The serpent in the garden laid down doubt that would lead to the sin that would distort, decay, and bring death to the perfection God had created (Genesis 3:1-4). This attack was meant to cause Adam and Eve to reinterpret God’s Word based on their own appraisal.
Studies going back decades are showing the slow decline of church attendance. One of the reasons for this is disbelief in the Word of God. If we’re going to stop the epidemic of watching our young people walk away from the faith, it needs to happen in the church and in the home during the elementary, middle school, and high school years (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 139:24). Because of this, we need to have a ready defense.
Biblical authority demands that we be able to defend the gospel (1 Peter 3:15; Jude 3). With an increasing number of people doubting God’s existence, God’s creation, Jesus’ deity, and the inspiration of the Bible, the Christian will find an increased demand upon him or her to be able to defend these (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
It was Paul’s custom to teach the gospel by presenting the evidence that documented the truthfulness of the gospel (Acts 17:2-3; 19:8). That’s how Peter preached the first gospel sermon — by presenting the evidence defending Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 2:14-40). Remember, an attack on the Word of God in Genesis 1-11 is an attack on the gospel! A ready defense will accomplish three goals.
First, a ready defense will strengthen our faith. A young person’s impressionable mind is a prime target for the devil’s ungodly schemes (Ephesians 6:16). Through a study of biblical evidences, Christians will see that the gospel does not promote an “I hope so” religion.
The Bible is grounded in traceable, historical fact. Its roots are deep and its precepts are provable. Through a study of apologetics, we can show young people that they can know God exists, know He created the world, know Jesus is God’s Son, and know the Bible is God’s inspired, authoritative word. In so doing, we can give young people a clear view of their God, His Son, and their future home in heaven.
Second, a ready defense demonstrates the validity of the gospel. Truth welcomes the searchlight of scrutiny, confident that it can’t be disproved. A religion that discourages logical examination of its claims is admitting the doubtfulness of its position. Our society is now immersed in secularism. We have to learn how to defend and teach the Bible from the very first verse. If not, the slow and steady decay of belief will continue.
As young people are shown the massive amount of evidence that proves God’s existence, God’s creation, Jesus’ Sonship, and the Bible’s inspiration — and as they examine other claims (atheism, agnosticism, denominationalism, etc.) — eventually they’ll come to accept, and be able to to defend, the one true religion of the one true God (2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 2:2).
Third, a ready defense can save not only our own souls and the souls of our children, but the souls of others as well. We can’t teach what we don’t know. The Hebrews needed someone to teach “the first principles of the oracles of God” to them again (Hebrews 5:12). That simply wasn’t good enough, and remains so until this day because our goal is heaven (Hebrews 11:13-16). And our mission isn’t just to get there ourselves, but to take as many as possible with us by “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18-20).
It’s our task to learn God’s Word and then to convey it to others for their salvation (Mark 16:15-16; John 3:16). The psalmist talked about the Bible as being “hidden in my heart” and it should be that way with us too (Psalm 119:11). Our society today is a questioning one — and rightly so. People must investigate the claims of the Bible and then see for themselves that those claims are legitimate, factual, and above all, true.
Adapted from Ken Ham