Should Christians Argue?

"Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone ..." (2 Tim. 2:24-25).


It's been wisely said that it's better to debate a matter and not settle it than to settle it without debate.

R. C. Sproul says the Bible states we are not to be "divisive, contentious, argumentative, or judgmental;" I might add: As brethren--it is unfruitful and doesn't work to the benefit of the body. We are to seek unity and to be one in the Spirit and in agreement as much as possible (cf. Eph. 4:3).   "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God"  (Matthew 5:9).  We may be called to restore a fellowship and be mediators or go-betweens.   We don't want the reputation of being troublemakers.

By way of definition, this is the way I see it, for the purpose of this post:  Arguing is when we purposely strive to show that someone is wrong or misinformed.  The word has negative connotations for some and they refuse to have anything to do with them.  We may just be calmly debating back and forth and just asking and answering questions; it doesn't necessarily mean we are raising our voices or getting vociferous.  We should always be tactful and sensitive, all the more when we know someone.  The pitfall is when an innocent argument leads to a quarrel and worse yet a feud or permanent cleavage in a relationship.  Simple inquiries or debates can escalate into full-blown quarrels if we are not vigilant and careful.  Arguments per se are not taboo for the believer--it is one methodology of exposing truth or falsity.

To arrive at the truth you must be willing to admit you may be wrong:  the quickest way to diffuse an argument is to say, "Then, again, I may be wrong!"  That's because there is no such thing as total objectivity apart from God, and neither of the participants may be right.  As part of our image of God, we all have an inner sense of right and wrong and we always end up appealing to some standard and we end up arguing.

Notice it says "foolish and stupid arguments."  John Stott (one of the 100 most influential people in the world one year) wrote the book Christ the Controversialist.  "To avoid controversy is to avoid Christ" according to R. C. Sproul.   Christ was no stranger to controversy and dared to challenge the system with clever logic and even answering a question with a question.  Some controversies are godly and necessary; otherwise, we would not be able to refute heresy and false teaching.  But there is a difference between being contentious, argumentative, and starting arguments, and after the truth in a methodical spiritual manner.  Are we seeking to heal or hurt is the question; are we seeking the truth on a godly issue or are we being argumentative and challenging someone.

 Remember that relationships are the most important thing, not how clever we can be to outwit our win an argument.  You can win an argument and lose a friend.  Some people are familiar with each other may just know how to pull each other's strings.  Christianity is not about how smart we are but our relationship with the living God, largely manifested by our fellowship with fellow believers, especially if they are family.  It is a good thing to avoid unnecessary family tiffs.  But if it is about Christ then God says that Christ will even split a family.  Matthew 10:34 says that He came not to bring peace, but a sword!

Our debate skills (and I was on the debate team and even judged debates, so I am qualified to comment here) are not on the line in our friendships and family ties. We aren't debating our brethren in the Lord on personal matters,  and we should restrict debate to where it belongs:  politics and issues of doctrine that are paramount to the church.   We don't try to one-up our brothers and sisters or get into the habit of comparing or bragging.  "Love doesn't brag," but in a family it is understood (it is more like "news" and we believe they want to know it) that there is a place for sharing things with family members and to brag on each other--this is not the time of bragging it is talking about. What is good is when we took someone else's horn or brag about them and they don't have to do it.  We really shouldn't toot our own horn according to the Bible.

"As far as it is possible, be at peace with all men, "says Romans 12:18.  This means that we keep the peace the best we can,  and not see if we can ruffle some feathers and stir up a lively or contentious conversation that has no positive fruit. Sometimes it is easy for more educated people to see an opportunity to pick apart the brains or conversation of those less in the know or clued in (don't  "wow them with your scholarship" as Chuck Swindoll has written).  Do everything in love and seek harmony and peace, not division!  Sometimes it is tempting to let the steam out of one's balloon or deflate their ego; but Scripture says clearly to "rejoice with those who rejoice," (Rom. 12:15a).

I can remember an example when someone was really excited that our team won, and I commented that it was against a losing team:  I was not rejoicing because he replied that a w is still a w.  What this means is that if someone is happy about something that we should not find reasons for them not to be happy and bum them out and show the negative side.  If one hears good news, we don't seek the bad news somewhere hiding in the shadows.

Case in point:  Suppose brother A says that his town was chosen as the best town in the state to live and he was celebrating the good news and maybe even bragging a bit, but only to close family and friends whom he knew.  And brother B was very skeptical and challenged his "fact" and wanted to know the source of such info. What if he didn't know and interpreted B's skepticism as doubting his "word" and calling him "naive" or "gullible."  What I'm saying is that it is far better and more Christ-like to say something like:  "That's very good for your town and I'll bet you're glad you live there now!"  This sounds far more positive and constructive to a good relationship. People do take a lot of pride in the places they live and could take it as a personal offense to question their belief in it being a good place to live.

Where am I going with this and what's the conclusion of the matter?  Let's say that we must learn to pick our battles: George C. Patton wrote a book Patton's Principles: A Handbook for Managers Who Mean It.  In other words, choose an argument that is worth something and you may have something to lose or gain spiritually by.  It is not worth just arguing just for the sake of arguing just to see who wins!  We must try to stay positive and rejoice with those who rejoice and not always present the pitfalls or negative side which may bum them out!  We may even have the skills of a lawyer, but that doesn't entitle us to use them haphazardly or recklessly on family and friends if we want to stay in fellowship.  Soli Deo Gloria!

So, Are You A Sinner?

"If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar" (1 John 1:10).
"For everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness, sin is lawlessness" (per John).
"And who fain would serve Thee best
Are most conscious of wrong within."
John Stott:  "It is no use giving us rules of conduct; we cannot keep them."

That's a loaded question and not so easily expounded upon. First of all, according to R. C. Sproul, the renowned Reformed theologian, we are all sinners in that we sin and we sin because we are sinners, we are not sinners because we sin (i.e., we are born with the inclination to sin or with the cards stacked against us). We are born in sin (Psalm 51:5 says, "Surely, I was sinful at birth....")  You could say we lie because we are natural born liars and we don't become liars when we tell our first lie.

We are deeply flawed and radically corrupt and deformed in our heart, mind, and will by depravity, and are inherently evil, not basically good, as humanists assert.  My pastor says that God no longer "classifies us as sinners [though we really are]."  He also says, "Sin no longer defines us."  This means that we are above it and God no longer holds it against us (Psalm 32:2 says, blessed are those "whose sin the LORD does not count against them."

This may also seem like a trick question:  Either way, you answer it, you can be refuted!  N.B. that the Bible calls Christians "saints" and sinners are generally referred to those who are lost in their sin and not overcoming it. An exemption is Gal. 2:17 calling Christians sinners ("...we ...find ourselves also among the sinners").  We are no longer slaves to sin, nor under its power as believers.  We don't have the right to live in the flesh because we are forgiven, but the power to live in the Spirit.  Martin Luther, the renowned theologian, and pastor who inaugurated the Reformation said that we are at the same time sinners and just.  God reckons us as just as righteous as Christ because He sees us in Christ as our position.  In the Bible, when it calls people "sinners" it is generally referring to the lost or the unjust--that doesn't mean Christians aren't sinners who have reached "perfectionism" or "entire sanctification" (cf. Psalm 119:96 says, "  To all perfection I see a limit;" Prov. 20:9 says, "Who can say, 'I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin'?"

The titanic struggle that Christians have is to overcome sin; even pagan writer Ovid wrote that he "sees the better things and approve them, but he follows the worst:"  This is exactly what Paul was referring to in Romans 7 when he said that nothing good dwells in him and said, "I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.  As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it but is sin living in me" (Rom. 7:15-17).

The key to conquering sin, and we are more than conquerors in Christ, is to keep our eyes on Jesus and stop trying so hard--but learn to trust!  The more we try to stop sinning in our own strength, the more enslaved we become, because we are reinforcing it (my pastor says).  Some good ideas to avoid sin is to keep busy, especially in the work of the Lord, and to think of things of good report and of virtue as Phil. 4:8 says.   There's always a way of escape according to 1 Cor. 10:13 and we never have to sin anymore.

It is important to realize how bad of a sinner we are and that we have no hope of saving ourselves, but throw in the towel and give up the ship to Christ as one's captain.  We don't realize how bad we are till we try to be good, and, conversely, we can't be good until we realize how bad we are.   This is a catch-22 to reflect on.  We are not as bad as we can be, but are as bad off as we can be--even Hitler loved his mother and wasn't as bad as he could have been and he is considered by many to be the paradigm of evil along with Judas.

This is God's estimation of man, not man's estimation of man!  Our sin, no matter how much or how little is enough to condemn us, because to God sin is like antimatter to matter.  I am grateful that even though I am a great sinner, I have a great Savior!  I just keep short accounts and "move on" as my pastor says.  I don't live in the past.

The devil accuses you of sin, but the Holy Spirit does an open and shut case against you and there is no argument.  We all have feet of clay and have weaknesses not readily apparent. But God doesn't grade on a curve!   Jesus sees through the veneer and exposes our dark side that we want to hide--He is the only one that really knows us better than we know ourselves even.  God doesn't grade on a curve!  Yes, we are bad, but not too bad to be saved!  We are never good enough to be saved, in other words, but bad enough to need salvation:  ironically, some people don't even want to admit they are sinners because they "haven't done anything that bad."

We often compare ourselves with others who seem worse and get proud:  "Compared to Saddam Hussein I am a saint!"  We may think of ourselves as just a "run-of-the-mill" sinner, but we should be comparing ourselves to Christ who is the express image of His glory and the divine standard:  "Be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48).  Caveat:  God doesn't grade on a curve;  the standard is is perfection, the test is direction!

Well, what is the biblical definition of sin?  In the study of hamartiology sin is from the Greek word hamartia, a marksman's word for "missing the mark."  It is suggested that one shoots at a target and misses the bull's eye.  When one misses achieving this standard he "sins."  There are both sins of omission and commission.  When God says in negative terms:  Thou shalt not, and we do, it is a sin of commission  When we fail to do God's will and leave something undone, which we should have done, it is also sin--this is a sin of omission.  Having a mind and willpower makes us able to sin.  Basically, sin is nonconformity to the law of God, anything not of faith, when we know the right thing to do, and fail to do it, any transgression, trespass, or perverted act.

Some things may be sin for one brother and not another.  We can sin against a brother (cf. 1 Cor. 8:12), but basically all sin is against God and only His forgiveness brings salvation from past, present, and future sins.  Any act of unbelief is a sin according to 1 John 5:10.  Sin is also lawlessness according to 1 John 3:4.  The Anglican Book of Common Prayer adds: "leaving undone that which I ought to have done."

However, Jesus internalized sin (the Pharisees had "externalized" sin by reducing it to what can be seen by men like fasting; eating kosher; ceremonial washing; et cetera), saying that "out of the heart proceed evil thoughts."  It is not a matter of having clean hands, but a clean heart to be pure in God's eyes.  "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7).  Sin is a disease or an illness and we cannot say we have a little sin no more than we can say one is a little pregnant!  In short, when we sin against God, we violate His nature and holiness; when we sin against man, we violate his humanity and dignity as a human in the image of God, according to R. C. Sproul.  He goes on to say that all sin is an act of treason to overthrow God.  I have heard it said, that sin is "man's declaration of independence from God."

It is a grave mistake to rename sin with pretty names to be less offensive like:  shortcomings, errors, mistakes, habits, vices, et cetera.  Billy Graham says that this is like relabeling a poison and calling it the Essence of Peppermint, which would make it more dangerous to the kids.  The closer you get to God the more aware you are of sin:  Samuel Rutherford said, "Pray for a lively sense of sin, then you'll have less sin."   Great saints have often discounted their holiness and downgraded themselves out of humility:  John Bunyan wrote Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners."  Paul called himself "the chief of sinners."  A good definition from Charlie Riggs is "any thought, word, omission, action, or desire contrary to the Word of God."  The whole purpose of the law is to make us cognizant of our sin not to be a way of salvation, or a code to live by for good measure--we are incapable of keeping it:  "For by the law is the knowledge of sin"  (Rom. 3:20, Phil.).  The Law measures us, it doesn't save us!

To become Christians we must be willing to turn from sin (repentance) and turn to God (through faith in Christ by grace).  We need not only to be against sin in theory but renounce sin and any individual sins God has laid on our hearts.  [Believers are still sinners, by the way, according to Gal. 2:17. and John says in 1 John 1 that "if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us in v. 8.] We need to repent of all our sins, not just the ones we don't like and keep our pet sins. Legalists see sins and not sin (God can make us a new person with a victory over it by putting a new man in the suit, not a new suit on the man):  Our problem is the old sin nature, or our sinful flesh or carnal man.  We must be changed (passive case) from the inside out (i.e., God does it!).  This is due to our solidarity in Adam and what's known as "original sin" (therefore sin is universal (termed the universality of sin) and the common-held belief that nobody's perfect--as they say, "To err is human."

We don't try to be the Holy Spirit and convict people of their sins, that's the role of the Holy Spirit alone.  In due time He will show them the error of their ways:  thus we have so many Christians doing what we wouldn't because they haven't matured to our level yet.  It is the consensus that we all grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Pet. 3:18).  We go from glory to glory and increase in Christ-likeness as we grow and mature according to 2 Cor. 3:18. ("...we are transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory....").

Albert Camus said that "the absurd is sin without God."  This is true:  if there is no God, there is no absolute value system and everything is only relative.  No one can say with certainty that something is a sin.  We need a divine standard to appeal to:  some call this "natural law"--this is what convicted the Nazi war criminals who claimed they only obeyed the law of the "Fatherland."  We all have a conscience and an innate sense of right and wrong which makes us culpable for our sin.  Dr. Karl Menninger wrote a famous book: Whatever Became of Sin?  Even psychiatrists are starting to use the word again and think that "God" may have a point!

There is a very well-known preacher of a megachurch that refuses to preach on sin because he regards it as a "killjoy word."  I recall Calvin Coolidge, the man of few words, coming home from church and his wife asking him what the sermon was about:  "Sin."  "What did he say?" "He was against it!"  If  I make any point, I want you to be sure that God cannot tolerate sin in His presence (Satan was booted out of heaven) and His eyes are too pure to behold evil (Hab. 1:13). God is just and must do something about the sin question.

But God is love and also gracious and has found a way out of the dilemma.  The gospel message is that God has solved the sin problem through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.  If we truly repent of our sins and receive Christ as our Lord and trust Him as our Savior we will be delivered and rescued from the coming wrath or calamity of God (1 Thess. 1:9).    Soli Deo Gloria!