What to do when apologetics and miracles don't work?

This was previously posted at my personal blog here.

I have spoken to many Christians who think Christian apologetics is a waste of time. I've also spoken to many Christians who think that the gospel must always be accompanied by signs and wonders. If I'm honest both apologetics and signs and wonders are in short supply in the Christian church which is a shame because both have biblical support and practical merit.

For instance if you're speaking to someone and they ask you whether there is any evidence that Jesus rose from the dead or whether you can know that God exists then it makes sense to provide a reasonable response since there exists persuasive responses, that is apologetics.

Equally if the person you are talking to has some physical impairment and you feel led to pray for their healing then it makes sense to do so, it would make no sense to offer an apologia for signs and wonders it requires demonstration God willing (if you're a cessationist then just skip this bit).

Many Christian's objection to apologetics is that if they only saw a miracle they would believe as if words are cheap, however doesn't faith come by hearing (Romans 10:17), and didn't Paul seek to persuade people of the truth of the gospel throughout the book of Acts (Acts 17, 18:4, 19:8, 26:22, 28:23 etc)? Needless to say it is just as possible that witnessing a miracle will be interpreted as something else (depending on world-view) or its full implications may be wilfully ignored. One only has to look to the ten lepers Jesus healed (Luke 17:11-19) and see that only one came back to give praise to God, the nine were healed yet they showed ingratitude to God by not acknowledging his healing. Didn't many people in Jerusalem see Jesus crucified, know of his empty tomb and see him alive and resurrected and still doubt?

When Paul speaks to King Agrippa he offers a persuasive case for the gospel including his own testimony and yet King Agrippa mocks Paul by suggesting that he thinks he could so easily persuade him (Acts 26). He hears a persuasive case for the gospel from the Apostle Paul and yet he still rejects it.

What this all means that it is perfectly possible that someone will reject the gospel when they are presented with a persuasive case for it and that someone could also reject the gospel even when they have seen seen something miraculous.  This being the case doesn't mean that we should stop praying for the sick or that we stop preparing and equipping ourselves with a good apologetic case for the gospel, it just means God is sovereign and he can and does use a variety of ways to bring us to know his love and forgiveness. 

Keep preaching and keep praying.