The Wrong Way To Be Right
The word “polemic” has to do with controversial argument. The word irenic means peaceful and conciliatory. The following quote from “Calvinist International” explains how “being right” can lead to a lack of salt in our speech. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Col 4:6). I need help in this area. Please pray for me.
“But refutation of polemical claims in a patient but rigorous way is not itself a polemic answer, but rather an irenic one, conducing to understanding of the truth; and irenicism certainly doesn’t mean unwillingness to clearly state the truth or to critique error. It simply loves truth more than the misleading feeling of being “right,” and knows too that on the way to truth, there are no shortcuts.” - http://calvinistinternational.com/2012/03/18/truth-and-method/
When I was a young new convert, my pastor said, “You always have to be right. Don’t you? You always have to set everyone straight.” Of course everyone wants to be right and everyone thinks he is right. Do you know of anyone that thinks he is wrong or wants to be wrong? Truth seekers have a problem.
It is great to seek the truth and be humble enough to be willing to be taught better by any man. But once the truth seeker does that and discovers where he was wrong, the next problem arises. He wants to correct others. The problem with that is that many do not want to be taught better by any man. The “feeling of being right” tempts us to call others “stupid” or corrupt.
For example, when people move from our church to another city, they have the problem of finding a church like ours. There is a great temptation to get crossways and critical. This is where humility is tested. Many things in the new church are distasteful to them. What should one do? The answer is: It is more important to be submissively humble than to be right. God is more interested in a gracious heart than in the correct brain. But is that not compromise?
It is not compromise with truth as long as one’s personal stand is firm, but gracious. A great opportunity for growth in grace is being offered. Just submit to their authority and be an influence without being divisive. “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called [even by opponents] sons of God.” Chew the meat and spit out the bones. Beware of perfectionism.
Even God made certain allowances that some might label compromise. Examples: the law for divorce and the request for a king. If we really do have better understanding, grace in the heart will understand that God needs dumb people, too, because only dumb people can reach dumb people.
When a truth seeker gets revelation, a lack of grace in his heart demands that everyone see what he sees. That does not mean he should not “clearly state the truth or to critique error. It simply loves truth more than the misleading feeling of being ‘right.’”
To teach the truth for God is to offer a sacrifice. “And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt” (Lev 2:13). To call names is to lack salt. To lack salt simply indicates a need for more grace.
