Conversations with Intellectuals

What once had seemed like an inevitable but defective quest for the satisfaction of my soul now became not just permitted but required. The glory of God was at stake. This was almost too good to be true--that my quest for joy and my duty to glorify God were not in conflict..It released the energies of my mind and heart to go hard after all the soul-happiness that God is for me in Jesus.

John Piper, When I Don’t Desire God

Read

Acts 17:16-34. 

As you read, think about times when you’ve been challenged in what you believe and how you responded.

Think

I’ve been talking quite a bit with a guy who isn’t sure there is a God, but believes that everything is material. I’ve really had to think about some difficult questions lately. If someone came to you one day and asked you to why you believe in Christ, what would you say?

In this passage, Paul isn’t confronting atheism, just the opposite, polytheism, that there are many gods. In our culture, we’ll find both. In fact, the atheists have become quite a bit more evangelical than most of us are willing to be. They feel they have the intellectual high ground. It makes me think of I Peter 3:15: But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. 

Just like Paul in Athens, the Stoics and Intellectuals we encounter today notice those of us who have set Christ apart as Lord in our hearts, even beyond our belief, and they are beginning to demand an answer for our faith. How great it would be, and how influential, if we were able to give a well-reasoned, humble, and informed response to their questions. 

Let’s not conform to the stereotype of conservative Christians as uninformed, blind to the difficult questions of life, and singlemindedly focused on abortion and gay marriage. Let’s seek to love the Lord with all our minds, as well as all our hearts. 

Pray

Pray that God will help you grow in wisdom and knowledge, and that He will help you develop relationships with people who are seeking to understand the deep things of life.

Do

Find an article on some of the latest scientific discoveries and think about them in light of the truth of God’s Word.