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| Bishop Jerry L Hayes Picture taken in Lepanto, Arkansas USA (February 2018) during a debate on the subject of the Christian Woman's Head Covering. |
Please accept my apology.
It seems that God’s people have always had a timidness concerning confrontation over the Scriptures. It is my feeling that this timidness is misplaced, and is in fact a tool of the enemy to silence the voice of Truth.
I suppose that there is much misunderstanding concerning the concept of debate. Many well-meaning people recoil from the very word itself. When we speak of religious debate we are actually talking about the Ministry of Apologetics.
If we are walking in Truth, we need not fear being examined concerning our faith. The Apostle Paul instructs us to be ready always to give an answer to anyone who questions our faith. It is our firm conviction that nothing suffers from examination except error.
The word APOLOGY, in its most common, everyday usage, means: to ask forgiveness for wrong that has been done. This, however, is not its strict, nor even its primary meaning. Most will be surprised to learn that an apology is: “Something said, or written, in defense or justification of what appears to others wrong or unjustifiable, or what may be liable to misappropriation.” Words that mean the same as apology are: defense, justification, and vindication.
An APOLOGIST is: “One who speaks or writes in defense of another, especially a defense of the Christian religion.”
The word “APOLOGIA” is: “That branch of theology by which Christians are scientifically enabled to justify and defend the particulars of their faith and to answer its opponents.”
Possibly the greatest of all apologist was the apostle Paul. We take note that in Philippians 1:17 Paul states that he is, “Set for the defense of the Gospel.” Moreover, in verse 27 he speaks of “striving” for the faith in this manner: “Ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel.”
The Gospel of Jesus Christ has many enemies. Paul calls them “enemies of the cross,” (Philippians 3:18). These would “wrist the Scriptures,” (2 Peter 3:16) not only to their destruction but also to the ruin of all that would hear them (Matthew 15:14). They would “spoil” the hearts of men “through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ,” (Colossians 2:8). Concerning these “unruly and vain talkers and deceivers” Paul states quite plainly that their “mouths must be stopped” from “teaching things which they ought not” (Titus 1:10-11). Titus is instructed to “rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,” (Titus 1:13).
Because of the many false teachers that have found their way into Christ’s church, it has become needful, even necessary, for the Holy Spirit to raise up men, in these evil times, to give a clear apology (defense) for the true faith, which was “once (and for all time) delivered unto the Saints.”
The cry that is heard raising from all areas of the Christian fellowship is: “Let us not argue; Let us not debate; Let us not contend over differences of belief.” This is not a cry from true saints of God, but it is the propaganda of demons. We’re told by Paul “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils,” (1 Timothy 4:1). Satan wants to work his mischief undercover; thus the cry: “Don’t examine my teachings,” that we hear coming from the world’s church. Satan’s preachers want to have a free hand to preach their “doctrine of devils” unchallenged. As a matter of fact, their success depends upon this very thing. Our enemy knows what every defender of the Faith knows; namely that: NOTHING SUFFERS FROM EXAMINATION EXCEPT ERROR. A lie has no greater champion than a society that, for one reason or another, will not examine its tale. The Scripture states that, “He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but” (until) “his neighbor comes and searches” (examines) “him” (Proverbs 18: 17).
Many honest Christians are opposed to standing against false doctrine because of the confrontation that is involved. Somehow, Christians have adopted a totally passive attitude toward all phases of life. This passive stance of the Church is proving very damaging. Satan will rob us of our faith one doctrine at a time, as we simply stand by with the attitude that says: “It would be unchristian to be confrontational.” Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. The Word of God Is MILITANT; this, of necessity, places the preachers of the Word in a militant, not a passive, stance!
In my early ministry I was asked what method I would use to defend the truths of God’s Word. Inspired by Mr. Moody of Chicago I responded that I would defend the Bible much the same way that I would defend a lion. And how would you defend a lion? I was asked. “I would simply open the cage and let him out,” was my reply.
When one is giving an APOLOGIA (an argument in defense of what may appear to others to be wrong) for truth, there is no need to become personally confrontive. That is to say, we must be mindful that when we attack a false doctrine we are not attacking a person; but, rather, the object of attack is the doctrine that has enslaved said person. In this way, the confrontation takes the stance of an act of mercy, to liberate a soul for whom Christ died.
There are those times when truth must be defended against one who is a brother in the Lord. In Galatians 2:11 we read of a face-to-face confrontation between Paul and Peter on the matter of: faith versus works. This was a public, not a private, debate. Paul states: “But when I saw that they walked not up-rightly according to the truth of the Gospel, I said unto Peter before them all...” (Galatians 2:14).
The apostle Jude instructs us on this wise: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write into you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). The language of this verse could hardly be more clear;
EXHORT: to insight by appeal by argument to good works;
EARNESTLY: serious in speech or action, ardent, zealous, or eager;
CONTEND: to strive in opposition, vie, dispute or debate, assert.
Therefore, Jude instructs the church to: “Incite fidelity toward the faith once delivered unto the Saints, through speech that presents arguments that are seriously zealous, or even ardent in debate against the opposition of the true faith.”
Examples of this type of ministry may be found in Paul’s technique of evangelism of which the following are but a sampling:
- In Thessalonica, Acts 17:2-3. “And Paul, (as his manner was) went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reason with them out of the Scriptures, opening and alleging...”
- In Corinth, Acts 18:4. “And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and Greeks.”
- In Ephesus, Acts 18:19. “And he (Paul) came to Ephesus and left them there, but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.”
Finally, Paul showed himself the apologist to the very end: We see him before Felix and his wife Drusilla (Acts chapter 25) reasoning of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come. The “reasoning” spoken of in these passages includes denial as well as affirmative speech; this is what is called DEBATE.
Some honest Christians are opposed to debate because of such scriptures as Romans 1:29 which places debate in the same company as murder, deceit, envy etc. (KJV). However we are instructed, as we have seen, to enter into debate. Proverbs 25:9 says to “Debate thy cause with thy neighbor.” This seems to be the horns of a dilemma; with one passage (Romans 1:29) placing debate in very bad company, and another passage (Proverbs 25:9) instructing us to actually engage in debate.
However, this problem is solved when we understand the difference between the Hebrew word riyb - translated in the KJV as debate, and the Greek word eris - also translated in the KJV as debate. Riyb, means to: grapple, hold a controversy, to defend, a legal or personal contest of speech. This type of debate is good, and is to be engaged in by the servant of God (Proverbs 25:9). On the other hand, the word used in the Greek, eris, found in Romans 1:29 means: to quarrel, or to have strike. In fact the NASB translates the Greek eris as “strife” in Romans 1:29. To debate in this sense is not a good thing.
Conclusion
May the God of all Truth raise up, among us, men and women that are true to The Word of God; who will set forth a clear Apology, with true Apologia. It is also our prayer that these Apologists may give us a true system of Apologetics.
Apostolically Speaking
☩☩ Jerry L Hayes
(Mar David Ignatius)
Hello friends, I am a full time biblical researcher. I rely on freewill love offerings (from those of you who benefit from my work) and book sales for my support. Would you please consider leaving a small donation at the link provided here? Thank you for your support. -JLHApostolically Speaking
☩☩ Jerry L Hayes
(Mar David Ignatius)
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Read other essays from the pen of the Bishop on timely biblical topics at the links provided here:
Water Baptism INDEX
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2019/05/water-baptism-index.html
The Christian Woman's Headcoveering
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-christian-womans-headcovering-i.html
Sola Scriptura
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2013/05/sola-scriptura.html
The Apostolic Creed
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-apostolic-creed.html
Apostolic Eschatology
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2013/02/apostolic-eschatology.html
The Lord's Supper, Episode I
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-lords-supper-episode-i.html
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