What Is Biblical Polemics

What is Biblical polemics? The Scripture reading is Philippians 1:1-20 with emphasis on verse 16—“…I am appointed for the defense of the gospel” (NASB). There is no greater passage of Scripture for these times than this. Paul said that he was set for the establishment and defense of the gospel. Also, read I Thessalonians 5:21—“But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good” (NASB).

Semantics is the study of meanings and the classification of changes in the meaning of words. A good semanticist will be diligent in his research of meaning. Therefore, a study of words is most important in polemics, the art or practice of controversy or debate. It is right to debate, and it is also wrong to debate. Controversy is too often heated and one-sided, but it is not always an unhealthy sign. Without a self-evident principle to determine on which side lies the burden of proof, controversy could be endless. On the other hand, some of the greatest sermons have been preached and great books written as the result of controversy or debate. Furthermore, some of the greatest Christian experiences of God’s saints are the products of controversy. However, this is no justification for most of the confusion and turmoil that exists in churches and denominations today.

Polemics is the art or practice of disputation or controversy. The Christian becomes very controversial just as soon as he is born of the Spirit. Before he realizes it, he is in the middle of controversy—an endless controversy for as long as he lives in time. Polemics is the branch of theology dealing with ecclesiastical subjects. Controversy alone issues in complete failure. Neither party is convinced. No Christian has existed for long without much controversy. He does not look for it—it comes to him because of his stand and what he believes. However, disagreement can be refreshing only when two parties desire to compare views in order to reach a clearer understanding of truth. On the other hand, controversy is a waste of time when two parties attempt to prove one another wrong. It destroys the desire to know the truth of Scripture by handling it correctly. Most arguments and debates throw all the energies into an attempt to prove one right and the other wrong.

The Bible says, “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good” (I Thess. 5:21 NASB). The Greek verb dokimadzo is present active imperative, which means to prove by trial, test, examine, distinguish, or debate. However, it is not enough to test or examine, unless that which is approved is embraced and maintained. There is only one effective way to arrive at the truth. “He leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way” (Ps. 25:9 NASB). The Christian has something to learn, and God has something to teach him. Pride has to go when one recognizes that God is the Teacher. The verb dokimadzo is used 23 times in the New Testament. The adjective form dokimos is used 7 times.

The Greek verb sudzeteo means to deliberate, debate, argue, or question. It is used 10 times in the New Testament. “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued (present active participle of sudzeteo) with Stephen” (Acts 6:8, 9 NASB). Look at what followed the debate! “And yet they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly induced men to say, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God. And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and dragged him away, and brought him before the Council. And they put forward false witnesses who said, This man incessantly speaks against this holy place, and the Law; for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us. And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:10-15 NASB).

The final verb to be investigated for this study is dialegomai, which is used 13 times in the New Testament. This compound verb is formed by adding the preposition dia to the verb lego, meaning to discourse, argue, reason, contend, or dispute. It is used 10 times in Acts 17:2 and 17, 18:4 and 19, 19:8 and 9, 20:7 and 9, and 24:12 and 25, all of which refer to Paul’s ministry. The early servants of God were bold (Acts 4:13, 31; 9:27; 13:46; 14:3; 18:26). They had to be courageous in order to face the opposition that killed their Leader, Jesus Christ. The verb is also used in Mark 9:34, Hebrews 12:5, and Jude 9.

Beware of sophistry! It is a superficial and fallacious method of reasoning used in every aspect of society. Politicians are always promising that their form of government will solve the problems of society and will bring peace and prosperity. However, things are getting worse regardless of the form of human government. Law enforcement agents are saying we need more prisons, jails, stiffer laws, and a better way to communicate with society in order to curb crime; but crime is increasing. Educators are advocating that new methods of education will make a change for the better in society. Scientists believe they can cure the world’s ills and find out man’s origin, how the earth came into being, and how much longer it will survive or if it will continue forever. However, educators and scientists alike ignore or deny the source of all truth—God. Therefore, things continue to deteriorate. Religionists are saying we will influence the world and bring in a religious utopia as well as political and social perfection. However, the fact is that religion has degenerated to a Laodicean system (Rev. 3:14-20) without God, and He is ready to spew the system out of His mouth (Rev. 3:16).

The right use of Biblical controversy is important. Solomon said, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding. For its profit is better than the profit of silver, And its gain than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her” (Prov. 3:13-15 NASB). “Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you” (Prov. 4:5, 6 NASB).

There are opposite effects of knowledge. Increasing knowledge makes some clearer in their testimony, more humble, and more gracious. There are others whose learning shuts them up to a world of their own, high above their fellows, and makes them hard to get along with in everyday living. There is the possibility of becoming unshackled from one spiritual prison and shutting ourselves inside a worse prison of our own making. This is caused by the wrong motive in gaining knowledge. The true motive for gaining knowledge is the sincere desire to know God’s will in order to put it into practice for God’s glory.

There is more to the Christian life than just gaining knowledge. In God’s eye, the most effective Christian is not one who has gained a lot of knowledge in the classroom or private study, but one who has experienced that to which he has been exposed. Would you want a doctor to operate on you who had spent years in the classroom and a few hours helping doctors in the operating room, but who had never performed an operation? Theology learned merely from textbooks, apart from personal experience, is dangerous. Theology learned from what man has written (not God-breathed Scriptures) is knowledge of a dangerous type. This is where all heresies begin. Look at the Book of Mormon, the Koran, and Keys to the Scriptures for examples of heretical, religious literature. Where there is no knowledge of God-breathed Scripture there can be no obedience to truth.

The key to true knowledge is a spiritual life. No one can know as a certainty what is right by merely looking up texts bearing upon a particular subject. Many think this can be done, but it takes more than looking up Scriptures. If that is all that is necessary, then all that would be required would be a good concordance, a good memory, sound common sense, and good reasoning powers. Thus, there would be no need of spirituality, the exercise of the soul, dependence on the Holy Spirit, and a deep sense of one’s own nothingness. To arrive at spiritual conclusions, one must be spiritual (I Cor. 2:10-16).

Truth is sometimes concealed by the smoke of controversy. A lot of talk about truth connected with little manifestation thereof is repulsive. Some have the art of wrangling and thus make plain things obscure. As in the burning of wet fuel one cannot see the fire for the smoke, the light of truth is often concealed by the art of controversy.

There is no way to avoid controversy in the Christian life. Even ordinary life is made up of endless controversy, and how much more the Christian life. Therefore, the Christian has debate in both the natural life and spiritual life. Without a self-evident principle to determine on which side lies the burden of proof, controversy could be endless.

In every question, the burden of proof lies on the side of the affirmative. A mere affirmation is meaningless without proof. It is the same as if it had not been affirmed. The person who denies the affirmation has nothing to say until proof is given. Evidence cannot be refuted before it is made known. If nothing is on one side of a scale (no evidence), it is unnecessary to fill the other side of the scale to outweigh nothing. Without evidence, the person affirming loses his cause. When a person engages to disprove what has not been proved, he does injury to his own cause. No person can refute what has not been proved. That which has no proof needs no refutation, because disproof is the refutation of the alleged proof.

If a person must prove his affirmation, then the objector must prove his objection. Every person must seek to prove that which his cause requires. There is a well-known principle of law which states that every man is presumed innocent until his guilt is established. However, this does not mean that we are to take for granted that he is innocent. If this were the case, he would be entitled to immediate liberation. The word presumed signifies to assume, take for granted, or suppose. This means the person is not to be legally judged as guilty. Therefore, the law pronounces no judgment until it hears the proof. The accuser must prove his side of the case or the charge falls for lack of evidence. It is the accuser in this case who needs the proof.

In regard to religious questions, it is not whether such things are useful or injurious, but whether they are found in the Scriptures. No religious institution has authority from its age, seeming success, or tradition. At the beginning of our message, reference was made to Stephen. Those arguing about what Stephen was doing were basing their views on tradition, not on the fulfillment of all those types and shadows back in the Old Testament. They were holding on to the types and shadows; and yet, they were very religious, as Paul was religious until the Lord regenerated him. Everything that claims belief must submit its evidence, or it cannot be rationally received. Everything believed must rest on evidence in order to be rationally retained. The Bible exists. Therefore, those who affirm that their institutions are scriptural are obligated to prove their affirmations are scriptural. The Scriptures are our only standard; therefore, anything not found in the Scriptures cannot be proved by the Scriptures. “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up” (Matt. 15:13 NASB). Truth is both personal and purposive. It is not only for us, but it is to have an effect on us.

“Renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2) strikes at the stagnation, complacency, and pride of achievement so often manifested in Christians. Thus, the safeguard against sinful conformation is spiritual transformation, and this will be a continuous experience. Christians cannot practice what they do not know, and they know in vain if they do not practice what they know. There is no fruit without root, and there is no genuine Christianity without doctrine. What about religionists who make light of doctrine? They are the blind leading the blind, and all will fall into the ditch together.