WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ON CHRISTIAN CONFLICT RESOLUTION?
By Ezekiel Kimosop
Conflict resolution is a critical issue of concern for the body of Christ. Christian conflicts vary from leadership related to congregational or interpersonal conflicts. They can also be classified by their gravity, ranging from simple disagreements to fundamental doctrinal conflicts that have divide Christian communions and traditions through the ages.
The first record of conflict in Scripture can be traced to Adam’s transgression with God in Genesis 3. Adam violated God’s express command in the Garden of Eden and the consequences of his disobedience have cascaded to all his offspring through all human civilizations until Christ. Humanity was isolated from a holy and righteous God until the resolution and reconciliation was found in the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.
The chilling conflict between Moses and the sons of Korah recorded in Numbers 16 reminds us that God is displeased with those who undermine his divine leadership order. The sons of Korah perished in the rebellion after they defied Moses.
The Bible conveys a number of exhortations and guidelines on conflict resolution. Matthew 18 provides a suitable illustration on the resolution of interpersonal offences within the Christian community.
In Acts 15, a major conflict between the Jewish and
Gentile church communions was resolved under the famous Jerusalem Council. The two
groups were compelled to sit and reason together in an effort to find a middle
ground on the conflicting cultural and religious practices that separated them. The resolutions of the
Jerusalem Council have served as doctrinal guidelines for the
resolution of conflicts among Christian traditions through the church ages.
In a separate conflict recorded in Scripture, Paul and Barnabas sharply disagreed over John Mark accompanying them in a missionary journey in view of the latter's conduct during a previous missionary assignment. The disagreement saw the two temporarily splitting up (Acts 15:36-41). It appears that the two ministers subsequently reconciled because Barnabas and John Mark are later mentioned as being in the company of Paul (Galatians 2:9, 13, 4:10). Christian disagreements should be expeditiously resolved in order to prevent their mutation and saturation in the community of God's people.
1 Corinthians 5 reveals that moral conflicts involving
believers should be expeditiously resolved by the congregational
ministers and elders. This is also implied in 1 Timothy 5:19-20 that relates to
accusations of sinful conduct touching on a Christian elder. The Bible provides
a threshold of two or three witnesses in this context. This is perhaps
meant to check unjustified or malicious accusations against Christian elders
and overseers given the sensitivity of their roles in the congregation. This is
more so where church leadership conflicts abound.
A conflict of opinion appears to define in
the case involving two women leaders in the church of Philippi (Philippians
4:2-3). The issues behind the conflict are not disclosed in this context but
Paul asks the Philippian elder or overseer to reconcile the two women. We can
only conclude that the matter was perhaps brought to Paul's attention because of its
gravity and persistence.
One of the most captivating conflicts in the New Testament Scripture is perhaps the Corinthian church conflict. This conflict was partly precipitated by divided loyalties in the congregation on the one part and spiritual immaturity on the other. Sections of the
congregation were reportedly allied to Paul, Peter, and Apollos, respectively
(1 Corinthians 3). Those allied to Peter may have been radical Jews that
doubted the validity of Paul's apostolic authority (cf. 2 Corinthians
11:5-33). We learn from other sections of New Testament Scripture that Paul was commissioned
by Jesus as the apostle to the Gentiles after His resurrection (Acts 9:1-19). Some argued that Paul could not qualify for apostolic office. The Jewish and Gentile communions were however distinct. Paul was assigned the Gentile ministry while Peter, John and James
were in charge of the Jerusalem church which was predominantly Jewish. Their apostolic responsibilities did not intersect.
When Apollos, a visiting Alexandrian Jewish evangelist, arrived in Ephesus, he was instructed in the way of Christ by a faithful Jewish couple, Priscilla
and Aquila in Ephesus (Acts 18:24-28). He later left Corinth under
circumstances that appear to be linked to the Corinthian conflict. It is instructive that he was
reluctant to return to Corinth despite Paul imploring him to do so (1
Corinthians 16:12). Was Apollos perhaps wounded by the Corinthian conflict?
It took Paul's apostolic intervention to buttress the
Corinthian conflict. He wrote two epistles, with the first conveying a sharp
rebuke on the Corinthians. Paul reminded the Corinthians about the preeminence
of Christ in the church and that church ministers were merely stewards
of God's grace (1 Corinthians 3:1-17, 4:1-2). Paul was compelled to adjudicate a case relating to an immoral brother among the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 5). It appears
that the Corinthians had failed to take a decisive action on the case, perhaps
by reason of the immaturity of the congregation and the open leadership conflict.
Paul's second letter to the Corinthians reveals that
the conflict had yet to fully dissipate even though it had been considerably
buttressed. Some emotional wounds were yet to heal. Paul’s intentions appear to
have been misunderstood in certain contexts. He was conciliatory in tone and
this could be evidence that his first letter was fairly harsh (cf. 2
Corinthians 7:2-12).
Regarding doctrinal conflicts, Scripture reveals that
they are to be resolved within the authority of sound Christian doctrine. Heresy
and apostasy constituted critical violations against the foundation of the Christian faith. Paul excommunicated two
heretics in the hope that they would cease to blaspheme (1 Timothy 1:20). Other
passages of Scripture reveal that heresy and apostasy would be a defining
feature in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-9; 4:1-5; Jude 1:1-19).
Scripture requires that Christian conflicts should be resolved at the earliest convenience for the sake of the unity of the body of Christ. Christian conflicts should therefore be expeditiously resolved within the relevant provisions of Scripture. The sinning and the erring among believers should be restored with diligence lest they fall away and the rest are drawn into sin (Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20). We ought to forgive and bear with one another and to mind one another's welfare (Philippians 2:1-4). We should bear in mind that God reconciled us in Christ Jesus while we were undeserving of His grace. He took the initiative in providing the atonement for our sin. The Bible proclaims that "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). We too should seek to be reconciled to our brethren whenever we offend them and forgive those that offend us for Christ’s sake. In all circumstances, the authority of Scripture remains paramount in conflict resolution.
Are you nursing an unresolved Christian conflict?
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