Although it varies from case to case, one can assuredly conclude that not all doubts about the claims of who Christ is and what He has done are a result of honest unbelief. Many simply won’t believe because of the consequences that come with making a profession of faith. Ravi Zacharias affirms, “Some people refuse to believe in God because admitting He exists means having to answer to their Creator. The same people reject Jesus because receiving the good news of Christ means accepting a set of instructions to agree with God about sin and to allow Christ to be Master of their lives” (49).
To further prove this point, Thomas Nagel, a professor of philosophy at New York University, explains, “I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well informed people I know are religious believers…I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that” (130). Even though Nagel blatantly gives his reason for unbelief, one must also look beyond the surface of what seems to be a case of honest unbelief to see if there is more to ones skepticism. According to Zacharias, “While (ones) skepticism may be understood as the honest search of reason, we had better be sure that his is not actually the deliberate unbelief of Thomas Nagel lurking beneath an intellectual quest” (51).
This reason for unbelief is nothing new. Those opposed to Christ during His earthly ministry were not honestly seeking answers. Zacharias explains, “The most religious people of Jesus’ day demanded evidence for who He claimed to be. But like modern skeptics…they didn’t actually want the answer He gave them” (51).
When believers respond to skepticism, which they should, they must be confident that Scripture can endure the most detailed analysis. Zacharias asserts, “Faith in Jesus Christ is a thoughtful, passionate, and moral commitment to a truth that stands up under the scrutiny of the mind, the heart, and the conscience” (61). We must also understand, however, that most have a deeper rooted purpose for their skepticism. According to Zacharias, “The denial of Christ has little to do with facts and much to do with the bent of a person who has already decided to resist truth” (58).
Nagel, Thomas. The Last Word. New York: Oxford University Press. 1997. 130.
Zacharias, Ravi. Jesus Among Other Gods. Nashville: Thomas Nelson. 2000. 49-58.
To further prove this point, Thomas Nagel, a professor of philosophy at New York University, explains, “I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well informed people I know are religious believers…I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that” (130). Even though Nagel blatantly gives his reason for unbelief, one must also look beyond the surface of what seems to be a case of honest unbelief to see if there is more to ones skepticism. According to Zacharias, “While (ones) skepticism may be understood as the honest search of reason, we had better be sure that his is not actually the deliberate unbelief of Thomas Nagel lurking beneath an intellectual quest” (51).
This reason for unbelief is nothing new. Those opposed to Christ during His earthly ministry were not honestly seeking answers. Zacharias explains, “The most religious people of Jesus’ day demanded evidence for who He claimed to be. But like modern skeptics…they didn’t actually want the answer He gave them” (51).
When believers respond to skepticism, which they should, they must be confident that Scripture can endure the most detailed analysis. Zacharias asserts, “Faith in Jesus Christ is a thoughtful, passionate, and moral commitment to a truth that stands up under the scrutiny of the mind, the heart, and the conscience” (61). We must also understand, however, that most have a deeper rooted purpose for their skepticism. According to Zacharias, “The denial of Christ has little to do with facts and much to do with the bent of a person who has already decided to resist truth” (58).
Nagel, Thomas. The Last Word. New York: Oxford University Press. 1997. 130.
Zacharias, Ravi. Jesus Among Other Gods. Nashville: Thomas Nelson. 2000. 49-58.
