The word defense is translated from the Greek word apologia. Apologia literally means to give a defense. In a legal context it is defending oneself in court. Peter states that we are called to give a reasoned argument or verbal defense of the Christian faith just like we would if we were standing on trial in a court room.

I have studied scripture through the lens of, HOW CAN I DEFEND THE GOSPEL and MY FAITH to unbelievers and those who follow other religions. This has caused me to seek to understand scripture in a deeper way in order to effectively communicate it to others.

There are many verses that show us that we are called to be PREPARED, READY, and ABLE to defend and preach the gospel message of salvation through Christ.

We should expect to be challenged and asked tough questions when sharing our faith. Ask yourself the tough questions and study scripture in order to find the answers. Then you will be prepared for any conversation.

The word contend in the original language means to fight for.

When I graduated high school and started working, I was surrounded people who were open about their beliefs in other religions and even their non-belief (atheism). I set out on an unbiased search for the truth.

There are markers to determine if each one is false. The three major ones… for example the Muslims, JW, and Mormons in their “scriptures” give us a test to determine if it is truth or not. If you judge each of them based on what they tell you to judge them by then you will come to realize that they are indeed false.

So, after embarking on the truth-seeking journey, I realized… Jesus is really who He says He is. And if Jesus is truth, then that means everything He taught is also truth.

One of the wildest claims and things Jesus ever taught was that He was the ONLY way and the TRUTH and the LIFE and that NO ONE comes to the Father except through faith in Him.

This teaching shows us that there is a lost and dying generation according to the Word of God that is bound to an eternity separated from God because of their unbelief. And we can offer them life through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But without speaking his gospel message with our words they may never come to saving knowledge of Him.

To call on Christ for salvation, people must believe in Him; to believe, they must hear about Him; and for them to hear, someone must proclaim the message. It's a call to action for us Christians to share the gospel with our WORDS so that others may come to faith.

There’s a phrase many of us have heard, maybe even said ourselves: “Preach the gospel at all times, And if necessary, use words.”

But here’s the problem: that phrase has sometimes led us to believe that living a good life is enough—that people will just figure out we follow Jesus and somehow come to faith through our niceness.

The truth is, I know a lot of amazing people who don’t believe in Jesus. They love well, give generously, and act kindly. What sets us apart from the rest of the world isn’t just our behavior—it’s the message we carry.

We are called not only to live the gospel but to teach it—to use our words. And yet, many of us hesitate.

1. We don’t know the Word of God
2. We do not know how to respond to pushback or tough questions.
3. We think if we do not get immediate results then we have failed.
4. We think that evangelism is only for the pastor or the missionary who has Biblical training.

I believe that if we knew the word of God then the other 3 hesitations we wrestle with would come crumbling down.

Now when it comes to evangelizing and defending our faith in our everyday lives it follows the same model we see in this scripture.

We “prep the ground” by building trust and relationships with others.

We “plant seeds” by sharing the saving message of Jesus Christ.

We “water the seeds” with follow up gospel centered conversations, asking tough questions, and serving others how Jesus would.

We then allow “God to provide the growth” by letting God draw them closer to Him.

Here is some “ammo” that I have used to not only go out and effectively share/defend my own faith… but also fight off attacks from the enemy in my own life.

There are four foundational truths that every single believer should know and understand in a deep and personal way. This is our “ammo.”

1. Jesus is God.
2. Jesus is the Messiah.
3. Jesus loves everyone and He proved it.
4. Jesus rose from the dead.

1. Jesus claimed to be God…
a. John 10:30 (I and the father are one).
b. John 14:9 (Whoever has seen me has seen the Father).
John 8:58 (before Abraham was, I am.)

2. Jesus received worship
a. Matthew 28:9 (They came and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him.
b. Luke 24:52 (And they worshiped him)
Isaiah 45:23 God says,(To me every knee shall bow and every tongue swear allegiance.) then we see in Philippians 2:10-11 that every knee shall bow to Jesus and every tongue confess that He is Lord.)

3. Jesus did things that only God can do
a. He forgave sins. something Isaiah says is reserved for God alone (Mark 2, Luke 7, Luke 5, and so many other places)
b. Commanded Nature (Matthew 8:27)
Knew peoples thoughts (Luke 6:8, Matthew 9:4)

A messianic prophecy is a prediction or statement in the Old Testament that refers to the coming Messiah’s birth, life, mission, suffering, death, resurrection, and eternal Kingdom.

Peter Stoner was the chairman of the science and mathematics division at Westmont University and Pasadena City College.

He conservatively calculated the probability of any one person fulfilling the 8 prophecies listed below.

1. The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
2. A messenger will prepare the way for the Messiah (Malachi 3:1).
3. The Messiah will enter Jerusalem as a king riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9).
4. The Messiah will be betrayed by a friend and suffer wounds in His hands (Zechariah 13:6).
5. The Messiah will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12).
6. The betrayal money will be used to purchase a potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13).
7. The Messiah will remain silent while He is afflicted (Isaiah 53:7).
8. The Messiah will die by having His hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16).

Factoring in the number of people who have lived since the prophecies were fulfilled… He calculated that the probability of all 8 of these being fulfilled in the lifetime of one person were 1 in 10 to the 17th power…. That is one in one hundred quadrillion.

Just imagine this, if I filled the entire state of Texas two feet deep with silver dollars and I placed on one of those silver dollars a black check mark. I then blindfolded you and let you loose and told you to find the one silver dollar with a black check mark. The odds the first one you picked up would be the one with the black check mark are the same as these 8 prophecies being fulfilled by Jesus.

The amazing thing about our God and Savior Jesus Christ is that he fulfilled over 300 prophecies!!!!!!! Jesus is the Messiah and HAS to be the messiah.

The third foundational truth is we must understand is that Jesus loves everyone, and He proved it.

The phrase “Jesus loves you” is something that most of us have said to someone else. But I want you to understand that this phrase carries a HEAVY weight.

Betrayal
Denial
Injustice

Scourging is designed to leave its victims in a state just short of collapse and death.

Before the crucifixion Jesus was left in serious and possibly critical condition. Typically the blows would lessen as criminals confessed to their crimes but Jesus remained silent, having no crimes to confess.

As He was up on the cross the way He was fixated inhibited normal breathing. The weight of His body pulling down on the arms and shoulders locked his respiratory muscles in an inhalation state and hindered his exhalation.

Not to mention every single breath caused Him to scrape His back that was nothing but flesh against a rough wooden post. Each breath was excruciating pain.

Why did Jesus stay on the cross? Why did He not save himself? He was God… He could have pulled himself down off the cross.

This is why He did it.

GOD PROVED HIS LOVE FOR US ON THE CROSS

He was laid in a tomb in a well-known location outside the walls of Jerusalem after He was taken down from the cross. The tomb was guarded by soldiers who would have been killed if they allowed the body of Jesus to be stolen. But to this day the body of Jesus is nowhere to be found.

Paul challenged those who said Jesus did not raise from the dead by telling them to go and look at the tomb themselves. To go and talk to the over 500 eyewitnesses of Jesus being ALIVE.

What I am about to read is known as the “Corinthian Creed,’ and it is dated back all the way to as early as a couple of years after Christ’s Death.

Only 3 days before Jesus was humiliated on the cross in PUBLIC for ALL to see, His followers started PUBLICALLY claiming that He was ALIVE for ALL to hear.

Jesus is the most polarizing figure in all of human history. He reset the calendar. We count time by Jesus. We are 2025 years after the birth of Christ.

Here is the thing…

Muhamad is still in his tomb.
Joseph Smith is still in his tomb.
Buddha is still in his tomb.
Confucious is still in his tomb.

BUT THERE IS ONE MAN FROM NAZARETH WHO WAS NOT FOUND IN A TOMB.

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Call on His name. He alone had the power to conquer death and He alone has the power to grant eternal life to those who believe in Him. Trust Him alone for salvation. Trust in His sacrifice. Our own works are filthy rags compared to the sacrifice of our God and Savior Jesus Christ!

Our team wins in the end. We do not labor in vain when we are working for the Lord Jesus. Share Jesus. Share the gospel. Do the work of an evangelist! Be a worker for the Lord Jesus and His Kingdom.