During Bible Fellowship Time at church, our class is continuing to move through Luke and we are quickly approaching the end of that study. Once completed, we will turn to apologetics; so I have started preparations for the series. What does that mean and why do we need to study it? The book of Jude is a tremendous resource for us and that will be the series that I undertake in this blog for awhile.
What is apologetics? The word apologetics stems from Greek etymology -- apologia. The word itself does not carry the same meaning as our English word apology. Instead, it has legal connotations and is simply the statement of defense in a court case -- the prosecution argues its case and then the defense gets to provide its apologia. Apologetics, as it applies to religion, has at its heart 4 purposes: (1) demonstrate that the belief is rational, (2) showcase that the belief is not beyond human reason, (3) confirm the belief in the heart of that individual, and (4) prepare individuals to share and explain that belief to others.
In conclusion, then, the title of this blog reveals the truth we will be discussing -- a personal apology is where we share the beliefs of the Bible intelligently and pray that God's Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of those we encounter. Now, let's turn to Jude 1-2 to begin understanding who should practice apologetics.
The opening verse details four "Persons" that should practice apologetics and we will go through them in depth. These can and should refer to every professing and Bible-believing Christian. The four "persons" are:
(1) A Bondservant -- Jude ascribes this status to himself, and a bondservant is simply a person who totally gives over self to another's will. The word picture presents an individual who owes a debt they cannot pay, so, in exchange, they give themselves over to the person who personally paid the debt. This word picture is a glorious image of what Christ has done -- the past -- and what our response should be -- the present and future. The price He paid for our sins on that cross means we are redeemed (twice owned) -- He created us (Isaiah 43:1,7) and has covered the penalty for our sins (I Corinthians 6:19-20).
(2) The Sanctified -- this word implies being set apart for a specific purpose. We are set apart from this world and set apart unto God; therefore, our lives should reflect that fact. Since we have been bought twice and are set apart unto God, we should reflect His character -- since He is holy, we should also be holy (see I Peter 1:15-16). If we practice a life of holiness that stems from saving faith in Jesus Christ, then we will be a "crown of glory in the hand of the Lord" as stated in Isaiah 62:3 because others will see God and not you or I.
(3) The Preserved -- preservation, in short, means keeping one in the state with which he is. If we are living as a sanctified bondservant, which we describe above, then we are to remain in that condition. If others see a difference in our life, then they will ask questions which will open the door to share our faith. When Lee Strobel (the author of The Case for Christ, The Case for Creation, and The Case for Faith) began his task of disproving Christ that eventually led to his salvation, he said something like this: watching faithful Christians made him "long for what they had. Or, more accurately, for the One they knew" (p 9 from The Case for Christmas). Look at Ezekial 36:25-27. Here, this passage reveals that God cleans us up, gives us new desires, and provides us the ability to keep His commandments. These verses reveal to us the meaning of this word in Jude.
(4) The Called -- lest we digress into a deep theological discussion that really splits "the hairs of salvation," the Greek word refers to those that have gained salvation and an entry into the kingdom of God. Look at Isaiah 41:9-10. We see that the called are servants of God who are not cast away, but notice what comes next: God provides us comfort . Many folks are afraid of giving an answer for their faith, but that should not be the case. Why? We have it right here in that He will strengthen us to fulfill our God-ordained purpose. Study His Word so that you are prepared to give a "reason for the hope that is in you" (I Peter 3:15).
My question to you is simple: are you prepared to offer a "personal apology"? If not, why is that the case? Is it that you do not know Christ or that you are not living the life for which He has called you? Regardless of which reason defines your lack of preparation, Jesus is the answer to that problem.
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