Should
we use Bible evidence when reasoning with people who do not believe the Bible?
Should
we use Bible evidence when reasoning with people who do not believe the Bible?
I read a book that said, when Christians discuss moral issues with people who do not believe in the Bible, we should not use the Bible to convince them. Many people, including some in the Lord’s church, agree there is no value in using the Bible to try to persuade unbelievers regarding specific issues. But consider:
Matthew 4:1-11 – Each time Satan tempted Jesus, Jesus responded by quoting Scripture … and Satan departed. If Jesus defeated even Satan by quoting Scripture, why should we doubt the value of using the Scriptures with unbelievers?
Mark 5:6-13 – Even demons recognized the power of God’s word and obeyed.
By His word God created the universe. By simply speaking His word, Jesus did great miracles like calming a storm or raising the dead. God’s word has power beyond our comprehension.
Ephesians 6:17 – The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. God gave us this power to war against spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places (verse 12). When we use the Scriptures, we are using God’s power. When we abandon the Scriptures. we are left with only human wisdom.
2 Corinthians 10:4,5 – For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. So why should we doubt the power of our God-given weapons when confronting unbelievers?
2 Timothy 3:16,17 – All Scripture is inspired by God and is sufficient to provide us to every good work. Is it a good work to convince unbelievers to accept the truth? If so, then the Scriptures are adequate to provide what we need. Do we believe that?
Romans 10:17 – Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But faith is exactly what unbelievers need. So the word of God is exactly what we should use!
John 20:30,31 – The written word provides sufficient evidence to convince people to believe that Jesus is the Christ, so they can have life in His name. Isn’t that what unbelievers need?
If people do not accept the ultimate authority of God, no specific issue will be resolved until we resolve the issue of authority. Abortion, homosexuality, or the necessity of baptism, all such issues are secondary to the question of authority. Whose authority do you accept?
So, if people say they do not believe the Bible, we should respond by offering them the evidence that God exists and the Bible is His word. Citing Scripture turns the discussion to the issue of the authority of God and His word, which is exactly what every unbeliever needs to consider.
God has given us the weapons we need in the word of God. Whenever we abandon Scripture, we show a lack of faith in the weapons God has provided and we leave ourselves without our God-given armor. Nothing delights Satan more!
Rather than failing to use the power of God’s word, God’s people must have faith to trust the power God has provided us.
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2026; gospelway.com
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Scripture quotations are generally from the New King James Version (NKJV), copyright 1982, 1988 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. used by permission. All rights reserved.