Don’t memorize arguments, understand your faith and competing worldviews.
1. Not every pro-Christian argument is biblical or God honoring.
First let me clear up that by argument I don’t mean a disagreement or debate. Dictionary.com (the world’s most convenient dictionary) defines an argument as “4. a statement, reason, or fact for or against a point: ‘This is a strong argument in favor of her theory.’” And, “5. an address or composition intended to convince or persuade; persuasive discourse."
“…we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:2)
When I refer to a “pro-Christian argument” I am not saying that the argument is inherently Christian- that would make my point a contradiction- I am saying that the argument is attempting to defend the Christian faith.
It is easy for anyone to fall into the trap of using anything that seemingly helps their point against those who disagree. But when seeking to evangelize it is important to remember that God does the saving, we simply need to be faithful to the message.
I suggest that when you hear an argument for the Christian faith, analyze it and consider whether or not it is consistent with what you understand from the Bible. If it isn’t, go to the Bible and try to get a better understanding of where the conflict between you and the person from whom you heard the argument lies.
A good practice for this is to listen to debates between Christians and non-Christians. Listen to the arguments of both sides and see how you would respond to the non-Christian if you were in the debate. (One good resource for these is the Unbelievable Radio Program which features weekly debate between Christians and non-Christians. Free audio can be found here.)
More on this topic soon...
Grace and Peace,
Stephen
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