Disagreeing with Dignity - GBC Bulletin Column #17

James 3:6 tells us that "The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness." What James applies to the tongue we could, in this world of instant messaging and social networking, also apply to the fingers. Yes, this is relevant to things you may have read about recently in the news – political sexting scandals, online bullying, or Twitter abuse against women – but I have something a little closer to home in mind, namely how Christians sometimes behave when they have a disagreement with other Christians. Blazing across the keys as they make incendiary remarks and hurl flaming darts of cringe-inducing nastiness, the online universe is filled with professing Christians who know where they stand and what they believe, but don’t know how to express themselves when dealing with their brothers and sisters in Christ. Perhaps we could learn from a story about an elderly John Wesley (founder of the Methodists) and a young Charles Simeon (pastor of Trinity Church, Cambridge) who met in the eighteenth century. Their differences concerned the roles God and man play in salvation, which they would have articulated quite differently, Wesley as an "Arminian" and Simeon as a "Calvinist." Simeon kicked things off:

“Sir, I understand that you are called an Arminian; and I have been sometimes called a Calvinist; and therefore I suppose we are to draw daggers. But before I consent to begin the combat, with your permission I will ask you a few questions, not from impertinent curiosity, but for real instruction. Pray, Sir, do you feel yourself a depraved creature, so depraved, that you would never have thought of turning unto God, if God had not first put [it] into your heart?”

"Yes, I do indeed", Wesley replied.

"And do you utterly despair of recommending yourself to God by any thing that you can do; and look for salvation solely through the blood and righteousness of Christ?"

"Yes, solely through Christ."

"But, Sir, supposing you were first saved by Christ, are you not somehow or other to save yourself afterwards by your own works?"

"No; I must be saved by Christ from first to last."

"Allowing then that you were first turned by the grace of God, are you not in some way or other to keep yourself by your own power?"

"No."

"What then, are you to be upheld every hour and every moment by God, as much as an infant in its mother’s arms?"

"Yes; altogether."

"And is all your hope in the grace and mercy of God to preserve you unto his heavenly kingdom?"

"Yes; I have no hope, but in him."

"Then, Sir, with your leave, I will put up my dagger again; for this is all my Calvinism; this is my election, my justification by faith, my final perseverance: it is, in substance, all that I hold, and as I hold it: and therefore, if you please, instead of searching out terms and phrases to be a ground of contention between us, we will cordially unite in those things wherein we agree."

Our conversations with fellow believers (and by broader application anyone else) with whom we may disagree should be marked by this same seriousness and respect. We have a responsibility not only to be convicted, but also to be considerate. To sum up, we must learn how to disagree with dignity.

This was printed in the worship bulletin of Grace Baptist Church (Wood Green) on 18/08/2013.