Titus 3:9-15
Avoid Dissension
9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.
Final Messages
12 When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. 14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
Farewell
15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with you all. Amen.
We are called to reject that which is unnecessarily divisive and unproductive to spiritual well-being. We are called to accept others in the Lord in fellowship to help them and to do good for them. Some things to reject include these in verses 9-10; we are to refuse to engage in foolish arguments and tracing of familial roots to prove worthiness. This was primarily with the Jewish leftover habit to prove who was of what lineage of a certain tribe to show how important or spiritual they were, just as some do today in physical and national genealogical pursuits. This is mentioned because of the pride it engenders instead of the inheritance in Christ which is of the new Adam and not down the ages from the old Adam who left us a legacy of inherited sin. The genealogy of Jesus Christ is an exception because it proved He was the promised Messiah as the Branch of King David as promised. We are not Him and have nothing to prove that is profitable or useful. This also includes striving about points of the Law or even scripture in general at the expense of fellowship or witness to the grace of gods in the gospel. So we are to avoid unnecessary wrangling over doctrine by genealogies, arguments, and heated disagreements. The correct approach is reasoning over the scriptures as we speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and persuade (Acts 17:17, 24:25, 28:23, 24-25) with the aid of God’s Spirit guiding our tongues (James 3:1-3) and emotions. Those who continue to argue and cause disruptions to divide God’s people and their constructive fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25) are to be rejected from the gathering together that they do not spoil the body with their warped sinful beliefs and intentions. These condemn themselves as it is written here and are not to be allowed to damage others with them in this divisive behavior, but avoided or put out of the church if they do not repent and will not be restored to godly fellowship. Who we are to accept are those like Artemas and Tychicus who labor with us in the gospel or Zenas and Apollos who Paul instructed Titus to help in return for their like-minded labor in the gospel. The ruling principle is to teach others to keep up good and godly works that are pleasing to the Lord and spiritually beneficial to one another in the church. This includes meeting urgent needs of the flock with unselfish humility and congenial care for their affairs. May we do so that we also can greet each other with the right hand of fellowship (Galatians 2:9) as we love one another in actions and words without useless division over arguments of our pride to prove ourselves. This is our guide for acceptance and rejection according to scripture in the body, the church, by our approach with godliness and not of our fallen nature.
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