Debate

Paul mentions debate twice in his Epistles:

• Romans 1:29 "Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,"

Here we see the word debate listed between envy, murder and deceit, malignity on the other. We also see linked with other conditions Paul condemns in:

• 2 Corinthians 12:20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

But the word in the Greek is eris is not always translated debate. It is defined as "contention, strife, wrangling".

It is translated strife in four verses and always listed with the word for envy.

• Romans 13:13 "Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying."
• 1 Corinthians 3:3 "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strifee, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"
• Philippians 1:15 "Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:"
• 1 Timothy 6:4 "He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,"

It also appear as contentious twice in:

• 1 Corinthians 1:11 "For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them [which are of the house] of Chloe, that there are contentions among you."
• Titus 3:9 "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain."

On His letter to the Galatians it is translated "variance" and listed between Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, and emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, on the other:

• Galatians 5:20 "Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,"

It appears in a long list of those who "shall not inherit the kingdom of God" that begins in Galatians 5:19 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness," and ends in Galatians 5:21 "Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

If you need help:

Or want to help others:

Join The Living Network of The Companies of Ten
The Living Network | Join Local group | About | Purpose | Guidelines | Network Removal
Contact Minister | Fractal Network | Audacity of Hope | Network Links