When one reflects on the profound limits of science and the beauty of the Christian faith, it is somewhat bewildering as to why there are not more Christians.  It seems probable that part of the answer must lie in the way Christianity is projected by Christians.

One thing to learn from science is how feeble is our (any human) reasoning is in even that arena and how much more insufficient it must be in understanding God and in projecting our faith.

To most Christians their faith is based on the truths of the bible and it is just that simple to them as an individual.  When we try to bring others to Christianity, however, while all Christians would acknowledge the place of Jesus above us, Christians sometimes seem too to forget the way Jesus brings his message; 1 Corinthians 2v4 “my message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.”  

Our example will always be more powerful than our words. Even Jesus did not try to create faith based simply on wisdom alone. If faith is not to rest simply/only on the wisdom of Jesus, it certainly cannot rest on the wisdom of any man.

Certainly in science, man's wisdom is very fallible.  How much more true must that be when it comes to the deep and profound truths of Bible.  It is as true now as it was in the times of Jesus; 1 Phil 18; “in every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached” 

It is a general failing of all of us (including this writer) that we tend to portray that know more than we do.  I am sure that that is the case in several places in this website.  (When that seems to be the case, look at the references we have provided to give weight to what we have said and to look for our misunderstandings.) 

Science cannot help significantly with the truths which will help humanity to know and understand Biblical messages.   Biblical truths are God’s truths and are always to some degree above and beyond any individuals full understanding.   Biblical messages should not be viewed like science in any case.  The Biblical messages have many levels of meaning and understanding.

Only God can know how His truth fits in with the mindset, background, and belief system of an individual person. As God’s inspired word, the Bible must necessarily address a range of mind states and backgrounds that is far beyond our comprehension. We cannot not know exactly how God’s truth in detail is to be best interpreted for a particular individual in more than very general terms. We cannot know how to address details of faith to someone who has a negative bias about Christianity or God in general so that the truth gets through to them and transforms to belief and faith.  We need to remember what Jesus says in Matthew 16v23 to peter; “you think as men think, not as God thinks.” Since it was true of Peter, it is also true of each of us also.

I come to these consideration this as a Christian, who is occasionally taken aback by reading about or seeing people on television who are put off by Christianity instead of being attracted to it. I find it hard to understand.  These are often people of good moral character and who have some belief in God themselves. As Christians, it is hard for us at times to comprehend at all why such a beautiful Christian faith with such gifts from God would not automatically appeal to almost everyone.  We all must carry some of the responsibility for this fact.

1 Corinthians 5v9 says “with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”. Most Christians speak of their faith in sincerity. Far too often, however, their faith appears to others as leavened, yet puffed up and at times going beyond the actual truths of the Bible.

In 2 Corinthians 3v6 Paul says of God; “ who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” We are not to be ministers of the letter but of the spirit. The spirit of God in Jesus is the center of our faith.

Even when we pray to be guided in our words, under the stress of the situation our desires may differ from God’s. (Remember that even Jesus in the garden desired the cup to be removed from him, and that was certainly not gods will.)   Christ understands humans having been one and then subverting his will to the Father's. As in all things, we should trust Him and try to follow Him. Our imperfect understandings can never compare with God’s perfect understanding of how to bring someone to Him.  If the spirit shines through us, we will at least present one blessing of a Christian faith.

When Jesus was asked about what to do to get eternal life, he did not launch into a lecture about his teachings. In Matthew 19v17 he says; “if you want to enter life, obey the commandments. Which ones? The man inquired. Jesus replied; do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor you mother and father, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Certainly Jesus taught loving God as coming first but that was not what that man needed to hear at that time but it was what he needed to hear. We, on the other hand, do not know what others need to hear, in particular, at any moment.

If we accept our human limitations, what can we do to bring others to Christianity? Our role model is, of course, the behavior of Jesus himself. If we are to represent him, we should always try to emulate him as best we can within our human capacity.

We believe it is especially worthwhile to look at how He treated His disciples when they misunderstood or showed a lack of faith. The disciples who saw His miracles had so little faith that even Peter denied Jesus three times. This is the same Peter who began to sink into the water (matt. 14v30), but Jesus did not lose his temper or berate Peter. (Matt. 14v31) “immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, o thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Jesus simply asked Peter a question. Even Jesus does not go on to lecture Peter

What those with negative attitudes need is not to hear our human frustration, but rather that which is from above. Galatians 5v22; “the harvest of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fidelity, gentleness, and self-control.” It is worth noting that the spirit is not just one of these but all of these. How often is it that any Christian projects every one of these characteristics even at our best times? What then is the chance that we will project these characteristics, even part of them, to a non-Christian who has a negative attitude?  We will always fail to do so perfectly, but, of course, should always try nevertheless.

We need to remember all of these things with meekness when we present Christianity as we understand it.  It might also help to remember the profound limits of man's reasoning even in science and the need we all have for something beyond our simple reasoning and the limits of the physical world.