Christians wanting to share their faith with very intelligent people sometimes fall into two categories.
Either they become intimidated because they feel intellectually outgunned and might not hold up during a theological debate OR they become overconfident and start trying to persuade with their own wit, wisdom and charisma rather than than relying on the Holy Spirit to do the persuading.
God wants all people to understand and embrace the Gospel as their bridge to salvation and service in the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, so we know that really smart people need to hear the Gospel.
But if we think the approach to them is to based on making it “smart and sophisticated” enough to be worthy of their elite status, then we are mistaken.
The power is in the simplicity and potency of God’s grace toward sinful man. That’s it.
The Apostle Paul demonstrated this in the passage I read this morning from my One-Year Bible.
“When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.” (Ephesians 2:1-5)
I’ve fallen into the trap at times of thinking that I’ve got to sound really smart when talking about the Gospel with really smart people.
There’s a much better way to explain The Way.
God is perfect. Jesus lived without sin so that He could take my place on the cross, a place I deserved because I don’t live without sin. No matter how smart I try to become.
Without Jesus, I have no hope of eternal life.
It’s that simple.
Even the “braniacs” know the soul is eternal. It’s hard-wired into them by God via His creation of their soul (Eccles. 3:10).
They know they sin. We can help them know the Son.
It’s not rocket science.
And that’s a good thing.
As always, I love you
Martin
