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6. Who is the target of apologetics?
Peter explains to us the great task of apologetics by giving us this rather high goal: “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)
Our audience, as stated by Peter, is everyone who asks us. That is to say, we are not only to answer our next-door neighbor, but also a total stranger or our university professor or our boss at work. However, Peter is also clear that we are not to go and pick a fight with anyone and everyone, but simply answer those “who ask”.
Unfortunately Peter’s advice goes completely ignored by most apologists today, who do the complete opposite. Most schools of apologetics require that the apologist put aside their Christian commitment and argue with unbelievers on so-called neutral ground. Peter, however, says we are to start with sanctifying Christ in our heart; that is, we start with Christ, we don’t end with Him.
We present God as the ultimate authority. We do this as no one is greater, thus it’s impossible to appeal to anything outside what God has set for us in order to prove His ultimacy; by conceding to unbelievers that there is neutral ground, we are in effect admitting that not all wisdom is deposited in Christ. Denying God’s authority quite simply leads to a situation of the blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:14).