‘But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect’ (v15) 1 Peter 3:13–18
The word ‘apologetic’ suggests an expression of regret for something to someone offended by words or deeds. Add an ‘s’ and we have ‘apologetics’, ‘a branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity’.
Not apologising, but offering a clear, reasoned case for Christianity. Under constant assault, our Christian worldview faces many challenges yet provides a robust defence to all its critics, ‘always with gentleness and respect’.
Worldview is defined as ‘a collection of attitudes, values, stories and expectations about the world around us, which inform our every thought and action… expressed in ethics, religion, philosophy, scientific beliefs and so on’. As Christians, we can confidently present our worldview revealed through Scripture.
Our mission is to present Christianity clearly and intelligently and to answer people’s questions. Too often, the Church finds itself answering questions that no one is asking. We are equipping the Church to serve God effectively in bringing God’s message of hope to everyone.
SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER: Psa. 19; Acts 19:1–10; 2 Tim. 2:14–26; Jude 1:1–25.
AN ACTION TO TAKE: Do you feel confident in addressing everyday questions from a Christian perspective?
A PRAYER TO MAKE: ‘Lord, teach me to answer everyone who asks about my faith. Amen.’
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
