Most objections to Christianity fall into one of two categories: either, “I’ve not seen the supernatural” or “I haven’t been convinced.” The world is looking for either the perfect display of miraculous power or the perfect argument that convinces their mind.
As people charged with preaching the gospel, we can often feel ill-equipped to address these objections. I know I’ve read scriptures like, “Always be ready to give an answer...” and felt like having the perfectly appropriate answer for every atheistic argument is intimidating and impossible. And how do you prove the supernatural at the drop of a hat? “If God is real, turn this bottle of water into wine!”
“For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
If you read through the first two chapters of 1st Corinthians, you’ll notice Paul testify over and over that Christ is the wisdom and the power of God. For those seeking a supernatural sign, Christ healed the sick and walked on water. He calmed the storm and rose from the dead!
For those who are looking for reason and logic before they believe, Christ is the wisdom of God. He’s the reason and the answer. Our faith is authored and finished by Him. We don’t need to rely on curating scientific and methodical arguments, because the Word of Christ is enough.
In fact, Paul goes as far as to say that he’ll preach nothing except Christ crucified. He forsakes “eloquence and human wisdom” in favor of preaching the message of Jesus plainly, and letting the Holy Spirit work on hearts and minds. Ultimately the gospel is not spread with our miraculous proof or logical arguments. It’s a divine work of the Holy Spirit. Scripture says that no one calls Jesus Lord except by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It’s so freeing to realize that obedience to share the gospel plainly is all that’s required. Jesus is not up in heaven biting His nails, hoping that our arguments will be good enough to convince people to follow Him.
The verse from 1st Peter that used to intimidate me goes like this: “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord and always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
What’s the reason for the hope that we have?
Jesus. Plain and simple.