Bavinck on Apologetics

No argument, proof, or evidence, no matter how compelling to the mind of the believer, can by itself convince a person of the truth of the Christian faith. Only the Spirit of God can engender faith in the human heart. That much is sure. But, one apologetic appeal that I believe can be useful is the perfect sense Christianity makes of the world, and our experience in it. That is not to say Christians have all the answers (indeed, believing in Christ raises all sorts of new and unanswerable questions), but only Christianity provides the comprehensive worldview that comports with all the facts of life.

I came across this quote from Herman Bavinck's Prolegomena that says it well. He's speaking of the benefits of apologetics:

Secondly, it (apologetics) teaches that Christians, even though they cannot confer faith on anyone, need not hide from their opponents in embarrassed silence. With their faith they do not stand as isolated aliens in the midst of the world but find support for it in nature and history, in science and art, in society and state, in the heart and conscience of every human being. The Christian worldview alone is one that fits the reality of the world and of life. (pg. 515)

I thought this was a good reminder that the truth of Christianity is never totally foreign; at some point the truth must resonate with every person because it describes how things really are.