To Debate or not To Debate?

Apologetics, the study and disproof of other religions - many Christians wonder what value this field has. Should we immerse ourselves in it so that we can disprove every false view that comes before us? Should we back off, knowing that a debate is not going to save anyone? These questions are good, but to answer them we have to acknowledge both the values and limitations of apologetics and debate.

Apologetics is a valuable field, especially for Christians seeking leadership in the church. Jesus debated with the religious leaders of his day repeatedly, the Apostles were constantly debating the Pharisees, and one way we knew that Paul was saved was that he "baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ".

By understanding and debating other religions we learn to value what God has taught us more dearly and we can see the dangers of misunderstanding the truths of scripture more clearly and earnestly than we could before. At its core apologetics is the understanding of truth and the lie, and no Christian should go with out.

Apologetics encourages deeper study, it allows us to tailor our message to different audiences, and it allows us to face different religions and show them the greatness of believing in God, but it does have limitations. We can't debate people into salvation because salvation is not a mere intellectual understanding, it is a heart change. Debate can pave the way for this, and it can make evangelism more effective, but we shouldn't lose sight of our goal: we are aiming to win souls for Christ, and take every thought captive to do his will.

So knowing all this what should we do? First we ought to study the scriptures so that we can answer people who have questions or want to challenge the scriptures. Every Christian needs to be able to proclaim the essence of what we believe. Secondly, we need to exercise discernment; we can't disprove everything, nor should we even try. Rather than getting too focused on the lie we should always strive to preach the truth. Don't forget that when Paul was debating the Jews he wasn't just trying to prove them wrong, he was proving "that Jesus is the Christ".

So lets go out there and debate, let's challenge false teaching, and let's point people to the truth: Jesus is the Christ, and there is no way to salvation except through him.