We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
Always be ready to attack the ones who disagree with your faith for miracles. Demand a defense for their unbelief and cynicism. Destroy their excuses. Use their answers as additional evidence against them. And do this with hostility and contempt. Follow the example of Jesus. Sanctify his attitude and behavior as the standard. He antagonized the Faithless on purpose. His sermons provoked them by design. Despise and rebuke unbelief. Exhibit no gentleness and no respect for faithless religious tradition.
The Faithless will use Scripture to manipulate you. They cannot stand up against you in a direct and all-out clash, and so they wish to trick you into treating them with gentleness and respect, in order to suppress the condemnation that you can unleash against them. They are afraid of the truth. Scripture refers to answering with gentleness and respect only when you are under interrogation by those in official authority, those who have the power to punish and to kill, such as emperors and judges, and government agents.
When Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles answered those in authority, they were often still astonishingly harsh and unrestrained by our cultural standards. Sometimes they rebuked and cursed those who demanded answers from them. Scripture teaches gentleness relative to the cultural standards of its own time, when religious disagreements often resulted in violence. If the culture is very soft, even too soft, then the teaching of Scripture has been more than satisfied. If you go even softer, no one has to care about what you say. There will be no sense of obligation or urgency to the truth. And this is why the Faithless require gentleness and respect from you.
In many areas of the world, Christian influences have reduced religious arguments to gentle and respectful conversations compared to the standards of the past, so that our words are often so soft and indirect that they are easy to ignore. Religious unbelief and tradition ought to be attacked with all hostility, although we never resort to violence against those who disobey the gospel. But remember Jesus himself made whips and violently turned over tables and drove out the merchants from the temple. So never hesitate to rebuke and embarrass those who affirm unbelief. Don’t be afraid that you might be going too far. It is almost certain that you are never harsh enough.
Among the Faithless are non-Christians and pseudo-Christians. The pseudo-Christians affirm a Christianized version of pagan religion or philosophy, such as Catholicism, Mormonism, and cessationism. These people will often demand that you speak to them in polite tones and words. They would demand this even as they attempt to interrogate you about your own beliefs. This is a trick. Do not comply. Throw off all restraints.
They wish to undermine you and at the same time prevent you from fighting back. They wish to weaken your approach so that they can withstand the truth for longer. Do not fall into their trap. Attack them, rebuke them, expose them and embarrass them with all your strength and eloquence. God has given you the victory. Go on the offensive. Attack them, and keep on attacking. Chase after the Faithless and run them off the cliff.
Jesus was always ready to attack unbelief and tradition, especially when it comes to the ministry of healing and miracles. He belittled their intelligence and achievements before thousands of listeners. He cursed them and told degrading stories about them. If we follow him, and if we sanctify him in our hearts, then we will also attack everyone who questions the ministry of miracles or who hardens his heart against healing the sick and casting out demons. Do not be afraid. Do not be ashamed. They are the ones in the wrong. They are sinners against God and humanity. They are the ones who ought to cower, who ought to answer for their doctrines and their actions. They are the ones who need a defense, and their advocate is Satan. Do not sin against God by showing mercy to the devil and his servants. If we run forward to attack them, God will crush them under our feet.