By Mitch Chase

Christians can't reason unbelievers into faith in Jesus. There is no argument, no perfect set of syllogisms, which conquers the ultimate barrier in the sinner's heart: depravity - the reality that sin affects our whole being and all its capacities. In Romans 1 Paul describes how sin affects our mental faculties: sinners have futile thinking (1:21) and a depraved mind (1:28).  To put it another way, the Fall of Man affected our ability to reason in an unhindered pursuit of truth. Now sin hinders reasoning and understanding.  Natural man doesn't think clearly about spiritual matters.

A closer look at Romans 1 provides sufficient evidence of impaired reasoning: sinners suppress truth by their wickedness (1:18), they are fools while claiming to be wise (1:22), they exchange the glory of the immortal God for idols (1:23), and they exchange the truth of God for lies (1:25).  Foolishness, not wisdom, is in the heart of sinful man.

Consider the words of the Psalmist: "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God'" (Ps 14:1a).  And look at the reaction of sinners to the gospel: "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing...We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles" (1 Cor 1:18a, 23).

Given these biblical truths, it might seem like a waste of time to try persuading unbelievers about Jesus.  But saying you can't reason an unbeliever into faith in Jesus is not the same as saying reason has no place at all in evangelism. Reason has a role to play, though it's more of a supporting role than a lead part.  Nonetheless, reason and persuasion are key components of evangelism. They are means that God uses in the process.

The book of Acts contains multiple examples of witnesses reasoning with their listeners.  In Acts 2, Peter reasoned with the Jerusalem crowd by arguing that the death and resurrection of Jesus were part of God's fixed plan and fulfilled the prophecies of Scripture.  In Acts 8, Philip sought to persuade the Ethiopian eunuch that Jesus fulfilled Isaiah 53.  In Acts 13, people invited Paul to speak a second time at their synagogue in order to listen to his case that God had fulfilled His promises to Israel by sending Jesus.  In Acts 17, Paul went into the Thessalonian synagogue and for three weeks reasoned from the Scriptures with them.  In Acts 18, Paul reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, trying to persuade the Jews about Jesus.

Perhaps the best example of persuasion in the book of Acts is the narrative of Paul's appearance before King Agrippa.  In Acts 26:1-23, Paul recounts his preconversion zeal for Judaism (26:2-11), his conversion on the road to Damascus (26:12-15), his commission to be Christ's witness to Jews and Gentiles (26:16-18), and his obedience to this commission (26:19-23).

Before Paul is interrupted, he claims that Scripture foretold the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ (Acts 26:22b-23).  Festus cannot bear to listen to anymore of this madness.  "You are out of your mind!" he shouts at Paul (Acts 26:24).  Talk of Jesus' bodily resurrection sounds crazy to the governor and to many people in our day also. Despite Festus' interruption, Paul asks King Agrippa whether he believes the prophets.  King Agrippa realizes what Paul is doing. Paul is trying to persuade him to believe in Jesus, the one whom God sent to fulfill the prophets. He asks Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" (Acts 26:28).

But Paul knew the limits of persuasion on depraved hearts. He told King Agrippa, "I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am" (Acts 26:29). Paul wanted all the people listening to his speech (Acts 25:23) to know the truth about Jesus and respond with repentance and faith.  But believers do not have hands that can reach into the souls of the unsaved and create spiritual affections for God. Though Paul was persuading King Agrippa, he was not depending on persuasion alone.  He was praying, for God must open the eyes of the spiritually blind.  It is God's power, not man's persuasion, which is decisive.

So reason has a role in evangelism, just not an ultimate one.  It may be helpful for a believer to offer answers to an unbeliever's questions, but satisfying intellectual curiosities is not equivalent to stirring repentance and faith. Sometimes it becomes evident that intellectual objections to Christianity are really smokescreens to conceal selfishness and moral independence from God.  People who don't want to worship the God who made them will cling to intellectual arguments that reinforce their resistance.

Believers, though, can benefit greatly from apologetics.  The Lord can use arguments for the veracity and trustworthiness of Christian beliefs to strengthen the faith of believers.  I have felt blessed to hear sound arguments for the Bible's reliability and the resurrection's historicity.  Believers who have questions or who struggle with doubts may breathe sighs of relief to hear strong arguments for Christianity.

Dialogue with unbelievers, though, should not be primarily argument and defense oriented.  Rather, believers should make sure that they explain the gospel to those with questions about Christianity. Yes, I know that unbelievers view the gospel as foolishness, but God delights in saving the lost through the foolishness of what is preached (1 Cor 1:21).  While unbelievers think the gospel is foolish, "the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom" (1 Cor 1:25a).  And while presenting the gospel may seem like a weak method of persuasion, "the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength" (1 Cor 1:25b).  Don't underestimate the gospel, for "it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Rom 1:16).

Mitch Chase has pastored the First Baptist Church of Santo, Texas, for four years.  He is now a student in the PhD program at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.  He has been married to Stacie for five years, and they have one son, Jensen.