Contention or Love?

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. (2 Timothy 2:23-26 KJV)

There are some boards I’ve visited that intrigue me simply because I cannot understand why people post in the manner some do. Don’t get me wrong, please. I do post to a few boards, but in fellowship and information exchange, not in debates. And, on the subject boards, the debates are not friendly.

Of two that come to mind, their very names relate to Christianity. Yet the examples set for non-believers show more strife and less gentleness than Paul requests.

But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. (Titus 3:9 KJV)

More than once Paul brings this to Christians’ attention. He knew of which he spoke: For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. (Titus 3:3 KJV)

Paul knew that infighting is not profitable: But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. (Galatians 5:15 KJV)

He instead offers … the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV) (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) (Ephesians 5:9 KJV)

Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. (Proverbs 22:10 KJV)

Paul experienced such contention and knew the results were painful: And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; (Acts 15:39 KJV)

So often posters act as Christ described children: And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. (Luke 7:31-32 KJV)

He had our generation down pat, didn’t He? We know the truth, too, just as John: I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. (1 John 2:21 KJV)

I believe he would write to us, just as he wrote then: And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. (2 John 1:5 KJV)