Why I don't argue with people
by David J. Stewart
Sharing the gospel with someone is essential, but arguing and debating with them certainly is not. Constructive conversation is good. For two people to try to understand one another through conversation is good. However, arguing about the truth is not good and neither is it necessary. The truth (Jesus and His Word) stand alone regardless of whether a heretic thinks they get the last word or not! The truth STILL stands! If I spent all my time defending what I believe, I wouldn't have time to do anything else! Either people want to do the right thing or they don't. I began this website by God's grace to get the truth out, NOT to argue or debate the truth. Though some people will always want to debate, I thank God for the many truth-hungry people who have been helped through this website.
The same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay.
All you can do is share the gospel with someone, whether they want to get saved or not is between them and God. The apostle Paul advises us to witness to someone twice.
"A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself." -Titus 3:10,11
The apostle Paul wasn't saying that we should give up on people, he is simply saying that we should make good use of our soul winning efforts. Some people love to argue and will waste all our time. Why should we spend time arguing with someone who just wants to argue when there is a world of lost sinners out there who haven't even heard the gospel one time?
By the way, if you are a Christian actively doing something for Christ, expect persecution
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." -2nd Timothy 3:12
Don't be surprised when it comes. The Bible says that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Not "maybe," but "shall." In sharing Christ on the world wide web, I get all kinds of folks coming here from all different religions and backgrounds. I get Satanists and evolutions, Catholics and atheists, some nice and some not so nice. Unfortunately, many of them want to argue with me. I get many evolutionists that want to argue, I simply won't do it. I do try to respond to the questions of any nice person who writes me. If someone is calling me names and cursing me, I never respond. I just don't want to argue. Often I'll just send them a Bible verse or two. Let them argue with God. We are commanded not to argue with belligerent people and I've learned the hard way to obey these commandments. Striving with people will certainly eat you "as doth a canker" as the Scripture saith. Here are just a few scriptures:
"strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers" -II Timothy 2:14
"But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker..." -2nd Timothy 2:16-17
"But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes." -2nd Timothy 2:23
"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." (Proverbs 26:4-5)
You need to use wisdom to know when to ignore a fool and when to answer a fool. Let the heathen argue with the heathen, because we born-again believers need to preach the gospel to the world. If someone doesn't want to get saved, you can't make them. Just remember that arguing generates more heat than light (i.e., heated emotions instead of truth). Listen to the somber words of the Apostle Paul...
"If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha." -1st Corinthians 16:22
The word "anathema" means "let him be cursed." The word "Maranatha" means "the Lord is coming." The Apostle Paul is simply saying that if a person doesn't want to get saved, then they are digging their own grave because judgment day is coming. Life is short friend!
