I appreciate that you pointed out Dr. Lloyd-Jones' differing definition of apologetics. We might also consider his conception of revival as well. In his mind, the only ones who can be "revived" are those who are actually alive in the first place. In our day, we tend to conflate revival with evangelism, an enterprise in which apologetics can indeed play a significant role.
Here is his description in "Revival: An Historical and Theological Survey."
"[Revival] is an experience in the life of the church when the Holy Spirit does an unusual work....[It] is first of all an enlivening and quickening and awakening of lethargic, sleeping, almost moribund church members. Suddenly the power of the Spirit comes upon them and they are brought into a new and more profound awareness of the truths that they had previously held intellectually, and perhaps at a deeper level too. They are humbled, they are convicted of sin, they are terrified at themselves. Many of them feel they have never been Christians. And then they come to see the great salvation of God in all its glory and to feel its power."
He goes on to explain how this transforms their prayer lives, as well as the preaching of their ministers, resulting in the conversion of masses of people.
Wonderful and inspirational essay. I also yearn for revival, and believe that it is a God driven, spiritual, and unpredictable event. I also think that even when signs of possible revival are present, apologetics plays the required role of suppressing individual and group resistance to joining in. This is especially true of science. We keep hearing (or at least I do) of people saying "I love the Christian message, I would love to return to worship, but science makes me doubt". The truth is that this is false, there is nothing in science that should cause hesitation in coming back to Jesus, nothing that should hinder revival. When mainstream scientists are finding and publishing astonishing evidence for the harmony between biblical and scientific truths, when books by scientists of faith present the arguments for belief, many of these roadblocks to revival are torn down, and the natural drive to be one with the Lord is unimpeded. We can only pray: Let it be so.
I appreciate that you pointed out Dr. Lloyd-Jones' differing definition of apologetics. We might also consider his conception of revival as well. In his mind, the only ones who can be "revived" are those who are actually alive in the first place. In our day, we tend to conflate revival with evangelism, an enterprise in which apologetics can indeed play a significant role.
Here is his description in "Revival: An Historical and Theological Survey."
"[Revival] is an experience in the life of the church when the Holy Spirit does an unusual work....[It] is first of all an enlivening and quickening and awakening of lethargic, sleeping, almost moribund church members. Suddenly the power of the Spirit comes upon them and they are brought into a new and more profound awareness of the truths that they had previously held intellectually, and perhaps at a deeper level too. They are humbled, they are convicted of sin, they are terrified at themselves. Many of them feel they have never been Christians. And then they come to see the great salvation of God in all its glory and to feel its power."
He goes on to explain how this transforms their prayer lives, as well as the preaching of their ministers, resulting in the conversion of masses of people.
Wonderful and inspirational essay. I also yearn for revival, and believe that it is a God driven, spiritual, and unpredictable event. I also think that even when signs of possible revival are present, apologetics plays the required role of suppressing individual and group resistance to joining in. This is especially true of science. We keep hearing (or at least I do) of people saying "I love the Christian message, I would love to return to worship, but science makes me doubt". The truth is that this is false, there is nothing in science that should cause hesitation in coming back to Jesus, nothing that should hinder revival. When mainstream scientists are finding and publishing astonishing evidence for the harmony between biblical and scientific truths, when books by scientists of faith present the arguments for belief, many of these roadblocks to revival are torn down, and the natural drive to be one with the Lord is unimpeded. We can only pray: Let it be so.
Good post! We need more Biblical Worldview, all the other worldviews have failed us.