answer to his Jewish audience in Acts Spirit who authored the text applies it
22:1-22 was the story of his conversion, infallibly to the consciences of all who hear
and his answers to Felix (Act 24:10-21) it. God’s Word is therefore self-authenti-
and Agrippa (26:2-29) again include his cating. So, when we speak to unbelievers,
personal testimony, the facts about the res- we can presuppose the truth of the Bible
urrected Christ and allusions to Scripture. rather than having to prove it and still be
Following the example from the Acts, successful. Even when we feel tongue-
the answer we should give when others tied, the power of the verses we unleash
ask is simply the gospel message with cannot be stopped. Although many refuse
our personal testimony, supported by the gospel, all intuitively recognize God’s
quotations from the Bible. So, apologet- truth when they hear it. We just need to
ics is not for seminarians who took the make sure they hear it.
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