Quote 683
The proper activity of professing Christians who disagree with one another is neither to ignore, nor to conceal, nor even to minimize their differences, but to debate them. We are 'to maintain the truth in love,' being neither truthless in our love, nor loveless in our truth, but holding the two in balance.
John Stott
Christ the Controversialist (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1970), pp. 22, 19.26.6K
Other Quotes from the Author & Topic
a half-truth masquerading as the whole truth becomes a complete untruth
A Quest for Godliness (126)Apologetics0A Quest for Godliness (126)
Inconsistency is the sign of a failed argument.
Dividing LineApologetics0Dividing Line
Our love grows soft if it is not strengthened by truth, and our truth grows hard if it is not softened by love.
Truth, Love0From the beginning Christianity has been a proclamation, not a thesis supported by various logical arguments.
The Doctrine of God (109)Apologetics0The Doctrine of God (109)
although indeed 'God is love', yet we have to remember that his love is 'holy love', love which yearns over sinners while at the same time refusing to condone their sin.
The Cross of Christ (88)Love0The Cross of Christ (88)
Truth shines the most brightly against the backdrop of error.
The Potter's Freedom(14)Apologetics0The Potter's Freedom(14)
We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behavior.
Scripture0What you win people with is what you win people to.
Apologetics0All idolatry tries to minimize the gulf between the Creator and his creatures, in order to bring him under our control.
Idolatry0the command to judge not is not a requirement to be blind, but rather a plea to be generous. Jesus does not tell us to cease to be men (by suspending our critical powers which help to distinguish us from animals) but to renounce the presumptuous ambition to be God (by setting ourselves up as judges
Judging0Perhaps the transformation of the disciples of Jesus is the greatest evidence of all for the resurrection.
Resurrection, Faith0Christian righteousness far surpasses pharisaic righteousness in kind rather than in degree. It is not so much, shall we say, that Christians succeed in keeping some 240 commandments when the best Pharisees may only have scored 230. No. Christian righteousness is greater than pharisaic righteousness because it is deeper, being a righteousness of the heart
The message of the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian counter-culture (p. 75). Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.The Law, Sermon on the Mount0The message of the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian counter-culture (p. 75). Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
He does more than obey them himself; he explains what obedience will involve for his disciples. He rejects the superficial interpretation of the law given by the scribes; he himself supplies the true interpretation. His purpose is not to change the law, still less to annul it, but 'to reveal the full depth of meaning that it was intended to hold'.
The message of the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian counter-culture (p. 72). Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.Sermon on the Mount, The Law0The message of the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian counter-culture (p. 72). Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
What is unhealthy is every wallowing in guilt which does not lead to confession, repentance, faith in Jesus Christ and so forgiveness.
The Cross of Christ (101)Guilt0The Cross of Christ (101)
Apologetics cannot precede faith and does not attempt a priori to argue the truth of revelation. It assumes the truth and belief in the truth. It does not, as the introductory part or as the foundational science, precede theology and dogmatics. It is itself a theological science through and through, which presupposes the faith and dogmatics and now maintains and defends the dogma against the opposition to which it is exposed. Thus understood, apologetics is not only perfectly justified but a science that at all times, but especially in this century, deserves to be seriously practiced and can spread rich blessing all around.
The Valid ApologeticApologetics0The Valid Apologetic
Anti-intellectualism and the fullness of the Spirit are mutually incompatible, because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth.
Holy Spirit, Truth0The same grace which brings a person to new birth is able to transform him or her into Christ's image.
New Birth0the church is meant to be the kingdom community, a model of what the human community looks like when it comes under the rule of God, and a challenging alternative to secular society.
Church, Community0Self-denial is not denying to ourselves luxuries such as chocolates, cakes, cigarettes and cocktails (although it might include this); it is actually denying or disowning ourselves, renouncing our supposed right to go our own way.
Self Denial, Self-Denial0The Bible isn't about people trying to discover God, but about God reaching out to find us.
Scripture, Nature of God0Jesus Christ is indeed a crutch for the lame, to help us walk upright, just as he is also medicine for the spiritually sick, bread for the hungry and water for the thirsty. We do not deny this; it is perfectly true. But then all human beings are lame, sick, hungry and thirsty. The only difference between us is not that some are needy, while others are not. It is rather that some know and acknowledge their need, while others either don't through ignorance or won't through pride.
Christ, Meekness0Envy! Envy is the reverse side of a coin called vanity. Nobody is ever envious of others who is not first proud of himself.
Envy, Vanity, Pride0Many people visualize a God who sits comfortably on a distant throne, remote, aloof, uninterested, and indifferent to the needs of mortals, until, it may be, they can badger him into taking action on their behalf. Such a view is wholly false. The Bible reveals a God who, long before it even occurs to man to turn to him, while man is still lost in darkness and sunk in sin, takes the initiative, rises from his throne, lays aside his glory, and stoops to seek until he finds him.
Nature of God0We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God.
Missions0Every Christian should be both conservative and radical; conservative in preserving the faith and radical in applying it.
Faith0
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