Controversy

Let's face it, controversy will always be around until our Lord returns. It is the world we live in. But we should attempt to avoid unnecessary conflict. Far too many Christians love to pick fights with other believers over secondary or even tertiary issues. Friendships have been ruined because someone takes up their doctrinal sword and goes on the prowl. Oh, you're an infralapsarian- off with your head. You say that you are not Truly Reformed (TR)- you step child. You're a Baptist- radical Anabaptist. You're believe in infant baptism- you closet Catholic. These are the folks that have lost their focus. This kind of controversy should be avoided for the sake of unity in the body of Christ. Of course, the issues are worth discussing and debating. But when that ugly pride starts to swell up because your position has been challenged, then it's time to bow out of the argument and remind your self of the Gospel and return to the argument humbled, willing to listen, learn and defend.

Now there is a point where we must engage the controversy. That is when professing Christians assault the Gospel. When they decide they are going to play the editor and go to task on the Word of God. At this point, members of the body of Christ must engage the controversy. Of course there is an appropriate manner in which to do it. But it must be done. It is a biblical mandate.

Listen to Jude the half brother of the Lord Jesus: "Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ" (Jud 3–4). How interesting. Here Jude wants to write fellow believers about their common salvation, found only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and encourage them. But he just wan't going to do it in an unenthusiastic manner. He was eager to write about the Gospel. It was on his mind and heart. He wanted to write about salvation. He was passionate and desirous to do so. But something interrupted this excitement. It was a perversion of the Gospel that deterred Jude from talking about salvation. He then turns to engage the controversy and also appeals to the believers he was writing, to contend for the faith. He admonishes them to not sit back in silent "humility" but to contend for the Gospel. One lexicon defines "contend" as "to exert intense effort on behalf of something—‘to struggle for.’"* 


When war is waged against King Jesus, His servants are to contend for His name. They grab their Bibles and refute those that are distorting the Word of God. They test the teaching of those that sparked the controversy and contend earnestly. They do so biblically, doctrinally and theologically.

It is an ironic thing that the people that start the controversy, by their departure from the Gospel, are quick to play the victim. Rob Bell and the Emergent crowd are a classic example. They "are just asking questions" about essential biblical truths while denying them in subtle and blatant ways. What is ironic is that they do so by mocking the church fathers, "fundamentalists" (in that world that is a pejorative term for biblical Christians), belittling doctrine and theology. They mock core doctrines because they believe they come from "the enlightenment period." When challenged and confronted on their errors, they feign humility and portray themselves as victims of people that shove "doctrine and dogma" down people's throats. They want people to view them as innocent, while the ones they mock as the aggressors. They are the ones sinned against and are willing to forgive those that take issue with their teaching and preaching (which is a different Gospel). I've spent close ten years in prison with inmates that play the victim card. They are all innocent and the government is out to get them and set them up. The local police department put the murder weapon in their house, car or even in their hands. I wasn't buying it then and I'm not buying it now. The issue is false teaching. The evidence is there, written and in sermons. They may act the victim as they wish. But the burden of proof is on them to demonstrate it. The have been teaching falsely and have been called on it. They can divert the attention and play the "poor me" syndrome. But the allegations have been put forth with evidence. Personal lifestyle is not the issue. False teaching is.

This is the type of controversy that others provoke. They want to teach a different Gospel but when challenged they retreat and assume the role of the innocent party. Their actions are what moves servants of Christ to contend for the faith. It is a matter of the glory of Christ and the well being of His people. When the Gospel is tampered with the people of God will respond. Not because we take delight in controversy but because we love Christ. We can say with Paul "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost"(1 Ti 1:15). We don't define sin as a "lack of trust" in God. We echo with the apostle John "Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him"(1 Jn 3:4–6). That's the beauty of the Gospel. We rebelled against the holy God. We we incurred His just judgment against ourselves. We we were war with Him and while His righteous wrath was directed at sinners, in steps Christ to secure our just standing before God by His perfect law keeping life and his vicarious death. Not just any death, no, not some moral example of love type of death. But a death that bore the complete wrath of God, in full, for sinners. The cross of Christ actally accomplished something. That shedding of His blood secured the forgiveness of sinners (Heb. 9:22). What mercy, what grace! Oh, what love! Acceptance with God because of Jesus. Truly this is abundant life. That is the sinners only hope and the basis for why we call them to repentance from sin and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Tamper with that and the sinners only hope is removed and the glory of Christ is diminished. We will engage this controversy. We do not take delight in it but we recognize what's at stake.

Those that delight in controversy must not engage in it. For some it only serves to inflame their pride. But those that are timid must when the precious Gospel is assailed. Reckless aggression is not godly boldness, it is arrogance, nor is feigned humility being like Jesus, it is cowardice.

 "And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Lk 5:31–32).


Soli Deo Gloria!

For His Glory,
Fernando



*Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament : Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (495). New York: United Bible societies.