Truth and Conflict vs Contention

In a world that seems increasingly noisy and divided, how do we, as disciples of Jesus Christ, defend truth without losing the Spirit in the process? 

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are often placed in situations where defending gospel principles isn’t optional—it’s expected. But there’s a difference between standing for truth and stepping into contention. The line may feel thin at times, but Christ showed us exactly how to walk it. 

Look at His ministry. Again and again, the Savior stood firm—He never wavered on doctrine, never shied away from truth. And yet, He carried out that mission with profound calm, mercy, and love. He never fueled the flames of conflict simply for the sake of being right. 

Consider His exchanges with the Scribes and Pharisees. They tried to ensnare Him in legal traps, pressing Him with questions not because they wanted answers, but because they wanted conflict. One such moment came when they asked Him about paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus, with no anger or frustration, responded simply, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Firm. Clear. Not contentious. 

Or take the moment when an angry crowd dragged a woman caught in adultery before Him. The tension was real, the accusations loud. But Jesus didn’t respond with matching energy. He didn’t lecture the mob or yell them down. He quietly wrote in the dirt. Then came His reply: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.” He neither excused sin nor fed the fury. He honored both justice and mercy. “Go, and sin no more.” 

That balance—truth without contention—is exactly what we need now. 

President Russell M. Nelson has spoken about this. He warned: 

“Contention drives away the Spirit—every time. Contention reinforces the false notion that confrontation is the way to resolve differences. … It leads to anger, then to hatred. The Savior has commanded us to ‘love one another; as I have loved you.’” 

So yes, we stand for truth. Absolutely. But we do it with love. We do it in ways the Spirit can still accompany us. We don’t sacrifice clarity, but we also don’t surrender to combative tactics just because it feels like the cultural norm. 

That doesn’t mean we avoid hard conversations. Christ Himself said, “I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Truth divides. It always has. It will cause friction. But disagreement isn’t the same as contention. And when the world drifts toward outrage, we can respond with clarity, compassion, and conviction—at the same time. 

So how do we keep that balance? We stay anchored in the essentials of the gospel. We avoid the shallow skirmishes that serve no real purpose. We listen with empathy. We answer with kindness. And we measure our tone not by how strongly we feel, but by whether the Spirit can still be felt. 

President Nelson said, “The gospel of Jesus Christ has never been needed more than it is today.” Of course, he’s right. But it’s not just the truth we share that matters—it’s how we share it.