Quick Thoughts on Debating the Fool
Thoughts on Debating the Fool
"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good."- Psalm 14:1
Who is this fool?
Far too often people assume that it is bad to debate. They think that it brings about no good and is of the devil at times. Yet, they forget that debate not only comes in many forms, but is also good for many people.
But who is it that we debate? Proverbs 26:4 says "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him". Does this mean that we should not debate a fool? Not quite.
A fool is someone who rejects reason. Logic. Truth. They find that anything that contradicts their beliefs must be wrong, and they are never will to admit their own wrong. (See Ps. 92:6; 94:8, Proverbs 14:7.)
So, can we debate fools? This is a hard question sometimes, because some believe that debating a fool is always wrong, and others think that it is perfectly harmless. Both of those views are wrong to an extent.
If someone comes up to you and says "I believe there is no higher power. I believe that we came from apes", does this mean we should jump back and run off? Nay! What are we called here to do? We are to spread the Gospel to whomever we can. We must realize that most, if not all, of the world is foolish. They have rejected Truth and have gone so far as to say that the Bible is simply one of many gods which people follow. The world is filled with foolishness. So, to say we are to avoid talking to fools is to say that we are not to preach and teach the Word. Thus, we are to debate the Truth with fools, as they are the only ones we will ever debate.
However, there are some that we must not debate. What does it mean when it says "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces" in Matthew 7:6?
These are the fools that not only run from the Truth, but mock it and hate it. They will never listen to Truth. It is not possible for them. They will be convinced of their own ideas and will never submit to anything but the very sin that drives them to this point. They are truly beyond our help. We must avoid such people, as giving them the Gospel is a waste of time. It is throwing that which is wondrous to the pit of dogs. And too, we are then wasting the time that could be spent helping those that will listen.
The Debate
What is it that we debate then, if it comes to this? I have debated many things with many people. Politics, technology, trends, ideas and other things. Yet, out of all of them, only theology has proved to be of any value. The fools whom I have met have shown that fewer people are willing to listen to Truth. To any reason that I might show based on God's Word. They ignore sound doctrine and abandon facts, holding fast to their ideas and gods.
But when I have debated them, there is a common trend in the theological topics.
Firstly, they all start with the idea that they have a "free will". This is something that almost everyone thinks they have. They believe that God would never take this from them. That would be a mean God. Yet, they fail to realize that their will is at the hand of God. How many times did God change the hearts and minds of men? Just read the Old Testament. He could make entire armies attack Israel at any time He wanted. "No" they say, "He simply looked ahead in time and saw that they would attack." Really? Have you not read the Bible? How many times does God say "I will" and "I have"? Many, many times. Far too many for me to count.
Next, they move onto "Man has some good in him". This has to be one of the worst. After all, this implies that God looked down and saw some good in man and decided to save him. Isn't this what He did for Noah? Ah, but wait. There is no one that is righteous (Rom. 3:10). Mankind has sinned from the beginning, and has failed to reach the mark (Rom. 3:23). What righteous man has come before God in boldness? Everyone who has seen God is not filled with anger, but rather, are filled with fear. The reality of our imperfection hits harder than anything. Isaiah was a man of unclean lips before God (Isa. 6:5). How much more are we? "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Rom. 7:24).
And the last thing that they bring up (that I will mention here) is that it is wrong for us to tell others that their religion is false. That it is cruel and mean. Yet, they not only fail to realize the importance of Truth, but fail to see the sinfulness and the wrongdoing of those who worship other gods.
Now, I must make clear that, when someone reaches this point, they are basically saying that truth is relative. And this statement is not only against Truth, but is a utterly stupid idea. It lacks pure logic, much less reason. This statement is relative in and of itself! When someone gets to this point, it is a pretty good sign that they are so foolish that you will most likely do no good. If there is another person in this debate who doesn't hold this view, focus more on them than this fool. For this person, the hope for them is so small it isn't even worth comparing it to anything.
Now, what is worth debating? Most certainly not politics, technology, or anything apart form the Truth (though these may be just for fun now and then). Apart from anything theological. Bad politics is simply a sign of someone being in error elsewhere. All ideas are almost always founded on one's idea of God. Of Truth. If someone doesn't believe in God, they are more than likely to jump into the liberal camp and spit forth many stupid ideas, simply because they are lost in their ignorance and sin. Though, this idea that every conservative believes in God isn't entirely true, I will deal with that in another note.
But what is worth our time? I have found that only the topics that deal with our position before God and His saving grace are of any value at first. If a person does not know who they are before God without Christ, they will have no idea what they are with Christ. If one does not understand our depraved state before God, what will they understand? The work of Christ is just a nice deed, nothing more. After these Truths are set, then comes the deeper content (if need be).
So the context of the discussion is key in a debate with the fool that is worth our time.
Where might this all go? Well, every debate I have had concerning these things has only ended up with people calling me names, flaunting their arrogance and either leaving or showing themselves to be so arrogant that I leave. So should I continue debating fools? Oh most certainly. I am not the one to judge as to whether or not anything I have said is or is not of any value. Whether or not it does any good in the life of the other person is entirely up to God, and God alone.
The Results
So, who does this help, and who does this harm?
The people whom it harms, or rather, fails to help, are those that fail to listen, and maybe even those watching. If we fail to use the Word of God as our sword, and to speak boldly and fearlessly as we ought to, we are likely to harm another. After all, if the person who is defending a point of view isn't using sound reason and logic, and fail to remain consistent, why would we ever go to them? When we debate, we must use the Word of God, and we must use it rightly and without fear. Though this debate may not help the one you are debating, it may help those whom are watching.
Who then does it help? As I have just mentioned, it may help those watching. It may also help the one you are debating, be it now, or later. After all, who are we to say that we have reasoned someone to Christ? We cannot do this. 'Tis entirely the work of the Holy Spirit, and Him alone. We may be tools, but we are not saviors. Thus, the one we are debating may be brought to the Truth as you debate them now. Or, as is more likely, they may be struck with the reality of God's Word later. People cannot help things sticking in their heads. When we say many things (or in my case, many, many things), it is very likely that this person will remember some of the things said. And it truly is entirely up to God as to what they do and don't remember. And maybe, when the reality of their sin strikes them, and they have finally found that they can do nothing to save themselves of themselves through themselves, they will remember the Truth and come to the saving grace of God.
But what I have found more than anything in my debating career (as small as it may be) is that the person it has helped the most is myself. I have seen how God has worked through me in ways I could never have known. He has shown His Truth in many ways through the words He puts in my mouth. I have found that, the more you defend the faith, the more you understand it. The more you know it. When you defend something, you cannot help but learn more of it. I have found that the faith is more than defensible. It is more than just an idea. This debating has shown me that it isn't my words that come out, but God's. I could never make logical anything without Him. How could I? I am born a fool! A sinner. Yet He has saved me and works through me at times I never thought possible.
The Reality
So, there are some that we must debate, and those that we don't debate. There are debates that have value, and those that don't. There are many debates which I have been in, not for the sake of the person I am debating, but rather for those watching. Not to show how good I am at it (nay, I lack many skills concerning the vast realm of debating), but to show that the Truth is not only able to be defended, but is worth defending. As I have dealt with in my work on Ephesians 6, this war is worth fighting for.
Far too many people assume that it is wrong to debate. Yet this go against who we are as Christians. Is debating always right and good? No, of course not. But is it always bad? Far from it. It has far more benefits than downfalls. And we are never to judge the results based on what we see. Debating will rarely, if ever, have results quickly. It may be years, or even lifetimes. Some debating may not even help anyone who is alive at the time, but one who reads of it many years in the future. But God uses all things.
Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but 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; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.- 1 Peter 3:13-22
"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good."- Psalm 14:1
Who is this fool?
Far too often people assume that it is bad to debate. They think that it brings about no good and is of the devil at times. Yet, they forget that debate not only comes in many forms, but is also good for many people.
But who is it that we debate? Proverbs 26:4 says "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him". Does this mean that we should not debate a fool? Not quite.
A fool is someone who rejects reason. Logic. Truth. They find that anything that contradicts their beliefs must be wrong, and they are never will to admit their own wrong. (See Ps. 92:6; 94:8, Proverbs 14:7.)
So, can we debate fools? This is a hard question sometimes, because some believe that debating a fool is always wrong, and others think that it is perfectly harmless. Both of those views are wrong to an extent.
If someone comes up to you and says "I believe there is no higher power. I believe that we came from apes", does this mean we should jump back and run off? Nay! What are we called here to do? We are to spread the Gospel to whomever we can. We must realize that most, if not all, of the world is foolish. They have rejected Truth and have gone so far as to say that the Bible is simply one of many gods which people follow. The world is filled with foolishness. So, to say we are to avoid talking to fools is to say that we are not to preach and teach the Word. Thus, we are to debate the Truth with fools, as they are the only ones we will ever debate.
However, there are some that we must not debate. What does it mean when it says "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces" in Matthew 7:6?
These are the fools that not only run from the Truth, but mock it and hate it. They will never listen to Truth. It is not possible for them. They will be convinced of their own ideas and will never submit to anything but the very sin that drives them to this point. They are truly beyond our help. We must avoid such people, as giving them the Gospel is a waste of time. It is throwing that which is wondrous to the pit of dogs. And too, we are then wasting the time that could be spent helping those that will listen.
The Debate
What is it that we debate then, if it comes to this? I have debated many things with many people. Politics, technology, trends, ideas and other things. Yet, out of all of them, only theology has proved to be of any value. The fools whom I have met have shown that fewer people are willing to listen to Truth. To any reason that I might show based on God's Word. They ignore sound doctrine and abandon facts, holding fast to their ideas and gods.
But when I have debated them, there is a common trend in the theological topics.
Firstly, they all start with the idea that they have a "free will". This is something that almost everyone thinks they have. They believe that God would never take this from them. That would be a mean God. Yet, they fail to realize that their will is at the hand of God. How many times did God change the hearts and minds of men? Just read the Old Testament. He could make entire armies attack Israel at any time He wanted. "No" they say, "He simply looked ahead in time and saw that they would attack." Really? Have you not read the Bible? How many times does God say "I will" and "I have"? Many, many times. Far too many for me to count.
Next, they move onto "Man has some good in him". This has to be one of the worst. After all, this implies that God looked down and saw some good in man and decided to save him. Isn't this what He did for Noah? Ah, but wait. There is no one that is righteous (Rom. 3:10). Mankind has sinned from the beginning, and has failed to reach the mark (Rom. 3:23). What righteous man has come before God in boldness? Everyone who has seen God is not filled with anger, but rather, are filled with fear. The reality of our imperfection hits harder than anything. Isaiah was a man of unclean lips before God (Isa. 6:5). How much more are we? "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Rom. 7:24).
And the last thing that they bring up (that I will mention here) is that it is wrong for us to tell others that their religion is false. That it is cruel and mean. Yet, they not only fail to realize the importance of Truth, but fail to see the sinfulness and the wrongdoing of those who worship other gods.
Now, I must make clear that, when someone reaches this point, they are basically saying that truth is relative. And this statement is not only against Truth, but is a utterly stupid idea. It lacks pure logic, much less reason. This statement is relative in and of itself! When someone gets to this point, it is a pretty good sign that they are so foolish that you will most likely do no good. If there is another person in this debate who doesn't hold this view, focus more on them than this fool. For this person, the hope for them is so small it isn't even worth comparing it to anything.
Now, what is worth debating? Most certainly not politics, technology, or anything apart form the Truth (though these may be just for fun now and then). Apart from anything theological. Bad politics is simply a sign of someone being in error elsewhere. All ideas are almost always founded on one's idea of God. Of Truth. If someone doesn't believe in God, they are more than likely to jump into the liberal camp and spit forth many stupid ideas, simply because they are lost in their ignorance and sin. Though, this idea that every conservative believes in God isn't entirely true, I will deal with that in another note.
But what is worth our time? I have found that only the topics that deal with our position before God and His saving grace are of any value at first. If a person does not know who they are before God without Christ, they will have no idea what they are with Christ. If one does not understand our depraved state before God, what will they understand? The work of Christ is just a nice deed, nothing more. After these Truths are set, then comes the deeper content (if need be).
So the context of the discussion is key in a debate with the fool that is worth our time.
Where might this all go? Well, every debate I have had concerning these things has only ended up with people calling me names, flaunting their arrogance and either leaving or showing themselves to be so arrogant that I leave. So should I continue debating fools? Oh most certainly. I am not the one to judge as to whether or not anything I have said is or is not of any value. Whether or not it does any good in the life of the other person is entirely up to God, and God alone.
The Results
So, who does this help, and who does this harm?
The people whom it harms, or rather, fails to help, are those that fail to listen, and maybe even those watching. If we fail to use the Word of God as our sword, and to speak boldly and fearlessly as we ought to, we are likely to harm another. After all, if the person who is defending a point of view isn't using sound reason and logic, and fail to remain consistent, why would we ever go to them? When we debate, we must use the Word of God, and we must use it rightly and without fear. Though this debate may not help the one you are debating, it may help those whom are watching.
Who then does it help? As I have just mentioned, it may help those watching. It may also help the one you are debating, be it now, or later. After all, who are we to say that we have reasoned someone to Christ? We cannot do this. 'Tis entirely the work of the Holy Spirit, and Him alone. We may be tools, but we are not saviors. Thus, the one we are debating may be brought to the Truth as you debate them now. Or, as is more likely, they may be struck with the reality of God's Word later. People cannot help things sticking in their heads. When we say many things (or in my case, many, many things), it is very likely that this person will remember some of the things said. And it truly is entirely up to God as to what they do and don't remember. And maybe, when the reality of their sin strikes them, and they have finally found that they can do nothing to save themselves of themselves through themselves, they will remember the Truth and come to the saving grace of God.
But what I have found more than anything in my debating career (as small as it may be) is that the person it has helped the most is myself. I have seen how God has worked through me in ways I could never have known. He has shown His Truth in many ways through the words He puts in my mouth. I have found that, the more you defend the faith, the more you understand it. The more you know it. When you defend something, you cannot help but learn more of it. I have found that the faith is more than defensible. It is more than just an idea. This debating has shown me that it isn't my words that come out, but God's. I could never make logical anything without Him. How could I? I am born a fool! A sinner. Yet He has saved me and works through me at times I never thought possible.
The Reality
So, there are some that we must debate, and those that we don't debate. There are debates that have value, and those that don't. There are many debates which I have been in, not for the sake of the person I am debating, but rather for those watching. Not to show how good I am at it (nay, I lack many skills concerning the vast realm of debating), but to show that the Truth is not only able to be defended, but is worth defending. As I have dealt with in my work on Ephesians 6, this war is worth fighting for.
Far too many people assume that it is wrong to debate. Yet this go against who we are as Christians. Is debating always right and good? No, of course not. But is it always bad? Far from it. It has far more benefits than downfalls. And we are never to judge the results based on what we see. Debating will rarely, if ever, have results quickly. It may be years, or even lifetimes. Some debating may not even help anyone who is alive at the time, but one who reads of it many years in the future. But God uses all things.
Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but 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; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.- 1 Peter 3:13-22
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