What Is Apologetics and Why Does Truth Matter?

Apologetics. It’s kind of a funny word, don’t you think? At first glance, it almost looks like the word apology—as if Christians are supposed to say “sorry” for what they believe. In reality, the meaning is quite the opposite. The word comes from the Greek term apologia, which means “a reasoned defense.” In the ancient world, this word was often used in legal contexts to describe the case a defendant would make in court.

The Apostle Peter gives us a distinctly Christian framing of this word. In 1 Peter 3:15–16, he writes, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense (apologia) to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (ESV).

From this passage, we see that apologetics is not about “winning arguments” or showing off intellectual superiority. Rather, it is about offering a reasoned defense of the Christian faith in a way that reflects the heart of Christ—marked by gentleness, respect, and integrity. Properly understood, apologetics serves two main purposes. First, it strengthens the faith of believers, enabling them to stand firm and grow in confidence that what they believe is true. Second, it aids in evangelism by equipping Christians to answer questions, remove obstacles, and point non-believers toward Jesus with clarity and humility.

Within this broad purpose, apologetics typically operates in two modes. The first is called defensive apologetics (sometimes called “negative apologetics”), which addresses objections to the Christian faith—for example, the problem of evil, the coherence of the Trinity, or the reliability of Scripture. The second is called positive apologetics (or “offensive apologetics”), which provides reasons for believing Christianity is true—for instance, arguments for God’s existence, evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, or demonstrations of the coherence of the Christian worldview. Both approaches reflect Peter’s exhortation: a defense rooted in truth but carried out with gentleness and respect.

But all apologetics rests on a foundational question: Does truth exist? If truth does not exist, or if it is unknowable, then reasoned defense collapses and the Christian hope is left without foundation. For this reason, we must begin here. In this article, we will walk through four major claims: (1) truth exists and we can know it, (2) truth is necessary for life, morality, and meaning, (3) truth is ultimately grounded in God, and (4) Christianity explains reality best. Here is our guiding idea: Truth exists, truth matters, and truth points us to God.

1. Truth Exists

The claim that truth exists may sound obvious, but in our culture it is increasingly denied or redefined. Many are taught that “truth” is personal (“my truth” versus “your truth”) or relative (“true for me, but not for you”). Yet Scripture affirms, “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever” (Ps. 119:160, ESV).

Philosophically, truth has long been understood as that which corresponds to reality. Aristotle put it simply: “To say of what is that it is not, or of what is not that it is, is false, while to say of what is that it is, and of what is not that it is not, is true.”¹ Norman Geisler modernized this in apologetic terms: “Truth is that which corresponds to reality.”² If you say, “The grass is green,” that statement is true if and only if the grass really is green.

Truth is not determined by feelings or preferences. I may sincerely believe that two plus two equals five, but no amount of sincerity will make that belief true. Similarly, if a person jumps off a building believing he can fly, reality will not bend to accommodate his belief. As Francis Schaeffer observed, “Biblical Christianity rests squarely upon the existence of an infinite-personal God, and upon that God’s having created the heavens and the earth. This being so, Christianity is not just a series of truths but Truth—truth about all of reality.”³

To deny truth is to cut off the very branch one sits on. Even the statement “truth does not exist” claims to be a true statement. As such, it is self-defeating.

2. Truth Is Necessary for Life

Once we recognize that truth exists, the next step is to see why truth matters. Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (ESV). Truth matters because without it, life itself begins to unravel.

C. S. Lewis noted, “A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.”⁴ The point is clear: the very concepts of right and wrong, justice and injustice, presuppose a standard of truth. If there is no truth, then morality collapses into mere preference. Consider a few examples:

• Science depends on truth. If gravity were not real, engineers could not build bridges and planes could not fly. Scientific progress assumes that reality is knowable and consistent.

• Medicine requires truth. When you receive a diagnosis, you expect it to correspond to what is actually happening in your body. Imagine a doctor saying, “Here is your truth about your condition, and here is mine—pick whichever you like.” Chaos would follow.

• Relationships depend on truth. Friendships collapse if built on lies. Trust is only possible where truth is real.

• Morality requires truth. Every time someone says, “That’s not fair!” they appeal to an objective standard that goes beyond individual preference.

Lewis once again summarized this well: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”⁵ Truth functions as light. Without it, we cannot make sense of science, morality, or even daily life.

3. Truth Must Be Grounded in God

If truth exists and is necessary, we must then ask: where does truth come from? Jesus declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, ESV). Truth is not only an abstract principle; it is rooted in the very character of God.

The philosopher Alvin Plantinga has argued that if humans are purely the result of blind evolutionary processes, then our cognitive faculties are aimed primarily at survival, not necessarily at truth.⁶ Evolution might favor beliefs that help us survive, even if those beliefs are false. For example, if early humans always ran away from a rustling in the grass because they believed it was a lion—even when it was just the wind—that belief aided survival, whether it was true or not. But if this is the case, why should we trust our minds to reliably deliver truth about reality in mathematics, science, or philosophy?

The fact that humans can access truths beyond mere survival—such as 2+2=4, or that the Earth orbits the Sun—suggests that our minds are oriented toward truth itself. This points to a stable, dependable source for truth beyond human evolution: the eternal and rational God who created us in His image.

Francis Schaeffer argued that without this grounding, all human thought descends into despair or irrationality: “If man begins with himself, turns inward, and tries to find truth inside of himself, he cannot reach truth. The only adequate basis for truth is that which is given by revelation.”⁷

Thus, truth exists, and it must be grounded in the God who is eternal, unchanging, and personal.

4. Christianity Explains Reality Best

If truth exists, is necessary, and is grounded in God, then we must ask: which worldview best explains reality? The Apostle Paul tells us that “by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:16–17, ESV).

Every worldview must answer four fundamental questions: Origin (Where did we come from?), Meaning (Why are we here?), Morality (How should we live?), and Destiny (Where are we going?). Secular relativism, the dominant cultural narrative for many youth today, gives shifting or incomplete answers:

• Origin – We are cosmic accidents, products of chance and necessity.

• Meaning – Purpose is self-created: popularity, pleasure, or success.

• Morality – Right and wrong are relative, decided by individuals or cultures.

• Destiny – Death is the end; nothing lasts beyond the grave.

Christianity, by contrast, provides coherent and life-giving answers:

• Origin – We are created by God in His image, not accidents but intentional beings (Gen. 1:27).

• Meaning – Our purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever (Isa. 43:7; 1 Cor. 10:31).

• Morality – God’s character provides an unchanging standard of right and wrong (Mic. 6:8; Rom. 2:15).

• Destiny – Eternal life with God through Christ, or separation from Him (John 3:16–18).

Where secular relativism fragments and contradicts itself, Christianity explains reality in a way that is coherent, consistent, and deeply satisfying.

Conclusion: Why Truth Matters

We have walked through some big questions: Does truth exist? Why does it matter? Where does it come from? And which worldview explains reality best? The answers point us in one direction:

• Truth Exists – Reality is real, knowable, and objective.

• Truth Is Necessary – Life, science, morality, and relationships depend on it.

• Truth Is Grounded in God – Our ability to know truth flows from the God who is Truth.

• Christianity Explains Reality Best – It answers the deepest questions of origin, meaning, morality, and destiny in a way that is coherent and compelling.

The world may deny or distort truth, but Scripture, reason, and experience converge on this reality: God is the source of all truth. As Jesus declared, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32, ESV).

Truth exists. Truth matters. And truth points us to God.

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Bibliography

Aristotle. Metaphysics. Translated by W. D. Ross. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, 1952.

Geisler, Norman L. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999.

Geisler, Norman L., and Frank Turek. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. Wheaton: Crossway, 2004.

Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity. New York: HarperOne, 2001. (Originally published 1952.)

Lewis, C. S. The Abolition of Man. New York: HarperCollins, 2001. (Originally published 1943.)

Plantinga, Alvin. Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.

Plantinga, Alvin. Knowledge and Christian Belief. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.

Schaeffer, Francis A. The God Who Is There. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1968.

Schaeffer, Francis A. Escape from Reason. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1968.