We’ve all heard someone say, “People shouldn’t argue.” Well, my answer to that is to ask, “Can you give me some reasons for why you believe that?” Of course the reason is: “because arguing doesn’t do any good.” To this I will point out that they have just argued. After all, “argue” simply means to “give reasons for what you believe” and that is exactly what they have done.
Look, “People shouldn’t argue” is just another one of Satan’s talking points that his minions (and sometimes even some Christians!) mindlessly blabber.
Now, if “argue” meant “two people screaming and neither person listening,” then I’m against it. But since “argue” means to give reasons for what you believe, then that is precisely what we should be doing. If anything, many Christians should do it much more than they do. Consider that Christ and the apostles argued a lot and, well, WWJD, then we should too.
After all, what exactly do we think was going on when Jesus talked to the Pharisees? Arguing, right? And usually the Pharisees got really mad. They accused Jesus of being a demon possessed blasphemer and sometimes they tried to stone him or push him off of a cliff.
And the apostles were no different. Two examples should suffice. In Acts 19:8 we read that “Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing [dialegomai] persuasively about the kingdom of God.” Then in Acts 17:2-3 it says, “As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned [dialegomai] with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead.” As is the case with the NIV, translations may render dialegomai sometimes as argue and other times as reason but it’s the same Greek word.
Of course, what’s at stake here is significant. Would the devil like anything more than when someone challenged the truth of historic Christianity, we just sat silent while quoting to ourselves the maxim “people shouldn’t argue”?
On the contrary, what the church needs is many people trained to defend the truths of historic Christianity. Answering tough questions is a great encouragement to the church. For example, consider Acts 18:27-28: “When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.”
Don’t we need more Christians like Apollos?
1 Pet. 3:15: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
Amen.
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I learn allot from a good argument.
Fabulous post! Great point about Peter arguing in the synagogues. I think you won this argument, haha!
Your post reminds me of a few verses…
1Cor 11:18-19 “For, to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. There must, indeed, be factions among you, so that the approved among you may be recognized.”
If we are humble and rightly discerning the Word of God, then our arguments will lead to one beautiful goal…
1Cor 1:10 “Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all say the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.”
Answering tough questions like why God created evil?
I don’t know what you mean, David? Do you mean arguing about why God allows evil isn’t worth it?
Clay
If God allow evil to exist, why can’t you? Does God need your help to fight evil? Does God depend on you choice of what is evil? Would you have stopped Judas from betraying Jesus? How do you know that God’s providence is not at work by the very act your complaining of? Why are you complaining if God allows it?
Hi David,
Why God allows evil happens to be my teaching specialty! And I’m more than willing to talk about it at length. Trouble is, it is a huge subject as you know and simply can’t be done in a few sentences.
I will address your first question for now: “If God allows evil to exist, why can’t you?”
I do allow evil to exist! So do you. So does everyone. Just about every parent of teenagers realizes at some point that they are going to have to release that child to do what he or she wants to do even if what is wanted is evil.
God created free beings and a being cannot be free, by definition, unless it has the opportunity to use his or her freedom wrongly. God could have filled the universe with robots but He wanted to fill it with significant beings.
Clay
Great post. It reminds me of a quote I read a few years back. A man asked a Rabbi, “Why do Rabbis teach by asking questions?” The Rabbi answered, “So, what’s wrong with a question?”
Keep up the good work. God bless!!
RKBentley
That Rabbi story is a keeper, RK!
Clay
Thank you for these posts. Is there a way to subscribe to your blog so I receive e-mail notifications when you post?
Sincerely,
Travis Coleman
I have added a subscribe button, Tavis! Thanks for asking!
Clay
Good post. I wish we did have more honest arguments and debates on important subjects. I think you learn more when you deal with a point directly from the source and have to answer the other persons best.
I do think though it is a sign of our culture. People today feel that arguing is a negative. That it is divisive and unloving. It can become that, but it does not have to be.
You said: “God created free beings and a being cannot be free, by definition, unless it has the opportunity to use his or her freedom wrongly.”
I have wondered about this. When we are with the Lord, will we be free in that same sense, yet so glorified that we will not want to ever choose evil? Or will the ability to choose evil have been eradicated along with the sin nautre? Obviously, Adam was not created with a sin nature, and yet ahd that capacity to choose the wrong…
Yes, I think we will have free will in heaven but not sin, Werner. Let’s remember that in Heaven there will be no world, flesh, or devil. Also, we will have learned from this world the horror of sin.
Clay