Part One:  Introduction—What This New Series if About

 Next week I’ll start a new blog series based on portions of my book, Will Dogs Chase Cats in Heaven? People, Pets, and Wild Animals in the Afterlife. In developing this topic, I explore, among other things, God’s perspective on non-human life. Do animals have souls, and if so, did God bless them with immortal souls? What do animals think, feel, and experience (You’ll be surprised what recent studies in animal behavior have revealed)? What kinds of animals will be in Heaven? If pets and wild animals greet us in Heaven, will they be in resurrected bodies? What will the eternal home of God’s people and animals be like—the “new Heaven and new earth” (Isa. 65:17. Rev. 21:1)?

To support my conclusion, I quote well-known Christian scholars who believe in the probability that animals will reside in Heaven. They include C.S. Lewis, Peter Kreeft, John Calvin, Martin Luther,  Randy Alcorn, and others. Furthermore, I assure you, nothing I write on this subject is contrary to what is possible within biblical boundaries—even when a degree of necessary speculation is required.

You can see this will be an intriguing blog series. You’ll also discover that it can be a potential evangelistic and apologetic point of contact because many millions of non-Christians have the same concerns about their deceased pets as Christians. If they follow this series—or especially read the book—they will have a non-confrontational and unique way to meet the living God who created and “preserve both man and beast” (Ps. 36:6).

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I will not be posting a blog this week and the following week as I will be taking my annual Christmas through New Year’s break. Beginning January 3, 2022, I will start a new blog series provisionally titled “Will Our Pets and other Animals Join God’s People in Heaven?”

This fifteen-part series is based on my book, Will Dogs Chase Cats in Heaven? People, Pets, and Wild Animals in the Afterlife. Although my book gives much more detailed and in-depth information, this blog series will I’ll highlight compelling biblical, apologetic, and other evidence that the answer to this is a resounding yes! 

In the meantime, I pray all my readers will have a blessed, Christ-centered Merry Christmas.

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Number Ten:  Keep the Right Attitude—or Risk Being a Failure at Apologetics and Evangelism

Two Mormon missionaries knocked on my door some years ago, and I invited them in. The discussion did not go well for them, and they asked if they could return with a more experienced person. I agreed, and the four of us met about a week later. As they were leaving the second time, one of them turned to me and said, “You know, you’re the nicest person we’ve ever talked to!”

People who know me well will probably chuckle when they read this. I have a reputation for being upfront and, at times, somewhat assertive. In this case, however, I was being polite and respectful as any Christian should be when sharing with unbelievers.

But their flattering comment brings to mind how rude and even self-righteous Christians can be when challenged by non-Christians. One can only imagine how many stories cult evangelists can tell about unfriendly, even belligerent, Christians. The lesson here is being discourteous or rude does not create an environment that encourages the work of the Holy Spirit. I could have gotten frustrated and argumentative, but that would only reinforce their conviction that Christianity is in error. When people get rude and defensive with us, don’t we assume it’s because they know they’re wrong and can’t admit it?

One of the key apologetic texts in Scripture is 1 Peter 3:15: “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense [Greek: apologia] to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence (emphasis mine).

Apologetics gives a reasoned defense of Christian truth claims, particularly the authenticity of the Bible and the deity and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For a trained apologist, it’s not difficult to thwart most arguments skeptics raise against Christianity. Unfortunately, this does not automatically result in a willing listener. A “reasoned defense” should never include quarreling or arguing. This attitude usually results in a win/lose situation: we may win the argument but fail to get a fair hearing for the Gospel. We must always avoid being hostile, quarrelsome, or argumentative.

Christians have religious truth and the evidence to prove it. The problem is, no one likes to lose an argument. So good apologetics is convincing without being offensive. How do we “argue” and not cause people to lose face? The Apostle Paul gives us the answer in Col. 4:5-6 and 2 Tim. 2:24-25. By following his advice, Christian apologists and evangelists will seem not only interested in sharing truth but genuinely interested in the unbeliever as a person. This is the surest way to earn the right to share the Gospel.

Beginning January 3, 2022, I will start a new blog series provisionally titled “Will Our Pets and other Animals Join God’s People in Heaven? I’ll provide compelling biblical, apologetic, and other evidence that the answer to this is a resounding yes!

Numbers:  Eight & Nine:  Why No Need to Be Intimated  &  How to Prepare for More Effective Apologetic Evangelism?

 First, don’t be intimated. The majority of people we engage in apologetic discussions are friends, relatives, co-workers, fellow students, and neighbors. Most non-Christians do not ask difficult questions or need in-depth answers. Their criticisms are usually the product of anti-Christian sentiments they absorb from non-Christian friends, social media, TV and movies, and secular schools. Seldom are their criticisms well-thought-out arguments.

If you encounter questions you can’t answer or arguments we can’t refute, admit it. Our responses to all challenges must be honest. However, not having a response at the moment is not the same as saying there is no response. Point this out. Assure the skeptic there is an answer to their question or argument and that you will find it. This provides an opportunity to meet again. If you aren’t seeing that person again, research the problem anyway. Next time you’ll have a response if the issue arises.

With this said, there are two crucial steps to be prepared for apologetic evangelism

Number Eight:  Know What You Believe (Defensive Apologetics)

 The Lord has charged us with the responsibility to evangelize the lost (Acts 1:8) and to defend our faith (1 Pet. 3:15; Jude 3). To do this, we must be prepared to do three things:

1. Understand and explain orthodox biblical doctrine—especially the essentials of our faith.
2. Be able to demonstrate these doctrines in the Bible—back up what we believe in Scripture.                        
3. Be able to defend Christian truth claims by presenting rational and verifiable apologetic evidence whenever necessary.

This is defensive apologetics, and it entails being prepared to answer the challenges, objections, and tough questions unbelievers raise.

Number nine:  Know What Unbelievers Believe (Offensive Apologetics)

Whereas “defensive apologetics” is defending Christianity, “offensive apologetics” is challenging unbelievers’ to explain and justify their beliefs. This requires an understanding of what unbelievers believe.

Before missionaries go to a foreign culture, they learn as much as they can about its religious beliefs, social customs, ethical behavior, cultural taboos, and, when necessary, the language. These insights allow missionaries to discern how best to initiate an evangelistic strategy.

Similarly, Christian apologists must also learn what unbelievers believe. This is especially necessary for apologists witnessing to non-Christian religions and Christian cults. It’s impossible to formulate offensive apologetics unless one understands what other religions teach.

The lesson here is to be prepared. Do your homework. Learn what you can about the religions and the secular world views you are likely to encounter at home, work, school, and social media.

Next week I’ll end this series with the fundamental tenth commandment: Always keep the right attitude when engaging in apologetics or evangelism—no matter how hostile or irrational an unbeliever’s response is. I’ll share a personal example of this.

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Number Seven:  Improve your Apologetics and Evangelism by Applying Missionary Techniques

Apologetics and evangelism should include seeking unbelievers on their own turf.  In this sense, both are missionary activities. The Apostle Paul implies this in the above photo caption.

In verses 15:20-21, he adds:

            It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”

Paul reminds us in these two passages that (1) unbelievers must hear and receive the Gospel before they can be saved, and (2) Christian evangelists and apologists should seek “new territory.”

By whatever means necessary, Paul endeavored to make the Gospel relevant and applicable to unbelievers, regardless of their existing beliefs and customs. He set the example by seeking the Jews in the synagogues and Gentiles in the marketplaces and debating the Greek philosophers in pagan Athens (Acts 17). In 1 Cor. 9:19-22, Paul provides guidelines on how an apologist/ evangelist/missionary/ interacts with unbelievers to get a fair hearing for the Gospel. He writes:

         Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law [Gentiles] I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the week. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

We, too, should be apologetic missionaries. Our neighborhoods, workplaces, and social clubs are fertile missionary fields. We can invite unbelievers to church, home Bible studies, and into our homes. Like Paul, we can leave our comfort zone and seek unbelievers in “new territory.” This may include door-to-door or street corner evangelism, college classrooms, New Age fairs, and open forum Bible studies designed specifically for unbelievers.

Our Goal in all cases is to present the Christian worldview by removing misconceptions about Christianity, answering tough questions, demonstrating the relevance of Christianity in a post-Christian world, and most important by sharing the life-changing power through a relationship with Jesus Christ.   In sum, apologetics, as a species of evangelism and missionary work, means that we seek opportunities to share the Gospel and defend our faith, as Paul says, “in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2).

Next week we’ll see the importance of knowing what we believe while at the same time knowing what unbelievers believe.

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Numbers Six: Avoid Lifestyle Distractions and Control the Conversation

Apologists encounter two varieties of distractions that can easily interfere with and even sidetrack our best apologetic efforts. This Week’s blog identifies what they are and how to avoid them.

An unbeliever’s Lifestyle

 Unless the unbeliever makes it an issue, don’t get distracted by a person’s lifestyle. Apologetics deals with intellectual obstacles, not moral issues. A man and woman living together out of wedlock should not prevent us from sharing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Nor should we let it interfere with an apologetic discussion.

I was discussing this particular point in class when one of my students raised her hand and said, “I have a relative who is a homosexual. Every time I witness to him, we eventually come to this issue, and I can’t get beyond it. What do I do?”

The answer is to go around it. God will deal with moral issues once a person sees their need to become a Christian. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts people of sin (John 16:8). He will show unbelievers those areas in their lives that need to be changed—and then empower them to make the necessary change (Rom. 6:6-7,14)—once He calls them into the family of Christ.

Sanctification is a process that begins after we’re saved—it’s not a requirement before we’re saved. A life of sin is not an obstacle to faith—a person does not have to “clean up their act” before becoming a Christian.  On the other hand, our condemnation and threats of divine punishment can be an obstacle. Jesus came to heal the sick (sinners), not the healthy (Mark 2:17). One would not need Christ if they were not a sinner.

Control the Conversation and Avoid Peripheral Issues

 The second distraction to avoid is peripheral issues—issues that are not apologetic in nature or do not further the cause of evangelism. Some unbelievers like to argue just for the sake of arguing and are unwilling to examine the decisive issues: Who is Jesus Christ? Is salvation only through Him? Is the Bible truthful and reliable? These people characteristically interrupt, change the subject, or wander off on rabbit trails.

 A favorite tactic is to argue over some inane matter that has nothing to do with whether Christianity is true or not, such as the death penalty. Christians involved in cult evangelism frequently encounter this ploy. To avoid discussing relevant issues, many cultists prefer to argue over soul sleep, blood atonement, or some other irrelevant dogma.

How do we respond to these individuals? By controlling the conversation. Keep them on track by constantly returning to the issue at hand. Try to move the conversation to “who is Jesus Christ.” Point out that you are willing to listen to them, but they, in turn, must give you the same respectful attention—or there is no use continuing the discussion. Insist they don’t interrupt and let you respond to one issue before they raise another.  Again, control the conversation.

Next Week’s blog looks at applying evangelistic and missionary techniques in our apologetics for increasing our likelihood of getting a fair hearing with non-Christians.

Numbers Four & Five: Find Out the Real Problem & Never Create a Problem Yourself

Find Out The Real Problem

Sometimes unbelievers will raise issues against Christianity that do not mirror their real concerns. People may feel more comfortable discussing a popular argument, such as evolution, rather than what’s really bothering them. Or perhaps the real issue is not helped by apologetic at all. A bad experience in church has turned many people away from Christianity.

Whatever the issues, Christian apologists must identify them and respond accordingly. Sometimes we may have to deal with peripheral concerns and non-apologetic matters before discovering the real obstacle to faith.

Objections to Christianity fall into one of three categories: emotional, willful, or intellectual. Emotion issues, such as anger at God or a bad experience with a hypocritical Christian, are not solved through apologetics. These people need to have personal friendships with mature, committed Christians. They need to experience Christian love and observe Christian faith in action.

What about people who willfully reject Christianity despite our best efforts at proclaiming the Gospel? These people are committed to unbelief. Their minds are made up, and they don’t want to be bothered with the facts. Usually, the best we can do in these cases is to pray that God will open their hearts and minds to truth and provide us with future opportunities to share.

Finally, to the person with intellectual obstacles, we apply apologetics. If we fail to identify their real issues and respond only to the peripheral ones or use the wrong approach, we will never convince unbelievers that Christianity is true. We must identify whatever the obstacle is that stands between an unbeliever and faith in Jesus Christ and respond accordingly.

Never Create a Problem Yourself

Studying apologetics can be so affirming to one’s faith that it can lead to a new zeal for evangelism. The impulse may be to confront everyone you know and challenge their misbeliefs about Christianity—especially people who may have tripped you up in the past.

However, remember rule number one: “Gospel first, apologetics second.” Apologetics is an avenue of evangelism, not an excuse to argue. It’s a means to an end (the Gospel)—not the end itself. It would be foolish, for example, to corner an unbeliever and make a statement like, “I bet you reject Christianity because you think the Bible is unreliable,” and then start attacking an assumption you created yourself. The person’s problem may not be related to the Bible at all. Perhaps the death of a loved one has caused her to reject God. In this case, apologetics is not even appropriate. Christian love and understanding may be all that is needed. Or perhaps someone is convinced that all Christians are intolerant and narrow-minded. In this case, your attack will only strengthen their unbelief—not remove it!

The rule is: Let the unbeliever raise objections. Apologetics is a pre-evangelism, not a way to win arguments.

Number Three:   Avoid Theologically Debatable Issues

Apologetics’ goal is to overcome intellectual obstacles to Christianity so that unbelievers are willing to consider the Gospel. However, this does not mean we must give unbelievers all possible solutions to their objections or even our personal choice. Apologetics is not theology. As Dr. John Warwick Montgomery points out, there is more latitude in apologetics than in theology. We don’t have to give the definitive theological answer to any issue, only an appropriate response and one that can be defended in Scripture. This concept is important enough to warrant two examples.

Age of the Earth

Many unbelievers assume evolution disproves divine creation, thus demonstrating that the Bible is in error. In particular, they believe the idea that God created life and the cosmos in six literal days is ridiculous. But the age of the earth doesn’t have to be an obstacle to becoming a Christian. Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” It doesn’t add “and believe in a literal six-day creation week.”

Obviously, if one rejects creation in favor of naturalistic evolution, they are an atheist. Yet many scholarly evangelicals love the Lord dearly, believe in the authority of Scriptures, but hold to an “old earth” creation model. This alone should prove that the age of the earth does not have to be an obstacle to Christianity. By pointing this out, we may avoid an unnecessary barrier to accepting God as creator and the Bible as His revealed word. We can then move the discussion from the age of the earth to “who is Jesus Christ?”—the goal of all apologetics.

The fate of the Heathen

My second example where it’s usually wise to avoid a theological discussion concerns the fate of those who never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel message—the so-called “heathen” (generally, people who do not acknowledge the God of the Bible). Skeptics often believe Christianity teaches these people are automatically doomed to hell.

Some theologians argue from Scripture that the heathen are not the “elect.” Other theologians argue from Scripture that God will judge people according to the information they have received about Him (see Romans 1:18-20; 2:13-16) and what they do with it (see John 15:22-25; 1 Tim. 1:13). The problem is, whether true or not, the former view is the one unbelievers often assume Christians believe. Hence, they use it as an argument against Christianity.

A definitive answer to the fate of the heathen is a theological issue, not an apologetic issue. We need to keep our apologetics focused on the essentials of our faith (see Part Two) and avoid theological speculation. Rather than getting involved in a debate over this issue, it is better to point out that the Bible teaches salvation is available to everyone through Jesus Christ (1 John 2:2). And although we don’t know for sure the fate of people who never personally heard of Jesus, we do know for sure that God is just and loving and does not want anyone to perish (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9). People go to hell because they choose to reject God’s offer of salvation—not because of what they don’t know. Again, you may not personally agree with this position, but it is an approach that assures unbelievers that people who have never heard of Jesus will be treated fairly.

The Challenge

The ultimate goal of apologetics is to bring unbelievers to a point where they recognize that if they reject Jesus Christ, they are not doing so for intellectual reasons. People can make moral, emotional, and even irrational commitments to unbelief—but they can’t legitimately reject Christianity on intellectual grounds.

Number Two:  Stay with the Essentials

Most non-Christians know little about the Bible or what Christians believe—and what they think they know is often in error. In his book, God in the Dock, C.S Lewis describes the formation of the “Socratic Club” at Oxford in the early 1940s. The club met weekly to debate the pros and cons of Christianity with skeptics. Lewis recounts that:

We of the Christian party discovered that the weight of the sceptical (sic) attack did not always come where we expected it; our opponents had to correct what seems to us their almost bottomless ignorance of the Faith they supposed themselves to be rejecting.

Even many scholarly skeptics are woefully ignorant of much of Christianity, so when sharing the Gospel avoid theological subjects that may confuse unbelievers, such as eschatology or predestination. Likewise, avoid in-house issues such as speaking in tongues, hymns vs. praise music, method of baptism, and so on. We should never muddy the waters of good evangelism with topics Christians may rightfully disagree (see Romans 14 and 1 Cor. 8).

In a word, stay with the essentials—areas of doctrine that unite Christians, not divine them. The Apostle Paul summarizes the essentials in 1 Cor. 15:3-4: “For I deliver to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” This passage encapsulates the essential Christian message, the “good news” of the Gospel: The death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins (see Rom. 5:8; 6:23).

Don’t be discouraged when an unbeliever fails to respond to the Gospel. The Holy Spirit is the agent of conviction—not us. In John 6:44, Jesus says, “No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws Him” (also Acts 11:19-21; 16:14; 1 Cor. 3:6-7). Take the pressure off yourself. No matter how much we wish loved ones to be saved, we can’t save them ourselves—and should not feel guilty because our words seem ineffective. Keep them in prayer. As James said, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (5:16).

Apologetics is a tool of the Holy Spirit. In evangelism, it can create an environment in which the Holy Spirit is free to work. But it is always the Holy Spirit who convicts, convinces, and converts. The “Four Spiritual Laws,” the “Roman Road to Salvation,” your personal testimony, or the most eloquent and compelling sermon, will not save anyone unless God is using it at that moment in time.

In sum, as much as possible, as we saw in last week’s blog post, always try to begin a witnessing encounter with the Gospel. Confirm the Message by sharing your testimony. This will make your conversion experience subjectively real by demonstrating the life-transforming power of the Holy Spirit in your own life. If God has not prepared that person to respond to the Gospel, he will raise an objection. When this happens, switch from proclamation to apologetics.

Next week’s blog will discuss the importance of understanding the “goal” of apologetics and why this doesn’t mean we must give all possible solutions to a skeptic’s objections or even our personal choice.

Note: This series is adapted from my book, Engaging the Closed Minded; Presenting Your Faith to the Confirmed Unbeliever, with a foreword by my former professor, Dr. John Warwick Montgomery. I am indebted to Dr. Montgomery for a taped seminar titled Sensible Christianity, where he suggested “The Do’s and Don’ts of Apologetics.” I have borrowed several of his headings and suggestions and created some of my own. I have tried to be faithful to his advice.

 Possessing answers to the tough questions, and refuting non-Christian religious and secular worldviews, does not automatically result in a victory for Christ. Equally important to having apologetic knowledge is the ability to apply it effectively; that is, the ability to engage unbelievers in a way that they will listen, understand, and consider. This series suggests how to do effective apologetics and warns about the pitfalls to avoid that result in poor apologetics. Together, the series will provide the ground rules of successful apologetic evangelism.

Although apologetics is a valuable tool in evangelism—a  vital tool at times—it is the Gospel of Christ that people must ultimately hear to be saved (Rom. 1:16; 10:9-10). It is wrong to assume that every unbeliever harbors intellectual objections to Christianity. Hence, not every evangelistic situation will require an apologetic defense.

Whenever possible, start a witnessing encounter with the Gospel. If the unbeliever responds to the Gospel, forget apologetics and pursue proclamation—continue to proclaim the “good news” of Christ.

However, it’s not always possible to start with the Gospel. In many encounters with unbelievers, you’ll find yourself responding to challenges or answering questions concerning issues far removed from the Gospel. In those cases, sharing God’s plan of salvation will have to come later: “Why is there so much evil and suffering in the world if God loves people and can stop it?” “Why do you Christians [allegedly] condemn people to hell who never even heard of Jesus Christ?” “You don’t take the Bible literally, do you?” and so on.

The job of apologetics is to pave the way for a presentation of the Gospel. In this sense, apologetics is “pre-evangelism.” It identifies and removes intellectual obstacles that hinder someone from considering the Gospel message.

Next week we’ll look at number two: the essential doctrines and beliefs Christians must defend rather than focus on peripheral issues.