This word, APOLOGIA, in Greek, means “to make a defense” — or to make a reasoned argument in ‘self-defense’ when either accused (formal charge) or to make a stand (counter-argument). It is the word we have in english called “Apologetics”. In no way, shape, or form does it imply making ‘apologies’ or saying, “I’m sorry.” Fundamentally, it is to provide a sound & reasoned argument — to make a complelling case for the position that an individual assumes. In that sense, ‘apologia’ can be applied locally & generically to almost any argument that you or I assume on an almost daily basis.
Arguments between intimate partners that break down due to disgreement in the cogent & material facts of whether one person spoke the truth or not; evidences to the contrary, like a text message or a voicemail that prove one’s guilt or innocence. Or even in trivial matters between friends, deciding which sporting team is the best or providing evidence that such or such a player is the ‘greatest of all time’. These local examples provide context that ‘apologia’ occurs rather frequently — it does not have to be in a courtroom or in formal matters of arbitrage but in the mundane everyday life of human beings. We pursue ‘apologia’ because we do not want to be wrong, accused of being wrong, or shown that we are wrong.
In 1 Peter 3:15, the Apostle Peter writes — “Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a Reason for the Hope that is in you.”
There are three (3) key words & phrases — 1) Being Prepared; 2) Make a Defense; 3) Reason for the Hope — that introduce us to the fundamental understanding of how we share our Faith verbally — communicating to the people around us that desire to know & understand the Faith that we possess. But most important of all, Apostle Peter presents that the Reason & Defense of our Faith is Hope. Of all the words he chose to ascribe the object in which we defend ourselves with cogent reasons & words of logic is Hope — to craft our message so well that we spur curiosity & endeavor them to pursue the Hope only we possess. Thus, crafting such a message will take time & study of the Word of God. Indeed, how often many of us assumed Defense of the Faith was synonymous with ‘attack’ in an aggressive posture against unbelief or distortions of Christianity. May our minds be blown away & may we be floored by the simple truth of the Christian Apologia — the defense of the Faith by Reason of Hope.
For many of us Christians, this comment is simple enough & I could possibly close right here & bring my thoughts to an end. However, there may be some of you that wish more — maybe some curiosity-seekers or maybe some mature brothers & sisters In Christ who want to learn the minutiae of Gospel Communication. Or even, dare we say, that a particular individual that may not Know Christ as Savior & Lord. In which case, it behooves us to reach further & perhaps share some compelling thoughts on the matter that in this writing may bring someone to the Lord our Christ unto Salvation for their soul.
I want to share with you Apostle Paul at the Areopagus — literally translated “The Hill of Ares” (or Mar’s Hill). The entire episode is found in the Book of Acts chapter 17:16-34. Here, we find the Apostle wrestling with the Epicurean & Stoic Philosophers of the day & is invited by a group of them to share his knowledge with them concerning some truth that they had heard him speak in the marketplace.
ACTS 17:17
17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.
The Apostle is a missionary but he did not just go anywhere to speak & reason with people. He went to the very place where he was very much at home, the synagogue, because after all, the Apostle was a Pharisee for many years prior to meeting Christ on the Damascus Road. He conversed with people who shared his curiosity in the metaphysical & philosophical sphere, as well as religious. It reasons with many of us, that conversations in this shere requires some basic fundamental knowledge about philosophy. But it also reasons that we must know the people we are engaged in conversation. In other words, you would not engage philosophy with just about anyone, in any place, & anywhere. Thus the Apostle set himself on the course & trajectory that will allow him to collide with the very people whose minds he wanted to reason.
I have provided my thoughts on the Apostle’s reason & argument on Mar’s Hill, broken down into four (4) distinct parts highlighted by, what I think are the four (4) important passages that should provide a type of template whenever we want to engage in this type of discussion:
PART 1 — Contextual Illustration
ACTS 17:23
23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
The Apostle begins by keenly noticing an intriguing bit of valuable information : for all of their idolatry to KNOWN gods, they were so religiously skeptical that they created another idol for an UNKOWN god, just in case. For us, we need to watch for “open doors” that allow us to begin the process of introducing the Gospel. However, this is not the opening for intruding upon their minds & worldview but rather identifying that opening so that we may begin crafting a proper strategy. Contextualization means to make a connection through illustration (stories & visual displays), metaphor, symbolism, or shared interests in order to lead & guide your reason to the hope of your Christian Faith. That proper strategy begins with God.
PART 2 — The Revelation of God
ACTS 17:24
24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man
The Apostle realizing that this altar to the unknown god provided a true gateway into the GOD of Scripture, he presented God to them in most simplistic terms — the God who has no origin yet creates everything into being & existence & formally pronounces their care through His Word. The only way He becomes knowable at all is because He has made Himself known. Otherwise, all knowledge of God is either incomplete or absent.
PART 3 — Humanity’s Seeking After God
ACTS 17:27
that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us
The Apostle continues his reasoning — if God made humanity, then it reasons He made them so that they may know Him & find Him & seek Him. In such a way, He must not become continually unknowable but rather to truly become a knowable God who desires communion & fellowship with His creation especially humans. The Apostle swifty & deftly moves from an eternal & everlasting God of Creation who has no origin to a knowable God that “is not far from us.” In other words, the Apostle wants to move the reason from the God of Creation to the God-Man Jesus Christ. God the Father is Spirit & as such He is with us in Spirit. However, the powerful movement of this reason is in the Person of Christ — He was both literally Man & God at the same time. This provides the most stirring presentation of the Gospel.
PART 4 — The Introduction of Jesus Christ
ACTS 17:28,31
for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.
The Apostle weaves the Person of Jesus into their culture & writing — “For we are indeed his offspring”. He does this by acknowledging a philosophical understanding that they would understand & connecting it to the reality of the Gospel — each one of us humans can also be connected as offspring through the true Offspring of God — Jesus Christ. But in order for this occur, they & we, must acknowledge the judgment of God upon our being, which can only be rectified by the raising of the dead in Christ. As Christ was raised, so the fulfillment of the promise of God that all the sons & daughters of God will be raised to new life — spiritually, then physically unto Glory.
My Friends, I hope this provided a welcome synopsis on how we ought to share fully understanding that the hope we share as much as it is a defense of the Faith we have & possess, it is also most importantly a Faith that is the Lord’s; belongs to the Lord; allowing us to be both stewards & partakers. This means our Faith is much richer & deeper because it is eternal & a very much a Spiritual object unto the Lord’s Hand. However we engage, we do so fully aware that the Spirit indwelling all Believers in Christ, will allow us to speak the Hope we posses in such a way that others may be offended causing our ridicule & mockery — or causing in them such a curiosity that they want to know & learn about the Christ we possess & they most certainly want to desire to take possession themselves.
