But avoid foolish … quarrels about the law …
Summary: Paul’s life story is a case study on which kinds of controversy are legitimate and which kinds are foolish. We can learn from looking at the examples he struggled with.
Paul should know about quarrels. He had a Master’s Degree in Quarreling with Christians before his conversion (Acts 9:1-19). After his conversion, he was a different man. Quarreling was something he no longer wanted to participate in.
After meeting Jesus, Paul became a man of proclamations. He was given a mission by Jesus to carry the Gospel and proclaim it wherever he went. Eventually, he was led to become the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13), and that is what Paul did. But he could not leave his Jewish past behind, nor would it leave him alone.
Throughout the rest of his life, Paul would be dogged by Jews. Some of the Jews were angry at Paul because they felt he had betrayed God and the “true faith.” Others were Jewish Christians who were angry at Paul because he did not agree with their ideas about making Gentile Christians observe Jewish laws and customs.
At the beginning of his letter to Titus, Paul gives us a peek into his troubles with his Jewish brethren:
“…pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth.” (Titus 1: 13-14)
Does the Old Testament law handed down from Moses apply to Gentile Christians or not? That was the big question of the day. The Jewish Christians wanted the answer to be “Yes.” The Gentile Christians did not care because they had no idea where reliance on the old laws would take them. Paul did. He understood that there was a choice to be made. One either relies on the Law for salvation or on Jesus Christ.
Similar arguments still abound today. People put barriers between others and salvation all of the time. You have to believe a certain way, or you have to do certain things to be saved. Have you never heard someone tell you something like that?
If you argue with them on their terms, you are trapped! There is no solid ground to stand on, only opinions. The quarrels that result are endless, and they lead us away from salvation, not towards it.
In Paul’s day, one of the major arguments centered around circumcision. Should Gentile Christians be circumcised? After all, circumcision is the sign by which all believers up to the time of Christ had been known. It was the sign given by God to Abraham himself.
Paul’s response is straightforward. He says, “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.” (1 Corinthians 7:19a)
Circumcision may not be a hot topic these days, but there is no shortage of other topics to quarrel about. The result is always the same: division rather than the unity our Lord wants for us.
Paul does not say to avoid controversy. His entire life as a Christian was immersed in controversy. What he tells us is to avoid “foolish” controversy. The trick is to be able to tell the difference.
Application: When you find yourself in conflict for any reason, stop and look through the lens of God’s Word to see what kind of controversy it is.
Food for Thought: If you were advising a new Christian on how to avoid “foolish” controversy and quarrels, what would you tell them?
I remember getting into an “in-depth” discussion with an older gentleman at church once about wearing a suit to Sunday service. See, I’ve never been a suit guy; I’ve always been more of a T-shirt/dress shirt fellow. He was old school 1940’s suit and tie man (we call those guys brown shoes). He insisted that you had to present yourself as your best to the Lord on Sunday. I didn’t really argue with that, but my point was that some folks can’t afford suits and it may become a deterrent to attendance (which is a convenient stance to take for a guy who doesn’t want to wear a suit, lol). I wish I knew 1 Corinthians 7:19 back then; I may have quoted it as it expressed my feelings on the subject. Looking back on that experience though, our discussion did the exact opposite of what the Lord intends for two believers, as that man and I never really made a heartfelt connection after that. I think this is a verse I would like to memorize for myself, something to remind myself of for the future if I get into discussions like that again.
Corinthians 7:19 “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.”
Thank you, Chris.
That is a great example!
I’m with Chris!
If you were advising a new Christian on how to avoid “foolish” controversy and quarrels, what would you tell them?
Every new Christian should be given a new bible as their “Owners Manual” along with an overview of the Old and New Testaments which are joined into one message from our perfect God, describing His unmerited love for all mankind. And His work to provide for our salvation through Jesus Christ before, during and after His ministry here on earth. The decisions made by imperfect men and women throughout history and the rewards or consequences of their decisions.
New Christians need to understand the importance of our maintaining a strong relationship with our God through prayer and a life of Bible study, and referring to our bibles for the answers to all questions or differences we may have with another believer. Suggest they begin their life of study with the book of John.
2 Timothy 3:16, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Thank you, Ron!
Great advice! 🙂