When Speculation Turns Into Separation
Speculation: the forming of a theory or conjecture without firm evidence.
I call it the act of filling in the blanks as best as one can in the natural.
Judges 12:1 Then the men of Ephraim gathered together, crossed over toward Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!” 2 And Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were in a great struggle with the people of Ammon; and when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands. 3 So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon; and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?” 4 Now Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites.” 5 The Gileadites seized the fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites arrived. And when any Ephraimite who escaped said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” 6 then they would say to him, “Then say, ‘Shibboleth’!” And he would say, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they would take him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites.
The Ephramites thought they knew the motives of the Gileadites and understood them well, believing the Gileadites were merely trying to make a name for themselves while portraying the Ephramites poorly to all others. The Ephramites felt they were above the Gileadites in station and importance. They failed to realize just how fit for battle the Gileadites actually were, having speculated wrongly about them.
They're speculation led to separation, which then turned into war. The Gileadites were able to take a simple nuance in language and use it to their advantage. The Ephraimites struggled with the Sh words, so the Gileadites would force them to say "Shibboleth," but they couldn't say it. It came out as Sibboleth. The result was the killing of forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites.
Sadly, within Christianity, many are often willing to separate over speculations about topics in Scripture, which often lack matter-of-fact, clear, and direct language. Not only are they willing to separate over them, but they are also willing to go out of their way to do all they can to ruin the reputation of the one they disagree with. They are willing to undo someone who is also seeking to promote Jesus to the lost simply because they disagree over a speculation about something in the Scriptures. Perhaps the church would be better served if we all were like Paul.
Philippians 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
Is there someone you have separated from based on a speculation regarding their motive, or perhaps something you've chosen to hold dear? May I encourage us not to let speculation turn into separation?
