Today, November 22 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The day was a very dark time in our nation’s history. Many people still remember where they were when they first heard the tragic news.
The day also marks the 50th anniversary of the death of a major contributor to evangelical Christian thought and living, C.S. Lewis. Lewis’s writings, including such classics as The Screwtape Letters and The Chronicles of Narnia has challenged and fed Christians for nearly 75 years. Lewis’ most profound work, however, may be his book titled Mere Christianity, dealing with what we call Christian Apologetics.
Christian apologetics is the reasoned explanation for what we believe about God, His Word, work, and world. It is indeed a discipline sorely lacking in today’s Christian community. We need to know what we believe, why we believe it, and how to use what we believe. I am convinced the reason so many believers fall for false teaching is that we do a poor job in grounding ourselves in God’s objective truths. Peter encourages believers scatter throughout Asia Minor due to persecution:
…but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect… – 1 Peter 3:15
Do you know what you believe and why you believe it? Doctrine, theology, and apologetics are not for the seminary trained or super-spiritual and scholarly. Knowing what we believe and why we believe it is important for two reasons. First, we must be prepared to share truth with a world who is far from it. Second, we ultimately behave what we believe. If we do not believe rightly, we will not behave rightly.
Let me suggest a path that will help you gain a fuller understanding of God’s truth.
- Read God’s Word. God’s Word is our infallible and authoritative source for truth. There are no shortcuts. Reading books about the Bible is not substitute for the regular intentional reading of God’s Word.
- Read the works of Christian Apologists. Note how they systematically discuss these great truths. I highly recommend Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig.
- Read theological works. Systematic Theology books arrange Biblical teaching into major doctrinal headings that give the believer a comprehensive look at what the entire Bible has to teach on various topics. A Systematic Theology I recommend is Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith by Wayne Grudem.
The study of Christian Apologetics will strengthen your faith, straighten your walk, and supply you with knowledge to defend our faith.