2 Timothy 2:23-26

Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.  

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.  

Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.  

Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

The core issue of unbelief is not intellectual.

It is spiritual.

This is why the Lord’s servants are not called to win arguments. And I believe we’re called to proclaim the truth of the Gospel more than defend it. That opens the spiritual door for the Spirit to work in someone’s heart…if it is not too hardened.

That is how we can be gentle, because we know the truth from experience, and therefore understand that unbelief comes from the evil one in the spiritual realm, and a person’s spiritual eyes must open for them to see.

The Gospel truth is not about intellectual understanding (Thank God!), but about spiritual sight.

When we genuinely see that we fight not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual darkness, it becomes obvious to us that we don’t try to conquer people who are being held captive, we work to set them free!