The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Is the Lord Pleased with Debate?

Hi

As Reformed Christians, who want to make sure that what we believe is scriptural, I am sure most of us have been rebuked by others; saying things like: "The Lord is not pleased when Christians debate."
It is because of this, that I thought it would be interesting to get your experiences and how you dealt with such rebukes.

Tom

It reminds me of the "you focus too much on doctrine" criticism I got frequently while on my way out of Pentecostalism. "That's all head knowledge. But God cares about the heart. You know the devil has all his doctrine straight, but it doesn't help him. Why can't you just love the Lord?"

That really threw me for a loop and I had no words to answer with except, "I'll try, thanks Pastor."

I quickly discovered, though, that it's impossible to "just love the Lord" without careful study of doctrine! I was really surprised by the realization. But the Lord said, "the one who loves Me has and obeys My word (John 14:21)." And furthermore that person is loved by God in return, and the Lord said, "I will disclose Myself to him (same verse)."

Before long I was back in the pastor's office to describe how "just loving the Lord" was working out. I pointed him to John 14:21 and asked, "can you tell me about the Lord without referring to doctrine?"

"Well, He loves us..." the pastor began. I interrupted him. "But that's doctrine," I said, politely.

"Oh, well yeah, okay, um... He knows our needs before we ask.. oh, wait... yeah that's doctrine too. Okay, I see where you're going with this, kid, and I don't appreciate it. If you can't be serious about your walk with God, just quit wasting your time and mine."

Gee, I thought I was serious. The only way I know how to love God is to study His word, learn of Him, imitate Him, to know the truth so I can live the truth.

God desires a people who worship Him in spirit and truth. "In spirit" means more than "with sincerity." It means "not in flesh," or not according to human invention or my own ideas about what pleases Him. Worshiping God "in truth" means more than just worshiping Him from the heart, but accurately. In all that we do, every day. Not just "feeling the Spirit" on Sunday.

I wish my Pentecostal friends who care nothing for doctrine could know the Lord as intimately as they claim to "by the Spirit." But I'm here to tell you that zeal not according to knowledge is not love of God, according to John 14:21 (and lots of other verses of course - that's just the one I used on that occasion).

Loving the Lord,
Robin

Isn't it debating for someone to say they do not like debates. They always get the last word in.

Their might be some legitimacy behind it, but more often than not, their doctrine is 'man-made'. By that I mean we can get caught up in over-emphasising and advocating the minors at the expense of the majors when speaking to others. Yet, oftentimes when someone complains about debating doctrine, their doctrine comes from the current view of our culture in that their is no right or wrong. Of course, they will counter argue that they do believe in right and wrong, but it is at a completely different level in that they cannot really hold to the infallibility and authority of Scripture.

I am in agreement with Robin and John here. Those who are most opposed to "debate" are usually those most staunch in defending their 'views' (doctrine). My approach is to show them how inconsistent their opposition to debating doctrine is by asking them to tell me who God and/or Jesus Christ is. Invariably, their 'doctrine' of God is skewed at best and opening Scripture and showing them the one TRUE GOD as He has revealed Himself shows why it is so important to know the truth. This is impressed upon them most when they realize that we believe in and worship a different God.

Being unregenerate, of course, is at the root of most we talk to, but aside from that, their very low view of Scripture is the practical cause of their disinterest in debate. They all do have a "creed" too, by the way, which is typically:

Oy vey!!

I am definitely in agreement.
Many say that debate divides Christians. However, on the essentials that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Tom

While still in an Arminian synagogue, I once had to translate for a "counseling pastor" from some American mega-synagogue. The guy was giving some teaching for pastors on how to do proper pastoral counseling. In the process of his lecturing he revealed the following principle: "never let your theological differences spoil the relationships". I asked the man where all Protestants would have been today (if there had been ANY Protestants), had Luther followed that advise. The guy did not know what to say and so he just chose to ignore my remark... I subsequently had to repent, of course, of my participation in that event.

It is also curious when one tries to suggest to one of those "let-the-Spirit-have-his-way" folks to sing only Psalms for a "fresh wind of change", one will meet the most rigid defense of their charismatic "free" way.

Debating heretics is oftentimes a wearing and bitter experience, for many are hardened in their heresy, but if one does polemics for the sake of Christ's sheep who may be bewitched in the crowed of false-gosplellers, then that evangelical goal makes it a worthwhile experience, even if no one responds at the time.