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Disagreeing Without Being Disagreeable
June 14, 2009
In our understanding of scripture, we often disagree. This can be due to many factors. We must learn to agreeably disagree. Because someone else understands something a little differently does not automatically mean that the person is a false prophet or a child of the Devil!
Bernie Parsons
Disagreeing Without Being Disagreeable
A
sermon by Bernie Parsons
presented to the Globe church of
Christ on 06/14/2009
In our lives,
we encounter Christians with many differing opinions, ideas, and
understandings of what the scriptures teach. This is inevitable, because of
several factors, including physical age, life experiences, intelligence,
emotional development, time in the church, amount of Bible study, and more.
That means
that there will be many disagreements. If we disagree, does that mean that
we cannot be friends, or that we cannot be in one another’s company? Does it
mean that we cannot be in fellowship as Christians?
As always,
the answers are found in the scriptures. Anything else would be our personal
opinions, and not worth the paper on which they are written. It is important
that we know and understand that we can disagree without being disagreeable.
Let’s look at a couple of classic examples from the scriptures.
Paul and
Peter disagreed.
Galatians
2:11: “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face,
because he was to be blamed.
12: For
before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when
they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were
of the circumcision.
13: And the
other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was
carried away with their dissimulation.
14: But when
I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I
said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the
manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles
to live as do the Jews?
15: We who
are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
16: Knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of
Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by
the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
17: But if,
while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found
sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.”
Paul, in
writing, criticized Peter’s behavior regarding his relationship with Gentile
Christians, and how it changed when Jews were a part of the picture. Paul
didn’t merely criticize Peter, but also said that his behavior was not
upright and according to truth. He pointed out that the Gentile Christians
were not required to live according to the Jewish laws and customs.
2 Peter 3:14:
“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that
ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
15: And
account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved
brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto
you;
16: As also
in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some
things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable
wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17: Ye
therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also,
being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own
stedfastness.
18: But grow
in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him
be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
It seems that
there might have been a rivalry between Paul and Peter, as we saw above.
Peter, in a subtle way, took a jab at Paul by saying that he wrote things
that were hard to be understood.
We also see
that Paul and Barnabas disagreed.
Acts 15:30:
“So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had
gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
31: Which
when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
32: And Judas
and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many
words, and confirmed them.
33: And after
they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren
unto the apostles.
34:
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
35: Paul also
and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the
Lord, with many others also.
36: And some
days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren
in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they
do.
37: And
Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
38: But Paul
thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from
Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
39: And the
contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from
the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
40: And Paul
chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace
of God.
41: And he
went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.”
In both of
these cases, involving Paul and Peter, and Paul and Barnabas, we need to
take note of something very important. Even though there was sometimes even
severe disagreement, these men still called one another “brother”.
In 2 Peter 3:15, he refers to Paul as his “beloved brother Paul”. He
did not call him an “erring brother”, or a “false brother”, or the enemy of
Christ, or the church.
When Paul and
Barnabas fell out so severely that they felt that they could not work
together in the same preaching team, each did not accuse the other of being
a false prophet, or of perverting the gospel, or of wrecking the church.
Instead, even after the parting of ways, all continued to preach the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
We can learn
from these examples. Sometimes, due to personalities or strong opinions, it
may be difficult for two preachers to work closely together. However, that
does not mean that only one of them is righteous, or that only one preaches
the truth. Furthermore, it does not mean that preachers and teachers, or,
for that matter, other church members, who disagree cannot consider one
another as Christian brothers and sisters, fellow saints, and fellow workers
in the service of the Lord.
1
Thessalonians 5:12: “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour
among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13: And to
esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among
yourselves.
14: Now we
exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded,
support the weak, be patient toward all men.
15: See that
none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good,
both among yourselves, and to all men.”
Those who
devote time and resources to the work among the Christians, or to try to
bring the lost to Christ, are worthy of love and respect. It takes a lot to
be a Bible teacher or a gospel preacher. Long hours are spent in Bible
study, in mediation and prayer, and in research. Evangelists spend long and
tiring hours on the road, bear the emotional strain of working with
strangers and folks of various attitudes, and are deprived of time with
their families. These are personal sacrifices. We should honor them.
Matthew 9:37:
“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the
labourers are few;
38: Pray ye
therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into
his harvest.”
As it was in
the days of Christ, even now the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are
few. Rather than trying to destroy the workers, or run them off, we need to
welcome them. We who are teachers and preachers need to work with our fellow
workers in this harvest.
1 Corinthians
1:10: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you;
but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same
judgment.
11: For it
hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the
house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12: Now this
I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of
Cephas; and I of Christ.
13: Is Christ
divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of
Paul?”
1 Corinthians
3:4: “For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are
ye not carnal?
5: Who then
is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the
Lord gave to every man?
6: I have
planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7: So then
neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God
that giveth the increase.
8: Now he
that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his
own reward according to his own labour.
9: For we are
labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.”
1 Corinthians
3:18: “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise
in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19: For the
wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh
the wise in their own craftiness.
20: And
again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21: Therefore
let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
22: Whether
Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things
present, or things to come; all are yours;
23: And ye
are Christ's; and Christ is God's.”
1 Corinthians
4:15: “For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye
not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the
gospel.
16: Wherefore
I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
17: For this
cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in
the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in
Christ, as I teach every where in every church.”
1 Corinthians
11:1: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2: Now I
praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the
ordinances, as I delivered them to you.”
1 Corinthians
15:1: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached
unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2: By which
also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye
have believed in vain.”
1 Corinthians
15:9: “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an
apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10: But by
the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me
was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I,
but the grace of God which was with me.
11: Therefore
whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.”
