I once read the story of a pastor who was invited to debate an atheist. The pastor agreed to debate on one condition – that the atheist would bring 50 people who had been transformed by being atheists. The pastor in turn would bring 50 people who had been transformed by the power of Jesus Christ. As you may have guessed, the atheist admitted he would not be able to find that many people impacted by rejecting Christian theism.
As you seek to give an answer for the hope that is within you (1 Peter 3:15), please don’t forget about the power of testimony. A great example of this is the blind man who was healed by Jesus. Like him, we can confidently say, “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25). It is only Jesus Christ who has the power to transform and heal our sin-sick lives.
As Christians, we must present a rational defense of the Christian faith. But lets also remember that there is a place for testimony in our apologetics. No one has ever been transformed by rejecting the existence of God. But millions upon millions of people have been transformed by the rescuing power of Jesus Christ. As the Scriptures remind us, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). Friend, if you are truly “in Christ” then the world is going to take notice. May we strive to be the kind of people God has called us to be in His Word.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
