This week’s blog finishes the four-part series on the four main branches of Apologetics.  It’s certainly not an exhaustive study on the subject, but I hope it’s been as much of a challenge and learning experience as it’s been for me! To understand how to articulate and share the Gospel of Jesus is an important part of being a Believer. So, to dig into Scripture and learn how to share its truths should be a must for us as we engage our culture. So without further ado let’s dig into the Classical, or Traditional, Apologetics view.

Classical Apologetics seeks to bring the hearer to a theistic understanding of the world and its creation.  By then establishing that you then can move towards a more direct approach of: Since God is, we must choose . Which in a similar way the Evidential approach makes the case as well. So let’s look at God’s Word for some clarity on this method. While it is a cyclical argument, pointing to who God is in His Word is a great place to start. It will start as a cyclical argument but will very quickly become established fact when the hearer starts to see the many fulfilled prophecies that God has showed in His Word. Let’s start in the Old Testament to establish God’s existence. 

  First let’s look at Psalms 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” This verse is a great verse that puts emphasis on creation showing God to the world. The marvels of quantum physics, the magnitude of the human genome, the migration of birds of the paths of bees and bats show the immense detail and coordination in creation. Something that points more towards an intelligent Creator versus chaotic accidents purported by evolution. Let’s look next at Isaiah 40:28 “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.” Here we learn that not only did God create everything He doesn’t get tired, and His understanding is beyond pur comprehension. That is an amazing thing to know! Furthermore in Isaiah 44:6 God clearly states this: “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” How much more clear can this idea be? God was, is, and will forever be!

  Jesus also carries this through in the New Testament in the seventeenth chapter of John. Not only declaring God as creator and sustainer, but also making the legitimate claim of being one with God in verse 21. So we can see that continual and authoritative relationship of God now being in Christ as well. Making them one and being from the beginning of time (John chapter 1). By claiming the rightful place as God, the authority that exists in God is now evident in the God-man Jesus Christ. Understanding this theistic approach of who God is and what He did, as well as who Christ is in that relationship will then lay a proper foundation to then dive further into the Classical Apologetics approach.  

By now understanding God’s authority the hearer is left with a question: Since there is an all-powerful Creator, can He be trusted? This is an absolute YES! We know this is a “yes” because Jesus’ claims to be God were not baseless. He healed sick, knew men’s hearts, performed countless miracles some possibly not even recorded as John 21:25 states. Not to mention His authority over evil spirits, and nature.  He also proved His divine nature by the fulfilled prophecies that came through Him regarding His birth, teaching, death and resurrection. As God in the flesh He showed men His faithfulness, and divinity which then showed His faithfulness. We CAN trust Him in all areas. So what does all this prove?

  It proves that God, from creation, is a divine and powerful God. That he has showed forth His handiwork, power, and faithfulness in all areas. That He came to earth as a baby, grew and fulfilled prophecies and taught salvation to those He would ultimately give His life for. It proves the divine nature of Scripture as “breathed of God” and inspired (2 Timothy 3:16). By proving this we now can have assurance that what the Bible teaches is authoritative, sufficient, and needed in this world. As Josh Mcdowell so eloquently put it in his book title “Evidence That Demands a Verdict” These facts leave the hearer in a dangerous place! To have to make a decision for or against a God that has been shown to be more than just a fable. C.S. Lewis also puts it this way in Mere Christianity:

We have two bits of evidence about the Somebody [behind the Moral Law]. One is the universe He has made. If we used that as our only clue, then I think we should have to conclude that He was a great artist (for the universe is a very beautiful place), but also that He is quite merciless and no friend to man (for the universe is a very dangerous and terrifying place). The other bit of evidence is that Moral Law which He has put into our minds. And this is a better bit of evidence than the other, because it is inside information. You find out more about God from the Moral Law than from the universe in general just as you find out more about a man by listening to his conversation than by looking at a house he has built.

C.S. Lewis

As he puts it here, basically, there is evidence of a somebody (God) behind the moral law we know exists. But you can only truly know Him by getting to know Him intimately through His Word, and only then does that moral law start to make sense when seen through the lense of scripture. We have to make a decision about Him since there is to much evidence from nature and His confirmed Word. Either to accept Him as our Savior, or to reject him at our own peril. Making the hearer understand that crossroads is vital in the sharing of the Gospel.

  So you see, in the Classical approach, one must be able to articulate ALL THREE of the other forms to sum up the existence, nature, and sovereignty of Jehovah God. Then, and only then can the hearer be shown what God wants from us: ourselves. He wants us, He wants our praise, He wants our devotion. To understand Classical Apologetics means to understand there is a God, and there is a needed response from the hearer. Again the C.S. Lewis quote: “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important.“. God wants us all. Helping the hearer, whether a friends neighbor, or family member, understand that is the goal of every believer. Not for vainglory, but to bring another soul to an understanding of Christ and Him crucified so that they can find peace in the arms of grace.

  Again, these last four blogs are in no way a full course on the main areas of apologetics. It’s is however my desire that each one has in some way sparked a little curiosity to better understand and study God’s Word so you can actively use it, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to share this precious faith that the Lord bled and died to give to us! So blessings, encouragement as you study and learn of God’s truths. I will also suggest some reading to help better search the Scriptures and share this Gospel!

1. Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh Mcdowell

2. Classical Apologetics by Gerstner, Sprout, Lindsley

3. Christian Apologetics by Norman Geisler

4. Lastly and certainly not the least is being in prayer and Bible ready on this subject!

These have all been amazing study helps for me to better understand the meaning of Apologetics, and I hope they can be for you to! We will take a break from Apologetics and look next week at some church history involving some men, some water, and the Word.