Keep
reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about
words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. (II Timothy
2:14)
Not quarrel about words? Paul, you and I need to have words…. The first key to any profitable discussion is to agree on the definitions of the words used. If you don’t, you get such verbal and philosophical garbage as “Love is love.” [1] Paul very likely knew this idea of defining terms in discussions because the Greek philosophers taught it, so I don’t think he meant that. In one of his letters to the Corinthian church, he advised them not to get into the Paul versus Apollos versus Jesus debates. I think this is closer to the mark.
I suspect that what Paul had more in mind is more along the lines of arguments about words like “baptism.” Years ago, when we were attending a Baptist church, my mother told me that she could not become a member of that church, even though she was attending, because to be a member, one had to be baptized by immersion. She had been baptized as a child through “sprinkling” but to her, to say that baptism meant nothing was to say that her whole life had been a lie. I have some of the same difficulty with the word “member.” I am not a member of the church where I’ve been a faithful attender for seventeen years, because I haven’t taken a class and a test and signed on a dotted line. I may do all the other things members are supposed to do (except vote), but I’m not a “member.” Why don’t I become one? I don’t find taking a class and signing on a dotted line to be the qualifications for membership according to Scripture.
Words like those lead to quarrels that can end with people ending relationships. They do not help anyone grow deeper into God’s Word, deeper into faith or deeper into love with God and His people. There are matters in Scripture that are worth fighting for. Paul contends for them and advises Timothy to contend for them. Understanding love is worth fighting for. Understanding how one goes about baptizing is not.
Not quarrel about words? Paul, you and I need to have words…. The first key to any profitable discussion is to agree on the definitions of the words used. If you don’t, you get such verbal and philosophical garbage as “Love is love.” [1] Paul very likely knew this idea of defining terms in discussions because the Greek philosophers taught it, so I don’t think he meant that. In one of his letters to the Corinthian church, he advised them not to get into the Paul versus Apollos versus Jesus debates. I think this is closer to the mark.
I suspect that what Paul had more in mind is more along the lines of arguments about words like “baptism.” Years ago, when we were attending a Baptist church, my mother told me that she could not become a member of that church, even though she was attending, because to be a member, one had to be baptized by immersion. She had been baptized as a child through “sprinkling” but to her, to say that baptism meant nothing was to say that her whole life had been a lie. I have some of the same difficulty with the word “member.” I am not a member of the church where I’ve been a faithful attender for seventeen years, because I haven’t taken a class and a test and signed on a dotted line. I may do all the other things members are supposed to do (except vote), but I’m not a “member.” Why don’t I become one? I don’t find taking a class and signing on a dotted line to be the qualifications for membership according to Scripture.
Words like those lead to quarrels that can end with people ending relationships. They do not help anyone grow deeper into God’s Word, deeper into faith or deeper into love with God and His people. There are matters in Scripture that are worth fighting for. Paul contends for them and advises Timothy to contend for them. Understanding love is worth fighting for. Understanding how one goes about baptizing is not.
[1] If “Love is love” then any
love is love. The idea is that homosexual love is the same as heterosexual
love. Are those both the same as pedophilic love? As narcissistic love? When I’ve
asked, I’ve been told, “Don’t be stupid, we’re talking about mutually
consenting adults and no harm is done.” OK, but that proves that love isn’t
love. What constitutes love is restricted by assumed boundaries. There is more
that can and should be said on the subject, but those additional concerns are
not the point here.
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