“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15 KJV).
Our brief mini-series on the subject of apologetics from 1 Peter 3:15 continues with some insights from a commentator who addresses the importance of apologetics from a parental perspective…
“…we need to pass on the good reasons that should lead to our kids’ trust in Jesus. Otherwise, they’re just borrowing our own trust without knowing the justification for it. That’s a faith that’s waiting to crumble as soon as it’s significantly challenged. It’s worth a side note here that parents shouldn’t assume a well-lived Christian faith is even desirable to their kids.
There are numerous kids who grow up in loving Christian homes, with parents who truly ‘walk the walk,’ but abandon their faith. Why? Those kids might admire the sincerity of their parents’ convictions, but feel no desire to ‘catch’ that same faith because they don’t believe it’s built on good reason. Once again, this points back to the need to pass on the reasons for the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15), not simply our own trust.” (1)
Our next source issues an important challenge to Christian leaders…
“The Bible makes it clear that as Christians we are to ‘always be prepared to give an answer’ for our faith (1 Pet. 3:15, NIV). Such an answer may take a variety of forms and styles, and it may involve a host of different issues. Nevertheless, the ability to give reasons for faith -solid, rational, and powerful reasons- should be part and parcel of the follower of Jesus Christ.” (2)
“Since all Christians are called and commanded to have a reason for the hope within them (1 Pet. 3:15), Christian teachers, pastors, mentors, and educators of all kinds are remiss if they avoid, denigrate, or minimize the importance of apologetics to biblical living and Christian witness. The commonly heard canard, ‘No one comes to Christ through arguments,’ is patently false. Many people, such as the apologists C. S. Lewis and John Warwick Montgomery, were drawn to the gospel through apologetic arguments… Not all Christian teachers are equally gifted in apologetics, and some will emphasize this discipline more than others; but none should minimize the necessity of apologetics or preach around it when the biblical text requires otherwise.” (3)
(1) Natasha Crain, The Idea That Faith Is Caught And Not Taught Is False… And It’s Hurting The Next Generation October 8, 2019, https://crossexamined.org/the-idea-that-faith-is-caught-and-not-taught-is-falseand-its-hurting-the-next-generation/ Accessed 27 December 2023.
(2) Norman L. Geisler and Chad V. Meister, Reasons for Faith, Wheaton, IL: Crossway. [Preface].
(3) Ibid , p. 405