Twitter Message Tuesday--"Should I Answer Objections to the Faith on Facebook?"

Every Tuesday I take questions via text, Facebook, Twitter, etc.  One of the questions I recently fielded was about answering objections to the faith on social media.  

I am a Christian apologist.  I believe all believers are called by God to defend his or her faith (see 1 Peter 3:15).  Yet, Scripture also cautions us to not answer a fool according to his folly (Proverbs 26:4) and Jesus warned us not to "cast our pearls before swine" (Matthew 7:6).  Neither of these Scriptures are insulting unbelievers, it is simply pointing out that it is a waste of time to engage anyone who resolutely refuses to worship the one true God they actually know in their heart exists (Romans 1:18-23).  

On my former blog (which was possessed by a demon thanks to Wordpress), I argued that if Jesus were walking the earth today as He did 2000 years ago, the last thing He would probably do is argue with someone on Facebook.  I stand by that!

I know that some conversations on social media are productive just as some conversations on college campuses by street preachers end well but, let's face it, most of them are circuses where those outside the faith watch as if they are seeing a car wreck on a highway.  Most of these interactions are simply casting our pearls before the pigs.  

Jesus' point in talking about pearls before swine was that a pig doesn't know what to do with something precious.  It might sniff it.  It might even eat it but it won't appreciate it. 

If you run across someone dissing the Christian faith on social media, then pray for that person but don't waste your time filling up their page with rational arguments.  They may not be able or willing to understand them.  To paraphrase the late Dr. Greg Bahnsen, a person's presuppositions determine what he or she believes is probable.  If their presuppositions are that we are all the product of random mutations with origins currently shrouded in mystery in a universe that somehow created itself and is devoid of all laws, then no rational argument will make sense to them.  

Salvation is the word of the Holy Spirit.  We offer arguments (hopefully winsomely) as to the truth of the Christian faith along with a clear presentation of the Gospel in the hopes God will use those to save the person.  We cannot control the Spirit.  We can control how, when and where to share our faith and social media is rarely the place to have a back-and-forth about it.