Bible's Guide To Debating

[AudreyGrace]

So, I tend to get caught up in debates on here sometimes. I think it's safe to say we all do. Last night I was praying and I read some of 2 Timothy. I came across this little snippet and had to re-evaluate myself. I'm still working on it, but I figured that I should share this with everyone on here.

2Timothy 2: 22-26

"So turn from youthful desires and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord with purity of heart. Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, for you know that they breed quarrels. A slave of the Lord should not quarrel, but should be gentle with everyone, able to teach, tolerant, correcting opponents with kindness. It may be that God will grant them repentance that leads to knowledge of the truth, and that they may return to their senses out of the devil's snare, where they are entrapped by him, for his will."

If I ever sound exceptionally nasty in a debate thread, please call me out. Thanks : )

[img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/amen.gif[/img]

[thessalonian]

1 Pet 3:15 as well. Peter says "give reason for the hope that is within you, but do it in gentleness and love". I've come to the realization over the years that this Catholic faith and an understanding of it is not possible except by the grace of God. Most of those who do not understand many times are trying their best with what they have been given.

Edited January 12, 2011 by thessalonian

[AudreyGrace]

Amen to that.

[MarkKurallSchuenemann]

Those are mighty fine scriptures, which is why I will usually say lets us agree to disagree, and why I don't come down hard on people.

I like following the ways of peace, and the start of that is always, the love Jesus Christ showed us on the cross.

There is a powerful hymn that I am finally starting to see happen in my life.

When you turn your eyes to Jesus
The things of this world will grow strangely dim
In the light of his mercy and grace!

It's very true.

I think 99 per cent of believer disagreement would grow strangely dim if we turned our eyes to Jesus, because of his mercy and his grace.

Edited January 13, 2011 by MarkKurallSchuenemann

[Mark of the Cross]

[quote name='AudreyGrace' timestamp='1294808377' post='2199254']
So, I tend to get caught up in debates on here sometimes. I think it's safe to say we all do. Last night I was praying and I read some of 2 Timothy. I came across this little snippet and had to re-evaluate myself. I'm still working on it, but I figured that I should share this with everyone on here.

2Timothy 2: 22-26

"So turn from youthful desires and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord with purity of heart. Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, for you know that they breed quarrels. A slave of the Lord should not quarrel, but should be gentle with everyone, able to teach, tolerant, correcting opponents with kindness. It may be that God will grant them repentance that leads to knowledge of the truth, and that they may return to their senses out of the devil's snare, where they are entrapped by him, for his will."

If I ever sound exceptionally nasty in a debate thread, please call me out. Thanks : )

[img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/amen.gif[/img]
[/quote]
That's undoubtedly true, but I also think that although we should aim for that, we not only cannot achieve it all the time, but it is good that we don't. One of the greatest expressions of love is to be humble and to admit that we are sometimes wrong. When you challenge what people hold near and dear to their hearts they are inclined to get angry and to despise you. Everyone hates someone who is always right and can never be debated against or is always writing things different than what they believe. I am aware that there may be many people here who will not like me because I challenge them and write things different than convention. This is good, because then I know that what I am doing is for God and not for my own glory. It allows me to sometimes say "sorry, I got it wrong". On another thread people didn't like me suggesting that in the story of Job that God had to concede that satan was right in his challenge of free choice. Of course God may have simply been able to change the rules, but then how could God express his love for us? God didn't have to allow his son to be tortured and killed for which satan was also responsible. He did it as the ultimate expression of love for his creations! And He made us in his image.

Whenever I am impatient or nasty remind me that it's time to be humble and say sorry!

[AudreyGrace]

[quote name='Mark of the Cross' timestamp='1294910938' post='2199611']
That's undoubtedly true, but I also think that although we should aim for that, we not only cannot achieve it all the time, but it is good that we don't. One of the greatest expressions of love is to be humble and to admit that we are sometimes wrong. When you challenge what people hold near and dear to their hearts they are inclined to get angry and to despise you. Everyone hates someone who is always right and can never be debated against or is always writing things different than what they believe. I am aware that there may be many people here who will not like me because I challenge them and write things different than convention. This is good, because then I know that what I am doing is for God and not for my own glory. It allows me to sometimes say "sorry, I got it wrong". On another thread people didn't like me suggesting that in the story of Job that God had to concede that satan was right in his challenge of free choice. Of course God may have simply been able to change the rules, but then how could God express his love for us? God didn't have to allow his son to be tortured and killed for which satan was also responsible. He did it as the ultimate expression of love for his creations! And He made us in his image.

Whenever I am impatient or nasty remind me that it's time to be humble and say sorry!
[/quote]

Interesting angle you got there. : )
I think that when we debate, if it is for God's glory as it should be, we should not seek out others to hate us or to make someone else feel challenged. Rather, to defend the truth in a charitable manner as God wants us to. Defend, not offend.

Sure I'll remind you, as long as you call me out, too!