When people bicker amongst themselves, they resist hope. Bickering is void of love, faith works by love (see Galatians 5:6), and of course, faith is the substance of thing hoped for (see Hebrews 11:1). Without love, there is no hope. In some cases, bickering leads to fear as the result of anger. These have no place in hope. Bickering leads to questioning, and questioning leads to doubt and suspicion. These two attack love, faith and hope. Division in the Church leads to hopelessness, especially in young believers. This is particularly true with unhealthy theological debates. When this happens, people tend to to question what they believe in an unhealthy way.
With a departure from love, there is a lack of true understanding.
Strife has nothing to do with clarity. It is prideful and arrogant. It leaves no room for proper correction and repentance. What is the goal of a debate? To prove oneself right. Where is the love in that? You can be right in your own eyes, but wrong in the eyes of God. One’s personal theology does not trump the truth of God. It leads to error when it’s void of love. Anything void of love is void of the Holy Spirit. That which is void of the Spirit is void of truth as well as life. How can strife give life to anyone?
James 4:14-16 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work (NASB).
