Good morning. Do you love a good argument? I don’t mean a fight with your spouse, I mean a good, well thought out debate over a subject of interest and importance. Are you up for that kind of a fight?
I suppose that if the topic is your favorite football or baseball team, go right ahead. If you have a clear idea in your head about who the Vikings should draft with their first-round pick, go nuts. If you want to debate politics, do so at your own peril, but I can’t see any reason to stop you.
But if you want to have a debate over “words” in matters of faith, watch out! The Word of God specifically tells us to be careful in that particular arena. We read this in 2 Timothy 2:14-17: Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.
How much trouble has been caused through the years when God’s people decide to engage in a good old-fashioned verbal brawl over matters of opinion? I believe that it is true that more churches have split over subjects like the best color for carpet in the sanctuary than over matters of doctrine. Such behaviors grieve the Spirit while filling our true enemy with glee.
Know what is absolutely, positively, no doubt about it, found in God’s Word. Recognize what is His will and His command. Live for these things. Live to share these truths. But it is also essential that we recognize what is “true” only by way of tradition. We must pray diligently that we will understand what is God’s truth, and what is merely our personal opinion.
You can compromise your opinion or throw it out altogether. Your opinion is your own. But, if you choose to fight over those opinions, insisting that they represent the truth of God, then you are in violation of the command from scripture as stated above and are likely creating injury within the Body of Christ.
Let’s remember the words of Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
God bless your day with peace!
Vern