Apologetics With Alisa Childers

 

An interesting video by Alisa Childers, in which she comments on 1 Peter 3:15, about being ready always to give an answer to those who ask for a reason of the “hope” that is in us:

1 Peter 3:

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

After quoting that scripture, she lists the following five questions as examples of the kinds of questions that a skeptic might ask, and proposes answers to them:

1. “Have the New Testament documents been corrupted?”

2. “Is there any evidence that the resurrection of Jesus actually happened?”

3. “Has science disproved God?”

4. “Does the Bible condone slavery?”

5. “Is there any evidence outside the Bible that Jesus actually existed?”

They are all good answers to the questions asked of course; but I have two broader questions that I would like to ask relative to that. My first question is, Are those the kinds of questions that Peter was referring to, by questions regarding the “hope that is in us?” The context suggests otherwise. The key to correctly understanding what Peter had in mind is the word “hope”. The question that needs to be answered here is, What is the “hope” that is in us; and how do we explain and justify that “hope” in such a way that it will be persuasive and meaningful to those who may inquire concerning that “hope”? The “hope” that is in us, is the hope of gaining salvation, redemption, and eternal life through the sacrificial death, Atonement, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Giving dry answers to skeptics and the unbelieving, such as she is proposing, is not quite what Peter had in mind. What he was referring to was giving persuasive and Spirit filled answers to genuine seekers after truth (by the power of the Holy Ghost); not giving clever answers to skeptics who are not genuinely interested in, or seeking after divine truth. A good example of that from scripture would be the story of Paul’s explanation of his faith to King Agrippa, which very nearly converted him to the gospel (Acts 26).

My second question is, Are the answers she is proposing to the 5 questions (including the books and other resources she has recommended) sufficient to generate faith in anyone? The Bible seems to suggest otherwise. It teaches that faith comes by “hearing the word of God:”

Romans 10:

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

• • •

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

And other scriptures explain how “hearing the word of God” generates faith:

Luke 24:

49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high [to preach the gospel].

Acts 1:

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

1 Thessalonians 1:

5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

Acts 6:

10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

So the conclusion seems to be that it is preaching the word of God by the power of the Holy Ghost (by those sent directly from God) that produces faith, rather than the kind of “apologetics” exercise she is proposing. There is nothing wrong with that either; but it would be a mistake to assume that by itself, it would be sufficient to generate faith in anyone. If the object of the exercise is to generate faith, and by that means to facilitate the salvation of genuine inquirers, there seems to be something lacking in that particular approach. It is evident that that is not quite what Peter had in mind by being “ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh” a reason for the “hope” that is in us. There is more to it than that, which she seems to have overlooked.