Friday, November 18, 2016

Adding apologetics to increase our faith || JPP



The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!"
Luke 17:5

A group of friends went deer hunting and paired off in twos for the day. That night one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under an eight-point buck.

"Where's Harry?" he was asked.

"Harry had a stroke of some kind. He's a couple of miles back up the trail."

"You left Harry laying there, and carried the deer back?"

"Well," said the hunter, "I figured no one was going to steal Harry."

May mga biblical truths na ina-abandon o dini-disregard  nating mga Christians kasi sa isip natin may minimal importance ang mga ito -- naging tulad tayo netong kapartner ni Harry. Isa sa mga truths na yan ang Christian duty ng apologetics.

As a person involved sa apologetics ministry dito sa Pilipinas, I had recently added a teaching focus to combat the idea coming from well-meaning, and well-intentioned na mga Christians, na ang apologetics daw is peripheral o dapat nasa tabi-tabi lang ng Christian faith.

Contrary to it being peripheral, I think the role of apologetics is even crucial to the Christian faith. Kailangan ng faith ang apologetics na mindset.

Commenting on the passage above, Luke 17:5, the great Puritan theologian John Owen instructed his readers what they must do with the faith that they have --
Add unto its light, confirm it in its assent, multiply its acts, and make it strong against its assaults, that it might work more effectually in difficult duties of obedience.
Ang apologetics settles itself well sa mga assault ng faith kasi ang apologetics nga ay "defense of the faith."

The key apologetics passage 1 Peter 3:15 --
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
indicates that that the scope of "to give an answer" (ἀπολογίαν) covers the entire human experience of the present and the future of the Christian life.

Hindi peripheral ang apologetics.

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Reference
The Works of John Owen, Volume 3: Holy Spirit, 388.

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