Evaluating A Debate

David P. Brown

Of all truth, spiritual Truth is the most important (Matt. 6:33; John 8:31,32; 17:17; 1 Tim. 2:4; James 1:18). Believed and obeyed from the heart, spiritual Truth alone procures the remission of man’s sins he has committed against God and thereby his reconciliation to Him (Rom. 5:10; 6:3, 4, 17, 18; 1 Peter 1:22; Col. 2:12; Eph. 2:16; 2 Cor. 5:18, 19). We, therefore, dare not let our admiration for and friendship with any preacher, paper, school, anything or anyone else cause us to reject the Truth on any subject. Our love for the Truth of the Gospel should even exceed our love for our families.

In seeking to “be established in the present truth,” men have utilized the polemic platform as one means to test their convictions (2 Peter 1:12). When conducted properly, debates have served well to aid men in complying with Paul’s directive to “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21). Such debates expose error as well as uphold Truth. Such discussions are, therefore, “proving ground” operations.

The Scriptures are the objective, absolute, humanly attainable, final, infallible, complete standard for determining God’s Will in any and all moral and spiritual matters (2 Tim. 3:16,17; James 1:25; 2 Tim. 2:15; John 12:48). This is because the Bible was inspired by God (1 Cor. 2:9-16; Gal. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:2-4;19-21).

However, we must properly use the rational faculties God has given us in arriving at the Truth on any subject (Isa. 1:18; Acts 17:2; 18:4; 24:25; 1 Thess. 5:21; 2 Thess. 3:1, 2). The reader must determine whether the debaters stayed true to and consistent with what they “declared,” “acknowledged,” and “affirmed.”

A written debate allows for each man to have sufficient time to study and think through his position and arguments as well as those of his opponent. Each disputant should be able to argue his case as he sees fit to do so. Further, each disputant is expected to press what he deems to be inconsistent and contradictory on the part of his opponent. True and False questions as well as other questions will be employed by each debater to expose what he considers to be inconsistencies and contradictions of his opponent. This is the nature of a debate; and, therefore, the reason the honest and serious student is benefited by it.

The earnest pupil knows what to look for in a debater’s effort to prove his case as well as refute the position of his opponent. Though not exhaustive the following fundamental questions should be asked by the reader concerning each participant’s efforts in this debate, or any debate, whether oral or written.

1. Did each disputant define the terms of his proposition?
2. Did each party understand the implication(s) of his proposition?
3. Was the Bible used as the only standard of measurement in attempting to prove and disprove matters (2 Tim. 3:16, 17)?
4. Was there a clear respect for and a thorough understanding of the importance of the immediate and remote context of the Scriptures employed in the debate?
5. Did each person indicate that he knew the difference between generic and specific terms?
6. Did each disputant understand that a modern dictionary only gives the present usage of words?
7. Did each participant evidence a clear understanding of the Truth, that before one is obligated before God to do anything, the Word of God must authorize it (Col. 3:17)?
8. Did each disputant demonstrate that he knew that the Bible authorizes anyone to do anything only by direct statements, example, and implication?
9. Did each debater indicate he fully understood that an example of something does not have to be found in the Bible before it authorized?
10. Did each debater disclose that he knew that in the process of authorizing certain matters, the Bible allows for options in getting done the thing(s) authorized?
11. Did each person understand that in discharging the obligation wherein options are available, that one chooses the option that discharges the obligation in the most advantageous (expedient) manner?
12. Did each disputant indicate that he understood the difference between obligatory and optional matters?
13. Did either one of the debaters attempt to make optional matters obligatory or obligatory matters optional?
14. Did each disputant evidence proper respect, understanding, and use of the laws of valid inference in efforts to argue his case from the Scriptures?
15. Is there evidence that each person understood the difference in merely asserting something to be true and proving it to be true?
16. Did the disputants show they understood that truth cannot imply error?
17. Did each party reveal that he realized that students of the Bible are to infer only what the Bible implies?
18. Did each debater understand that when all of the parts of a thing are proven to be True the whole of the thing is True?
19. Did either party ridicule logic?
20. Did the participants reveal that they understood that precisely stated propositions are without exception true or false (not true)?
21. Did the debaters know how to make an argument?
22. Did the parties understand that when the major and minor premises of a syllogism are true and the syllogism is valid that the conclusion cannot be wrong?
23. Did the disputants understand that an illustration proves nothing; that it only illustrates?
24. Was there an attempt to deny the implication(s) of one’s proposition?
25. Did the debaters treat one another with respect?
26. Was the issue clearly stated?
27. Was the material presented systematically?
28. Was there any attempt to “beg the question” ?
29. Did either debater attack his opponent’s person?
30. Did either disputant demonstrate that he would not change his position regardless of how adequate the evidence was or how logically it was presented?
31. Did either debater deny that the Bible authorizes by implication?
32. Did either debater deny that what the Bible implies is as binding on man as what it explicitly authorizes?

In college one of the courses most beneficial to me was “Listening Comprehension.” We were taught that a person could say he had “listened” only when he had understood the information. While there are many things necessary to listening, if one cannot logically analyze information, it is impossible for him to comprehend it; and, if one has not comprehended what was said or written, he has not listened. Hence, knowing how to properly “think through” material is directly connected with drawing a correct conclusion. The aforelisted questions emphasize principles necessary to analyze material whether spoken or written. Thus, when one has finished reading and studying each participant’s material, he may correctly answer the question: “What did the debater/speaker/preacher actually say?”

Another very important point necessary to correctly evaluating a debate is to examine closely whether each disputant has truthfully represented what his opponent has said. In other words, did each debater say what his opponent said he said? For obvious reasons this is more easily done in a written debate; however, it is imperative that time and effort be used in reading and re-reading material if such is to be adequately done.

In closing it is most appropriate to emphasize the Words of Jesus when He instructs us to “Take heed what ye hear” and “how ye hear:...” (Mark 4:24; Luke 8:18). We must be sure that what we hear is truly Bible instruction. How one hears pertains to one’s proper application of God’s Truth to his life (Luke 8: 15; Matt. 5 :6; John 7: 17). Hence, it seems most appropriate to urge the reader of this debate to heed the Words of Jesus when He said, “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matt. 13:9).

Return to the Articles page