"Illogical, Captain," spoke Spock in almost every, if not every, episode of the original Star Trek. While the world is still grieving the recently deceased, Ravi Zacharias, Apologetics has been at the forefront of Christianity's mind. Apologetics, the reasoned argumentation or justification of a theory, especially religious doctrine, is the responsibility of every believer. Every single Christian is called upon at some point to defend that person's faith.
Apologetics and science is not my strong point and will probably never be. Science is a wonderful field of study and incredibly helpful. Some people need to know how the universe began, why the dinosaurs are gone, and how the earth sustains all of God's creatures. I tend to think, "I don't need to know all that." The need to explain how the Spirit of God volcanically erupts and flows around the land faster than light eludes me. I accept and experience it out of a relationship with the Helper and Healer God I believe in; however, the view that Replacement Theologians claim that Jesus' crucifixion replaces all other views and understandings in the world is a place that orthodox (right believing and right practicing) Christians should defend against. It is more logical for me to do so.
Minimally, other than forgiveness of all sin and salvation for believers, the resurrection of Christ has not replaced all other understandings or worldviews with Christianity. The beauty of being in the remnant post-resurrection is that we have the Helper (John 14:26) with us as a full replacement has not happened. Had a replacement of the worldviews taken place, then there would not be any unreached people groups. The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) would have not ever taken place.
Scripture leaves Christians with the understanding that Jesus knew He was to be crucified. He chose to complete the journey as the sacrificial lamb for all sin for all eternity -- the sin debt paid in full. The unblemished sheep and doves were no longer needed. These had been replaced by the Blood of the Lamb -- Jesus. However, even the Blood of Christ, the sacrifice of God the Father, did not replace the unreached people groups or their worldviews. What I love about evangelism and apologetics is getting to share the love of God. What I love about meeting people and taking part in the community is the love of God.
Many would say that I should love sharing the scriptures and trying to get people to convert to mainstream Christianity wants people to move to. I don't accept that the evangelist's job is to convert people. The Helper does that. It is the only way that that happens. I have little desire to push someone towards Jesus or to tear them down. God calls us all to Him. I don't need to help with the restlessness; it just is. Unfortunately, apologetics and evangelism are needed, contemporarily, more for professing believers than unreached groups.
The only thing other than my kippah that I have been considered an apostate and asked to leave groups, even churches for, is my professed apologetic. Once a Christian is a heretic to other professing believers that person has found a right relationship living in Christ. God is well served when we praise what He has done in or lives and the relationships that we have been given.
Without our relationships, we would not be sharpened into the believers that God would like Christians to be. I am able to embrace my German-ness, my Irish-ness, my border-ness, and my Jewishness because I have loved Ravi Zacharias' Indian-ness. His belief and love for God was brought through India. He never left it out. It is what I loved first about him as I was struggling, and still do from time to time, with my Jewishness. It was so ingrained in me that even Paul left his Jewishness behind, which he did not. I love my "ness-es" just as Ravi loved his that our loving God gave him.
After his "nesses," I found apologetics for the first time. We are blessed that other worldviews were not replaced. That people are able to converse about, defend, and embrace for what it is -- a relationship with a loving God. The Church Militant -- the prayer warriors -- are all evangelists and apologists. It may seem that worldviews have been replaced in contemporary theology. The extreme sides of both liberal and conservative theology seem to accept the replacement in agreement with one another finally on something, except Scripture.
The resurrection of Christ doesn't replace worldviews. The Great Commission works on it. However, the Helper left to guide and guard us in and around the world professing faith, welcoming believers, and reviving those in the Body is what heals and replaces the harm done in the world by those who haven't accepted the peace of God. The moment of salvation is not the last moment of belief; it is the first. Still, even with the loss of a great evangelist, apologist, and gratefully praise-filled Child of God -- dear Ravi -- the Helper is still here to guide and guard as we go into the world just as he did. To "stand on the shoulders" of the ones who came before us as we have been prompted to do.
I have envisioned the homecoming of Dr. Zacharias. I hope that I will be greeted with the same "well done, my good and faithful servant," and be able to tell God that even with the work I've done, the souls that I've helped, and the love of God that I have been able to share that I am most thankful for my time in His presence with praise -- that I stood on the shoulders of those who came before me and spent time "helping thinkers to believe and believers to think." I believe Dr. Ravi flew into Glory with a winged beaming light and praise from Christ while wanting to have done more for people here. Praise God for Dr. Ravi Zacharias; his memory will be for a blessing to all of us.
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