Doubters

    I am confident that all of you have encountered people who have not yet made Jesus Christ their Lord and their Savior. I am also confident that no two people are alike and while one person knows that 'facts' about Christianity but hasn't surrendered, another person is misinformed, and yet another person knows nothing. These people can be difficult to navigate when trying to help them through their doubts. 

    If you read the accounts of Jesus' interactions with people, you find 3 main types of doubters. 1) Willful doubters. These are the people that do NOT want to listen to reason, do NOT want to examine the evidence, and willfully reject all things Jesus. The Pharisees were an example of this and to them Jesus answers were stern and harsh. 2) Intellectual doubters. These people are interested in knowing more about Jesus. They may think that there is not good evidence, facts, or support but they are open to listening. Nicodemus and the disciple Thomas are examples of this. To these doubters Jesus patiently sought to answer their questions with good reasons and evidence. 3) Emotional doubters. These people are have suffered great loss. They may or may not have had a relationship with Jesus in the past, but death, sickness, loss, or other horrific events has lead them to this breaking point. Mary and Martha after losing their brother Lazarus are examples of this. To these doubters, Jesus sympathizes, comforts, and cries with them.

    Apologetics seeks to help doubters overcome obstacles that hinder a relationship with Jesus; however, one must remember that no two people are alike and therefore answers should not be cold or cookie-cutter. Christian, you and I need to recognize the type of doubt someone is having and answer accordingly in love.