The discipline of apologetics is one of academic rigor and intellectual depth.[i] Often, individuals who find themselves immersed in the study of apologetics, and even attempting to strengthen their apologetic arguments, be they classical or presuppositional, will appeal to intellectual arguments.[ii] This is rational, of course, and in line with the Christian worldview. Further, all individuals involved in the biblical application of apologetics agree that manipulating emotions or any coercive ploys are unacceptable in defending the Christian faith.

For good reasons, apologists study effective argumentation, inductive arguments, deductive arguments, and persuasion when learning the discipline of apologetics.[iii] However, in the rigorous advancement of apologetic training, Christians must remember that the Christian worldview affirms spiritual and supernatural realities.[iv] Christians do not believe that arguments and logic are the foundational means by which someone comes to salvation. Likewise, even those with different positions on the doctrine of salvation and election, and those with various orthodox views of God’s sovereignty in salvation, recognize that human beings do not come to faith in Christ because of a valid and sound intellectual argument alone.

While Christians “take every thought captive to obey Christ” and “destroy arguments” (2 Corinthians 10:5),[v] they are not called to just intellectual combat.[vi] Paul contends that the forces Christians oppose are “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). So, for one to look at apologetics as merely an intellectual endeavor or task is to fail to account for the reality that Christians serve a transcendent God who works out salvation in a supernatural way.[vii] Because of the spiritual and supernatural presuppositions of the Christian worldview, apologists should consider the role of the Holy Spirit in defense of the Christian faith. In engaging this concept, we will examine six critical components of the Holy Spirit’s role in apologetics.

The Holy Spirit Empowers

Christians recognize that when preaching the gospel, it is not eloquence, argumentation, or persuasiveness that allows one to present the gospel clearly (Matthew 10:19-20; Luke 21:14-15; John 14:26). From the Christian worldview, it is the Holy Spirit empowers one for service (Numbers 27:18; Deuteronomy 34:9).[viii] As John Frame notes, “the spirit gives fresh power for ministry.”[ix] The very fact that one desires to defend and proclaim the gospel is only a result of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:15-17). Therefore, the foundation of apologetics is the reality that God’s Spirit moves in the lives of God’s people. Because of the movement of God’s Spirit, those who are not God’s people come to salvation.

Apologetics is more than just winning arguments. Apologetics is being empowered by the Holy Spirit to put forth a defense logically, theologically, and supernaturally, a cohesive life and worldview that demonstrates the only logical and consistent explanation for how the world truly is the biblical explanation of reality.[x] It is not because a person is so intelligent that they arrive at this position either; that mentality directly contradicts the gospel. God’s word teaches that a person comes to salvation not because of anything he or she has done, but because of what God has done. Therefore, a person who comes to salvation can only declare salvation because Christ has given salvation. The Holy Spirit gives one the understanding to make the arguments that answer any opposition to the Christian worldview.

The Holy Spirit Convicts a Person of Sin

A fundamental presupposition of a Christian is that since believers deal with spiritual realities and not physical realities, it is only a spiritual and supernatural agent that allows a person to feel a moral conviction about sin. In other words, since the Christian worldview affirms spiritual realities and ethical actions, and standards are spiritual and immaterial things, a Christian’s point of contact with non-believers is based on the Holy Spirit—a spiritual being who instills moral conviction. This is consistent with what Jesus Christ said in John 16:8-11, where He promises that the Holy Spirit will convict people of unrighteousness. Here, Christ clarifies that the Holy Spirit actively convicts all humanity of sin. Moral absolutes result from the fact that human beings live in the God of the Bible’s universe, and God has made moral standards clear in the hearts of even fallen men.

Therefore, the Holy Spirit’s role within the apologetic proclamation is that God’s Spirit convicts a lost individual of contradictory, immoral, and wicked behavior that the individual knows is fundamentally wrong because all men are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). The Holy Spirit allows these things to be understood in the non-believer. This is just as Christ has promised. A non-believer sees the need to repent of sin as not based on human effort or will, but on the work of God’s Spirit in an apologetics presentation (Romans 9:16).

The Holy Spirit Opens a Person’s Eyes

Defending the Christian faith against doubters who are non-believers is not the sole purpose of Christian Apologetics.[xi] Unfortunately, apologetics has sometimes been viewed as merely knocking down the unbeliever’s arguments against the Christian faith. Yet, when the Holy Spirit opens a person’s eyes to the need for a Savior, the Holy Spirit’s role in a person’s life apologetically has just begun. In other words, the very fact that one can develop a cohesive defense of the Christian worldview and grow in that faith is because of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit initially opened a person’s eyes to the rationality of the Christian worldview and continues to secure the believer in God’s truth.

Apologetically, the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of the unregenerate and changes a person by His grace, from dead in sin, to living in the newness of life. The Holy Spirit works in apologetics to strengthen Christians, opening their eyes to understand more of the truth of the gospel. This act of opening a believer’s eyes to the need for more of God’s grace is also a work of the Holy Spirit. Because of the Holy Spirit’s work, any believer can construct a rational defense of the Christian worldview and present it to others. Therefore, the Holy Spirit not only opens the eyes of the unregenerate, but also continues to open the eyes of believers to see more of the truth of the Christian position.

The Holy Spirit Puts a Burning in the Heart

In Luke’s Gospel, on the road to Emmaus, the risen Jesus starts a conversation with two men after His crucifixion (Luke 24:13-35). The two men are not aware that it is Jesus Christ that they are speaking to. As Jesus talks with the two men, they later recount to each other “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32). Of course, this is after their eyes have been opened to the fact that it is Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit works in the same way. Many who begin to dip their toes in apologetics get more excited as they read more of the rational defense of the Christian faith. Many young and aspiring apologists fall into the rabbit holes of authors and theologians as they begin to uncover the incredible nature of who God is and how the truth of God is evident in so many things. It is the Holy Spirit that causes one to desire to want to know more about the Lord and even about His World. The Holy Spirit starts and fuels the fire of apologetics inquiry, placing a burning desire in the life of a believer to learn more about the rational defense of the Christian worldview.

The Holy Spirit Breathes New Life into a Dead Heart

Although the topic of breathing new life into the heart of a dead sinner has been partially covered in previous points, it remains a crucial reality that an apologist must continuously reflect upon and prioritize. As R.C. Sproul notes:

We are dead on arrival spiritually—not just weak, ailing, critically ill, or comatose. There is no spiritual heartbeat, no spiritual breathing, no spiritual brain-wave activity. We are spiritually stillborn, and so we remain—unless God the Holy Spirit makes us alive.[xii]

The critical role of the Holy Spirit in apologetics is that it is the Holy Spirit that makes one alive. Since effectiveness in apologetics is not measured in numerical results but in faithfulness, an apologist needs to realize that no matter how persuasive, winsome, coherent, rational, or logical the defense of the gospel is, it is the Holy Spirit who breathes new life into a dead heart, not arguments. Reflecting on the truth that the Holy Spirit breathes new life, and not cogent and potent arguments winsomely and persuasively put forward, lets the apologist know he is always successful. God’s Spirit and Word raised the dead to new life.

Since the Holy Spirit is ultimately responsible for breathing new life into an unbeliever, a rational defense of the Christian worldview and faith never fails. Speaking light into darkness is a work of the Holy Spirit that glorifies God. Ultimately, the Holy Spirit’s role in any apologetic encounter is to bring about the glory of God in either causing a heart to be transformed to salvation or hardened toward the gospel, bringing about righteous condemnation. The role of the Holy Spirit in apologetics is to save or to condemn, working out God’s perfect plan.

The Holy Spirit Gives Understanding

Finally, the role of the Holy Spirit in apologetics is to provide understanding. Scripture clarifies that a person’s understanding of God is only a result of God’s Spirit working in a person. Not only does that impact the apologist defending the faith, but it also affects the person the apologist has spoken to or is speaking to. If a person hears, understands, and responds to the gospel defense or presentation, the apologist can give credit to God. When a person responds in repentance and faith, it is not because the apologist is so great. It is because God’s Spirit is so great.

Wherever one falls in the lines of soteriology (doctrine of salvation), all agree that salvation is a work of God by the Spirit of God. Any rational understanding a lost sinner receives in the process of coming to new life is not because of man, but because the Holy Spirit gave understanding. God gave a sinner spiritual insight and knowledge that led to a new life in His divine providence.

Conclusion

The role of the Holy Spirit in apologetics is much like the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation.[xiii] Still, Christian apologists must work diligently to develop rational arguments.[xiv] They must develop as persuasive speakers and writers for God’s glory. They must continually advance the Church’s understanding of the archaeological, historical, philosophical, and theological realities and seek to defend the Christian worldview.[xv] God claims dominion over every facet of creation and society.[xvi] Apologists must proclaim this because they are called to by God’s Word directly. Apologetics is not a task that only a few elite Christians are called to participate in.[xvii] Apologetics is not a task that is to be isolated to the ivory towers of academia.

While the development of persuasive arguments, understanding of philosophy and theology are incredibly relevant in apologetics and apologetic encounters, and while classical arguments for the existence of God, archaeological and evidential arguments for the God of the Bible are essential, the apologist must never forget the role and power of the Holy Spirit in apologetics.

Failure to acknowledge the Spirit of God’s role in defending the faith causes one to think too highly of one’s role in bringing lost individuals to salvation; it creates a false understanding of how God functions in His world. The knowledge of the Holy Spirit and His role in applying apologetics is a concept Christians must prayerfully reflect on. Additionally, considering the role of the Holy Spirit in apologetics reminds Christian apologists that success in proclaiming God’s Kingdom is not dependent upon them. No, believers have an Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who not only opens the eyes of believers and unbelievers but gives a new heart to repentant sinners; that same Spirit will guard all believers into eternity.

References:

[i] Phil Fernandes, The Fernandes Guide to Apologetic Methods (Ottawa: True Freedom Press, 2024), 24-27.

[ii] H. Wayne House and Joseph M. Holden, Charts of Apologetics and Christian Evidences (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), 23-24.

[iii] Phil Fernandes, The Fernandes Guide to Apologetic Methods (Ottawa: True Freedom Press, 2024); Rob Phillips, The Apologist’s Tool Kit 3^rd ed. (Jefferson City: Missouri Baptist Convention, 2016); Josh McDowell The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict: Evidence I & II Fully Updated in One Volume To Answer Questions Challenging Christians in the 21^st Century (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999).

[iv] James W. Sire, The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog 5^th ed. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press 2009), Kindle Location 299-670.

[v] All Scripture taken from the English Standard Bible unless otherwise noted (Crossway, Copyright 2016).

[vi] Jason Crowder, Philosophy, Who Needs It? A Layman’s Introduction to Philosophy (Eugene: WIPF & Stock, 2015), 10.

[vii] David Guy Van Bebber, “A Total Worldview System: Thinking Biblically on the Apologist’s Task.” (Conference Presentation, International Society of Christian Apologetics, San Diego, CA, April 5-6, 2024).

[viii] Millard Erickson, Christian Theology 3^rd ed.  (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013), 795.

[ix] John M. Frame, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief (Phillipsburg: P & R Publishing, 2013), 927.

[x] Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey, How Now Shall We Live? (Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1999), 27-40.

[xi] Rob Phillips, The Apologist’s Tool Kit 3^rd ed. (Jefferson City: Missouri Baptist Convention, 2016), 15-19.

[xii] R.C. Sproul, Who Is the Holy Spirit? Crucial Questions Series Book 13 (Sanford: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2012), Kindle Location 171.

[xiii] Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, 3^rd ed.  (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013), 794.

[xiv] Greg L. Bahnseh, Against All Opposition: Defending the Christian Worldview (Powder Springs: American Vision, 2020), 87.

[xv] Cornelius Van Til, Christian Theistic Evidences, 2^nd ed., ed K. Scott Oliphint, (Phillipsburg: P & R Publishing, 2016).

[xvi] Gary North, The Dominion Covenant: Genesis—An Economic Commentary on the Bible Vol. 1 (Tyler: Institute for Christian Economics, 1987).

[xvii] David Guy Van Bebber, “A Total Worldview System: Thinking Biblically on the Apologist’s Task.” (Conference Presentation, International Society of Christian Apologetics, San Diego, CA, April 5-6, 2024).