Acts 6:8-15

A Christian cannot win a religious argument. I believe a Christian cannot win a religious argument because I believe it is un-Christlike to argue religion. I think I am right about this, but not everybody will agree. However, I will not argue about it.

A religious argument is not an attempt to seek enlightenment or information. It is an attempt to persuade another that their beliefs are wrong. Religious arguments typically degrade into heated or angry disputes. In attempting to persuade another person to think like us, we offer our reasons and evidence. However, because of the nature of the emotions involved, they are not inclined to listen. They are too busy defending their own position and preparing an attack on ours to be open-minded. The very nature of the religious argument results in an entrenchment of each side’s position.

The scriptures do not say that Stephen was having a religious argument. Luke tells us that men in opposition to Christ and the gospel begin to argue with Stephen. The Holy Spirit gave him wisdom and what he said left them without rational response. If Stephen had said nothing more than, “Jesus loves you.” I believe it would have been enough to turn rational thought into irrational action. We do not know what Stephen said, but we do know they begin secretly plotting his destruction.

They arranged false witnesses to testify against him, and accused Stephen of speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God. The men had Stephen seized and brought before the Sanhedrin. As the false witnesses testified against him, all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin watched Stephen closely; they wanted to see how he would respond to the testimony. They did not see the face of an angry outraged and hateful man; they saw the face of a man that looked like a messenger of God. He had the face of an angel.

Christians do not win the lost by arguing religion. We win the lost by witnessing about Christ and sharing His love.