The following article is the second in a seven-part series about the character of an evangelist from 2 Timothy 2:24-26.
The Lord’s Servant Must Not Be Quarrelsome
When the Apostles Paul instructs Christians to “not be quarrelsome,” he is not saying that we should never become involved in debates of any kind. He is warning specifically against debates that have nothing to do with — and could be a distraction from — the proclamation of the Gospel. Some Christians read Paul’s words here, along with similar admonishments in Scripture, and take them to extremes. The Bible does not justify an absolutist opinion against debating.
Apollos, a first-century Jewish Christian, helped develop the churches in parts of modern-day Turkey and Greece using debate as a tactic. According to Scripture, Apollos “powerfully refuted” opponents of the Gospel — even in public.1 The Apostle Paul regularly reasoned with people about Jesus, which involved some debating.2 Jesus debated with devout Jews about his identity as their messiah, infuriating them by declaring “before Abraham was, I am.”3 Please note that these debates were for the purpose of advancing the Gospel, not to inflate the ego of those proclaiming the truth.
There are times when Jesus refused to be drawn into a debate because his opponents were not sincerely seeking to illuminate truth (which would have meant they would be open to being proven wrong) they only sought to embarrass Jesus. When the Pharisees tried to get Jesus to argue with them over the authority of his ministry, he shut the conversation down.4 When the Pharisees “began to argue with him,” and ask him for a miraculous sign to authenticate himself, he quickly rebuked them “and he left them.”5 He knew that they had already received sufficient evidence to believe. They shouldn’t have needed any further proof.
If there are times to debate and times to hold one’s tongue, how are we to understand Paul’s warning to “not be quarrelsome”? I believe Paul is referring to someone with a quarrelsome attitude — someone who delights in argument as a sport and in merely out-witting his adversaries to make them look foolish. Sadly, many so-called street preachers (who use bullhorns and delight in preaching damnation) fit this description. Nevertheless, as long as the Christian debates with the goal of extolling the beauty, greatness and glory of Christ, he can know with near-certainty that he’s debating for the right reasons.
All that said, a Christian engaged in evangelism should try to avoid debating. Calm conversation is the preferred mode of operation when communicating the Gospel. However, if someone tries to debate an evangelist by putting the Gospel on trial, a Christian should be prepared to debate — and to win.
5. Mark 8:11-13
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PHOTO BY Petras Gagilas