FUTILE ARGUMENTS

 

FUTILE ARGUMENTS

Rom. 14:1 Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. NLT

I went through my argumentative stage. I was so sure of what I believed that I was more than willing to proclaim it to whoever would listen. It didn’t matter much that others had similar convictions about what they believed. I was on a mission to convince the world that I was right.

Fortunately, I outgrew that stage of my life. I am just as sure of my beliefs as I was then, but I have matured in my thinking. Most of the time all that arguing accomplishes is a division of fellowship. Rarely does it change anyone’s convictions.

One of the real dangers of arguments is that many times we don’t really know what we think we know. Understanding is gained over time through much prayer and study. The Lord often has to tweak our understanding as we mature in faith. Some things are revealed to us as time goes on when we are more able to comprehend it.

Some things we understand totally differently later on in life than we do when we are younger in faith. And, some things simply fall under the category of the unknown that must be believed by faith because the Lord does not give us clear answers on it.

Imagine how damaging it could be to a fellow believer who is weak in faith if we were to persuade them to believe something that later on we no longer know to be true. Let the Lord guide others to a proper understanding of truth. It is the Holy Spirit who gives understanding. We can preach and teach until we are blue in the face, but unless the Lord does the convincing, our efforts are in vain. A much better approach would be to pray that the Lord would help us and others to understand the things we need to know.

Those who are weak in faith need our fellowship more than anything else. They need others to come alongside of them to encourage them and spur them on to greater and stronger faith. They need others to love them, not condemn them. Speak the truth, but always do it in love.