There are some things people love (or hate) to argue about. Like: Is a hot dog a sandwich? Is “the dress” black and blue, or white and gold? How do you pronounce “GIF”? Is pineapple on pizza tasty, or a travesty?
Such topics can be fun to debate because, in the end, they don’t really matter. They have no real impact on your life or relationships (unless you’re trying to share a pizza). You can strongly disagree with someone and still remain great friends.
As Christians, though, we are sometimes faced with far more important questions. Here are some I often get while serving in Great Questions:
- Did Jesus really rise from the dead?
- Can I lose my salvation?
- Do the miraculous spiritual gifts still happen today?
- How do the dinosaurs fit into the creation story?
There are hundreds more questions that have divided Christians throughout our history. Beliefs vary between Christians about issues of theology, culture, and behavior. Depending on the question, believers—even within Watermark—can come to biblical and well-informed conclusions while disagreeing with one another. So, when are Christians free to disagree, and how can we disagree with love and respect? A helpful framework to consider is called the “Concentric Circles.” Every theological issue falls somewhere within this “bullseye” with rings labeled Essentials, Convictions, Opinions, and Questions.
This isn’t a perfect framework. Sometimes section distinctions are blurry, and Christians may disagree about which bucket an issue falls into. While not foolproof, these circles are a great starting point when you are confused on how to respond in a theological disagreement. Disagreements should be handled differently depending on whether it is an essential, a conviction, an opinion, or just a question.
Essentials – What We Know Is True
Definition: Essentials are what all Christians believe. They are essential to the faith; if you don’t agree with an essential, then you are not a Christian.
Examples: There are six core things that Christians believe:
- Trinity – There is one God that eternally exists in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- Sin – Humanity rebelled against God and therefore deserves judgment.
- Deity/Humanity of Jesus – Jesus is both fully God and fully man.
- Atonement – Jesus’s death paid for sin and is applicable to man through grace.
- Resurrection – Jesus physically rose from the dead and is alive today.
- Resolution – God will make all things right when Jesus physically comes again, eradicating evil and restoring creation.
Some of these beliefs are ones that Christians “must affirm,” while others you “must not reject.” For example, all Christians must affirm that Jesus died for their sins and rose again (Romans 10:9). Believing the gospel is necessary to be a Christian. When it comes to the Trinity, however, a Christian must simply not reject that God is Triune. The God of Christianity is the Triune God, so rejecting the Trinity makes one believe in something that is not the Christian God. Thus, every Christian agrees on the essentials.
Handling Essentials: When disagreements arise over an essential, we must stand firm on the biblical and historical faith. Lovingly present these truths and defend them without compromise (2 Timothy 2:24-26). For, if the essentials are lost, Christianity is lost with them.
Convictions – What We Are Convinced Is True
Definition: Convictions are important beliefs, based on biblical evidence and often grounded in church history, that have a big impact on Christian life and the ministry of the church. Convictions are very important, but not truly essential. Believers can hold to differing convictions while maintaining unity in the gospel, even though disagreements on these issues often lead believers to worship in different congregations or denominations.
Examples: Common convictions include differences in how and why baptism is performed, how churches are governed, and details of how the Lord’s Supper is handled. At Watermark, Members are called to share some convictional beliefs, while others can be disagreed upon.
Handling Convictions: It is right to state your disagreement with another Christian on a conviction issue and defend your position honestly. But it would not be right to belittle or think less of a fellow Christian for holding a different conviction than you (Romans 14:10). State your reasoning, seek to understand the other side, and hold fast to what the Holy Spirit has convinced you of through Scripture.
Opinions – What We Think Is True
Definition: Differences in belief that do not have major impact on daily life and the ministry of the church are classified as opinions. Besides being less important than convictions, opinions tend to vary more while having less concrete biblical evidence. People within the same church can have widely varying opinions, but these issues should not be a reason for conflict or cause denominational division (Romans 14:1).
Examples: Common opinions that Christians hold include different views on the six days of creation, the exact order for every “end times” event, and details regarding miraculous spiritual gifts (such as the gift of tongues or prophecy).
Handling Opinions: Opinions are often not “black and white” issues. Biblical evidence could reasonably support multiple opinions on an issue. Because there is not a clear right or wrong answer, Christians ought to approach opinions with truth and charity. Know how you came to your conclusion and seek to understand your opponent’s arguments. You can promote your opinion, but be quick to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of both sides. If a Christian still disagrees with you after a long discussion, then go grab a fun lunch together and celebrate the fact that you are still friends and fellow co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17).
Questions – What We Guess Is True
Definition: Questions are issues that Christians will never know for certain, regardless of research. These vary widely among believers throughout history.
Examples: At Great Questions, we use this classic example of a question: “What does the Bible say about dinosaurs?” The Bible doesn’t clearly address dinosaurs at all; it is not a textbook, nor is it concerned with detailing prehistoric beasts. Because there is no clear answer, it remains a question.
Handling Questions: When discussing question issues, be open-minded and forgiving of different viewpoints. Do your best to ground your own conclusions in Scripture and give well-reasoned answers. But also remember that some things are simply not revealed to us (Deuteronomy 29:29). Our questions will likely remain unanswered, and we must be okay with that.
Fight Good Fights
Disagreements between Christians are inevitable. By definition, no two Christians can disagree on essentials. But you almost certainly know other Christians who disagree with you on convictions, questions, or opinions. When these disagreements occur, how do we handle them?
The Concentric Circles can help.
- If someone disagrees with the essentials, then they are not a Christian, and the most loving thing you can do is share gospel truths with them.
- If you disagree about convictions, you can be bold in communicating what you are convinced of. But keep in mind that, even if you disagree on some things and perhaps go to different churches as a result, you can still both agree on what is really essential to Christianity.
- Beliefs on opinions and questions will vary between Christians. Show charity and respect in these disagreements and remember that they are not important enough to cause division in the local church.
Keep unity in the essentials. Defend your convictions. Consider your opinions. Ponder the questions. Show charity to fellow Christians. And let everything be spoken and done in love (1 Corinthians 16:14).