A short lesson from nature:
We have an expression about "locking horns" with someone. It means that there is an argument going on between two people, with each individual doing his best to win the argument. The expression comes from an occurrence in nature involving two male animals with antlers or horns coming together to establish dominance for mating privileges.
I saw a nature show in which a farmer called the local game warden because he found two dead deer on his property. The farmer was concerned that hunters were trespassing on his land to shoot deer. The game warden arrived and the farmer took him to the location of the dead animals. The game warden saw the strange sight of two dead bucks lying side by side. When the warden examined the dead bucks, he found not a mark on them.
The puzzled farmer asked the warden, "What killed them? Why are they laying like that, side by side?"
The warden answered, "These two bucks had locked horns with each other fighting for dominance, but then they couldn't get their antlers apart. Deer are creatures that need frequent watering (see also Ps. 42:1), and these animals, locked together like this, were unable to get to their water source. They died of thirst, still locked together side by side."
Do you find yourself repeatedly locking horns with someone over the Gospel, over the Bible? Do you each struggle for dominance in the argument regarding belief, or unbelief?
Jesus called us to preach, teach, witness, and minister (Mt. 28:18-20, Mk. 16:15-18), but that doesn't require us to "lock horns" with anyone.
Scripture urges us not to engage in strife and debate, calling it unprofitable and useless:
"The beginning of strife is like releasing (slip away, remove oneself from, separate) of water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts." Prov. 17:14
"It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel." Prov. 20:3
"...pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." 2 Tim. 2:22-26
"...those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless." Titus 3:8-9
This does not mean that we should cease to speak truth. These verses address the way not to go about it. There are those who seek to argue with us in order to justify themselves. We humbly offer the truth, and refuse the indulgence of argument and debate with them.
We who love the Lord and His Word long for all to know the wonders of salvation. However, we also understand that salvation, repentance, and belief are works of the Holy Spirit in a life, not the work of man, and certainly not a work of wrangling and domination. We are called to plant seed, but the battle for the soul belongs to the Lord.
Doctrinal disagreements between believers are also not usually successfully settled by argument, accusation, condemnation and debate. In fact, these very things often serve to harden the heart of the hearer, not to save, heal or deliver it. Those with whom we are arguing can become entrenched in their position, rather than willing to consider what we are saying. Paul said regarding the differences and strife over spiritual leadership that had developed between believers:"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase." 1 Cor. 3:6-7
By "locking horns" repeatedly with loved ones, friends, neighbors, co-workers, we may not be easing them toward salvation and truth, but in many cases, we may be causing them to become hardened and resolute against the Gospel, and thereby setting them up for the judgment of God. Is this what we really wish to accomplish? We need wisdom, or we will do more harm than good. We may leave the person in a worse spiritual condition than when we found them.
Sometimes we strive and lock horns not only with others, but with God. We often strive against what we view as obstacles and hindrances, but God is greater than any obstacle or hindrance:
"Be still (also interpreted as "cease striving"), and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Ps. 46:10
It is a constant challenge in our walk of faith to trust the Lord with our whole heart in all things, and not to depend and trust in our own understanding (Prov. 3:5).
In these times in which we live, we are often surrounded by debates and contentions over many issues, including issues of belief. We will need wisdom to know how to bring God's truth with a humility and honesty that softens hearts. The strongest argument that we can put forth are the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-26) that have been developed and are evidenced in our own lives.
We need to keep in mind the lesson of the locked horns.
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