Argument

 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (I Peter 3:15-16) 

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (II Corinthians 16:3-5) 

          I won’t argue the point that I am argumentative, except to clarify what the word means. For some, “arguing” refers to red-faced shouting matches in which name-calling takes center stage. They argue that argument is a bad thing. Yes, they argue. They take a position the provide reasons why they do so. Some people think that arguing gets in the way of loving. I think that arguing can be a form of loving. Loving requires arguing because if two people are going to love one another, live together, or work together, there are going to be difference of opinion.
          I prefer my arguments in writing. Most people probably prefer face-to-face discussions but I tend end up with my thoughts tied in Gordian knots. In response to one thing someone says, I have six or more ideas all trying to move from my brain to my tongue and they end up jumbled. I hate feeling forced to answer in the split second after they finish speaking. Other people prefer face-to-face because they want to connect with the person. I don’t know, maybe they’re blessed with thoughts that politely wait for one another. Or maybe their thoughts have been better disciplined. 
          Regardless of your preferred method of argument, arguments are going to happen. Our passages today both address this reality. A key to arguing is to prepare. The Holy Spirit can miraculously give you the words to say, but the Bible tells us to be prepared to give our answer with gentleness and respect, and the only way to give an answer with gentleness and respect is to prepare. 
          The best preparing requires not only a firm knowledge of Scripture, but keen observation of the world as well. Over the past few days, I’ve been arguing on behalf of the Scriptural view of marriage. Not only have I been sharing Scripture that presents the Biblical view of marriage, but I’ve referred to research and applied logic. I’m not going to tell you that I’m the expert in arguing and that you should follow my procedure. Part of my argument is that the same God who designed the way the universe functions is the same God who sets the principles recorded in Scripture. Even though our universe is broken by sin, it still operates best when operated in the way it was designed. Those who argue against Scripture also argue against nature.
          As an example, those who reject Scripture have long argued that our world came about through evolutionary processes. Survival of the fittest and natural selection rule. Now they are arguing that a model for relationships that by its nature precludes procreation within the relationship should be granted equal or greater honor than a model that is naturally required for procreation. That violates survival of the fittest and natural selection in favor of sentimentality. When it comes to social policy and morality, what matters is not the cold hard facts of either Scripture or Science, but an idea that requires the rejection of both. That idealism continues to destroy our society because it does rejects even basic truths of the science they claim is our best understanding of reality.
          This, to me, is why we need to be ready to argue. It’s not about “my way or the highway.” It’s not about me winning. It’s a matter of survival (and not just of the fittest.) We need to read Scripture, to understand Scripture and to wisely apply Scripture, and part of doing that involves reading material that isn’t Scripture. There are hundreds of books on the subject. Today, my suggestion for your education is America’s Blessings: How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists, by Prof Rodney Stark. It shows some of the connections between religion and good social policy.