Paul said in Philippians 1:17, “…I am set for the defense of the gospel.” Paul used the term apologia here and in verse 7, from which we get our term apologetics. Though Paul may have had a broader application in mind, when the term apologetics is used in Christian circles today it refers particularly to the defense of the existence of God, the deity of Christ, and the inspiration of the Bible.
Whereas years ago in this country the great majority of people would have acknowledged these truths, it is not uncommon for members of the church in the United States to come in contact with people who deny them. Many colleges and universities of our nation are responsible for fomenting much of the skepticism in regard to these foundational truths of Christianity. More of our young people attend schools of higher education than a century ago and are exposed to teaching that undermines the inspiration of the Bible, the deity of Christ, and even sometimes the existence of God. Thus, we cannot presuppose these truths when dealing with every individual outside of the church. Some people will need proof that God exists, that Christ is God, or that the Bible is God’s word, and solely quoting a verse of scripture will not convert someone who does not believe the Bible.
From studying the Scriptures, it is evident that Paul was an educated man. Unlike many today, Paul’s much learning did not make him go crazy, as Festus accused (Acts 26:24), but was a tool for spreading the gospel. The Holy Spirit saw fit to use Paul’s knowledge of Cretian prophets in his letter to Titus (Titus 1:12) and Stoic and Epicurean poets in his discussion at the Areopagus (Acts 17:28). Thus, the Holy Spirit shows there is a use in studying other belief systems in order meet people with their own belief systems to bring them to the truth. In keeping with that example it is good for Christians to know, for example, what the general theory of evolution involves and the alleged evidence upon which it is based. If Paul by the Spirit of God could enter into an intelligent discussion on what certain poets and prophets of a different worldview said, then certainly as a Christian I can learn the theories and viewpoints of unbelievers today in order to answer them.
We should not fear proper education, nor hide our heads in the sand, so to speak, in regard learning what unbelievers teach in regard to the Bible. Truth never suffers from an open investigation of the facts. We can help fortify our own faith and improve our impact on the world by giving time to studying apologetics.

-Mark Day

It is possible to twist the scriptures, particularly those portions which are harder to understand, to one’s own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). Satan misuses scripture to cloud the thinking of those he wishes to lead astray (Matthew 4:6), and he certainly has not gone out of business in the information age. We have so much information available to us nowadays, but much of it is bad information. When we fail to study for ourselves, but, instead, swallow whole what purported experts have to say, we make ourselves more susceptible to false teachers.

False teachers sometimes attempt to drag their objectors into deeper water so they can drown them in false doctrine. One example of this is the misuse of the original languages in which the Bible was written: Hebrew, Aramaic (in which only some very small portions of the Bible were written), and Greek. It is sad when those who are unlearned in the original languages concede to false teaching just because they believe going to the Hebrew or the Greek ultimately settles the matter. Thankfully, we have defenders of truth that are able to swim in these deeper waters of original languages and expose the falsehood. It is so good to have sound scholars in these original languages to consult from time to time.

Not every Christian needs to be a scholar in Hebrew and Greek to remain faithful to God. However, there is at least one principle in regard to consulting the original languages of the Bible of which every member of the church should be aware. It is context. How a word fits into the sentence in which it is used, as well as the paragraph, the book, and the overall teaching of the Bible is tremendously important. The chief component in deciding a meaning of a word is to see how it is used in its context. Though lexicons and other language tools can help us understand the origin and root meaning of word and its essential idea, Hebrew and Greek words are just like English words in the sense that their meaning depends on the context in which they are used. So if someone cites an original language in the Bible passage you are studying and gives you some grammatical rules that you don’t understand because you have never studied them, remember to consider if what they are saying will fit into the context of the passage at hand. Hebrew and Greek lexicographers and grammarians are too often looked to as the ultimate authority when in reality they too must consider the context and do some interpretation in arriving at the meaning of a word.

Do not be overwhelmed by the use of languages unknown to you. Though they are a benefit to those who take the time to learn them, you can know what the Bible says by consulting some reliable English translations and remembering to consider the context.

–Mark Day