It is striking how much time we Christians spend arguing with one another. Generally the issues at stake are esoteric and not of urgent importance to our relationship with Jesus or to our salvation. Many hours and much ink have been spilled over predestination alone: perhaps the most contentious of these issues.
But does it matter? Or are we just using hours of debate as a displacement activity for the things we should really be doing as Christians? Many of these issues have no definitive answer this side of heaven. Surely the best thing we can do is to pray, read our Bibles and consider these issues, bearing in mind that others may come to different conclusions? Ultimately we have to trust God, know that He knows what He is doing, He loves us, one day everything will be right again, but for now we cannot comprehend Him.
Of course, some issues are what are referred to as "salvation issues", such as Christ being God's son, and are generally more clear-cut biblically. These should be defended by every follower of Christ, united around the Gospel and the cross - not surrounded by in-fighting. I pray that we can trust God more and more, growing together as the body of Christ, encouraging and exhorting one another and being Christ's love and light to the world; looking outwards, instead of navel gazing and bickering.
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