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Present Your Case

by Chris Simmons

It’s right and proper that we be able to explain why we believe what we believe. Peter calls upon each one of us to “sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (I Peter 3:15). The word “defense” (or “answer,” ASV & KJV) comes from the Greek word “apologia” which means “verbal defense or speech in defense” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon). This word is where our English word “apologetics” comes from, which refers to a systematic means of defending a position. We are responsible for providing a verbal defense of our faith. Before God’s revelation to man was completed, while miraculous knowledge still existed, Jesus instructed His servants to “make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute” (Luke 21:14-15). Today, we cannot rely on miraculous knowledge or direct inspiration for our defense but we must “be diligent” to study and prepare our defense in a logical and reasonable manner (II Timothy 2:15). Our faith is a reasonable and logical faith and God has never asked man to take the proverbial “leap of faith.”

It’s important to note that when Paul went about preaching the gospel on his missionary journeys, that it was his “custom” to “reason with them from the scriptures” (Acts 17:2; cf. Acts 17:17; 18:4; 18:19; 19:9). This involved stating and arguing the reasons and facts of God’s will. What always accompanied Paul “reasoning” was his efforts then to “persuade.” We read in Acts 19:8, “And he (Paul) entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.” Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words states that this word “signifies ‘to apply persuasion, to prevail upon or win over, to persuade,’ bringing about a change of mind by the influence of reason or moral considerations.” Paul was both diligent and skilled as a persuader of God’s truths for it was recorded in Acts 19:26 that “you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people.” It’s interesting that this was stated not by a fellow Christian but by one of Paul’s enemies who recognized the persuading influence Paul had on those who heard him. Whether in his freedom (Acts 17:4) or in his imprisonment (Acts 26:28; 28:23-24), Paul devoted himself to “the defense of the gospel” (Philippians 1:16). Will we devote ourselves to that cause as well? Will we be “able to teach” and ready to give an answer to those who are in opposition (II Timothy 2:24-25) with gentle persuasion?

We can present a defense for our faith. But what defense is there for proponents of anything else? If we must logically account for our hope, should not all others? It’s interesting to note that that’s exactly what God asks through Isaiah the prophet of those who devoted themselves to idols. Isaiah 41:21-24, “‘Present your case,’ the Lord says. ‘Bring forward your strong arguments,’ the King of Jacob says. Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; as for the former events, declare what they were, that we may consider them, and know their outcome; or announce to us what is coming. Declare the things that are going to come afterward, that we may know that you are gods; indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together. Behold, you are of no account, and your work amounts to nothing; he who chooses you is an abomination.’” We need to not only make our defense for the existence of God, but also critically analyze the “case” made for evolution by those who deny God’s existence. For the past few weeks, Micky has presented a series on the fallacies of evolution to help us present our own case and logically critique the arguments of the evolutionist. We need to continually renew and refresh our ability to uphold the pillars of truth and we need to give careful consideration to this series being presented. We can’t afford to pass up the opportunity to become more skilled in our ability to reason and persuade.

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