Gentlemen, prepare to defend yourselves!
          -Sergeant Major Basil Plumley, We Were Soldiers

Brian and Sean have been visiting George’s barbershop since they were in college. George’s trims are neat, reasonably priced, and accompanied by a lively chat. One Saturday in April, Brian took the chair first while Sean scanned emails and texts on his phone while waiting for his turn. Somehow, the conversation drifted to cars, a subject Brian knew little about. He did like to save money, however, which is why he still drives a 15-year-old Honda Civic and learned how to change his own oil.

“Next oil change, I’m thinking of trying a synthetic,” Brian told George.

“Nah, that stuff’s so expensive,” the barber scoffed. “It’s just a way for them to get more money out of you.”

“Hmm. I hear you don’t need to change your oil as often. I figured that would save me money in the long run. Also, synthetic is supposed to be better for your engine.”

“Don’t know about that. My cousin tried the stuff. Told me it leaked all over his driveway. He ended up spending more just to keep it topped off. I’d save your money if I were you and just use the cheap stuff.”

Later, during the ride home, Sean offered his opinion. “Y’know, George might be right. Trying synthetic oil might not be a good idea.”

“Why?” Brian asked.

“I listen to the “Auto Tune” podcast, the one where Will and Theo talk about car repair. They’re big on synthetics but warn about using it in older cars that have only used conventional oils. Apparently, synthetic oil is great at cleaning out the system. So good, in fact, it removes the gunk that plugs up small holes. When those holes are clean, oil tends to drip out.  I asked my mechanic, and he said the same thing. What happened to George’s cousin is not that uncommon.”

REASON VS. HEARSAY

To whom do you think Brian was more inclined to listen? My guess is that you would answer Sean. George’s opinion was based on feeling and hearsay, but Sean relied on expert opinion. In the end, both offered the same ultimate advice: don’t switch to synthetic oil. But the recommendation backed by reliable research was most likely the one that Brian “heard” and to which he gave greater consideration.

I believe the same applies to Christians when they either speak about their faith or present an opinion from a Biblical perspective. Having valid reasons to support your belief that scripture is reliable gives your words more authority than simply saying “because the Bible says so”.  Now, I’m not saying relying solely on the Word of God can’t be effective.  The Bible clearly teaches that it can. (Heb. 4:12; Rom. 10:17; Eph. 6:10, 17) However, the Bible also instructs us to be prepared to defend the reasons behind our hope. (1 Peter 3:15) Why? I suspect it’s because God knows the human heart. In this culture of relativism (which isn’t new), it’s easy to dismiss an opinion founded in a “truth” to which one party or the other doesn’t subscribe. In other words, “I don’t believe God exists, so anything the Bible says is irrelevant.”

But suppose you can appeal to generally accepted truths as evidence for why you believe the Bible is valid, reliable, and relevant. If the person you are in conversation with knows you are a rational person and has respected your opinions in the past regarding other things, they should at least be willing to listen to what you have to say and seriously contemplate your words, even if they are not ultimately swayed.

WHY THIS MATTERS

So why does this matter, you might ask? I can concede that a need to defend your faith is not always necessary when presenting a Biblical perspective. For instance, when discussing topics such as crime, health, finances, abuse, and marital faithfulness, there is a common understanding of justice, well-being, gain and loss, victimization, and vows that generally falls in line with the Bible. One doesn’t need to profess a particular faith to hold to its tenants of right and wrong. In these instances, you don’t need to rely specifically on scripture to make a point. And when you do, you are less likely to be questioned because scripture confirms what many people already believe.

However, there are those positions that ultimately come down to whether or not they conform to the Word of God.  For instance, abortion. Christians can present studies that demonstrate the potential physical and mental harm done to a woman resulting from having an abortion, or appeal to the concept that this new life will be a valuable contribution to society.  Those on the other side might then respond with counter-studies and offer examples of abuse and families that have been destroyed because of an unwanted child. In the end, what this really boils down to is the question of when does someone become a human? The Christian would probably answer that God places value on a life the moment it is conceived, and therefore that life should be considered human, and as such has a purpose and right to live. But this idea is only supported by God’s word. Without the Bible, there is little evidence to argue that a fetus has any value apart from that which the mother places on it. If the mother doesn’t value that life, then it’s easier to define it as “less than human” and dispose of it.

If a Christian’s desire is to avoid being dismissed in such arguments, it is vital that they first offer reasons why they believe what they do. It might not completely change a person’s opinion, but it might give your words more credibility in their minds.

WHY THIS MATTERS TO ME

First Peter 3:15 has been on my mind lately because I currently find myself in such a discussion with someone close to me.  Till now, I have relied mainly on logical arguments and examples to make my points. I haven’t taken the biblical approach primarily due to fear. I fear this person might think that any claims based on faith, regardless of the religion, are little more than arbitrary opinions that, at best, have no real-world consequences or, at worst, are an attempt to control a person's actions. Instead of listening to “baseless claims” they might choose to simply walk away from the conversation.  More and more, however, I am realizing that I have reached the point where my position can best be explained by faith in God’s Word over the world’s opinions. Luckily, the one thing I have going for me is that this person trusts me, values my opinion in other things, knows I love them, and understands that I ultimately want the best for them. So, the next time the topic comes up, I might have to start off with something like this:

“I think you know that I did not grow up with a strong, spiritual upbringing. In fact, as a teenager, I was very skeptical about the existence of God. The reason I believe now is because, as I got older, I learned that the claims of the Bible are supported by many areas of study, like history, archaeology, medicine, psychology, literary criticism, and yes, even science. While you may not agree with everything I say, I want you to know that I’m not blindly believing something just because someone said it was true.  I believe because I have researched Christianity and come to my own rational opinion about its validity and impact on our lives.”

The goal is not to “win this person over.” That’s God’s job. My goal is to keep the lines of communication open. By stepping out in faith, namely my faith in God, I am hoping this explanation will help this person be more open to the truth of God’s word.

NEED HELP?

What about you? If you are a Christian, do you know why you believe the way you do? Do you have the evidence to back up your belief? If not, or you’ve never really thought about it much, I would recommend any of the books written by Lee Strobel -- in particular, his first, The Case For Christ.  This book discusses how many different disciplines support the claims of the Bible and provides a long list of resources for further study.  To find out more, read my Half Air review about both the book and the movie.