Philippians 1:3-11
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
In Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, he overflows with love and gratitude for them, and commends them for their partnership in defending the gospel. It’s incredibly important that we don’t rush through this portion of his letter as a merely a greeting to friends… We need to slow down and carefully examine Paul’s words.
In verse 7 of the first chapter of Philippians, the author, Paul, uses the term “defense” as a specific reason for his appreciation of the Philippian Church. But what does “defense” refer to exactly? In the Greek, “defense” is translated, “apologia”…a reasoned defense…often called, Apologetics. That’s right- apologetics is NOT the study of apologies, but instead connotes giving a defense to a position, belief, or worldview.
Sadly, we often view providing a defense of something as acting with “defensiveness.” Or, we feel as though standing-up for something, if not popular, is therefore carried-out with selfish motives, and is unloving.
And while a defensive defense often happens (as we are sinful), giving an apologia for the gospel is not meant to be that way. How we share the gospel actually points to “all of life” purpose of God’s saving plan! We can’t save ourselves…It’s all God. And how we share this fact needs to be done with God’s help and with His love! It’s not about us…
Let’s look at apologetics through the lens of being a parent:
When we know our child has been lying to us, we can prayerfully respond to him or her with a loving firmness… or we can take the reins and not ask God for help and react out of utter fatigue and frustration. Either way, we need to address the issue of lying.
You see, biblically, it’s not a question of IF we engage in apologetics, it’s HOW we engage! You might not realize it, but you too partake in apologetics daily…defending numerous beliefs and opinions which you hold dear. Whether it’s why one college team deserves the NCAA title over another, or whether cheddar or American makes for a tastier grilled cheese sandwich! But when it comes to the weightier topic of someone’s soul, opinions pale in comparison to facts. And therefore, how we give a defense matters so very much!
In 1 Peter 3:15-17, a frequently quoted scripture pertaining to giving a reasoned defense, Peter encourages Christians to be gentle and respectful when sharing the gospel:
“but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience, so that when you are accused, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”
1 Peter 3:15-17
Below is a 28-minute video of a beautiful example of a Christian man (Jewish heritage) giving a gentle and respectful defense of the gospel to a Jewish man who is agnostic with New Age beliefs…highly recommend!
Hold Fast Apologetics 