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In an increasingly intellectual and atheistic society we must consider our task. We are called to be salt and light and to have a ready answer. 1 Peter 3:15 “…always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness…”
“I believe what I believe because God said it.” To an intellectual who does not believe in the existence of a God, this is very unimpressive.
Throughout history it has been the norm to believe in a deity that created the heavens and the earth. Present day worldviews challenge the existence or the need for God even for creation. Modern thought says the universe and all within it came into being by chance. Never mind that we must figure a way to make something out of nothing, and somehow get a living cell out of mere chemicals or gases to begin a process that in itself has very little, if any, evidence behind it. Why then is this taught as fact in our schools and colleges? It is just a theory, a theory with an ambition to kill and bury, once and for all, any belief in God. New worldviews dismisses our Lord and the Bible, and debases both to the level of mythology. If we want our culture to give Christ more respect than Zeus we, His witnesses, must rise to the task.
We must be able to dialogue philosophically about sin, morality, good, evil and our need for a Savior.
We must be prepared to not only share the Gospel, but to give a reasonable and logical case for belief in God, belief in a Creator. Why would people consider a creator, if there are scientists who claim this world could have created itself without the help of a supernatural being? Indeed, why believe in the supernatural if there is a logical and natural explanation? Is the theory of evolution a logical explanation? My belief is that not only is it not logical, but neither does it explain anything.
So not only must we study science to learn why belief in God is reasonable, but we must also study why belief in our universe randomly creating itself is unreasonable. This coupled with knowledge of historical, archeological and philosophical evidence that back our faith in God along with evidence that backs the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ along with the Words of life and good news of the Gospel make a very powerful case indeed. We live in unique and amazing times, we have a very tall order, but this is our commission. We must strive to be intellectual scholars who know the reasons behind our faith as well as the reasons we do not give credence to an atheistic worldview. In modern society that demands evidence, how will we go into the world and make disciples if we do not know the evidence and reasoning that backs our faith? This reminds me of Paul the apostles’ challenge to run the race, disciplining ourselves in training, bringing our bodies into subjection. (1 Cor. 9:24-27) Study is very much about bringing our bodies (the mind is a part of our earthly flesh) into subjection, maybe when it would rather watch TV or surf the net. We should train as athletes for a race, feeding our minds information that edifies as well as avoiding negative information that brings us down and makes our climb difficult. We must always head in the right direction to get where we want to go. Philippians 4:8 “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.” There are so many distractions in this world that would take us off course if we let them.
Though He accomplishes the work in the heart, we must be ready and available as a tool in His hand. It is unreasonable to go out into this world and expect to be an effective tool in the hand of God if we put no effort into becoming “sharp”. Do we think it is acceptable to God if we do not take the time to improve our minds so we might become more useful because we are too busy watching “reality TV”? This world with all of its vices and distractions is mesmerizing. When do we finally decide to stop text messaging, turn off the TV, close the lap top and pick up a book? What if we used even half of those hours we otherwise would spend in front of the TV or computer? For 15-30 minutes a day for a year one can read the entire Bible. I am as guilty of all this as the next person and include myself in this challenge as well.
We must dedicate ourselves to the study of all these things. This is called apologetics. The definition of apologetics is the “the speaking away of falsehoods against Christianity”. It is NOT about arguing or being right, it is merely using evidence, defense, refutation and persuasion all as tools to help us remove obstacles to another’s faith in Christ.
Though we can learn and share all these things with unbelievers, it is still our Lord who changes hearts and stands at the door and knocks. Our own relationship with the Lord and much prayer is essential to our effectiveness. And to God always be the Glory!
"In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8
by Charity Hubbard  Check out Toby Mac on itunes |
