| | "I don't know" is difficult for most people to say. Next to saying "I was wrong" they may the most difficult words to say. In some ways they are even more difficult to say than "I was wrong." For one has to know the truth in order to admit error, but to admit ignorance one is admitting that he does not know the truth.
Why is it so difficult for us to admit we don't know something? Perhaps because we like to everything figured out, and to confess to ignorance means that we do not. It also causes us to come face to face with our own limitations. Plus we want other people to look up to us, so being able to answer any and all questions helps keep us on that pedestal. I'm certain that there are dozens of other reasons also.
What really disturbs me though is that some Christians are so certain of things of which we perhaps should be a little more ignorant. I read an interesting statement from a commenter on another blog recently. It went something like this......"I have no trouble in believing Christianity is true, as opposed to Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Atheism, etc. What I have the problem with is knowing which version of Christianity is true." In other words, this reader had no problem believing in what C.S. Lewis called Mere Christianity. His trouble was in figuring out which church, or which theological system, had all the right answers. Reading his comment my thought was "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." Returning to the first sentence of this paragraph, it disturbs me that some Christians have no problem answering this reader's dilemma. Their answer is simply, "We're right, how could you not figure that out?" These folks further refuse to entertain the idea that they could be wrong. Nor do they want to listen to any one who thinks differently.
Before I go any further, let me discuss some of the issues over which Christians disagree, about which some are so convinced that they are right.
1. The Calvinism/Arminianism debate. Within this whole debate arises issues of human depravity, predestination, the extent of the atonement and the security of the believer. As a former seminary student I have seen some of the biggest arguments arise over this debate. And, yes, I was often one of the instigators of those arguments.
2. Eschatology. That's a rather fancy word for the doctrine of the end times. There are those who believe whole heartedly in dispensationalism as popularized in the Left Behind series. There are others who hold to views such as postmillenialism or amillenialism. These arguments can get very heated as well.
3. Spiritual gifts. The gift of tongues is usually the one that causes the most arguments. There are those who are convinced that the gift of tongues is essential for the church today and those who believe it ended with the apostles.
That's just a few examples of the debates between Christians. There are many more on the beliefs and practices of the church. My purpose here isn't to try and resolve any of them. My purpose is to try and examine the attitudes of those who hold to one view or the other.
To repeat, it disturbs me that some Christians are so certain on these areas where perhaps we should be a little more uncertain. What may be worse is the pride that goes along with the certainty. I've seen Calvinists who absolutely refuse to admit that they might be wrong in even one area. Same with Arminians, same with Dispensationalists, same with Charismatics, same with Noncharismatics, etc. Of course, if I'm right and you are wrong, then I have no problem thinking I'm better than you. In fact, you obviously have a problem because you can't see the truth like I can. One can easily see how that attitude can quickly lead to arrogance and pride.
Let me state that I have my opinions on all the issues I listed above. Some of them I have changed over the years, some I've been fairly consistent on. But most of them I hold with a lot less certainty now than I once did.
There is an old Christian saying about areas of disagreement. It goes something like this, "In essentials Unity, in nonessentials Liberty, and in all things Charity." When it comes to essential matters such as the Trinity, the virgin birth of Christ, His sinless life, His death, burial and resurrection there must be agreement or unity of belief. In nonessential matters, like the three mentioned above and others, there is liberty, or freedom to disagree and discuss them. In all things there must be charity, or better said Love.
Someone asked me how would I handle disagreements. My answer is the three Ls, those are Love, Listen and Learn. When there is a disagreement we start off by loving the person (or persons) with whom we disagree. This is the first step. It's very difficult to look down upon someone that you really love, regardless of how much you disagree. It's also worth mentioning that Jesus said the world would know His disciples by how they loved one another, not by how orthodox their doctrine was. The second step is to listen to the other person. Listening is a lost art it seems today. Listening doesn't just mean that you don't make noise while the other person is speaking, though that might be a good first step for some of us. It means we have an open mind and realize we could be wrong, and it acknowledges that the other person might have something to say that is worth us hearing. Finally, learn from the other person. The other person may have something to say that I hadn't thought of before. It might change my whole way of thinking on a given topic.
To do those three things, the 3 Ls, may require a good dose of that Christlike quality that seems so lacking today, HUMILITY. Among other things, humility recognizes that I'm not God and hence I don't know everything. And that is a lesson I'm still trying to learn.
|
| | Posted 1/25/2009 3:16 PM - 10 Views - 2 eProps - 1 Comment
- recommend
  - recs0
- share
- email
 - sent0
|
