The word, “apologetics,” is derived from the Greek word, “apologia,” which means “to make a defense.” It has come to mean “defense of the faith.” We are called by God to give an “apologia,” a defense regarding: The reality of the living God, the Genesis account of creation, the inspiration of the Scriptures, the deity of Christ, and Biblical evidences in history and archeology.
1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…”
In short, it deals with giving reasons for Christianity as being the only way to God.
John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
What is a cult? Our English word “cult” comes from the Latin word cultus, meaning “to worship or give reverence to a deity.” The dictionary definition: “a system of religious beliefs and ritual; a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also its body of adherents give great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work; usually small group of people characterized by such devotion.”
2 Peter 2:1-3, “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”
2 John 7-11, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”
Hebrews 13:9, “Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines.”
The church must be discerning! Scripture warns us that the church will be inundated with doctrines of demons, destructive heresies, myths, falsehoods, perverse teachings, commandments of men, human traditions, empty philosophy, vain deceit, speculations, lying spirits, worldly fables, false knowledge and worldly wisdom. In Matthew 7:15, Jesus says that false prophets will come as “wolves in sheep's clothing.”
The contemporary church seems virtually impotent to face such an onslaught. The church, by and large, is filled with confusion and error. How do we fight this invasion of cults and heresy? “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). “And take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
The ultimate authorities are not: Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Muhammad,
Sun Myung Moon, L. Ron Hubbard, Mary Baker Eddy, Charles Russell, or Joel Osteen. No matter how much one person or another claims to present their truth, the bible says in Romans 3:4, “Let God be true, but every man a liar.”
