The more I consider this apologetic argument the less I like it.
Why? People have died for lies throughout history. The Germans died for the Nazis. Many have died for Communism. There are other examples.
If we die for Christ, it is because we believe He is the way, the truth and the life.
> “The Germans died for the Nazis. Many have died for Communism.”
Not a good comparison. Those groups were controlled by guns, by ideology backed by guns.
The original Apostles were in fear for their lives and were depressed because His death had dashed their hopes that He was the Messiah. It was only when He appeared to them and imparted the Holy Spirit that they became emboldened and willing to sacrifice their lives without any Earthly force compelling them to do so. And they did so without taking up the sword. This account makes their story distinctive. Nothing like it has ever existed in history.
But Nazi’s believed those lies - doesn’t mean they KNEW they were lies.
Big difference.
Millions (billions?) have died for lies that they believed were true. But hardly anybody, if anybody, would willingly die for a lie that they knew was an outright lie.