Believers are not qualified to debate those who oppose the Word of God. Believers have a flesh nature and respond in that manner when least expected. One of the greatest tricks of Satan is for believers to waste their time in arguing and debating with unbelievers. Satan loves believers to stand up in their well-intended enthusiasm and debate the issues. The debate will start well, but before it is over, the flesh will appear, Satan will make sure of that. This approach does only harm.
Human nature will instinctively defend its stand even when it’s wrong and knows it. Human nature doesn’t like to admit to being wrong. Debate and argument has been going on since before Christ and has never accomplished anything of “heavenly value.” Jesus instructs believers to be ready to tell about the hope that is in them. Believers are not told to debate, but rather share the good news and pray.
When believers figure out that the battle is the Lord’s, that the Holy Spirit is the One who saves, then more can be accomplished as God intended. Believers do more harm than good trying to do the work of the Holy Spirit. Believers will never convince anyone of anything eternal…that is the work of the Holy Spirit.
You will never argue anyone into heaven, but you can surely pray them there by the power of the Holy Spirit according to the will of God. Prayer is “under used and under rated.” Yet, prayer is the believer’s powerful intercession for the lost. Isn’t it time for believers to begin praying souls into heaven rather than debating them out of it. Isn’t it time for believers to stop letting Satan have his way. Isn’t it time for believers to let the Holy Spirit have His way. The Holy Spirit is qualified.
Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6)
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16)
There is a fine line between debating, arguing, and sharing or encouraging discussion with the non-believing. It may appear as if it’s all going nowhere, but as long as we answer in love and share our life and reasons for our belief in Jesus, God can move the hardest hearts as He desires. It’s finding the balance and being careful not to go over the fine line into Satan’s domain/flesh like you said, Butch.
Thank you for this reminder.
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Very well said, sir!
No one comes except the Spirit draws him. We need to be living witnesses, only using words when we have to.
I have learned that only God can change the hearts of man…..but I believe he leads us believers to cross paths with non-believers to be living examples of God’s love so that even the lost (as we once were) can have a chance at salvation-I am so thankful for those believers who shared (not debated) the truth of salvation with me! I agree with you because I believe the truth of God does not need us to debate, just share….
I LOVE this line: “You will never argue anyone into heaven, but you can surly pray them there”
Praying for God’s perfect Will
God Bless
Good words LeRoy!
Very true – debating for the sake of debating alone and arguing is contrary to the works of the Spirit. Sharing the Gospel is something all together different. I think some Christians confuse the two. This is where discernment and wisdom come into play. One has to be able to discern the time for speech and the time for prayer.
Paul debated/disputed with philosophers (Acts 17:15-34) *but* it was 1) because he was invited to – the people were curious and wanted to know more and 2) giving in to their request gave Paul the means by which to share the good news.
The end result of his ‘debating’ was this: some mocked and scorned him (nothing new there), others wanted to hear even more (potential believers were in the crowd) and still others followed him and received the Gospel as the truth, producing born-again believers!
Paul had both the wisdom to know that not all would receive what he had to say and he also had discernment – knowing that there were some in the crowd who would receive the truth. It’s for the sake of the few that he endured the mockery of the rest.
Paul was ready to ‘defend the faith’ or more accurately ‘explain’ the faith. Peter tells us how to be ready in 1 Peter 3:15-16. “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.”
Too often, as Butch has said, we Christians get caught up in ‘proving’ our faith instead of *explaining* it. We give into that fleshly nature which, as you know, is contrary to all things concerning God.
Prayer is the key. We are to plant the seed, trust God to send another to water and know that God will give the increase. It is not in our power to save anyone. The Holy Spirit is for God’s to pour out – not ours (1Cornthians 3:5-12).
With prayer and fasting (we often forget that it’s by fasting and prayer that we die to the works of the flesh) the Spirit will have rule over our lives, thus ensuring that we possess discernment and practice wisdom in sharing His Gospel.
We are stewards of His kingdom, it behooves us to work wisely.
Thank you Butch for posting this – it’s much needed!
Blessings,
Rebecca
Wonderful and true message my brother!
That is so true and something I’ve never thought about before. Thank you for sharing that.
Well said. Reminds me of pearls and swine. But when the spirit opens the door…..that’s a different thing altogether.
Thanks for this, giving food for thought– a good word in due season for me.
i disagree. a good training in apologetics and how to ‘explain’ what and why we believe is almost invaluable in this time of doubt of objective truth and outright rejection of propositional truth claims.
i don’t think you can argue anyone into the kingdom, but it is our responsibility to ‘give a reason’ for the hope that lies within us.
Lord bless you brother for your work in the gospel and the articles you put out. very helpful.
-mike