There’s so much evidence out there; from evidence for the Bible, arguments for God’s existence, and historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. I realize that ultimately our faith is not based on evidence but on the witness of the Holy Spirit to our hearts, but it’s nice to have so much confirmation and be able to answer people’s questions. My question is, what is your view about apologetics (evidence and arguments)?
It’s good to know why we believe, but no matter how many facts we have, how much evidence we present or how much passion we express, I don’t think we can persuade anyone else to become a believer if they don’t choose to do so. Therefore I think apologetics primarily benefit people who are already believers, or have at least decided they want to believe.
I believe we can share the Gospel, show by our actions what its presence has accomplished in our life, and pray that the Holy Spirit will convict those we encounter, but it’s up to each individual to respond.
Sadly, most people don’t make decisions based on facts or evidence. They make decisions based on emotion and then look for facts they can use to justify the decisions they’ve made. If people were persuaded by evidence, then everyone who has taken the time to look at the creation would be a believer (Romans 1:18-20).