An apologist is one who defends the faith and refutes attacks upon it. Is the theme a prominant one in the New Testament church? The creeds were certainly layed down in response to false doctrine being taught in the church, but not because of attacks being made from outside of the church. The Apostle Paul commands Timothy and Titus to rebuke false doctrine and uphold good doctrine, and always be ready to give an answer. But again, that was in the context of within the church.

Satan will always be devising new schemes to attack, sometimes from within and sometimes from without. The goal of the church should be to confront those attacks which threaten the spiritual maturity of the believers. Somewhere along the line Christians have gained the reputation of being intolerant and judgemental. The Apostle Paul only judges those sins and heresies which are inside the church. When he does refer to the error of the world it is in reference to the former way of life of the believers; again, it is serving the purpose of strengthening the church’s faith in the one who has already saved them from the world.

Francis Schaeffer portrays much of modern apologetics as spitballs launched from the fortress of orthodoxy. This is an image that we all contribute to cultivating when we elevate the defense of right doctrine above the uncomfortable role of being Christ to our neighbor. Ephesians 4:1-16 lays out the proper approach to spiritual maturity as it relates both to ‘right doctrine’ and the workings out of love within the body.