Christians sometimes criticize other Christians for arguing or debating about “doctrine,” especially when holding a minority position. While this may sound humble, it rests on a serious misunderstanding and unintentionally condemns the very preaching and practice of Jesus and his apostles.
The prophet Isaiah commands:
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD.” Isaiah 1:18
Note that the Hebrew translated as “reason” literally means to argue, dispute, and prove what you are saying or challenging.
In a similar way, the Gospels show Jesus as a teacher who regularly engaged in this kind of sustained reasoning through debate, correction, and even rebuke of his opponents.
In Matthew 22, Jesus answers a rapid series of challenges from all-comers: Pharisees, Sadducees, and their lawyers—each exchange involving careful argument from Scripture. Far from discouraging doctrinal engagement, Jesus rebukes his opponents:
“You are mistaken [NET “deceived“], because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Matt. 22:29).
Jesus also argued over the Sabbath (Mark 2:23–28; John 5:16–47), food laws (Mark 7:1–23), the resurrection (Matt. 22:23–33), and his authority (Matt. 21:23–27). These were not distractions from his key mission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom—the doctrinal debates were central to that gospel. The book of Acts presents the same kind of argumentative reasoning as the standard for the early church apostolic preaching and practice.
Paul is repeatedly described as reasoning, persuading, debating and correcting people on the scriptures:
“He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks” (Acts 18:4).
“He spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading about the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8).
“I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears” (Acts 20:31).
The Greek verb dialegomai (from which we get “dialogue”) refers to reasoned exchange over contested claims. What Scripture does condemn is an attitude driven by pride, rivalry, jealousy or love of controversy rather than a love for the truth.
In 1 Timothy 6 Paul warns 3 “If anyone teaches other doctrines and does not agree with the sound doctrine, namely the teachings given by our lord Jesus Messiah, and thus with the teaching that promotes godliness, 4 he is conceited, understanding nothing, but has an unhealthy craving for disputes and arguments over words. This leads to envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions 5 and constant quarrels among people whose minds are corrupted, who are deprived of the truth, and who imagine that godliness is a way to financial gain.”
And again in Titus 3:
9 But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, quarrels and disputes about the Law, because they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning, 11 knowing that such a person is corrupted and sinning, and stands self-condemned.
This is not a rejection of debating doctrine in and of itself, but of empty, self-serving wrangling—argument that seeks some kind of personal delight rather than understanding, dominance rather than correction. Such debates generate heat without light and fracture rather than build up. Scripture never treats holding a minority or contrarian view as a sign of error either.
- Noah stood alone (Gen. 6–7).
- Elijah believed himself isolated, whining “I’m the only one left” (1 Kings 18:22; 19:10).
Jesus himself was left alone by his many followers when his teaching became difficult (John 6:66). And eventually by his chosen Apostles when they all fled after his arrest! In other words, sound doctrine is not established by majority consensus. What the New Testament commands Christians to reject is unwholesome quarrels and mean disputation.
Yet we are also commanded to contend for the faith, correct and rebuke opponents with gentleness, and test all things. This type of argumentative reasoning can never be wrong when it serves sound doctrine, love of the truth, and what is right.
Jude 3 commands to:
“Contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”
- Note the Greek translated “contend” (Epagōnizomai) from where we get our English word “agony,” i.e., struggle, fight, exert oneself in defense of truth.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Test everything; hold fast what is good.”
- Testing presupposes a challenge, evaluation, that will lead to arguments.
Philippians 1:16 “I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.”
- Apologia = not “sorry” (apology) but formal argument, reasoned defense.
Titus 1:9 “Hold firm to the trustworthy word…so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”
- A sound doctrine as opposed unhealthy doctrine tainted with aforementioned bad attitude.
2 Timothy 2:24–25 “The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.”
- Correction requires arguing;
- Again, the warning is against unsound hostility, not disagreement per se.
2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”
- Sound doctrine = “complete patience,” not impatient = violent or vulgar.
Ephesians 5:11 “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
- Exposure is impossible without confrontation and reasoning.
Feeling guilty—or even worse, making others feel guilty—merely for arguing biblical doctrine soundly speaking the truth in love, reflects a false humility foreign to Scripture.
The Old Testament prophets, to a man, debated.
Jesus debated.
Paul debated.
What Scripture forbids is not doctrinal argument itself, but argument pursued to gratify the self—argument detached from sound doctrine and from a genuine love for the truth.
In Luke 12:57 Jesus asked:
“Why do you not judge for yourselves and decide what is right?”
So ask yourselves:
Why can’t you “judge with right judgment” (John 7:24)?
