Apologetics comes from the Greek word apologia, which means to give a defense. Apologetics defends Christianity from attack. The field of apologetics gives a defense of the Christian faith, both from attacks that originate externally and internally.
As Norman Geisler has said, we should do apologetics because the Bible commands it, reason demands it, and because the world needs it.
The bible commands it:
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1 Peter 3:15: tells us to always be ready to give every man an answer (apologia), a reason for the hope that is within us.
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2 Timothy 2:25: correcting those who are in opposition
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Jude 3: earnestly contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.
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Col. 4:6: you will know how you should answer each one.
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Phil. 1:16: I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
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Titus 1:9: A leader is to be able to “to exhort and convict those who contradict.”
Reason demands it:
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God created us as reasonable beings.
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It is by reason that we are separated from brute beasts.
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God calls his people to use reason (Isa. 1:18)
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We are to discern truth from error and evil from good.
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No one can avoid using logic and reason to some extent. Any explanation of how we should avoid using logic and reason is a logical, reasonable explanation.
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No reasonable person will believe without evidence. Christianity gives us a long series of evidences and asks us to take the next step of faith.
The world needs it:
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People are perishing all around us for lack of answers to questions about how their lives can have meaning.
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In our modern day, more and more people have questions for which they want answers.
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