Apologetics: Defending your Faith in God.

Text 1 Peter 3:15-18; Revelation 2:8-10

In Apologetics, we defend our faith in God. The test or challenge can take the form of questions (2 Pet 3:15), hardship (e.g., Reve 2:10), voices of doubt in our heads, or funny feelings about God or what is true.

Why Apologetics?

1. it is a way to hold on to your faith in God; if you cannot defend your faith in God, someone or a situation can convince you to stop following Jesus and, therefore, lose your blessings.

2. It is also a means to explain your faith in God to people so that they will believe and be saved

Examples of those who defended their faith in God well

1. Jesus healed a man born blind, but the authorities tried to convince him not to believe in Jesus Christ (John 9:1-34))

2. Peter had to defend what God did for the church on Pentecost Day when some people started to laugh at the church; in the end, 3000 people were saved (Acts 2).

3. Jesus had to defend his faith in the Father when the devil tempted him to sin against God (Luke 4:1-13).

Those who failed to defend their faith in God

1. Adam and Eve failed to defend their faith in God when the devil tempted them; in the end, they were driven from the Garden of Eden; they were not fit to live there (Genesis 3)

2. The Young Prophet failed to defend what God told him to do (1 Kings 13)

How to defend your faith in God

1. Love God, respect God, be grateful to God always

2. Grow in Bible knowledge

3. Don’t be enticed by pleasure, worldliness or favours,

4. Accept suffering as part of your Christian calling (Phil 1:29; Job 2:9-10).