Heart and Soul of the Everyday Skeptic, Part 1 :: By James Pannafino

1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Test all things; hold fast what is good.”

Skepticism is the apologetic issue of our day, and it can’t be ignored, and it won’t just go away…

• Skepticism defined: (a) doubt as to the truth of something, (b) the theory that certain knowledge is impossible.
• Skepticism regarding matters of the Christian faith is nothing new.
• The Bible itself mentions many people who were skeptics or who had questions and doubts about such matters.

1 Corinthians 10:15 “I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.”

The people in Capernaum, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, wanted to have evidence before they would believe…

John 6:30 “They asked Jesus, ‘What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe in You? What work will you do?’”

John the Baptist found himself in a quandary of doubt when facing severe persecution…

Luke 7:19 “…calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’”

Thomas, one of the original 12 disciples, was skeptical of Jesus’ resurrection, and said…

John 20:25 “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand in His side, I will not believe.”

Pontius Pilate questioned Jesus about who He was and then finally asked… “What is truth?” (John 8:58)

We could add to this list of skeptics the two disciples on the road to Emmaus late that first Resurrection day…

Luke 24:13-14 “Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened…”

Luke 24:17 “And He said to them, ‘What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?’”

How did Jesus respond to these people who had honest doubts and questions…?

• Did He condemn them?
• Did He exhort them to put away their questions, suppress their doubts, and simply believe? No!
• Jesus lovingly and graciously gave them answers and evidence.

The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, urges all to seek the Lord for the answers of life…

James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Romans 1:19 “They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.”

The Bible tells us that Jesus gave sufficient evidence of His Resurrection…

Acts 1:3-4 “After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”

• The God of the Bible does not require that we have blind faith to follow Him.
• The Bible tells us to “examine everything carefully” and to believe only that which is accurate and factual.

The Bible commends the people of Berea for verifying what the apostle Paul taught them was actually true…

Acts 17:11 “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

• All claims of truth, especially religious ones, should be open to examination.

Psalm 51:6 “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.”

Psalm 119:160 “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

Proverbs 30:5-6 “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.”

God desires that we use our minds and not just our hearts…

Matthew 22:37 “Jesus replied, ‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’”

• The gift of the intellect is required to be used in order to discern what is truth.

Check out the School of Bible Prophecy that equips believers to know and teach this subject in their own churches and Bible study groups @ PerspectiveInProphecy.com

The post Heart and Soul of the Everyday Skeptic, Part 1 :: By James Pannafino appeared first on Rapture Ready.