Many Christians are reluctant to do personal evangelism out of a fear that the lost person will ask them a question they cannot answer. This fear presupposes two faulty lines of thinking: first, that every unbeliever with whom they converse must be an expert on science, history, and sociology; and second, that to be an effective witness they must be able to respond to every single question or objection on the spot with carefully crafted answers.
The passage most often associated with the exercise of answering questions posed by unbelievers (apologetics) is 1 Peter 3:15 (NASB): “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” Peter writes to believers calling them to humility and harmony. In no way does the readiness to defend conviction imply an arrogant spirit; rather, the advancement of reasons for hope should be done winsomely.
I define evangelism as, “The compassionate sharing of the Good News of Jesus Christ with lost people, in the power of the Holy Spirit, for the purpose of bringing them to Christ as Savior and Lord, that they in turn might share Him with others.” Notice that the work of evangelism involves the verbal witness of the Good News in the power of the Holy Spirit. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16).
Lost people are born again not because of impeccable argumentation but by the will and power of God working through the verbal witness (2 Thess. 2:13). Apologetics serves evangelism. Apologetics may be viewed as a type of pre-evangelism. If evangelism, narrowly defined, is the verbal witness to the offer of the gospel, then apologetics seizes the opportunity to lay the groundwork (pre-evangelism) that anticipates the sharing of the good news.
Paul’s encounter with the world philosophies of his day at Mars Hill in Acts 17:22-34 illustrates this kind of pre-evangelistic apologetics. Paul observes the pagan trappings of his surroundings and uses that as a bridge to explain who the one, true, and living God is. He takes the Athenians’ best philosophical attempt to explain the world in “an unknown god” and skillfully introduces the Christian worldview before calling on people to repent. Essentially, Paul identifies the shortcomings in the Athenian worldview and shows how the biblical worldview is coherent. Today’s world is ripe with faulty philosophies Christians would do well to observe, identify the holes, and lovingly retell in light of the glorious Christ.
Why Do People Ask Questions?
As we get involved in evangelism, we quickly discover that good evangelistic conversations are not monologues, but dialogues, and include persons asking questions. Why do people ask questions in witnessing situations? I have observed two main reasons:
1. An unwillingness to forsake sin. The questioner doesn’t really consider their questions to be serious. They are simply “playing games.” Their mind is closed. They are raising questions as a smokescreen to avoid dealing with their sinfulness.
For example, while I was witnessing on a college campus a student said to me, “Well, I have a question for you: where did Cain get his wife?” I sensed that this wasn’t really this student’s question, so I responded by saying, “I’ll answer your question if you answer a ques- tion from me first: who was Cain?” The student replied sheepishly, “I don’t know.” I then asked, “Well if you don’t know who he was, then why are you concerned about where he got his wife?” The student told me he had heard someone say if a Christian ever talks to you to ask them that question, since Christians can’t answer it. While I did answer his question, it was abundantly clear this student was just playing games. He didn’t have a serious intellectual objection to Christianity. He un- derstood following Christ would involve him forsaking his sin, something he was unwilling to do.
2. An honest expression of doubt and confusion.
Not all persons who raise questions are playing games. Some ask legitimate questions because they are genu- inely seeking answers. Francis Schaeffer argues, “It is not more spiritual to believe without asking questions. It is not more biblical. It is less biblical and eventual- ly will be less spiritual because the whole man will not be involved.” Schaeffer goes on to say, “Christianity de- mands that we have enough compassion to learn the questions of our generation.”
We need to remember that faith in Jesus Christ is not a “leap in the dark” as it is sometimes described by skeptics. Faith in Jesus Christ is instead a “step into the light.” We have good reasons for believing what we believe. When people ask genuine questions, we need to seek to answer them. Paul Little quotes John Stott as offering a wonderful balance: “We cannot pander to a man’s intellectual arrogance, but we must cater to his intellectual integrity.”
General Principles in Responding to Questions
First, don’t get defensive. Don’t be intimidated. After 2,000 years, no one is going to come up with a question that will undermine the Christian faith—and it’s not because people haven’t tried! God’s Word has stood the test of time. Just because you do not have an answer to a question does not mean there is no answer.
Second, avoid an argument. Bringing people to faith in Christ is much more than merely giving an answer to their questions. You can “win” the debate but “lose” that person if your demeanor and tone are sarcastic and argumentative.
Third, answer questions in the right spirit—a spirit of humility. First Peter 3:15 exhorts us to give answers to unbelievers “with gentleness and reverence.” One of the classic definitions of evangelism (from D. T. Niles) says: “Evangelism is witness. It is one beggar telling another beggar where to get food.” This definition reminds us of the importance of humility in our witness.
Fourth, don’t be afraid to respond, “I don’t know the answer to that question.” We see that even the apostle Paul could not unravel all mysteries. He testified in 2 Corin- thians 12:2 (about whether being caught up in the third heaven was “in the body” or “out of the body”), “I do not know, God knows.” In my evangelism classes I have students practice saying that three-word phrase “I don’t know,” since many of them have mistakenly thought it is an admission of failure to utter those words.
Fifth, study to find answers. Not every question has an easy answer, and some questions cannot be answered with our limited knowledge. We don’t have full answers to every question because God hasn’t fully revealed his mind to us on everything. Deuteronomy 29:29 reminds us, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us …” Not every question has an easy answer but seek to learn answers to common questions people ask.
Seventh, if possible, present the entire gospel message. People aren’t converted merely through receiving answers to their questions, but through hearing and responding to the gospel message. Paul reminds us in Romans 1:16 that “the gospel is the power of God for salvation.”
Eighth, deal with people as people, not as projects (1 Thess. 2:8). No one wants to feel like they are someone’s project. Lost people are lost but they are not stupid— they can sense whether you genuinely care for them as an individual.
Finally, trust in the work of the Holy Spirit. Remember your role and God’s role. As Paul testifies in 1 Cor 3:6, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gives the growth.”
You don’t need to cringe in fear as you share the gospel. You can be free from the burden of thinking you have to have all knowledge and understand all mysteries to communicate the good news of who Christ is and what he has done for sinners. You can be free to respond “I don’t know” to complex questions, even as you study to find answers.