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The Bible calls Christians to defend the faith. We are to be ready always to give an answer for the reason of the hope that is in us. But when Satan comes to destroy your faith, how secure are you? If you think you are strong enough to withstand the enemy, I have news: the Kingdom of Heaven is looking for people who will help others do the same.
When we think about defending the faith we tend to think only about our own faith. But the faith we defend is also the faith of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We do not stand alone. It’s time to suit up and get to work.
The Great Commission
The call to action is clear:
Matthew 28:19
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mark 16:15
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
These passages — the Great Commission — show that Christians are not called to a life of complacency. We are commanded to be active in the world, sharing the good news. That doesn’t always mean traveling overseas. Often it means faithfully living and speaking the gospel in your sphere of influence: the people you see every day.
This commission isn’t just for your pastor or evangelists. It is for every child of God:
Matthew 5:14-16
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Philippians 2:13-16
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
Paul reminds us why this matters:
Romans 10:13-15
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
If you are a Christian, you have been sent — whether to another nation or to your neighborhood, workplace, or family.
How to Prepare — Put On the Armor
No soldier goes into battle without training.
Ephesians 6:11-17
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Preparation is the first step in sharing the gospel. You are headed into a world that crucified its Savior. The resistance you meet will not always come from people who are intentionally hostile. Remember: people are not the enemy — the enemy is spiritual.
Your real enemy is not flesh and blood but principalities, powers—the rulers of the darkness of this world—and spiritual wickedness in high places. The enemy does not fight you directly; it uses the people around you as instruments in a proxy war. Remember: those people are, in a sense, hostages.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Our weapons are spiritual, not carnal. They include truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. Use these to cast down the thoughts and strongholds that keep hearts from Jesus.
What Defending the Faith Looks Like in Practice
Defending the faith is persuasion, not victory in argument:
2 Corinthians 5:11
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
You will not always see immediate results. Often you plant seeds that grow slowly. Fight your battles by valuing truth and honesty. If you don’t know an answer, say so — and look it up. Pretending to know when you don’t only damages your witness.
Remember: people judge Christianity as much by how we live as by what we say. Walk in righteousness. Practice what you preach. Your goal is not to win arguments but to help the lost find their way to Christ. When you pursue that with humility and love, peace follows — and others see it.
Faith keeps us going. By faith we accept our work will not be in vain and trust God even without all the answers. You have salvation—no matter how badly you fail, you will not perish if you keep your helmet on. Know the Word of God; the Devil knows it too and will try to use it against you.
What to Avoid When Sharing the Gospel
Not every battle is worth the fight. Paul warned Timothy to avoid certain traps:
1 Timothy 6:20
20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
Three things to watch for:
Profane babblings — mockery or outright disrespect toward what is sacred. When someone only intends to mock, there’s little to gain by engaging.
Vain babblings — endless, aimless debate that never moves toward truth. Some people ask question after question not to learn, but to distract.
Oppositions of “science falsely so called” — false “facts” or theories presented as decisive truth. Not every claim dressed in scientific language is true.
Here is a good rule to live by in these cases: “Let God be true, but every man a liar.” This comes from my favorite verse, Romans 3:4. It has served me well and will help you defend your faith.
Instead of questioning God, I first direct my questions and doubts toward what men say: are their scientific “facts” really true? Are their methods valid? Are there other possibilities? Am I misunderstanding something? Are they?
Doing this has helped me uncover many errors in what people falsely call science.
None of these things are productive. Engaging an irate person who only babbles profane slogans until you’re both blue in the face wastes your time. Accepting claims as scientific “fact” can be destructive if those claims are false. And speculative philosophy will leave you living in a dream world if you let it.
Dealing with every branch of objection is exhausting and often fruitless. Instead, focus on the root.
Get to the Root — Not the Branches
Think of objections as branches that hide the trunk of a tree. People often present questions or “facts” that are not the real issue. If you try to knock down every branch, you will never get to the root. Follow the branch back to the root.
Example: If someone objects that Jesus could be born without a human father, you can answer the objection or get to the root by asking your own question: “Why does that seem impossible to you?” Their reply will usually reveal the real objection — fear of the unknown, a need for control, pride, or maybe a hurt heart — and that’s where gospel conversations bear fruit.
Mark 11:28-33
28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? 29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. 31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? 32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. 33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Jesus modeled this. When asked about authority, He exposed the heart of the question rather than getting trapped in petty debate. He called out willful ignorance and refused to be baited.
Fight the Good Fight — Keep the Faith
Your first goal should always be getting closer to God. Grow in His Word. Regular Bible study anchors you so the devil can’t twist truth.
Ask for wisdom to spot the traps of the enemy. Remember that your enemy is not the person, it is the spirit behind the darkness. Your goal isn’t to defeat the person, it is to save them.
Learn to listen. Ask questions to find the root of someone’s unbelief. Don’t just pay attention to what is on the surface.
Be honest. If you don’t know, say so — then research and follow up.
Your life should point to Jesus. So you need to be a reflection of Him.
Put on the armor, know the Word, value truth, avoid wasted debates, and go for the root. The Kingdom of Heaven is looking for disciples who will be ready to stand in the evil day and ready to lead others to safety.
Unit 3 Complete. Return To Course Home To Begin Unit 4 – The Baptism of the Holy Spirit OR
Return To Christianity 101 Unit 3 To Review What You Have Gone Over