January 13

A helpful guide to the effective use of biblical evidence is the Emmaus Study Course, Ready to Give an Answer by David Reid. He writes: “God asks us to defend and confirm the gospel (Phil 1:17). When the apostle Paul wrote, ‘I am appointed for the defense of the gospel’ (Phil 1:17), he was a prisoner in Rome, where most of the people were hostile to Christianity. God had placed him in that situation to defend and confirm the gospel in pagan Rome. Jude urged Christians to ‘contend earnestly for the faith’ (Jude 3) and Titus was told to refute the arguments of those who opposed his message (Titus 1:9). God expects all Christians to be able to defend and confirm the message of the Bible. In fact, He commands us to be ready and able to give answers! ‘Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you’ (1 Pet 3:15), and ‘redeeming the time [make the most of every opportunity]…know how you ought to answer each one’ (Col 4:5-6).”