LEARNING DAILY

Titus 3:9-11, But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

Paul has been giving positive instructions to Titus and his congregation as to how to live in God’s grace. Now he tells Titus four areas to avoid. Believers today would do well to keep these in mind. First, he tells Titus to avoid foolish debates. There are those who want to argue, have another person show them where they are wrong in their view of Scripture; they will just not let the argument alone. These types of arguments are not productive in the growth of Believers; these arguments are unprofitable and worthless. There are thoughts in God’s Word that are not worth arguing about. Does it really matter when or is something going to occur? Jesus taught Believers to be ready, to stand firm in Him and His Word for His return (for example). It will happen, the rapture will happen; Believers need to be living as Jesus instructed and be ready, looking for the trumpet to sound!

This statement came from before Gentiles were allowed to come into the church. Jewish Believers found it very difficult to break the traditions of Jewish elders and this caused foolish controversies over Mosaic law and genealogies to develop. This led to ridiculous arguments that were unrelated to “sound doctrine” which caused difficulties within the body of Christ.

Regarding the statement about genealogies, Paul’s warning was to be careful of false teachers who took great pride proving they were descendants of Abraham. It is doubtful that God really cares about this as He is more concerned with one’s salvation and the Believer’s obedience as he/she walks the narrow way. Titus was a Gentile; he had no Jewish lineage. Paul encouraged him to not worry about family history and to preach Jesus Christ and the Good News He brought.

Paul wrote Timothy about the same thoughts (1 Timothy 1:3-4). He wrote about “strange doctrines, fables and endless genealogies”. In his letter, Paul encouraged Timothy to stand firm in the faith and to communicate the truth of the gospel. He warned of growing apostasy (rebellion or abandonment of God or His Word) and false teaching within the church. It is obvious that Paul was very concerned with false teachers who deliberately infiltrated the body of Believers and began to draw people away from the truth of the gospel of grace.

Realizing there were false teachings infiltrating the church in the days of Paul, Timothy, and Titus help us understand the seriousness of the teachings that are leading people away from the true gospel message today. Once again, I point Believers to the Bereans (Acts 17:11) who searched out the Scriptures daily to make sure the teaching (or blog they read) was accurate and true. Every Believer must be doing this in order to not be “tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14; see also James 1:6) that is spoken or written about. To not be grounded in “sound doctrine” is to be easily led into believing false doctrine, false teaching!

Paul wrote to Titus that “foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law” were “unprofitable and useless”, a waste of time. They take too much energy and take resources away from the good works Paul wrote about! I encourage each Believer to consider this carefully!