At times we can be confronted with situations, that need careful discernment but instead many tend to leap in without prayer or preparation. We are not meant to fight and bicker with each other or those who question our beliefs.
We need to carefully discern the motives of the questioner, especially when it concerns our Faith, in that those who are not open to the indwelling Spirit may be following the spirit of dissension, which is of Satan. If someone has a sincere question concerning our Faith then that person is open to your response and shows respect as you explain the reason for your joy. But if the person behaves in a way that is contradictory to the Holy Spirit, one must be aware of the Principality guiding the questioner.
Peter says very distinctly," Now who is going to harm you if you are enthusiastic for what is good? But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame."
To defend the Faith is to not only to speak it but to live it. We are not meant to lower ourselves into futile bickering which only inflames those involved and brings discontent and a lack of peace to the believer. For in the end by involving us in heated debates which then dissolve into ill feeling, we have already lost the battle for as Scripture reminds us, "Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces...."Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit."
This is one of the reasons why the Church’s instructs Catechists to learn and then explain what we believe and why in a constructive manner. And we are all encouraged to study Scripture in line with the Church's Teachings and Traditions in order to speak eloquently and gently about our Faith without need of confrontation. As the Catechism instructs us, 'The Church "forcefully and specially exhorts all the Christian faithful...to learn 'the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ' by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures...Let them remember, however, that prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture, so that dialogue takes place between God and man. For 'we speak to him when we pray; we listen to him when we read the divine oracles."
We must also take our Lords example in that He did not go on long, ranting discourses to the Pharisees and Sadducees, in an attempt to explain Himself to them, but instead He spoke the Truth to them and left them to themselves. For Jesus knew the motivating force within the Pharisees who were not there to learn the Truth but to try and discredit it, therefore Jesus reproved them and moved on.
There is also a cautionary note in that we are also not to think that God needs us to uphold and lift up the Faith as if He were powerless and in need of our help! This is why long and involved heated arguments over our Faith and Scripture are indeed damaging to the believer and not the dissenter! For the dissenters sole motive is to gain a negative reaction by confrontation rather than discourse, when that reaction is forthcoming this brings much joy to Satan and his hordes as a Christian loses their temper and their peace of heart.
It is also very dangerous to think we are smarter than Satan and can confront him on an equal footing. There is nothing that Satan loves more than a prideful heart, which the Christian does not recognise in himself, therefore he walks into a minefield of angry retorts and responses, that is not edifying for anyone. This is why we must not engage in open confrontational arguments over our Faith and beliefs, but instead to explain our Faith with gentleness and respect. Once we have explained the reason for our joy and find that the questioner has become confrontational it is for us to discern what Principality is the guiding force behind the questioner.
In order to recognise one of the signs of a true enquirer and a confrontational dissenter we look at their capacity to listen in a respectful manner. If that respect is missing and the enquirer does not wait upon your response but instead immediately embarks on arguments we can then discern the best course to take being mindful of God's Word and the Church's Teaching.
It is then best to leave the argumentative person, and upon leaving him to pray much for his soul as we go forth and live our Faith, as taught by the Church.
We may not always have the answer for every question but we do have the ability to pray for those who lack the peace that has been given to each of us.
For at times Prayer achieves much more than the spoken word, in that conversion lay with God and not man.
Peace of Christ to ALL
Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.
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