This question has intrigued me for a few weeks now (I actually typed this out a month or so ago, and I am just now posting it). I am convinced that faith in Christ and belief in God is not an intellectual decision. If you read, talk to or listen to an agnostic or atheist it is evident that they believe they hold the high ground when it comes to logic or intelligence. That to believe in God would require them to ignore the ‘facts’ or to turn their mind off and to stop asking questions and ‘just believe’. To me, that statement implies that they think all of those who do believe have done such a thing: turned their minds off. But, don’t think that the non-believers have a monopoly here. Many believers also think that all evidence points to there being a creator and that you’d have to be crazy to not come to that conclusion. Both believe that their position is obvious. And I would argue, both are wrong.
I think that 2 people can come to 2 different conclusions and both conclusions be logical; even given the same information. Just because one conclusion is logical, doesn’t mean the other has to be illogical. One may be wrong, but it doesn’t have to be illogical even if it is wrong.
One of the best pieces of evidence that I see is the fact that there are extremely intelligent individuals who hold that Jesus is God and did what the Bible claims He did. And there are extremely intelligent people who believe that He didn’t, and/or that there is no God at all and that the big bang and evolution are how we got here. If the dilemma were an intellectual one, wouldn’t all the intelligent people be on one side of the answer? But they aren’t, unless you want to take the position (a very arrogant one) that all the intelligent people are on one side (i.e. yours). But I personally believe that is an impossible position to take. So if you admit that there are intelligent people who believe there is a God and intelligent people who believe there isn’t, then what is the difference between the two?
Faith in Jesus as the Messiah is not an intellectual decision, it’s a heart issue. A rational, educated, logical person can believe there is a God and a rational, educated, logical person can believe there is not. So it has to be a heart issue.
While it is perfectly reasonable and logical and there is much evidence that Jesus is the Christ, I do not think you will ever reach that belief through intellectual pursuit alone. And if you’re trying to convince someone else through intellectual debate and arguing, you might as well stop. And start praying for God to do a work in their heart that only He can do. You don't have to turn your brain off, or ignore intellectual pursuit. In fact, you must not. There is enough evidence, but they have to be able to accept it. And that is a heart issue.
