Last Words To Titus Series

Last Words to Titus

Titus 3:9-15

Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church

03-28-2021

Forest

I love the way that Forrest Gump told stories. As he experienced the fantastic events, he would describe them so matter of fact that people thought he was making things up.

But when he came to the end of the stories, especially the hard parts, he would say, “That’s all of I have to say about that.”

Well, that’s where we are with our Titus sermon series. We have come to our last sermon and Paul is going to tie up the whole letter by saying that’s all I have to say about that concerning false teachers, divisive people in the church, his team, and their faithful friends.

Turn to Titus 3.

Prayer

Last Words to the False Teachers

Throughout the letter, Paul has warned Titus about false teachers. If you remember, Paul didn’t mince words when describing them and the effect they had on these baby Christians:

They are insubordinate, empty talkers, deceivers, they upset whole house holds, teaching what they ought not to teach, for personal profit, liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons, who focus on Jewish myths and rules made by man, their minds and consciences are corrupt and defiled. They deny God by their deeds. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit.

Paul tells Titus to silence them, literally to muzzle them and to rebuke them sharply. Titus is to have a zero tolerance policy toward these false teachers.

In these verses Paul directs Titus:

“But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.” (v. 9)

Paul writes similar words to Timothy:

“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith.” (I Tim 1:3-4)

And

“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.” (I Tim 4:7)

And

“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.” (2 Tim 2:23-24) 

Paul lists four things that Titus, as a leader, should steer clear of as he puts things in right order in the churches on Crete.

Foolish controversies

Controversies are not always bad and many times they help to clarify what we believe. Paul was controversial and Jesus was as well.

In the 4th century, a theologian named Arius started teaching that Jesus had a created, finite nature rather than equal divinity with God the Father.

Theologians from all over the world converged in Nicaea in 325 to debate Arius’ ideas. He was condemned as a heretic and they produced what we now know as the Nicene Creed, that begins:

“We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth, of things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the begotten of God the Father, the Only-begotten, that is of the essence of the Father.

God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten and not made; of the very same nature of the Father, by Whom all things came into being, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.”

But the Greek word for “foolish” is where we get our English word “moron.” Titus is not to engage in moronic debates with these false teachers over things that are not important.

Genealogies

There are many genealogies in the Bible, and most of you skip them. Is Paul saying we shouldn’t read the “begats” sections of Scripture?

Not at all. The false teachers would take these lists and invent wild allegorical interpretations from the names, especially names we know almost nothing about.

When the Apostles died, much like today, wild conspiracy theories circulated through the church and these baby Christians could be led astray by the false teachers.

Titus is not to engage the false teachers about these wild theories.

Arguments

Your translation may have the word “strife.” This is someone who is always stirring up conflict and trouble.

Paul wrote to Timothy about these people:

“If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind…” (I Tim 4:6)

There are some people who simply love to argue. They love the fight. They don’t want to debate or learn.

Someone recently post on Twitter:

When I try to have a debate on Twitter, I get some negative comments but a lot of people will take up then challenge.