{"id":7305,"date":"2023-10-29T12:49:32","date_gmt":"2023-10-29T16:49:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/?p=7305"},"modified":"2023-10-29T14:56:10","modified_gmt":"2023-10-29T18:56:10","slug":"no-apologies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/2023\/10\/29\/no-apologies\/","title":{"rendered":"No Apologies…"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

10-30-23a<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recently have had cause to \u201cdescribe what I do.\u201d Because of a flurry of interviews and articles, I am being asked to list the activities and high points, such as they might be, of my career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some books, various jobs, a few awards, and lengthy prison terms (= three truths and a lie) routinely have been accepted, but I have had \u201cpushback,\u201d occasionally, about activities I label as \u201cChristian apologetics.\u201d Apologetics is something that has been exercised since the Resurrection of Jesus, and this blog site’s fare \u2013 my 14 years or so of sharing these thoughts every week \u2013 is an example of the form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people evidently misunderstand the term, which infrequently is used except in the religious context; and less often even in that case. Because of similarity to \u201capology,\u201d the word can carry the connotation of being defensive about our faith. Or whining about elements of theology. Or making excuses for Christians who commit offenses. No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christian apologetics is derived from the Greek word apologia<\/em>, which simply means offering an explanation or a defense. In other words, it is a method of presenting the Gospel. One might think that all sermons or religious writing does that, yet that is hardly the case. Since the Disciples\u2019 time (\u201cthe Apostolic Age\u201d) and down through the centuries, writers and speakers also (or alternatively) have concentrated on teaching, or exhortations, or correction, or evangelism, or social action, or\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have chosen in several books and these blog messages to know Christ and to make Him known, in the words of the motto of a church in which I worshiped years ago in Connecticut. This \u201ccalling\u201d motivates me perhaps because that is what I needed most at points in my life \u2013 and still, often today. That is why in these essays I share my thoughts more than preach from a platform. I sometimes am encouraged to collect some of these essays in a book, and I would title that book Eavesdropping on God<\/em>, because I have learned His truths by paying attention when He acts; and then sharing (\u201cexperiential apologetics,\u201d to be precise).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the basics, no form of sharing the Gospel (\u201cGood News\u201d) is superior to the others \u2013 their utility and efficacy depend more upon the hearer than the speaker. Yet some of the great giants of the faith over 2000 years have been apologists: St Paul at times; early saints of the church, cited by the amazing historian Eusebius, who defended the faith during days of Roman persecution; Justin Martyr; Origen; Augustine of course; Anselm. History tends to persuade people today that philosophers and scientists of the Enlightenment were \u201cenlightened\u201d because they developed intellectual arguments against Christianity, but the opposite was true: they largely discovered scientific proofs and arguments for<\/em> the truth of the Gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The philosopher, scientist, and essayist Blaise Pascal was one who defended the form of apologetics when he wrote: Men despise religion; they hate it <\/em>[because they<\/em>] fear it is true. To remedy this, we must begin by showing that religion is not contrary to reason; that it is venerable, to inspire respect for it; then we must make it lovable, to make good men hope it is true; finally, we must prove it is true.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our day, perhaps because the world is desperate for it, many have chosen to help people know Jesus by adopting methods of apologetics. C S Lewis, most powerfully; G K Chesterton; Francis Schaeffer; my old friend Mike Yaconelli; Josh McDowell; John MacArthur; R C Sproul; Father Robert Barron; Jimmy Swaggart; and of course Billy and Franklin Graham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having explained the explainers and explanation, however, there are some who wonder why God Almighty does not make Himself known more directly. I have a friend who is a fervent Christian, but going through some personal crises. She cries out \u2013 as we all have in certain moments \u2013 why God does not make Himself appear to us, perhaps physically or audibly. Why faith is required when, for instance, the Disciples could see and talk to Jesus. \u201cThe Gospel of Jesus is easy to understand; but the person of Jesus sometimes is hard to know\u2026<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sharing the Gospel, employing apologetics, is the challenge and the privilege afforded to those of us who serve Him when dealing with such \u201cassignments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n