Questionable Quotes

Usually, when we come across quotes by well-known Christians, we either nod and agree, or we react with some form of, "Hmm, never thought about that." Sometimes, though, the quote hits our brain with a clank, and we think, "Hmm, not too sure about that." Consider the following from A. W. Tozer:

"The unbelieving mind would not be convinced by any proof, and the worshiping heart needs none."

My response: "Naw, we have to do better than that." 

It's lazy (oops, did I say that?) to imply that everyone should just believe and that's all the proof you need, and it's snooty to say in a veiled way that if you don't "just believe" first, you can't join the club. This is how cults and secret societies get started. This is the path to drinking the Kool-Aid.

What does the Bible say? "And Paul entered the synagogue, as was his custom, and for three Sabbaths he engaged in discussion and friendly debate with them from the Scriptures, explaining and pointing out [Scriptural evidence] that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you, is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)" (Acts 17:2-3 AMP 2015, emphasis mine). Some translations say he "reasoned" from Scripture and "proved" Jesus was the Christ. This was in Thessalonica. He did the same in Berea, Iconium, Corinth, and Ephesus. In some locations, such as Athens and Troas, he spoke in places other than synagogues. He didn't expect anyone to believe without being convinced through the Old Testament writings. 

There's a well-known verse about the Bereans. "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11 NIV). The Amplified adds that in addition to being of noble character they were open-minded. This is Luke writing, so he is the one using the words "noble character" to describe people who look (at the Bible for spiritual truth) before they leap. We're always reminded that the Bereans studied Scripture to verify what Paul was preaching (and may I say too too too many Christians today just accept the words of celebrity preachers without critical thinking?), but we seldom notice that they also "received the message with eagerness." They balanced faith and discernment, excelling in both without letting either fall by the wayside. 

C. S. Lewis became a Christian because his friend J. R. R. Tolkien, both of them scholars, challenged Lewis's view that Christianity was a myth (myth used here to equate to false). Over time, Lewis became convinced by this and other collegial discussions. At first, Lewis didn't even want to be converted, but reluctantly conceded that intellectual honesty required it. 

Quotes like the one from Tozer are why people think faith is blind or that you need to check your brains at the church door. As we grow in relationship with Jesus, and learn how faithful and trustworthy He actually is, we can come to a "just trust Him" place, as the apostle Thomas perhaps should have been able to do. But for those who don't yet know, Peter writes in his first letter that we need to be ready to give a reason for the hope that we have.