The defense of the faith is not optional—it just plain old basic training for every Christian and that means you. The Bible informs that apologetics isn’t just a nicety, it’s a necessity. Look, writing in a world steeped in mystery cults, you have Paul vigorously defending the Gospel (Acts 17:15-34; 18:4) and then charging Timothy and Titus to do the same thing (2 Tim. 2:23-26; 4:2-5; Titus 1:9-14).

Apologetics is necessary to preserve the faith. Not only must the church defend against objections that come to her from without, she must guard against false teaching that penetrate from within. Paul admonishes Timothy “preach the Word, be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage––with great patience and careful instruction.” He then says, “the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.” Instead, they will “turn their ears away from truth and turn aside to mythology.” (2 Tim 4:2-4). Defending essential Christian doctrine against perversions by pseudo-Christian cults is a critical task of Christian apologetics.

Apologetics is necessary for the cultural relevance of the church. In a post-Christian society in which theism is no longer en vogue and belief in the possibility of miracles is viewed as simpleminded superstition, apologetics creates intellectual room for the acceptance of the gospel. In place of merely pontificating dogmatic assertions, Christian apologist are commanded to provide defensible arguments and do so with “gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).

During our Listener Appreciation Week, we are thanking you for enabling this ministry to carry on the task of apologetics and evangelism. Please visit the Listener Appreciation Week section of our Website (http://www.equip.org/site/listener_appreciation_week) and also pick up a copy of my Complete Bible Answer Book to equip you to engage in apologetics and evangelism.

A Biblical view of wealth involves having an eternal perspective. It is crucial that we understand Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the LORD’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” God is the landlord; we are just tenants. We didn’t arrive with them and we won’t take them with us; they all belong to God. So it’s important for us to live with eternity in mind and live our life here below as responsible stewards. Whether we have a little or a lot, God at the judgment will richly reward us.

The Bible chronicles the very prayer of David who considered it a privilege to give to the work of the Lord. He said, “But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand…And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.” (I Chron. 29:14, 17)

There’s no telling what we can accomplish in our generation, if we too can catch the joy of contagious giving. Not only would we be empowered to spread the gospel around the globe but we might yet leave an indelible mark on the 21st century. We can make a difference. During our recent Listener Appreciation Week, we thanked so many people who give sacrificially to our ministry.

To listen to these shows, please go to the Bible Answer Man tab on our website at www.equip.org and click on “Listen to the Bible Answer Man show”. To give to Listener Appreciation Week, please go to (http://www.equip.org/site/listener_appreciation_week) or call us at 1-888-700-0724. Also please check one of our newest resources “What is Truth?”

To many Christians, truth has apparently become less and less defensible, either because they perceive that truth has become so deconstructed, relative, subjective, and vaporized that—like Humpty Dumpty—they don’t know if it can ever be put back together again, or they believe—perhaps tactically more than rationally—that objective truth exists, but they’re simply bewildered and befuddled as how to defend their convictions and instincts.

This is where the Christian Research Institute and the Bible Answer Man broadcast come in. It’s where serious Christians can make a difference by knowing where you stand, by standing your ground and, I think perhaps more importantly than anything else, by standing together. Not standing on the perennial shifting sands of cultural and intellectual fashion. Not on porous platitudes of politically correct secularists whose only God is tolerance. The Christian faith stands on the unshakeable rock of revelation, its God’s Word tested through the ages.

I love what C.S. Lewis once said, “Enemy occupied territory–––that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.”[i] What we have to grasp is that while truth is under siege God hasn’t called us to sit for truth, he’s called us to stand for truth.

When truth is under siege there’s no time for impartiality, indifference or ignorance. This also is certainly not a time for cowardice. It’s a time for righteous revolutionaries, people willing to stand their ground because they’ve witnessed the deadly consequences when godless ideologies are not halted in their tracks.

If you recognize that truth is under siege, and that heresy advances as orthodoxy retreats, there are some options. You can study and that means getting into the Word of God and getting the Word of God into you. It means praying, to attempt to stand against today’s assaults on truth without the power of prayer is sheer folly. Finally, consider standing with the Christian Research Institute and the Bible Answer Man broadcast. If you’re not already a member of the Bible Answer Man support team you can go to our website at www.equip.org or call us at 1-888-7000-0274. You can give a donation to the support of our work as all week we will be highlighting the impact CRI and the Bible Answer Man has made in people’s lives during our annual Listener Appreciation Week.

——————————————————————————–

[i] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1980-renewed), 46.