Are Christian apologetics biblical?
Apologetics is being able to give an answer for your Christian faith to those who ask.
1 Peter 3:15 says:
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.
The Phillips translation says:
After all, who in the ordinary way is likely to injure you for being enthusiastic for good? And if it should happen that you suffer “for righteousness’ sake”, that is a privilege. You need neither fear their threats nor worry about them; simply concentrate on being completely devoted to Christ in your hearts. Be ready at any time to give a quiet and reverent answer to any man who wants a reason for the hope that you have within you. Make sure that your conscience is perfectly clear, so that if men should speak slanderously of you as rogues they may come to feel ashamed of themselves for libelling your good Christian behaviour.
Reading the whole chapter is excellent. In context, we are to repay evil with blessing and pursue peace whenever we can. When we are persecuted or suffering for righteousness, we are told to be ready with a gentle and respectful explanation of why we are following Jesus which in turn has changed our characters to be as spotless as we can make them. Those who malign us should have nothing to actually condemn us for.
Verse 17 says
“For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”
Knowing who we serve and what we stand for doctrinally is of utmost importance. This is why continually Bible study, especially topical study, is crucial for our Christian growth and development. We should not base our belief system on what we’ve been told, what everyone else in our surroundings believes, how we grew up or the traditions of man handed down through generations. We pray to have a greater measure of God’s spirit, His power and influence, to help us to understand.
1 Thessalonians 5:21: Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
What we have learned must be proven – compared against other scriptures to make sure there is harmony; compared against the character of God to make sure it does not conflict; compared against superstitions and traditions of the world to make sure we find what is true. The word “good” here includes the thought of genuine.
This is what we are doing each week at Christian Questions, by topically and methodically using scripture to prove scripture so that our faith is both true and reasonable, and fits harmoniously with other scriptures and what has been revealed about the character of God and His son Jesus. While we do not formally call this “apologetics,” this type of Bible study uplifts us, strengthens our faith, and yes, gives us the ability to explain to others why we have such a hope within us.
2 Timothy 2:5: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
To learn more about how to approach Bible study listen to, “Are There Secrets to Studying the Bible?”
To learn more about how to figure out if your beliefs are biblically based or not listen to, “Are My Christian Beliefs Based on Truth or Error?”
