And he [Paul] entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks (Acts 19:8-10, NAS).
I had a very disheartening conversation the other day, in which I was told you can’t reason your way to Christ. Unfortunately, many people feel this way. Notice from the above text how Paul expected people to come to truth; Luke wrote that when he taught people about the gospel, he “reasoned and persuaded.” Paul did this with both the Jews and the Greeks at Ephesus.
What does it mean to reason? The Greek word here for reason is dialegomai, and Strong defines it [1256] as “to say thoroughly, i.e. discuss (in argument or exhortation):—dispute, reason (with), speak.” This is something that Paul spent months and years doing. Why? Because a person must, by means of sound reasoning, come to the knowledge of truth; otherwise, why would Paul spend years reasoning with the people of Ephesus?
God draws people by His teachings (John 6:44-45), but coming to God is also dependent on the individual accepting the truth (John 8:31-32)—not from the erratic feelings of a deceitful heart, which is deceitful above all things (Jer. 17:9), or from one’s own personal understandings (Pr. 3:5)—but of correct and objective reasoning. This is how Paul expected people to come to Christ; so should we. Paul was fruitful in his efforts at Ephesus; Luke wrote: “So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing” (Acts 19:20). And because he approached them through correct reasoning, he helped produce a church that would last many years, even long after his death.