How to Stop a Fight

Acts 15:2 (ESV)  - And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnaba and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 

Have you been in a disagreement lately? Arguments can lead to real pain and anger and sometimes violence. Once deep, loving relationships might be permanently severed. Families, friendships, companies, churches, and even nations are split and may never recover unless those who have been hurt decide to get it worked out.

When we are convinced our position is correct and others disagree with us, it is natural for us to dig in with a firm resolution. We know we are right. Those on the other side are either stupid or they have bad motives and want to hurt us. In either case, the last thing in the world we want to do is to be in the same room with them, let alone talk through the painful issue.

Acts 15 tells about a time the young Christian church faced such a schism but chose to handle it the right way. It is easy for look back nearly 2,000 years and see Paul and Barnabas as the good guys and those who opposed them as the bad guys. Those in the other group were Christians (Acts 15:5), but they believed non-Jewish people had to become Jewish in every respect before they could become Christians. Yet, that group had history on its side. The Hebrew Bible had specific instructions for Gentiles who wanted to convert to Judaism. Why would those principles not apply in the Christian era, as well? They had good reason to think they were correct. Paul and Barnabas did, too.

This divide almost split the young church, but God had intervened in both a vision and the visible miracle of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to show Peter (respected by both sides of the debate) that Gentiles can come to Jesus without accepting all of the Jewish traditions. (Acts 15:7-11) The miracles and changed lives Paul and Barnabas had seen on their first mission gave even more evidence of this. (Acts 15:12) When both sides chose to sit down at the table together with other wise leaders, they listened to each other’s backstories to fully understand why the other side believed what they did. They then turned to the pages of the Bible to see what God had to say about the question. (Acts 15:16-18) Finally, the senior leader of the group – respected by both sides – spoke up to describe what they had all experienced to tell the new story that has been the church’s story ever since: “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and us to lay on you no greater burden.” (Acts 15:28) Since that day, we Gentiles who come to Jesus don’t need to first adopt all Jewish tradition. The church was reconciled and strengthened. Those who were almost enemies became friends again. This probably would never have happened had they not gotten together to work it out.

I know it is hard to sit down and work things out with someone who has hurt you or made you angry, but reconciliation is essential if you are going to see the best future possible.