Today's Apologist

"What is collected is deposited with the president, who gives aid to the orphans and widows and such as are in want by reason of sickness or other cause; and to those also that are in prison, and to strangers from abroad, in fact to all that are in need he is a protector."
Justin Martyr (Apology I, 150 AD)

By the second century, Christianity had spread rapidly. The good news that Jesus brought with Him went against much of what was prevalent in culture. The love for those in need, the call to genuine holy living, and salvation for all were not common and in some cases not popular ideas. Thus rumors would start to spread. To listen to the word of the day was to believe that a Christian gathering mainly consisted of a cannibalistic meal with some incestuous orgies on the side.

To combat the lies, a group of men began to write against such claims. They become known as "apologists." They sought to prove that it wasn’t possible for Christianity to be this way since the teaching of Jesus and the Apostles clearly taught against such practices! They defended their faith with the best tool they had available... their pen.

When you think about it, today’s world isn’t all that different from back then. Lots of things are claimed about Christianity that are contrary to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. However the difference is that in many cases... they are true. "Half-hearted" and "lukewarm" Christians do the faith no favors. To watch the lives of many Christians would give you the impression that this once counter-cultural faith has somehow assimilated itself to what is common. To read the Bible would be to conclude that Christianity has many hypocrites and few faithful.

Friends, we are once again being called to take up defense of our faith. Rather than a pen, the tool of the time is our lives and actions. Don’t just read it, don’t just say it, and don’t just listen to it in church. Live a life that imitates Jesus. Today words in defense of our faith fall on deaf ears because our lives don’t match. We’ve got to show it to them.

Apologetics have played a role in much of church history. There would be some that claim it has no place today. On the contrary, we live in a world that is spiritually hungry and seek truth. When they look at us, all they see is ... us. Let’s once again take up the cause of proving the true depths of what we believe by living the life Jesus calls us to.

"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
James 2:17