Rules of Engagement 2
What do you do when such happens? Do we become silent and just “ignore critics”? Actually, no. We answer back those sceptics and stand our ground with the truth. That is what we defined as Christian Apologetics the last time we held this meeting. Today, however, I want us to focus on the ‘how’ part. That is, how do you then answer back? What should be the Christian attitude and approach?
I would like to redirect our attention back to the second part of 1 Peter 3:15. That is where we find our rules of engagement in the defence of our faith.
Gentleness
One thing that hecklers know how to do well is to provoke Christians. They know what to say and how to say it, so as to invoke those anger emotions within every human. One method for doing that – you can guess – is the character assassination tactic, otherwise known as the ad hominem attack. It is when the critic – instead of dealing with the points at hand and engaging accordingly – aims at the person directly, and assaults, discredits a believer’s personality and character. When that happens to you, dear believer, keep your cool and maintain the spirit of gentleness. Understand that you are not fighting against flesh and blood but with the evil dragon himself. We all know that he will never fight according to the rules, but he is a cheater and a liar – the very father of it. Keep redirecting the individual back to the Biblical truth and facts.
Respect
The second ingredient in the defence of our belief system is respect. Some of us are unwise enough to behave rudely among unbelievers. To have an attitude of contempt and scorn toward our opponents. We do this while simultaneously projecting ourselves as the super spiritual angels that have made it all the way to the 3rd heaven. Believe it or not, unbelievers can see through even a hint of pomp among Christ’s disciples, further alienating them from truth. We must learn to respect every human as made in the image of God, regardless of their education, economic status or “dirty lifestyle”. And to engage them in that spirit of humility, knowing that we were once in their position until the good Lord showed mercy.
Don't abandon Scripture
It doesn’t matter where you are or what culture you are born into, Scripture remains the undefeated champion. Not even technology can dethrone it. I make this point because there are many self-proclaimed wise men who would have you believe that the Bible is an irrelevant, old-fashioned “just a book written by man”. Hence, they will work tirelessly to convince you that you need to be able to defend your faith apart from Bible truth. God Forbid! I mean, who goes to war without carrying their weapon? Defeat! Here from me: don’t fall for it. Do not abandon your Bible when it’s time to answer back about your faith. Do not, at any minute, subscribe to their secular reasoning. Whether they believe it or not, keep quoting “the Bible says”, without fear or favour.
Don't distract from the Gospel message
The main purpose of Christian apologetics is not to win arguments but to win souls. It’s not so much about flaunting our Christian intellect but to convict sinners about the reality and the consequences of dying in their sin. It’s about the Gospel. Based on my experience with engaging with critics, they are all the more willing to discuss everything else under religion, except the issue of salvation. Guaranteed, no matter who you are engaging with and where, they will work overtime to deviate from this, so that you waste time debating endless stories. Therefore, next time you get that privilege of defending your faith before unbelievers, don’t allow them to lead you away from the main thing. Keep bringing them back to the truth that they need to get right with God before death finds them with unforgiven sin.
It's okay to say, “I don't know”
Another mistake we make is that we often fall into the trap of being all-knowing. Somehow, we like to cater to the expectation that we are supposed to know everything about the Lord and why He does what He does. It’s not a crime, in fact, it’s a noble thing to admit that you do not know the answers to some of the questions that unbelievers present. You might as well assure them that you will do more study about that particular subject. It’s an admission that we are mere creatures who do not possess all the knowledge. There is nothing wrong with that.
Don't hold yourself responsible for Christian abuses
There is already a lot of different denominations, churches and doctrines that claim the Christian space, alongside other abuses, lies, confusion and false prophets. It is an effective tactic from those who ridicule our faith to use all this chaos as a foothold to discredit the entire Christian message. It is, therefore, our job as Christ’s sheep to explain the true version of our religion, and hence reject and take no responsibility for any other falsehood out there that uses the Christian name. We can’t allow ourselves to be held responsible for something that is not a true representation of what we stand for.
Conclusion
So, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us, then, step forward with courage, grace, and unwavering conviction, ready to defend the hope that is within us – not with aggression, but with a winsome spirit that reflects the love of Him who first loved us. For in every interaction, in every challenging conversation, we have the sacred privilege of being ambassadors for Christ, drawing others into the glorious light of His truth and grace. Amen.
Sinothi Ncube
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