How should Christians respond to one another when we find that we have deep disagreements that apparently cannot be reconciled?
One response is simply to shrug and say it doesn’t matter. You go your way and I’ll go mine. Live and let live. In my view, ignoring our differences this way is dishonest and unwise. We may be able to travel that way for a while, but eventually a point will be reached where to ignore the opinions of another would be a betrayal of our own integrity. Everyone, even a horrid namby-pamby, hoity-toity, keep-your-voice-down, don’t-upset-the-neighbours, pink’s a -nice-colour-isn’t-it liberal has their limit.
There’s another way, of course. Denigrate your opponent. Pour scorn on his arguments, but in no circumstances address them directly, because to do so concedes that there is a debate to be had. I’m right. I know, because God told me. If you disagree, you’re either a fool or an apostate or both. I must say, this is a very satisfying way to conduct an argument, because you begin with iron-clad defences and a fully-stocked ammunition cabinet. Shouting louder usually does the trick, and if you really want to press home a point, crank up the anglo-saxonisms a notch or two. You can emerge the victor every time and it feels great. I know. The trouble is, for every person that shouts “Amen!” there’s another shouting “No way!” The Body of Christ is divided and weakened. (”Can the eye say to the hand, I don’t need you?”) If we fall out of fellowship with one another, we all lose.
The better way is to face our disagreements openly, with the humility to be willing to learn from one another. Of course, in any argument I’m going to be sure I’m right. And I’ve got an opinion about everything. But I hope I’ve acquired sufficient wisdom to know that I won’t be right about everything. It’s in dialogue with one another that we learn and grow - that’s how the Church has always operated from its beginning. Talk to me. Say your piece and, I hope, let me say mine. The internet offers us more channels for communication than we’ve ever had before, more opportunities for individual Christians to “meet” across geographical and cultural boundaries. It’s up to us whether we use the opportunity to promote growth or deepen our divisions.
Originally posted Oct 20th 2005 in a quite different context.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Joseph W 10.29.10 at 4:27 pm
You may be interested in this story:
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20101028/interviewpalestinian-jew-on-reconciling-through-jesus-christ/pageall.html
Earl 10.29.10 at 4:36 pm
Ignoring differences is like storing rat poison in the kitchen cabinet because one doesn’t want to go through the effort of taking it out to the garden shed. Differences are often styled as so fundamental as to touch upon personal integrity. Very often principle is only a cloak for personal preference or even just partisan commitment. It should come as no surprise that everything is out of balance when that which is less than ultimate is made the balance point of faith and fellowship.
Dealing with differences is not an option. In doing nothing because the something one does might not be the perfect something to do, one yields excusing the consequences as unfortunate. In a no holds barred winning is everything rush to MAD, one destroys excusing any collateral damage as unavoidable. In discussion and debate, one seldom does more than polish points which are then used to spear opponents excusing the resulting log jam as the nature of politics. In departing, one abandons as stubble what was once judged precious.
There is another way. It is more excellent than even the very best of human aspirations. It exceeds the challenge of even the extremes of human failure. In truth, it is not just another way. It is not just the best way. It is the only way. It is the only way to get out of the ditch to which every other way had led. It is the only way we will at all make any progress to that perfection to which Jesus called us. It is the only way we can follow Jesus. We’re going to have to love one another, even if it means we don’t get what we want. We’re going to have to love one another, not because any of us are particularly loveable but because we love the Lord Jesus who loved us so very much. We’re going to have to love one another simply because we are more committed to obeying Jesus than we are to satisfying ourselves.
Richard 10.29.10 at 4:58 pm
I’m pretty sure we’re agreeing with one another Earl. Just shows — there’s a first time for everything!
I’ll look at that link Joseph, but just now it’s refusing to load anything but a huge ad with some goldfish on it
Joseph W 10.29.10 at 5:00 pm
Oh just click close in the top-right hand corner. It’s really annoying that.