Wednesday, February 16, 2011

When to Argue


Here is wonderful grid that Justin Taylor posted from Sam Crabtree's book, Practicing Affirmation. If you want to know how to put it into practice go here.

2 comments:

Daniel Meyer said...

This would seem to lead us away from conflict. But weren't the most of the faithful men in Scripture -- apostles, prophets, Jesus -- involved in conflict throughout their ministry?

I think that they were men of peace who would have avoided the conflict if they could have. But is there such little truth to contend for today that the region of conflict will be small for the faithful man today? Is it really faithful of us to guide men away from the fight?

Perhaps none of this was intended though, maybe all it needs is an asterisk in the middle of the Region of Conflict, marked "Note to Soldier: You are Here" :)

Peter Jones said...

Daniel, Thanks for commenting. I agree with what you are saying. The point being made is not that we are to avoid conflict. As Christ says in Luke 6:26, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you."

Crabtree's point is to make sure conflict is over important issues, not trivial ones. I think of Paul's exhortation to Timothy in II Timothy 2:16 and 23.

In Christ, Peter Jones

Let the saints be joyful in glory, let them sing aloud on their beds, let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind the kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron. Psalm 149:5-8