Where do you look for answers when you are faced with questions? The Bible of course. But does the Bible answer all questions all the time?
One of the most common mistakes that we Christians make is that we present the Bible as a book that answers all questions people have. That puts a lot of pressure on us to explain everything that happens in the world. I don’t know how many Christians you have heard trying to explain why God lets something like the Sept 11 disaster happen. I have heard a lot of supposedly Biblical explanations. Some blamed it on the sin of America, some blamed it on the devil, some blamed it on radical Islam etc…but I have never heard any preacher say I don’t know. That is one answer we like to avoid but is the truth a lot of times.
Yes, God knows everything. But, knowing God does not always translate into knowing everything He knows. Sometimes we come across things we just don’t understand. When that happens we need to step up and say I don’t know. It takes humility and character to do that. Unlike what we tend to think, however, it does not hamper evangelism. If anything, it helps it. We don’t bring people to Christ by answering all their questions. Let’s be honest. There are a lot of things we simply don’t know.
You see, because we carry this unnecessary pressure to answer all questions, a lot of times we give people cheesy answers that backfire and make us look stupid. A simply I-don’t-know answer goes a long way to proving your honesty. Never compromise your honesty in trying to defend God. Apologetics without honesty is a disaster.
Honesty, as you know, is the best policy.
The Cyber Evangelist
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