Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5760 Human attitudes and behaviour  »  5834 disagreement

A failure to be of one mind, which should be avoided whenever possible within the church, the family and other areas of everyday life. Christians are urged to maintain the unity of the church and avoid damaging division.

Disagreement within the church

Between individuals

Philippians 4:2 See also Mark 9:33-34 pp Luke 9:46; Acts 15:36-40 these differences later reconciled; see 1Co 9:6; 2Ti 4:11; 1 Corinthians 1:11-12; Corinthians 3:3-4; 2 Corinthians 12:20

About doctrine

Acts 15:1-2 See also Acts 15:11-14,19-20; Galatians 2:11-14

Disagreement in the family

May cause estrangement

Micah 7:6 See also Genesis 27:41-45; Genesis 37:4

Is unpleasant to live with

Proverbs 19:13; Proverbs 21:9,19; Proverbs 25:24; Proverbs 27:15

Disagreement among witnesses

Mark 14:56 The background to this statement is Dt 19:15, which demands that conviction can only take place on the testimony of two or three agreed witnesses.

The wisdom of avoiding disagreement

2 Timothy 2:14 See also Proverbs 17:14; Proverbs 20:3; Proverbs 26:17,21; Romans 16:17; 2 Timothy 2:23

To prevent division

Matthew 12:25 pp Mark 3:24-25 pp Luke 11:17 See also 1 Kings 12:16-17 pp 2 Chronicles 10:16-17

Sin provokes disagreement

Galatians 5:19-20 See also Proverbs 6:12-14; Proverbs 17:19; Titus 3:9-11; James 3:16

Examples where disagreement is inevitable

1 Samuel 11:1-2 Nahash's suggestion to the men of Jabesh Gilead; 1 Kings 20:8 Ben-Hadad's demands on Ahab

Examples of resolved disagreement

Genesis 13:5-9 Abraham and Lot resolve their disagreement over land and livestock; Genesis 26:19-22 Isaac settles a disagreement about the water supply; 1 Kings 3:16-27 Solomon resolves a disagreement between two prostitutes.

Ways to resolve disagreement

Settlement out of court

Matthew 5:25 pp Luke 12:58 See also 1 Corinthians 6:1

Accepting weaknesses

Romans 14:1

Striving for harmony

1 Corinthians 1:10 See also Romans 14:19; Romans 15:5; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:3; Philippians 2:2-3; Colossians 3:13-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:13; 2 Timothy 2:23-24; 1 Peter 3:8

Appointing wise leaders

Deuteronomy 1:12-13 Moses realised that he was unable to deal with all the people's disputes alone. See also Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 6:5-6

Being of sound doctrine

1 Timothy 1:3-4 See also Titus 3:9-10

Those who seek to resolve disagreement are blessed

Matthew 5:9 See also James 3:18

See also

5270  court
5359  justice
5375  law
5383  lawsuits
5675  divorce
5681  family
5783  agreement
5811  compromise
5814  confrontation
7025  church, unity
7032  unity, God's people
8458  peacemakers