The following is a great article from Clay Jones, professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University.

We’ve all heard someone say, “People shouldn’t argue.” Well, my answer to that is to ask, “Can you give me some reasons for why you believe that?” Of course the reason is: “because arguing doesn’t do any good.” To this I will point out that they have just argued. After all, “argue” simply means to “give reasons for what you believe” and that is exactly what they have done.

Look, “People shouldn’t argue” is just another one of Satan’s talking points that his minions (and sometimes even some Christians!) mindlessly blabber.

Now, if “argue” meant “two people screaming and neither person listening,” then I’m against it. But since “argue” means to give reasons for what you believe, then that is precisely what we should be doing. If anything, many Christians should do it much more than they do. Consider that Christ and the apostles argued a lot and, well, WWJD, then we should too.

After all, what exactly do we think was going on when Jesus talked to the Pharisees? Arguing, right? And usually the Pharisees got really mad. They accused Jesus of being a demon possessed blasphemer and sometimes they tried to stone him or push him off of a cliff.

And the apostles were no different. Two examples should suffice. In Acts 19:8 we read that “Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing [dialegomai] persuasively about the kingdom of God.” Then in Acts 17:2-3 it says, “As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned [dialegomai] with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead.” As is the case with the NIV, translations may render dialegomai sometimes as argue and other times as reason but it’s the same Greek word.

Of course, what’s at stake here is significant. Would the devil like anything more than when someone challenged the truth of historic Christianity, we just sat silent while quoting to ourselves the maxim “people shouldn’t argue”?

On the contrary, what the church needs is many people trained to defend the truths of historic Christianity. Answering tough questions is a great encouragement to the church. For example, consider Acts 18:27-28: ”When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted  the Jews in public debate, proving  from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.”

Don’t we need more Christians like Apollos?

1 Pet. 3:15: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Amen.