For many Christians, controversy is undesirable. Debates, which were common in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, are rare today. In some ways, this is understandable. As our society has become more polarized and heated debates can erupt over issues that seem to be largely insignificant, it is tempting to want to stay “on the safe side” and avoid anything controversial (we do not want to “rock the boat”) so we can continue to get along with our brethren. However, there are dangers that come with avoiding controversy on spiritual issues.
Consider the example of the apostle Peter (also called Cephas):
“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?’” (Galatians 2:11-14).
In this passage, Paul spoke of the time when he needed to confront Cephas (or Peter). Peter used to eat with Gentile Christians. This was right to do and he knew it. When he went to the house of Cornelius (a Gentile), Peter said, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean” (Acts 10:28). In that statement the apostle was referring to the vision he received from the Lord in preparation for the invitation he was to receive to visit Cornelius (Acts 10:1-23). Though such a visit was seen as “unlawful” to his Jewish brethren, Peter defended his actions to “those who…took issue with him” when he returned to Jerusalem (Acts 11:2-17).
However, when certain men from James arrived, Peter withdrew from the Gentiles and no longer ate with them. The reason he did this was because he “[feared] the party of the circumcision” (Galatians 2:12). This “party” or faction was made up of Jewish Christians who required Gentile Christians to be circumcised. Paul opposed this, calling these individuals “false brethren…who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage” (Galatians 2:4). He took a stand against them and “did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you” (Galatians 2:5).
Yet Peter did not want to make the same controversial stand against “the party of the circumcision.” As Paul indicated, there were others – including Barnabas – who were carried away “by their hypocrisy” and Peter’s refusal to stand against these “false brethren” (cf. Galatians 2:4). By compromising in this way, Peter was not being “straightforward about the truth of the gospel.”
Why would this be seen as “safe”? Obviously, Peter’s decision to compromise was not based upon truth, wisdom, or his conviction. Instead, avoiding controversy would have been a way to preserve his relationship with and reputation among those in the “party.” We can be tempted to do the same thing today when controversial issues arise among brethren.
Why This Is Tempting
If we know what is right and can recognize what is wrong, why is it tempting to be silent when error is being promoted? There are a few reasons for this.
Controversy is demanding – When error is threatening to turn people away from the truth, we must take a stand. Taking a stand requires us to contend or do battle for the cause of truth. Jude wrote, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3). As Jude explained, there are times in our teaching when we need to change what we had planned to teach in order to address some pressing issue. Dealing with these topics – especially when it requires us to pivot from what we originally intended to teach – takes preparation. Paul described this as putting on “the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11, 13) and arming ourselves with truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and the word of God (Ephesians 6:14-17). In this spiritual conflict, we are endeavoring to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV). Engaging in this battle will take a mental and emotional toll on us.
Taking a stand requires decisiveness – It is impossible to take a stand for the truth if we are not convinced of what constitutes truth. We have to know what we believe and why we believe it. Peter admonished all Christians to “sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15). This is not just for preachers, elders, and other seasoned Christians – this is for all of us. We will all have opportunities to take a stand for what we believe is right and we need to have reasons for our beliefs and be able to explain those reasons to others. This requires us to study for ourselves. Paul told Timothy, “Be diligent [study, KJV] to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). It is not enough just to be able to repeat what we heard from some preacher. We need to know the word of God for ourselves and be convinced of what is true.
Taking a stand makes us a target – Throughout the New Testament, our labor in the cause of Christ is described as “the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12; cf. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:10-17; 1 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 4:7). Unfortunately, not every Christian will be faithfully and diligently engaged in this conflict; instead, they will avoid it and try to blend in with the world. That means that if we do take a stand, we will become a target. When Paul was on trial for preaching the gospel, he told Timothy, “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me” (2 Timothy 4:16). Because others would not stand with him, the entire attention of the enemies of Christ was directed at him. Yet Paul stood for the truth anyway regardless of whether any of his brethren stood with him or not. We must do this today, even if it makes us a target.
Why This Is Dangerous
When we are tempted to avoid controversy, we must not think that it is inconsequential to do so. There are real dangers that exist if we refuse to take a stand for what is right and against what is wrong.
Error will spread unchecked – When Paul wrote to Timothy, he warned of two individuals who were teaching error that threatened the faith of the brethren. Paul wrote, “Their talk will spread like gangrene [cancer, NKJV]. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some” (2 Timothy 2:17-18). Paul made it clear that error is too dangerous to be tolerated. Yet if we refuse to take a stand against it because we want to avoid controversy, it will spread unchecked and endanger the souls of our brethren.
Truth will be abandoned by some – When error causes “the faith of some” to be “upset” (2 Timothy 2:18), it will eventually lead many of them to abandon the truth altogether. This could be a gradual “drift” away from the truth as the Hebrew writer warned about (Hebrews 2:1). Or, as in the case of the brethren in Galatia, it could cause some to “quickly [desert] Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6).
We jeopardize our souls – God told the prophet Ezekiel of his responsibility: “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand” (Ezekiel 3:17-18). Though we do not have the same commission as Ezekiel, the principle of our responsibility to warn those in sin is applicable. If we refuse to take a stand and warn about sin and error, we are neglecting our responsibility and will give an account for this to the Lord.
What to Do Instead
After recognizing the reasons why it is dangerous to avoid controversy, we need to consider what we ought to do instead.
Rather than allowing error to spread unchecked, we must silence false teachers – In describing the responsibilities of elders in the local church, Paul said that an elder is to “[hold] fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain” (Titus 1:9-11). This is another verse that warns about the dangers that false teachers pose to other brethren. Paul said that false teachers “must be silenced,” which is done by taking a stand and refuting their error to the point that others will not be deceived and led astray.
Rather than sitting back while some abandon the truth, we must contend and encourage – Jude admonished his audience to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3). Paul told Timothy, “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3). Both of these verses use military terminology to emphasize the fact that we are engaged in a spiritual war for the Lord’s cause. As we strive to win souls for Him, we are to take a stand and contend for the truth and encourage others to do the same.
Rather than jeopardizing our soul with silence, we must declare the whole counsel of God – When Paul met with the elders from the church in Ephesus, he reminded them of his work among them. He said, “Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God” (Acts 20:26-27). There are some teachings in the Bible that are not popular or are controversial because of the various opinions that people have on the topic. Rather than avoiding certain passages because of the controversy that surrounds them, we must be willing to teach all that the Bible teaches.
Conclusion
Controversy is not pleasant, yet it exists and we must be willing to take a stand. Truth is truth, even if some find it controversial. We must believe, teach, and practice the truth even if we become a target of those who have departed from the way of the Lord.
