“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:16-18 NLT)
Have you ever had someone ask you a really tough question related to your belief in Jesus, and rather than admitting you didn’t have an answer, you became defensive and refused to continue the discussion. One of the positive things I’ve learned when someone asks me a question to which I don’t have an answer, is to admit I don’t know, but preserve the relationship by saying something like: “You’ve raised an interesting perspective on this (verse, subject, idea) I’d very much like to speak with you further about this, but would you give me a few days to do some research and study and I’ll get back with you?”
There’s no shame in not knowing (or forgetting 😊), but it is a shame to lose touch with the person who’s asking. Often, they don’t even believe or know for sure that what they’re saying is true or reliable, but if you shut them down without an answer, they have to assume it’s right.
Our security needs to grow out of what we can verify is true. I know the Bible is true, that God is alive and loves me, that my salvation is secure in a risen Savior, not because of my research alone, but because I have conversations with my risen Savior every day. “But that’s just your opinion” someone may say, and, in fact, it is. But it’s an opinion based on thousands of hours of research, not only by me, but by those whose words I read who are a lot smarter than me.
One of my convictions is, I don’t negate the results of someone’s study who is smarter than me, regardless of their point of view. If I don’t agree with them, I want to prove them wrong, not simply dismiss what they say without really knowing if it’s true or not. That’s how I want someone to treat my words: “prove me wrong!” I sometimes say to someone who is a skeptic.
Understand, however, that there comes a point in a person’s life they have pushed God away for so long their lies begin to sound to them like truth and we’ll never convince them otherwise. Even God’s Spirit can no longer break through the barriers they’ve erected in their heart and mind.
Sam Allberry wrote: “A sign of the security of your beliefs is that you welcome hard questions and scrutiny; a sign of their insecurity is when you shut down and censor discussion.” For me, personally, I tend to dismiss someone’s quick and pat responses. Rather than give something I’m saying a thoughtful response, they dismiss it as below them or treat it as elementary and not worthy of consideration.
There are too many brilliant scholars who have done collectively thousands of hours of Biblical research and drawn conclusions based, not only on research and scholarship, but personal life experience, for me to dismiss what they say and/or have experienced as a person of God. Having followed the Lord for more than six decades I declare with Job: “I know my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last.” (Psalm 19:25)
Sometimes it just boils down to what hill you’re willing to die on. I’m convinced in my own heart and mind that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be, did exactly what the Bible says He did, and is coming again to bring home His Church exactly as He promised to do! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 