As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“As Christians, how can we learn to disagree well, especially with other Christians? In 1970, Francis Schaeffer, one of the most astute apologists of the 20th century, published The Mark of the Christian.” - TGC
“we must be careful as we are confronting a person who thrives on conflict not to become the same type of person. Because we have a sense of the Judgement Day, and the fact that justice will eventually be done, we are freed from our need to seek judgement in the present age” - Russell Moore
“Thomas Sowell once said, ‘It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.’ Humility must precede all healthy learning and dialogue. An awareness of our own limitations will not only force us to take a more humble stance ourselves but also compel us to grant grace to our fellow human beings.” - LifeWay
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “Nowhere in this chapter is there an exhortation or an appeal to produce a unity. Our Lord is saying that the unity is already there, already in existence.” - Ref21
Read Part 1.
If I polled my readers at this point, there’d probably be some who’d say, “I’m of Paul,” and others, “I am of Barnabas.” Whose side do you take? Before you decide, consider two things:
The apostle Paul appealed to the church in Corinth: “that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1:10). But Paul did not always attain to that ideal himself. In Acts 15:36-41, we read the sad story of a sharp disagreement between Paul and his companion, Barnabas. What makes their disagreement so disheartening is the division that resulted.
“…it’s been a devastating year of conflict. And we’re all tired from it. But I’ve noticed a concerning pattern of response to perceived conflict in recent weeks, particularly on social media: Fatigue has led many Christians to avoid any kind of disagreement.” - Natahsa Crain
“But Scripture speaks repeatedly about those who have what the apostle Paul calls ‘an unhealthy craving for controversy’ (1 Tim. 6:4).” - Russell Moore
Discussion