1 Peter 3:15–16
“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, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”
1 Corinthians 2:4–5
“My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
2 Timothy 2:24–26
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth…”
I make no secret of the fact that I thoroughly enjoy reading and listening to Dr. William Lane Craig and other apologetics heavyweights in the Christian faith. When I first came to know Jesus, I thought that apologetics would be the tool to convince the world—“Jesus is real,” “He was who He said He was,” and so on.
Then I grew up spiritually.
One thing that helped shift my thinking was actually something Dr. Craig said: “We’re not here to win arguments; we’re here to win people.” That might not be word-for-word, but it stuck with me. Because if you can argue someone into the faith, someone else can argue them right back out.
I have two Master’s degrees in theology—one in Practical Theology from Ohio Christian University, and the other an MA(TS) from Nazarene Theological Seminary. Because of that, I’m especially sensitive when people misuse Scripture, twist it, or take verses out of context to make them say something they don’t.
One of the most often misapplied verses in apologetics circles is 1 Peter 3:15. It’s often held up as the definitive call to apologetics. And while it certainly supports the practice, many people miss the nuance.
Let’s look closely:
“Always be prepared to make a defense…”
Yes—but it says to make a defense for your faith, your hope. Not necessarily to argue the faith in every possible direction. Answer people’s questions. Don’t launch a theological assault.
If I come at you with:
“How can you not believe?! Jesus is a historical figure! Here’s the cosmological argument, the fine-tuning argument, the moral argument…”
I’ve already put you on the defensive—and defensive people generally don’t listen.
The second half of that verse—“with gentleness and respect”—is even more important, and often ignored. When Peter adds, “so that when you are slandered,” he’s warning that unbelievers are watching for Christians to slip up. If we come across as arrogant, aggressive, or overbearing, we’re not only ineffective—we become the stereotype they expected.
Yes, the Bible supports apologetics. But notice how it’s used:
- Always in response to genuine questions.
- Often as encouragement for those who already believe.
For example, in Luke 24:27, Jesus walks with disciples and explains how the Scriptures point to Him—after they’ve already been shaken by the crucifixion. He’s building them up, not proving a point to strangers.
And as for using Paul as the apologetics model—yes, Paul was incredibly intelligent and knew the Law inside and out. But when he addressed the philosophers at Mars Hill (Acts 17), he didn’t know every god they worshiped. What he did know was how people behaved. He observed the culture, found a relatable entry point, and pivoted to Christ.
And when Paul reasoned “from the Scriptures,” he was in the synagogue—in other words, with people who already believed in the authority of the Scriptures.
So, What’s the Point of Apologetics?
The defense of the faith is best used:
- To strengthen believers.
- To answer genuine questions from seekers.
It’s not meant to be a first strike or a debate trophy.
It’s certainly not meant to feed ego.
We should absolutely study cultural context (and I’ll be writing more on 1 Corinthians 14:34–36 soon—spoiler alert: it’s not a ban on women speaking or leading). But apologetics should never be our first step.
That would be like answering questions no one asked.
If I start telling you all about John Wilkes Booth, but you were asking about Calvin Coolidge, I’m not helping—I’m just talking.
So What Is Helpful?
Know your Bible. Know it intimately.
And live it.
That’s what makes the biggest difference.
Not how clever your arguments are.
Not how many books you’ve read.
Not how many debates you think you’ve won.
If you want to represent Christ, you don’t need to be the smartest person in the room.
You need to be the most humble, the most honest, the most Christlike.
And that’s how we overcome Overzealous Apologetics Syndrome.
Rooted & Reckoned 