Debating Theological Issues

Is it pre-tribulation or post-tribulation? Are the gifts of the spirit for today? Is it once saved always saved? So many people today are arguing over these things AT THE NEGLECT OF HELPING PEOPLE GET SAVED. I have no interest in wasting my time debating these kinds of things (that doesn't mean I don't know what I believe and why I believe it - I just don't want to argue with people about it).

I love what Mark Batterson wrote recently:

I think the second kind of distractions we have to avoid in church circles are theological distractions. We need to study to show ourselves approved. We need to know what we believe and why we believe what we believe. But we can get so busy arguing about theological nuances that we lose sight of the Great Commandment and Great Commission. Sometimes, when a person is endlessly arguing theological nuances, I want to blurt out: people are going to hell. Let's get our theology straight. And we need to call blasphemy and heresy on the carpet. But let's get some perspective. In the words of Titus 3:9: "But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless." True theology doesn't just lead to endless arguments. True theology leads to action. Let's follow Jesus' example: "I must be about my Father's business."

I also like what Steven Furtick wrote:

I was at a gas station the other day and there were too many options. Do you want a car wash? Is this credit or debit? Enter your zip code. Enter your PIN. Do you want to donate money to a charitable organization? What kind of gas do you want? Do you want a receipt? I was so confused. All of this wasn’t what I came to do. After about six or seven options, I said, “I just want gas.” We sometimes do the same thing to people in the church. Are you a Calvinist or an Arminian? Baptism by immersion or sprinkling? Have you kissed dating goodbye? Or on the mouth? Do you believe in all the gifts of the Spirit or only 73% of them? And then we wonder why they’re confused. It’s probably because they’re thinking, “this isn’t what I came here for. I don’t know all that. I just want Jesus.” Right here is where we usually write them off by saying they don’t care about the Bible or theology. Possibly. But maybe they just don’t care about debating and taking stances on secondary issues at the expense of their primary desire: Jesus. This isn’t to say that these things don’t matter or that their inherent beliefs aren’t worth considering. There’s a place for them. Behind the bold, clear proclamation of Christ. If you’re going to err, err on the side of simply giving people Jesus. Because that’s simply what most people want.

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE!