What's Beneficial? (Titus 3:8-15) Series

Let's start this morning, by rereading last week's verses, Titus 3:1-8. I want you to hear something in Titus 3:8, in particular. But it's much easier to hear it, if we take a running start at it:

(1) Remind them, to the rulers and the authorities, to be subject/submissive, to obey, for every good work, prepared, to be,

no one to criticize/defame, non-combative (cf. Brill) to be, not demanding of one's rights (?), all humility/gentleness showing to all people.

(3) For we were once also foolish/thoughtless, disobedient,

being deceived,

serving/slaving various desires and pleasures,

in wickedness and envy spending our lives,

loathsome/despicable,

hating one another.

(4) Now, when the kindness and the love appeared-- of our Savior God-- not by works of righteousness that we did, but in accordance with his mercy, he saved us,

through the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit,

(6) whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

(7) in order that, being made right(eous) by that one's grace/favor, heirs we would become in accordance

with the hope of eternal life.

(8) Trustworthy, the (=this) word/message [is],

and concerning these things, I want you to insist/speak confidently,

in order that the ones having given allegiance to God would be focused on engaging in good works.

These things are good and beneficial for the people.

Let's pause here. So Paul instructs Titus this: "Tell the churches to focus on engaging in good works. Doing good works, is good. It's also beneficial for the people-- for the church."

Notice here how Paul frames his instruction here, in terms of "what's good," and "what's beneficial." Those would be two good words to underline in your own Bibles. When Paul writes this, he sounds much like the Roman philosophers of the time (h/t Ben Witherington). They often evaluate things, on the basis of whether they are good, and beneficial. But in my experience, it's not the way Christians normally think or talk today. When you are considering a course of action, you should ask yourself, "Is it good? Is it beneficial?"

And when it comes to good works, the answer, is "yes."

Verse 9-11:

(9) Now, foolish/stupid controversies and genealogies and strife and quarrels about the law avoid.

For they are useless and fruitless.

(10) A divisive person, after a first and second warning, avoid/reject (BDAG),

(11) knowing that such a person is twisted,

and is sinning,

being self-condemned.

In verses 9-11, Paul describes a type of behavior that isn't good, and isn't beneficial. Instead, it's useless, and fruitless.

There are certain types of arguments that Christians get into, that are a total waste of time. Here, those arguments probably revolve around detailed, nit-picky discussion of Old Testament laws. Let's flip back to Titus 1:10-16 (NRSV Updated no reason):

10 There are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; 11 they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what it is not right to teach. 12 It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said,

“Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons.”

13 That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths or to commandments of those who reject the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions; they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

We don't know the specifics of what this group is pushing. But the source of this teaching is Jewish Christians-- verse 10, "those of the circumcision." It focuses on "Jewish myths" (which is possibly a way of describing the myths that built up around biblical stories, some of which are fascinating-- like those of Adam and Eve. Or, it could be a somewhat polemical way of describing the Jewish traditions that built up around the Torah, that try to help people keep it. Jewish myths tell you can you walk a certain distance on the Sabbath, maybe).

The key verse, is probably 15. This group teaches that some things are not pure, but Paul says that they are. The idea here, isn't that Christians are a clean/pure people, and they can do whatever they want in life and still be clean/pure. It's not that you get be immoral, and get drunk, and cheat, and lie, and steal, and still be clean/pure in Christ. Rather, the focus here is almost certainly on Jewish purity laws. Christ has made you clean, and pure. Eating things like bacon, or dolphin, or shrimp, doesn't change that. And using a cup or dish that hasn't been ritually cleansed, doesn't change that either. Your purity comes in part through Christ. And your purity comes in part through how you live.