Devotionals

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Can miracles help win sceptics?
The answer is ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ depending on what type of sceptic one is dealing with. There are basically three types of sceptics:
i) Malicious,
ii) Judicious, and
iii) Capricious.

Part 2: Judicious Sceptics:

They face the evidence and concede if the evidence stands the scrutiny. They don’t look for excuses to shoot down the evidence but objectively consider it. They are willing to follow the evidence even when it is leading them to defect into a camp that was initially opposed to their convictions. Some of them are sceptics because they are not exposed, while others it is a result of being ‘careful’. One cannot believe 'everything' being passed around. There has to be some manner of testing. It is biblical to test all spirits (1 John 4:1).

Nathanael is an example of a judicious sceptic. When his brother Philip told him about finding the One of whom the law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael responded: “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). He was sceptic about Nazareth producing anything good. He, however, accepted his brother’s invitation to ‘come and see’ for himself. When Jesus spoke into his life, he didn’t allow his scepticism to block him from facing and considering the ‘evidence’. He accepted Jesus as the Son of God (John 1:45-49).

Nicodemus is another example of a judicious sceptic. He went against the grain of the pharisaic spirit. He went to Christ and kind of said: I’m willing to give You a chance because I can’t shun the evidence—the miracles You perform attest to the fact that God is with You (see John 3:1-2).

We read in Acts 5:12, “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people;...” Typical of the high priests and the Sadducees (the malicious sceptics), they never liked what the apostles were doing. They had them arrested and incarcerated. Even after an angel got the apostles out of a secure jail, the malicious sceptics still couldn’t back down. Amongst them, however, arose Gamaliel, a judicious sceptic who talked some sense into the incensed malicious sceptics.

“But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honoured by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: ‘Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.’ His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go”—Acts 5:34-40 (NIV).

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This article is an excerpt from the book: "Fundamentals of Balanced Christianity”.
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