Quarreling and Patience

In your debates and arguments, remember to be polite and reasonable.

It is easy to think that the natural course of a debate or argument is to become loud and angry.  If this happens, you will be very unlikely to convince someone to adopt an alternative position - even if you are perfectly reasonable and right in your position.

Instead, we are called to be patient and gentle (though gentle does not mean you can't be firm).  It is God who will grant repentance, if that is to come.  A person will not "get it" unless His Spirit acts on them to open their eyes. And again.

The Weight of an Argument

Arguments have to be grounded in something solid and lasting.  If they are not, they will eventually fail.

The best arguments come from: "God has said..." because God is eternal and He knows the beginning from the end.  He is sure to be right.  He is the only one who has all knowledge.  He is the only one who can tell us what is right or wrong, true or false.

That doesn't mean there is no place for arguments that don't come directly from God.  These arguments help to build a wider picture that is appealing to those who are not Christians.  This could even be a draw-card to saving faith.  God has given each of us a conscience, and certain other things are self-evident (obvious to all) in a similar way.

Use all arguments to His glory, but remember where you should place the greatest weight of faith, and which arguments carry the strongest weight in a debate.