Agree to disagree?

[B-A-C]

Should Christians agree to disagree? From what I see in the Bible... NO!

Now admittedly there are many threads here where people debate and disagree with each other. I believe that's OK.
But there are also many threads that go around in circles, and turn into personal attacks against people. This isn't so OK.
So what do we do? As long as there is a Bible, it seems people will disagree this side of the kingdom.

But the Bible doesn't say to agree with those who are misled and pervert the truth (intentionally or not)
It says over and over again we should be of one mind, one spirit, one truth. It says we should be in Unity of the Spirit. ( Acts 15:25; Php 1:27; )
It says we should silence deceivers ( Tit 1:11; )
We should be in one accord (Rom 15:6; )
We are to be in Unity of the faith ( John 17:23; Eph 4:13; Col 3:14; )
Now we are supposed to do this in peace. ( Eph 4:3; )
..and also with Gentleness ( 2Tim 2:25; )

... but it should be done.
But too many times we allow division and deception into the discussions. ( Col 2:8; )

There are not multiple truths or relative truths... there is only one truth.
The church isn't supposed to be divided. ( 1Cor 1:10; 1Cor 11:18; ) and yet here we are because "we agree to disagree".
Jesus doesn't want division in the church. ( 1Cor 1:13; )

To allow this is to allow deception and false doctrine. This shouldn't be allowed up to a point and then just stopped.
So many threads are left with non-Biblical endings, because they have been closed.

So then.. what to do? The thing we do not do is "agree to disagree".

John 4:24; "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

John 16:13; "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

It is obvious that some are being led by the Spirit of truth, but rather the spirit of deception.
Jesus says this is the reason He came.

John 18:37; Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

 

[Hekuran]

I'm not sure that I agree with any single one of my brothers and sisters in Christ on every single point of doctrine or interpretation. And in truth, I have changed my views and perspective on many issues constantly throughout my Christian life. No doubt in 10 years time, I'll have better understanding of things that I do now.

So if we don't make something like an agree to disagree arrangement, we'll be forever stuck on our points of difference, instead of moving forward on the fundamental things we agree on.

So if we agree that Jesus is Lord and Saviour and is coming again in glory, that we should be yearning and striving for that day of justice -- how much does it matter that we can't agree on the best way to talk about (for example) the relationship between our freewill and God's sovereign election?

And sometimes I feel that Christian debates are used as a displacement strategy -- if the conversation about loving our neighbour is getting a bit too close for comfort, it's easy enough to derail it with a vigorous but safe OSAS debate

 

[B-A-C]

sometimes I feel that Christian debates are used as a displacement strategy -- if the conversation about loving our neighbour is getting a bit too close for comfort, it's easy enough to derail it

True enough, I call these people "derailers" myself. The thread is about giving to the poor, or loving your neighbor, or not committing adultery.. and then.. whoops... all the sudden it's about
whether Jesus was a vegetarian or not. I think you're right, once they get trapped into a corner scripturally, it's best to change the subject.

2Tim 3:5; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
2Tim 3:7; always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Then a few weeks later... they post the same stuff again. It seems that they are "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth".
I have literally seen a half dozen people refute some of these teachings with dozens of verses, and yet the same teaching will pop up again and again. Even though
the person posting it was not able to defend their position.

 

[DieAmartyr]

Should Christians agree to disagree? From what I see in the Bible... NO!

Now admittedly there are many threads here where people debate and disagree with each other. I believe that's OK.
But there are also many threads that go around in circles, and turn into personal attacks against people. This isn't so OK.
So what do we do? As long as there is a Bible, it seems people will disagree this side of the kingdom.

But the Bible doesn't say to agree with those who are misled and pervert the truth (intentionally or not)
It says over and over again we should be of one mind, one spirit, one truth. It says we should be in Unity of the Spirit. ( Acts 15:25; Php 1:27; )
It says we should silence deceivers ( Tit 1:11; )
We should be in one accord (Rom 15:6; )
We are to be in Unity of the faith ( John 17:23; Eph 4:13; Col 3:14; )
Now we are supposed to do this in peace. ( Eph 4:3; )
..and also with Gentleness ( 2Tim 2:25; )

... but it should be done.
But too many times we allow division and deception into the discussions. ( Col 2:8; )

There are not multiple truths or relative truths... there is only one truth.
The church isn't supposed to be divided. ( 1Cor 1:10; 1Cor 11:18; ) and yet here we are because "we agree to disagree".
Jesus doesn't want division in the church. ( 1Cor 1:13; )

To allow this is to allow deception and false doctrine. This shouldn't be allowed up to a point and then just stopped.
So many threads are left with non-Biblical endings, because they have been closed.

So then.. what to do? The thing we do not do is "agree to disagree".

John 4:24; "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

John 16:13; "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

It is obvious that some are being led by the Spirit of truth, but rather the spirit of deception.
Jesus says this is the reason He came.

John 18:37; Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

This is very true! You would think people would be more agreeable on topics. How hard is it to tell someone they are right? I always try to do this when I see someone's point as truth.

 

[complete]

Should Christians agree to disagree? From what I see in the Bible... NO!

Now admittedly there are many threads here where people debate and disagree with each other. I believe that's OK.
But there are also many threads that go around in circles, and turn into personal attacks against people. This isn't so OK.
So what do we do? As long as there is a Bible, it seems people will disagree this side of the kingdom.

But the Bible doesn't say to agree with those who are misled and pervert the truth (intentionally or not)
It says over and over again we should be of one mind, one spirit, one truth. It says we should be in Unity of the Spirit. ( Acts 15:25; Php 1:27; )
It says we should silence deceivers ( Tit 1:11; )
We should be in one accord (Rom 15:6; )
We are to be in Unity of the faith ( John 17:23; Eph 4:13; Col 3:14; )
Now we are supposed to do this in peace. ( Eph 4:3; )
..and also with Gentleness ( 2Tim 2:25; )

... but it should be done.
But too many times we allow division and deception into the discussions. ( Col 2:8; )

There are not multiple truths or relative truths... there is only one truth.
The church isn't supposed to be divided. ( 1Cor 1:10; 1Cor 11:18; ) and yet here we are because "we agree to disagree".
Jesus doesn't want division in the church. ( 1Cor 1:13; )

To allow this is to allow deception and false doctrine. This shouldn't be allowed up to a point and then just stopped.
So many threads are left with non-Biblical endings, because they have been closed.

So then.. what to do? The thing we do not do is "agree to disagree".

John 4:24; "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

John 16:13; "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

It is obvious that some are being led by the Spirit of truth, but rather the spirit of deception.
Jesus says this is the reason He came.

John 18:37; Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. , Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

Hello @B-A-C,

I think of the words of Ephesians 4:1-7 , and the sevenfold unity of the Spirit, which we are to keep 'in the bond of peace'. Yet that peace is not 'peace at all cost' but refers to the peace which Christ procured for us, on the cross, when He took away all that prevented us from being 'One Body' in Him. What He took away and nailed to the cross are considered in Colossians 2:6-23. The goal being that we come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man :-

'Till we all come in the unity of the faith,
.. and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
.... unto a perfect man,
;...... unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
That we henceforth be no more children,
.. tossed to and fro,
.... and carried about with every wind of doctrine,
...... by the sleight of men,
........ and cunning craftiness,
.......... whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
But speaking the truth in love,
.. may grow up into Him in all things,
.... which is the head,
...... even Christ:
From Whom the whole body fitly joined together
.. and compacted by that which every joint supplieth,
.... according to the effectual working in the measure of every part,
...... maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.'
(Ephesians 4:13-16)

Praise God!

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris