Persuading (πείθω) involves convincing someone to follow a particular viewpoint or course of action.
The High Priests and elders of Israel persuaded the people to request a murderer be set free while condemning a righteous man, Matthew 27:20. After they had Him crucified by the hand of Pilate, standing at the cross, they mocked Christ, saying, “He was persuaded on the basis of God. Now, let Him deliver Him if He desires, for He said that I am the Son of God.” Knowing that Jesus was the Messiah and that He stated if they destroyed His body, He would raise it in three days, the High Priests and elders persuaded Pilate to seal the tomb and put a guard at it so no one could steal the body. However, three days later, some of the guards assigned to the tomb came into the city and told the High Priest of the angel and the tomb opening, for the One they had condemned to death and mocked God answered and raised Him out from the dead. Concerned over this news, the High Priest and elders offer the guards a large sum of money to say the disciples overtook them while they slept. And if the governor hears of this, they will persuade him and make them secure, Matthew 28:14. The absurdity of such a statement is shocking, for if they were caught sleeping, they would be killed, and if they failed in their duties, they would face execution. During Christ’s earthly ministry, while addressing the Pharisees, who were fond of money, He speaks of a rich man and Lazarus. This is not a parable but a historical record of two men: one who trusted in his wealth and the other in God. After the rich man perished, speaking across the abyss to Abraham, he asked that Lazarus be sent to warn his brothers. To this, Abraham replied, they have Moses and the prophets. If they do not listen to them, they will not be persuaded by someone rising from the dead, Luke 16:31. Even after His resurrection and the substantial evidence provided, the High Priest and elders were not persuaded, just as Christ stated.
When it comes to salvation for the saints of the Church, the more we understand about what God has done, take Him at His Word, and grow in knowledge, we are going to be persuaded, just as Paul stated, that neither death, nor life, nor angels or rulers, or anything in this present age is going to separate us from the love of God in Christ, Romans 8:38. Even though we are counted as sheep for slaughter by the unrighteous, and killed all day long, in Christ we are victorious for in Him we have been co-crucified and co-raised to walk in newness of life, and when we see Him we will be like Him, resurrected and fully glorified into the ages of the ages, Romans 6:4-6; 1 John 3:2. Nothing in this world can stop what God has done, for He will finish what He started, Romans 9:28; Philippians 1:6.
The saints in Galatia became an example for the Church in their failure to live by grace. Jews, claiming to be from Jerusalem, came into the city claiming that in order to be saved, they must be circumcised. They had already received the message of the crucified and resurrected Christ and were therefore saved; however, these men bewitched them not to be persuaded by the truth and sought to be justified before men through works, Galatians 3:1. This is still an issue in many assemblies today. They claim salvation by the Spirit but maturity through the flesh. This persuasion does not come from God, Galatians 5:8. They had correctly walked, but someone hindered them from being persuaded by the truth, Galatians 5:4. After correcting them, Paul was persuaded that they would not have any other mind, and the one who troubled them would bear his judgment, Galatians 5:10.
Even being in chains, Paul was persuaded that what God had begun, He was going to finish, Philippians 1:6. Although the Jews sought to silence Paul from speaking the truth, his chains ended up persuading many of the brethren, who then spoke the truth of the resurrected Christ with boldness, Philippians 1:14. However, not to be outdone, the unpersuaded also preached of the resurrection of Christ, seeking to bring more condemnation upon Paul, Philippians 1:15-16, while not realizing they were spreading a message that has in inherent ability to save, Romans 1:16.
We are persuaded to follow a specific course of action through reasoning and logic. The question is, will we be persuaded by the truth or by those who seek to bewitch us against the facts of the gospel for salvation and how to live out the Christian life in a godly and righteous manner in Christ?
