Apologetics
Why?

Apologetics is a reasoned defense of anything. The apologetics we are interested in is a reasoned defense of Christianity.
John Gerstner, Primitive Theology: The Collected Primers of John H. Gerstner
(Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1996), p. 5.

R.C. Sproul was once quoted as saying this about Dr. Gerstner:
If God gave me gave opportunity to apply my mind to the fullest for the next 250 years, I wouldn’t begin to know what John Gerstner knows.

Gerstner was one of the finest defenders of the faith in the 20th century. He was a classical apologist, the kind that are not in vogue at this time of the history of the church. H authored probably the finest late 20th century book on classical apologetics, along with Sproul and Lindsley, entitled Classical Apologetics.

But, the question is, why apologetics? Is not the Word of God that which brings people to faith. Isn’t apologetics just adding dubious human wisdom to God’s Word? Do we not just need the Bible and not reasoned argument for adding souls to the Kingdom of God? All good questions, but Gerstner was convinced (no pun intended) that there were good reasons for apologetics…an apology for apologetics (p. 13).

Gerstner would be the first to agree that apologetics does not save anyone. Yet, reasoned arguments are often needed to clear the rubble of an incoherent view of things so that the soil is cleared for the planting of the Gospel seed. After all, ground occupied with the rat infested tenement of unbelief cannot yield a Gospel crop until the building is razed and the ground prepared. Apologetics helps remove the reasons for not believing by exposing how those reasons do not reflect reality while reasons to believe do.

So, Gerstner lays out reasons for reason, the first of which is that saying that reason is not needed is in itself an argument. That is, reason is employed to defeat reason. Akin to the first position Gerstner takes is the second. When you ask “why” there is a “because.” So, one who says “why do we need apologetics” is asking for a reason. Again, reason always seems to emerge. And, why not, as Gerstner says: [p]eople who have no reasons for their actions we call insane (p. 13). Reasons for belief are in no way at odds with Christian faith.

Thirdly, Gerstner posits that when sane people claim to be against reason they really are not. He cites Tertullian who said he believed because it is absurd…that is a reason to believe. Whether it is one you bank on is not the issue. Fourth, Gerstner proclaims that Christianity claims to be true and truth is something that needs proof. As Gerstner puts it:
If claiming were all that is necessary, Christianity is established (p. 14).
And, of course that is the case for all other truth claims. Again, “whys” need “becasuses.”
At this point we run smack dab into the “experience” as true crowd. This is not the time or place to argue the validity of experience as truth. Gerstner says that this experience is also a reason even if not expressed in the form of an argument. He uses this example:

What they are thinking is: “I have this kind of experience which could only come from God. Therefore I know it comes from God. You can take my word for it (as evidence of it.)” That is an argument if the hearer can take the [experiencer’s] word for it.

The hearer my pooh-pooh the argument or may not deem the experiencer’s evidence as sufficient, but the experiencer is still posing an “argument from experience.

Fifth, Jesus Himself appealed to proof of Who He was: Believe Me for My works sake (John 14:11) and His miracles attested to His deity. Sixth, the Holy Scriptures themselves can be shown to be reliable documents as to testifying to what is sufficient for faith and life by reasoned argument. And, seventh, and finally, apologetics sets for the arguments for a Creator Who is God, a God Who certifies His Son, a Son Who certifies His Word and the Word that certifies the Gospel.

Whether one embraces all of Gerstner’s reasons for apologetics, it is clear that reasoning is hard to avoid in defending the faith. Faith in God is a most reasonable thing no matter what the hard line atheists of today like Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins argue. [I am sure Gerstner would add that today we need to attack this virulent atheism with assertive arguments for the faith…reason eight?] Gerstner had a passion for souls. Apologetics was not merely an academic exercise. In apologetics he saw himself shedding light on darkness so that God, in His infinite wisdom, could lead a sinner to the light of salvation. Here is his answer to why:

Why apologetics? To make us more damned that we were before it shed its light on our darkness? No, though that is its tendency—not because of its light, but because of our natural love of darkness. It is not the cause of our greater darkness, but only the occasion of it, the cause being our love of darkness made the greater in the presence of light…If apologetics doe not lead us into light it is our fault; but if it does it is God’s grace. The apologist’s light stirs up your darkness, but God may shed His light along with His apologist’s light. And in His light you see apologetic light and love it.

Oh, that we today would have such passion for bringing sinners to God’s light through apologetics.