Feb
10
2010
Stott on How and Why Christians Should Debate Each Other
From John Stott’s book, Christ the Controversialist (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1970).
On what Christians should do when they disagree with each other:
The proper activity of professing Christians who disagree with one another is neither to ignore, nor to conceal, nor even to minimize their differences, but to debate them. (p. 22)
On why we should speak the truth in love, not being truthless in love or loveless in truth:
We seem in our generation to have moved a long way from this vehement zeal for the truth which Christ and his apostles displayed. But if we loved the glory of God more, and if we cared more for the eternal good of the souls of men, we would not refuse to engage in necessary controversy, when the truth of the gospel is at stake. The apostolic command is clear. We are “to maintain the truth in love,” being neither truthless in our love, nor loveless in our truth, but holding the two in balance. (p. 19)
On the difference between a “tolerant mind” and a “tolerant spirit”:
We need to distinguish between the tolerant mind and the tolerant spirit. Tolerant in spirit a Christian should always be, loving, understanding, forgiving and forbearing others, making allowances for them, and giving them the benefit of the doubt, for true love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” [1 Cor. 13:7]. But how can we be tolerant in mind of what God has plainly revealed to be either evil or erroneous? (p. 8)
I think Stott would have liked something G. K. Chesterton once said: ““The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid” (The Autobiography, vol. 16 of The Collected Works of G. K. Chesterton [San Francisco: Ignatius, 1988], 212).
13 Comments
Firm in mind. Tolerant in spirit. Blogosphere words to live by. Thanks Justin!
John MacArthur wrote “Truth War” and calls us to stand up and fight/battle for the truth.
Good read.
Hello, friends. I think that if we urge ourselves to be bold like Christ we can communicate with other Christians. How can we be as bold as Christ? By prefacing conversations with other by praying to God as “Abba”. If Christ could call down that powerful name, so can we. What He can do, we can do too. Such prayers need to smash hearts before our minds our opened. Pray to ABBA and believe that we are heirs to it all.
Excellent post. The key though is when the truth of the gospel is at stake. I highly doubt the value of muxh debate on isissues of theological minutia (sp) or ecclesiastical hang ups.
I like the Chesterton quote even better! Very nice. By far my favorite Catholic :-)
I go back and forth between Chesterton and Tolkien. :)
But Chesterton and Tolkien are… are… are… (gasp) Catholics.
[...] Nano-Blog link here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/02/10/stott-on-how-and-why-christians-should-d... [...]
[...] Stott on how and why Christians should debate each other I love this from Justin Taylor: [...]
Gavin,
Please alert all of the fellow Calvinist “truth warriors” that John Macarthur was not the source of that little bit of wisdom.
“The proper activity of professing Christians who disagree with one another is neither to ignore, nor to conceal, nor even to minimize their differences, but to debate them. (p. 22)”
Debate is oftentimes perceived as quarreling and squabbling.
i wish the church would uphold stotts wisdom…..but he himself has experienced the persecution of holding a different view as he was almost excommunicated. http://cruciality.wordpress.com/category/hell/
in my experience it seems the majority of people seem to have personal presuppositions on all biblical topics and i’ve found it much easier to remain silent and keep my views to myself, sadly to say. we all included myself get very comfortable with our set of beliefs and don’t like to be challenged.
p.s. i’m not a universalist if you happen to read this article i attached…..just quoting about stott’s different views on hell.