Selected Scriptures

December 2, 2018

Evening Service

Sean Higgins

Download the Kid’s Korner.

Or, Running Your Mouth Like the Rabshakeh

After the marriage seminar last February we asked for feedback, including if we should have another seminar, and, if yes, what another seminar should be about. There were a number of good ideas, and when the elders were doing our annual review and planning this past summer, we decided to tackle some of the suggested seminar ideas in a couple Sunday evening series.

Apologetics was one of the recommended topics. And, depending on how one understands what apologetics addresses, it very much fits with our ongoing desire to build up the church body and to equip the body to be salt and light in Marysville. If we are going to avoid being a YAC—Yet Another Church, as Jim reminds us every so often, a proper understanding of apologetics is key.

That said there are a couple things I don’t like about apologetics as typically talked about in Christian circles, starting with how narrow apologetics is often understood. Especially for those who are evidence-based defenders of the faith, it can easily become a head-game, a data-collecting competition, with the feel of a homeschool convention (which is not good). It’s like the outward facing problem of truth-tubers. It’s also been my experience that many of those Christians who love the study of apologetics the most have never actually engaged in a debate about anything with an unbeliever. They defend the faith through a surrogate apologist. They buy books, attend conferences, and even attend debates, but they tend to stay in the stands rather than get in the game. This is apologetics as a hobby that makes you feel more righteous (than say having a favorite sports team) but doesn’t necessarily make you more like Christ.

The other thing I really don’t like about apologetics as typically considered is that it is so defensive. I get that we talk about defending the faith from the Greek word apologia, and Jude did explicitly use that phrasing (Jude 3). But Jude talked about defending the faith in the church not defending it to unbelievers. And Peter’s well-known admonition to be ready with an answer is also, as we’ll see in a moment, not actually a reactive thing. Christians should be throwing the first (figurative) punch.

If Jesus is Lord of every thumb’s-width in the universe, if all authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth, if He has commissioned us to declare the gospel that requires repentance, faith, and the resultant life of obedience as a disciple, then we are not sweeping water uphill with a leaf rake or trying to push rope through a wall.

The inquisitiveness about the name “Downhill Apologetics” has been interesting. I proposed that name to the other elders back in August as a title for this series of messages and, as it worked out, I’m fourth of four to talk about it, so I didn’t do my usual introductory work. But is it so hard to get the picture? In a battle, which position would you rather face? Would you rather fight uphill or downhill? Of course you’d take the high position if you could get it. When you’re uphill you can stumble downhill.

And, Christian, you have the high position. The world wants us to feel like we’re on our heels, like unbelief and rebellion have the advantage. But we know, because we read our Bibles, that unbelief does not and it cannot win. Rebels against God either lose their pride or they lose their souls. The Lord is patient, but He is not a pushover. He has given us His Word, and it is the very power of God. You need very little training for the best apologetics, you just need to turn around and see where you’re standing.

The emphases that Dave, Jim, and Jonathan gave have been fantastic. Listen or re-listen to their talks about neutrality, man’s foolishness, the existence of evil, the false dichotomy between faith [...]