True Faith Isn’t Blind: Why Christians Can Think, Question, and Still Believe

Have you ever felt like you had to choose between being a person of faith and being a person who thinks critically? Why do so many people assume you can either be a thinker or a believer—but not both?

Going back as far as the Enlightenment, it’s been in vogue to pit faith and reason against each other—as if you have to choose one or the other. Either you’re a thinker who relies on logic and evidence, or you’re a believer who operates on hope and emotion.

But that’s a false dilemma.

Acts 17 gives us a compelling picture of how Christianity is both intellectually credible and spiritually life-changing. When the apostle Paul shows up in the city of Thessalonica, he doesn’t rely on emotionally charged slogans or personal charisma. Luke tells us Paul reasoned with the people in the synagogue, explaining and proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 17:2–3). In other words, Paul used logic and evidence to persuade people to believe.

Why does that matter?

Because Christianity isn’t something we believe just because we hope it’s true. It’s not rooted in wishful thinking or warm feelings. It’s rooted in reality—anchored in real events, real people, and real history. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ isn’t a myth to be accepted blindly, but a truth that can be examined, questioned, and tested.

In fact, some of the greatest Christian thinkers throughout history have emphasized this very point. From Augustine to C.S. Lewis, from Thomas Aquinas to Tim Keller, countless men and women have come to faith because Christianity made the most sense of the world around them—morally, spiritually, historically, and philosophically.

In the very next scene in Acts 17, Paul goes to Berea, where the Jews are described as “more noble” than those in Thessalonica. Why? Because they received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11). That’s what healthy, thoughtful faith looks like. They didn’t blindly accept Paul’s message. They investigated it. And they believed because what they found in Scripture confirmed what Paul was preaching.

As Christians, we need to remember that the Bible invites questions. God’s word is not afraid of your doubts. In fact, one of the greatest gifts someone ever gave me was the assurance that the Bible can handle my questions. You don’t have to check your brain at the door to follow Jesus. Our faith can stand up to scrutiny and investigation. Jesus and his Word can handle your questions–even the hard ones.

So let me encourage you: be a thinking Christian. Be someone who searches the Scriptures with both passion and perseverance. Be someone who knows that your faith is not just built on feelings but on facts. The message of Jesus is not only beautiful—it’s true. And that’s why we believe Jesus is King.