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.