Dealing with philosophers

“All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.” Acts 17:21
One of the most frustrating witnessing experiences I have ever had was trying to present the gospel to a girl at university. Everything I said just seemed to go into her head but not into her heart. She was completely unmoved by talk of sin and hell and God’s judgement. I later found out that she was majoring in religious studies. To her, what I was saying was just another aspect in the patchwork of world religions that she was learning about in class. Talking about these things was an analytical exercise for her. Paul found the same frustration in Athens. As soon as he started talking about life after death, they started mocking him (Acts 17:32).
The word ‘philosopy’ comes from the Greek ‘philo’ to love, and ‘sophos’ wisdom. Thus a philosopher is one who loves wisdom or ideas. It’s hard to reason a philosopher into the kingdom. To them, one idea is just as good as any other. It’s been said that anyone who can be reasoned into the kingdom, can be reasoned out of it. “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless” (Tit. 3:9).
Rather, the gospel is spiritually discerned. We need to use the Word of God – share Scripture with the person. The Word has spiritual power, “it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit” (Heb. 4:12). Philosophy is in the realm of the soul; the gospel works in the realm of the spirit.